dog appliqué Archives - Clever Chameleon Quilting

June 2, 2020January 19, 2024

Salvation Jane and Ruby Dock: Colour & Inspiration Tuesday

Salvation Jane colour board at Clever Chameleon

Happy Winter, from the Southern Hemisphere

Our winter officially started here yesterday. Although if you were here, you’d be forgiven for not noticing: 18C (64F) and sunny. Truly lovely weather during the day, although the nights are chilly now.

Arkaroola in June — Arkaroola at the beginning of June

The desert knows it’s not summer anymore though. The Salvation Jane weeds (also known as Paterson’s Curse) are growing their incredibly perfect rosettes of teal leaves in the creek bed. Hate the weed, but got to admire that growth habit in our colour board! Also, another weed that has been insipidly hanging around for months has suddenly just acquired breathtaking colour. I give you the latest in desert decoration: the Ruby Dock.

I can’t help but admire the colours, the intricate patterns and the marvellous textures of these amazing plants, even if it would be better if they weren’t here.

The beautiful weather has been good for my own intricate patterns too. I’ve had a productive week ….. I’ve finished my secret sewing I mentioned last week, and submitted the draft pattern. I’m increasingly finding that paper-piecing is pretty addictive…. But no squirrels just yet. I am being good and I’m back to working on the Lunarcy. I have even finished tweaking the Year of the Dog block. Another big step closer to starting to release the pattern.

January 31, 2019January 19, 2024

Love with a Twist Balloon Dog

Dippy Balloon Dog is the second of our appliqué blocks for the Love with a Twist quilt along. He is a loveable, friendly character with adorable big floppy ears. Awwwww.

Dippy dog, balloon dog appliqué designed by Dione Gardner-Stephen and available free at Clever Chameleon Quilting during 2019.

There are two downloads in this post – make sure you get them both

In this post you will find a downloadable pdf for the shapes and layout to make this charming balloon dog. And a short pictorial on how the parts go together too.

There is also a second downloadable for people wanting to make the dog for the twin size version of the Love with a Twist quilt. For the original throw size quilt design, Dippy Dog faces right. However, because of where he sits in the twin size quilt, I preferred him to face left. It is totally up to you which orientation you prefer.

To allow you to chose your favourite orientation, I have added a layout file for the left-facing dog in addition to the full pattern for the right-facing pooch. To make the left-facing version you will have to reverse all the appliqué shapes before you trace and cut them. Don’t worry, I will remind you at the download button.

January 1, 2019January 19, 2024

Happy New Year, Happy New BOM!!

Love with a Twist free 2019 BOM at Clever Chameleon

I’ve had an idea! I’m elated, inflated and just a little bit twisted up with excitement ….

Situation normal then! As you know, I am not usually short of slightly twisted ideas and quilty enthusiasm. But I have had a hard time settling on a new BOM to replace the Beary Colourful Bears. There are so many possibilities, but nothing that quite grabbed me until now. The bears were so much fun and a hard act to follow.

So, I’ve been musing over this quandary for several months, with a mental list of criteria I wanted my 2019 BOM to satisfy. What to do? A BOM needs to be interesting all year. It needs to be relatively simple but not too repetitive. Probably most importantly, it needs to make me feel happy….. afterall, I am going to be running this sucker for ages and ages!

And I just wasn’t 110% happy with any of my ideas. Until ……. a quilt based on one of the simplest but funnest things of all time – balloon animals – burst into my head!

So, I am excited to announce the free BOM at Clever Chameleon Quilting this year will be “Love with a Twist”. A series of animal appliqués, shaped as if they were made of sculpting balloons. A party in your sewing room all year, with no risk of deflating or popping suddenly just when you least expect it. I hope you are grinning. I’m grinning. Like an eight year old who’s had too much cake and just scored the best balloon at the party.

Read on to find out more about the Love with a Twist BOM that will be available for free here at Clever Chameleon for all of 2019.

Welcome to the Clever Chameleon Blog

Hi and Welcome! I am Dione Gardner-Stephen, writing to you from outback Australia.

You have found Clever Chameleon…. an inspirational and colourful space to help you quilt with more joy and confidence. I understand that you want to make quilts that reflect yourself and that your recipients will love. This is my passion too!

Join me as I regularly explore colours, textures, embellishments, designs, quilting and techniques that you can use too.

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