Baltimore on the Prairie 2017, Nebraska City, NE

Baltimore on the Prairie
*** Applique Conference ***
September 20-23, 2017
Lied Lodge and Conference Center
Nebraska City, NE

Once again, I am very excited to be teaching two workshops at Baltimore on the Prairie (September 20-23, 2017).

A well known teaching faculty has been assembled for 2017: Nancy Amidon, Barbara Burnham, Jeana Kimball, Lisa DeBee Schiller, and Cathy Van Bruggen. Classes cover all skill levels from the very beginning basics to advanced Baltimore techniqes.

For my workshops, we chose two applique blocks drawn directly from the antique quilt in Baltimore Garden Quilt, and updated them with new fabrics and  new techniques.
Here is a preview of some techniques I will offer:

Choose from layered or multilayered flowers with dimensional folded buds,

or try edge ruching method for dimensional flowers and buds.

Fussy cut fabrics or add broderie perse flowers. 

Sew perfectly round padded circles, French knots, fancy fringes, or criss-cross centers.

Choose from several methods to make stems and arrange them in graceful curves. Learn to applique bumpless curves, sharp points and V's, how to handle small appliqué pieces, and tips to make hand appliqué faster and neater. I use a video projection system so all students can watch techniques up close. I hope you can join us!

Keep Stitching!
Barbara M. Burnham
www.barbaramburnham.com
(c) 2017 Barbara M. Burnham. All rights reserved. Reproduction of any kind is expressly prohibited without prior written authorization.

Baltimore Fruit Bowl - Valuable Lessons

Over the years, I have been fortunate to attend lots of appliqué workshops, learning from many talented teachers and friends. None of these class projects were ever finished during class. Hand appliqué, especially Baltimore-style, is not known for instant gratification. However, I do not count the hours, I just enjoy them.

I was just going to make one block … this Fruit Bowl, in a class taught by Anne Connery.

 

 

Anne provided each student a pack of wonderful fabrics for the pineapple, the bowl, watermelon, and some leaves. Anne’s kits did not include background fabric – we were to bring our own. This turned out to be the "most valuable lesson" I learned from Anne in that class – always bring your own background fabric to class. That way, no matter what fabrics are used or offered in a project kit, your blocks are more likely to eventually go together in a quilt! That is probably why my “Pride of Baltimore II” quilt eventually became a finished quilt, instead of unfinished (and unrelated) blocks languishing in a closet somewhere.

 

The pineapple was another valuable lesson, and the biggest challenge for me. It is made by sewing criss-crossed lines of running stitches and then gathering them up to tie around a template. Challenging, but what fun! Blackberries were gathered a similar way. The bitten apple (a bit of broderie perse) and peaches were harvested from my fabric stash. (You can click on this photo for an extreme closeup.)

 

This is one block that wound up in my "Pride of Baltimore II" quilt, along with 11 others and the central medallion with the schooner. I'll publish more about those in future posts.

 

Pattern for this block can be found in “Papercuts and Plenty” by Elly Sienkiewicz.

(c) 2015 Barbara M. Burnham. All rights reserved. Reproduction of any kind is expressly prohibited without prior written authorization.

Baltimore Garden Quilts - Marian's Blocks

Today, I would like to share with you some beautiful blocks made by Marian in Texas. Her patterns are from my book Baltimore Garden Quilt but she has added broderie perse flowers, birds, butterflies, and fussy cut leaves specially chosen from her fabric collection. Watch for fabrics like these and use your imagination!

Thanks for sharing your blocks, Marian!

Keep Stitching!
Barbara M. Burnham

(c) 2015 Barbara M. Burnham. All rights reserved. Reproduction of any kind is expressly prohibited without prior written authorization.

Satin Rose with Trapunto and Broderie Perse Butterfly



Satin Rose Trapunto and Broderie Perse 

Invitation to a Workshop with Barbara Burnham
Learn to hand applique and trapunto a dimensional single stemmed rose made with glossy satin fabric. Add a broderie perse butterfly and finishing touches with delicate inking or embroidery. Learn how to handle unusual (non-cotton) fabrics so you can add interest to your hand applique projects!
Join us at Seminole Sampler Quilt Shop, 71 Mellor Avenue, Catonsville, MD 21228
Saturday: October 20, 2012  10 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Call 410-788-1720 or toll free at 866-407-2363 to register. Cost is $45 (plus $15 kit fee).
Kit includes the pattern, all the fabrics, butterfly, stuffing for the satin rose, freezer paper, and threads to match applique.

(c) 2012 Barbara M. Burnham. All rights reserved. Reproduction of any kind is expressly prohibited without prior written authorization.

Cynthia in Texas - Broderie Perse Applique

Cynthia in Texas has been busy stitching her Baltimore Garden Quilt blocks with a beautiful twist. She is adding a broderie perse technique, cutting motifs such as flowers and birds from various fabrics. Cynthia is a master at finding just the right fabrics, and using them to their best advantage.

We have seen Cynthia's Block B1 in a previous post, and I've been anxious to share more of her blocks. Now she has finished several more blocks, and here they are (with Cynthia's permission, of course). This one, a floral block with trios of roses in pinks, reds, and burnt orange. Check out these bursting rosebuds, with just a bit of the rose motif in the calyx, and added sets of newly formed rosebuds.

Then, Cynthia completed a wreath with four open blooms - not sure what the flower is called, but it sure is appropriate for this lovely wreath.

Next, a sprouting garden of pinks and iris, and a wreath of old fashioned roses. Several leaves are also carefully cut from her focus fabric.

Here is Cynthia's version of a Woven Basket. Are you noticing all the little tendrils? There are even some tiny morning glory buds to promise more blooms for tomorrow.

And a coordinated vase of full-blown roses, of course, complete with their buds and leaflets.

Perfect for a four-block set!

Cynthia continues on, (there is no stopping her!) to make the same Vase block again, this time, featuring a cutout of a maiden pouring water from a jug. Quite an inspiration for creative use of printed fabrics, don't you think? (And look closely - there are TWO birds in there!)

Note From Cynthia:  The floral fabric is Love Letters by Laundry Basket for Moda. The toile border (and a bit on the baskets) is Garden of Enchantment by Maywood Studio. The background toile is Reflections by Ro Gregg for Paintbrush Studio. 

George's Cherry Tree with Birds

The antique quilt featured in the book Baltimore Garden Quilt was made with a traditional red and green color scheme, with highlights of yellow. Block B1, which I call George's Cherry Tree, features four birds enjoying the cherries.

On the antique block you can see some wearing away of the fabrics. The birds' legs were stitched with black fabric, and that fabric is mostly gone, as well as some of the Turkey red. But I was able to capture all the details for the patterns in the book by following the applique threads that were left behind.

My red and green reproduction block of this block is pretty much identical, faithful to the original.

However, these patterns can be done in any colors you choose! Readers and friends have been sending me photos of their blocks, and WOW, they are beautiful!

Cynthia in Texas sent me a photo of her Block B1 -- She has flown in some different birds! Cut from a favorite fabric of hers, the birds on her Baltimore Garden block are strategically cut from the French Journal Collection by London Portfolio for Michael Miller. Of course, I had to go buy some of that! :-) Cynthia inspires me to try some broderie perse!

And here is my latest version of Block B1. Plaid fabrics are a favorite of mine, and I try to use them wherever I can. The yellow birds' wings are fussy cut from a flower. I wasn't quite sure how this background would work out either -- it is a little busy -- but hey, it was fun!

I wonder what the original quiltmaker would think, if she could see these new blocks today ...

Barbara

Baltimore Garden Quilt - Block A3

Cynthia in Texas is stitching her version of Baltimore Garden Quilt. She plans to make nine blocks, and will use the quilt-as-you-go method for hand quilting it. Of course, she will include the broderie perse technique for which she is so admired.

Cynthia has graciously agreed to share her first block here for all of us to enjoy and be inspired! This is Cynthia's version of Block A3, Amelia's Rose Garden. The flowers were strategically cut from a beautiful fabric, and then arranged on the block for applique.

Now Cynthia is working on the birds in the cherry tree, Block B1. I can't wait to see what she does with those birds!

Lately, I've been stitching a new version of the cherry tree block too - and it's pretty wild! I hope to post soon about stitching the birds' eyes, comparing the antique birds' eyes with options for today's applique.

Barbara