BIRD SONG PART 1

I just finished my first block of Bird Song.  It is really the second part of row one.  My friend Jeanne did the applique on the first part.  I will share that with you when I sew the row together.

I like the red fabric with the black zigzag used for the wing.  Gives it some pizzazz.  I have had parts prepped for the applique for quite a while.  I even started stitching but put the project away for some reason that I don't remember.  Time to give it some attention.  The background for the block is one of the Moda twills.  A soft hand to it.  The pattern was designed by Jan Patek.

And while I am stitching on this, I am prepping applique for my quilts.  Never ending.

Check back with me again for further progress.
Karen

QUILT TOP FINISHES

Two quilt tops finished today.  I showed you the progress on "Chelsea Cottage" yesterday.  I ended up putting two plain borders on the quilt and calling it done.  The pieced border was not fitting.  And with the two fabrics being close in value, was not worth the effort to continue with it.  I mentioned yesterday that it was a Blackbird Designs pattern.  They tend to design large patterns.  I had trouble hanging the quilt top on the design wall for a photo as I am short.  I would get one side pinned and the other would fall down.  I finally got it to stay but not nice and flat on the wall as I was afraid it would fall again.

The second top is large wall hanging size.  It is Jan Patek's design called "Hearts, Chocolates, and Flowers".  Thanks to my quilting friend Lorraine sending me some additional dark brown focus fabric, I was able to do the last border the way the pattern showed.  And lest you think I turned half square triangle units the wrong direction on a couple borders, I did it exactly as shown on the pattern.

There is lots going on in the sewing room.  Back to work.
Karen

UFO PROJECT

I have quite a number of UFO's to choose from when the mood hits.  While looking for a piece of fabric in my stash, I spotted a UFO in a crate of fabric from a Blackbird Designs line called "Beach House".  It had been a while since I looked at what all was in the crate.  I found log cabin blocks and the parts for an applique block that was to go with them.  I thought I could spend a few hours and get the applique done and maybe move the project on towards a finish.  Well, it took two days to do the applique but here is the finished block.

Once I got going on the block, I thought I had better work on it until it was done or it would get put away and not see the light of day for a long time.  I finished yesterday evening.  This morning, I sewed the log cabin blocks together.  They frame the house block but in an off-center fashion.  I am using the pattern called "Chelsea Cottage: in Blackbird Designs' book called "You're Invited!"  Now the project looks like this.

I am not sure how I am liking it.  The first and third borders are to be pieced.  I have to study the fabrics in the crate and see if I have what I need to do the borders as shown in the pattern.  They are all meant to be dark borders.  That might make me happier with the piece.  I have mixed in other fabric lines for the log cabin blocks for added interest.

I was sent a pattern from Australia for a stitchery by Lorraine of "Granny Loz" fame.  I looked back on her blog for the picture of the one she made and I cannot find it.  She does beautiful embroidery work.  Also in the same picture is a tiny little basket ornament that a quilting friend gave me.  It was made by a friend of hers quite some time ago.  I am pleased to have one of them.

And last, Sharon from "Vroomans Quilts" shared a piece of fabric with me.  The main thing that attracted me to the fabric is that there is a covered bridge scene and I am a covered bridge fanatic.  You can see the star blocks Sharon was making with fussy cuts of this fabric here.

Back to the sewing room.
Karen

A COMPLETED WALL HANGING AND A FLIMSY

The second Saturday of February was the first Christmas Sew-Along.  I posted a picture of the "Merry, Merry Christmas" wall hanging I worked on that weekend.  Later that week, I did the quilting and binding.  Now I have a new addition for Christmas decorating.  In case someone wants to make one, a reminder that it is  a Country Threads pattern.

I completed the "Save the Whales" top.  When I showed the project on my blog earlier this week, I still needed to add the star section across the top and the borders.  The quilt is to be a gift.  I had in mind to make a wall hanging with the ship and ended up making a sofa size quilt with the addition of whales, stars, and the lighthouse.  The parts for the quilt came from Jan Patek's book "Oceans Aweigh".  I was asked where the book can be found.  There is still one used copy available on Amazon books.  I don't find one on E-Bay at the current time but do see one every now and then.

My good friend Dawn sent me a package with left over fabric pieces.  Good browns and reds to add to my stash.  And a delightful addition!

I have lots to do in the sewing room today.  I best get to it.  Stop back for another visit soon.
Karen

BLOCK 10 OF THE BIBLE QUILT

Another block done for "The Bible Quilt".  This one is block ten.  Blocks eleven and twelve of the pattern set are combined into one larger block.  I have to select fabrics and prep the applique before I can do it.  Getting close to the end.

Back to the sewing room.
Karen

SAVE THE WHALES

A new project.  I took Jan Patek's pattern called "Save the Whales", made some changes, and came up with this.

The top is still a work in progress.  There is a section of stars that go across the top and then borders around the quilt.  The pattern has two lighthouse blocks.  I chose to substitute the clipper ship for one of them.  The ship block is wider than the lighthouse block so I had to adjust the filler sections.  Jan's pattern has triangle blocks as filler.  They just weren't working for me.  I could get them to fit around the lighthouse but not the ship and whales.  I ended up adding a bit of background to the ship and lighthouse blocks so that the measurements were divisible by two.  Then I cut out bunches of squares that finished at two inches.  I have been sewing on the quilt top a good portion of today.  I hope to get the star section done tomorrow.  The quilt top was quickly hung on my design wall.  I obviously did not have the camera at a good angle as the bottom of the quilt looks more narrow than the top.  It is the same width.

The pattern is in the book called "Oceans Aweigh".  The clipper ship is also in the book just belonging to another quilt pattern.

Too late for more sewing tonight.  Sleep tight!
Karen

BLOCK 8 OF MILLENNIUM GARDEN

I had skipped block eight of Millennium Garden and went on to nine.  I forget why but it could be that I wanted to think about how I was going to construct it.  This is a sort of New York Beauty style of block only no sharp points.    The rounded points are created with applique.  One round on each section had a partial curve instead of a full piece.  I don't know how to describe it any better than that.  I decided to change the width between bumps and have a full curved section.  Anyhow, here is my version of the block.

I have shown the star blocks previously.  I just went ahead and pieced together a section.  I discovered that there is a small block that goes on the lower left of this that there is no mention of in the pattern.  You can see it on the completed quilt picture and in the quilt layout diagram but nothing tells you to make it.  Fortunately, it is leaf shapes that are used elsewhere in the quilt and will be no problem to make the block.

I got a new book in the mail.  And at a good sale price.  Unfortunately, Sharon from Daisy Cottage Quilts is now sold out of them.

This is the book of Jan Patek quilt patterns put out by Quiltmania.  The photography is wonderful in the book.  I didn't count them but I think the write-up said there are thirty patterns.  Some I already have in my collection but enough of them I did not to make it well worthwhile to purchase.  I already started cutting out the backgrounds for the pattern "Christmas 101" that is in the book.

I am doing applique today on one of "The Bible" quilt blocks that have been an on-going project.  One more large block after this one and the applique will be done.

Time to get back to stitching.
Karen

A SMALL QUILT TRADE

Lori of Humble Quilts has such a similar taste in quilts as I do.  We have stitched quilts or have works in progress that both of us have made.  She shows her own quilts or antique quilts that pique her interest and  they always grabs my attention.  I chuckled the other day when she showed a picture of an antique folk art style quilt saying she was inspired by it to make her Jubilee quilt in similar style.  I have had a picture of that very same quilt  in my inspiration file for quite some time.  We decided recently that a small quilt exchange would be something fun to do.  No guidelines for the trade other than a target date for completion of what we would make and something in a similar size.    No rules about style of quilt or techniques used.  I am thrilled with what she made for me.

I love the design.  I love the colors and fabrics.  I love the small quilt! The trade could not have been better unless Lori had delivered it in person.  I feel very fortunate to have met Lori via blogging.  She has a wonderful personality and is so creative.  We met in person several months ago but only got to spend an hour together  (she was heading out on a quilting cruise that morning).  I hope sometime in the future that our paths will cross again and we can spend a longer length of time together.

Here is a picture of the quilt I made for Lori.

This quilt is about 18 inches square.  I named it "Sampling the Past".  You will notice that we both chose to use reproduction fabrics and in the same kind of colors.  I added brown  to mine but we both used the red, cheddar, and green.  We both used Lori Smith designs for the applique.  I think we were on the same wave length.

Thank you, Lori, for suggesting the trade and for making me very happy!  She is doing a post today also so stop by and pay her a visit  here.

Karen

CHRISTMAS SEW-ALONG FOR FEBRUARAY PLUS MORE

I got a late start on joining in on the Christmas Sew-Along that happens on the second Saturday of each month.  I had a very pleasant time visiting with two quilting friends and going out to lunch.  Unplanned event but a very pleasant one.  It is always good to get together with friends who like the same kind of quilts, share thoughts and ideas, and have a good lunch.

I started on my project on Saturday evening.  By the time I got it to the point where a picture would look like something recognizable, it was too late to do a post.  Here is a picture of the progress I made.

All the applique parts are fused down and ready for machine stitching with a small buttonhole or overcast stitch.  I have navy blue borders cut ready to add on after that.  The pattern I am using is by Country Threads and is called "Merry, Merry Christmas".  Wonder how they came up with that name".  The pattern includes instructions for two more smaller pieces.  One says "JOY".  The other has a Christmas tree with balls on it and says "Deck the Halls".  I was thinking that someone could use the snowman and change the wording to "SNOW" and use the quilt for winter decorating and not just the holiday.

I have two more of the Buttermilk Basin blocks stitched.

I think I will work on the holiday project this afternoon and enjoy my day.  I hope you find some time to play too.
Karen

A PRODUCTIVE DAY

Yesterday was a productive day quilting wise.  I was able to stitch down the wool applique pieces on two Buttermilk Basin patterns.  January and February's blocks though what they have to do with the months escape me.

I finished stitching down the wool applique pieces on another "Walking Rabbit" piece.  This will now go to a good friend to do whatever she would like to with it.

And I did the applique on the "Hospitality" block from the "Collector Series".

This morning, I added the narrow red border to the heart quilt I showed on yesterday's post.  Now I have run into a problem.  There is not enough of the dark brown fabrics in the kit to do the 1/2 square triangle border.  I am not finding anything similar in my stash.  I used to have some of the browns from the Porch Swing line but I could not find any this morning.  So here is what the piece looks like now with the red border.

I may just get creative with the fabrics that are left from the kit and do a different border.

Time for my soap opera and some stitching on another of the Buttermilk Basin blocks.

Karen

HEARTS, FLOWERS AND CHOCOLATES PART 1

A work in progress.  "Hearts, Flowers and Chocolates" wall hanging.  Borders yet to come.

This applique wall hanging was started by my friend Susan who does wonderful applique.  She did the applique in the middle of the piece.  I am not sure why she stopped at that point but it was given to me to finish and that was a good while ago.  I decided last weekend that I should work on it as it could be used for Valentine's Day display.  I pieced the triangles surrounding the center block and then added the corner triangles that set the center on point.  I did the applique on one triangle and started the second.  I was not liking how things looked.  The shapes below the hearts were not hanging straight.  I know it is prim style but I think I would have been happier with a more symmetrical shape.  And the heart is higher on the right side than the left but I had not positioned them that way.  I quit at that point and was going to remove the outer triangles.  I figured I could use the center block for a wall hanging as is.  The next day I decided to take off some of the applique that was bothering me and position it better.  I dislike having to re-do but I am happier with the result and pushed forward with the project.  Now I will be adding a narrow red border and then a half square triangle border.  I will post a picture after that is complete.  The pattern for this wall hanging is by Jan Patek.

This morning, I am working on a Buttermilk Basin design.  It is the January block of "Sheep in the Willows Thru the Year".  I don't have enough done to post a picture just yet.  I am heading back to my chair to work on it.

Karen

COLLECTOR SERIES BLOCKS

More "Collector Series" blocks to share with you.  These are all from one leaflet.  And I have not trimmed the blocks just yet.  They will not be side by side in the quilt.

Next is the Zinnia block from the same set of patterns.  Jan says her bottom leaves on her real zinnias always turn yellow.  She made the bottom leaf on her applique much more yellow than I did.  But I did use a more  green with more gold than the upper leaves.

And last is a picture of my first postage stamp block.  Thanks to Lori from Humble Quilts and Kathie from Inspired By Antique Quilts, I had more variety of squares to pick from.  Thank you!   Seems like I have a lot of blues cut compared to other colors.  Their contribution helped me get going on piecing.    I have ten rows of ten squares each adding up to 100 pieces.  I haven't decided how big of a piece I will make.

You can see a picture of Kathie's design wall with several blocks displayed here.

That's all I have to share today.
Karen

BLESSINGS FROM THE HOLLOW PART 2

Last year in March, I showed a picture of a completed quilt top called "Blessings From the Hollow".  You can read about it here.  Mary from Quilt Hollow made the original quilt that is in a book by Kim Brackett. The fabric is from a Moda line called "Blessings" and designed by Jan Patek.  I liked the fabrics and I liked the design, so I chose to make the same quilt.  Mary machine quilted it for me several months ago.  All it needed was binding.  I was busy with other projects at the time and ended up putting the quilt in the sewing room closet.  Finally, I got it out and attached binding for a finished quilt.

I have been doing lots of applique and will share the blocks with you in another post.  I pulled a UFO out of the closet last night that needs additional applique.  That is what I will be working on this afternoon.  Always something to keep me busy stitching and happy.  Stop back in a day or two to see my progress.

Karen

"SKATING"

A new 16" by 20" finish.  I used a Sarah Sporer pattern in the book called "Snow Days".  This one is called "Skating".

This was a fused machine applique project.  I have wanted to make this one for quite a while.  I added some tiny buttons to the front of the girl's coat and like the look.

I made completed another applique block for Millennium Garden.  An easy one.

And a block for the Collector quilt that I haven't worked on for a little while.  A very prim style pineapple.

That's all for today.  I am trying to stay focused and it is hard.  So many wonderful projects that I want to work on.
Thanks for stopping by.
Karen