Anna's Blue Baskets and A Perfect Garden

A quilt top finish!  I did the applique on the last block for "Anna's Blue Baskets" or some know it as "Jo's Floral Album".  I have the pattern for both versions.  I used the block patterns from the "Basket" version as they were a bit larger in size.  The block designs are almost the same with just a few small changes.  I had intended to do the setting like the Floral Album quilt but ended up doing my own thing with a border stripe print.  Here is a picture of the top.

I have never done a setting where all the blocks face in towards the center.  So a first for me.  I like the blue border stripe very much with these blocks.  The top is 57 inches square.  The pattern is by Jo Morton and Cindy Erickson.

I put the blocks and sashings together for "A Perfect Garden".  I don't have time right now to start the border.  I took a picture so you can see all the blocks together.  No one to hold it up for a photo so it is a kitchen floor shot.

Thanks for stopping by.
Karen

Pine Burr Block for Dearest Boy

A not so easy block this time for "Dearest Boy".  The block size will be a finished 10 inch once I trim it.  I chose to hand piece the block and in the end, it did not lay completely flat even with steam pressing.  And the background edges curved in.  I had printed out an Electric Quilt version of the pattern which I ended up not using and went with the one in the pattern book.  I am wondering if I mistakenly traced the Electric Quilt pattrn for the outer background pieces instead of the one from the book.  Anyhow, I decided just to applique the Pine Burr section to a background square and go with it as is.  Cathy said her block went together okay by using freezer paper templates and machine piecing.  Julie has chosen to do a different block design.

Now on to the next block which is an applique design.  I need to have it ready for sharing on January 30th.

Karen

A Perfect Garden and More

I finished the last two blocks for "A Perfect Garden".

The Pomegranate block.  Not hard at all.

The Grapes.  Yikes!  The most complicated block of the nine.  There are no layout sheets for the blocks so I created my own.  The blocks are twenty inches square.  I used freezer paper for drawing the layout.  Freezer paper is eighteen inches wide so I had to tape on some extra to get the correct width.  I played and played with drawing lines for the trellis.  I finally got it to the shape I thought looked like the picture.  Then the curly stems .....there was only one pattern piece given and it did not exactly fit or look like the same shapes in all parts of the block.  So modifications of those pieces and I hoped for the best.  I am satisfied with the block in the end.

 I started a new project from a pattern I have had a good while called "County Fair".  You would think a country fair quilt would have pigs and cows but there are none.  I have the four horses done and one of the corner heart blocks.  I am not in a hurry to finish the project.

I don't think I shared the pot of flowers applique block I did a couple months ago.  It will be the center medallion of a quilt.  I did not have a large enough piece of the background so I pieced it and got it to the size I needed.

My brother and his wife are coming next Friday for a visit.  He wants to learn how to make a quilt.  The pot of flowers is for his quilt if he wants to use it.  I am going to show him how to rotary cut and sew nine patch blocks.  He knows how to operate a sewing machine.  I like that someone 83 years old still has the desire to learn a new craft.

Have a wonderful weekend and take time to sew.

Karen

Back In the Swing of Things

I'm back!  A month off from blogging as I had two cataract surgeries.  Not much stitching happened in December as I had many days of blurry vision.  Now my vision is clear and my needle flying.

I want to share a picture of my completed "Shenandoah Botanical" quilt.  It was done a year ago but I could not share a picture as it was going to be hanging in the Virginia Quilt museum for several months.  Then many of the quilts from the museum display traveled to the big quilt show in Houston.  The quilt returned home yesterday.

The pattern is available from the museum along with patterns made from other antique quilts.  Here is a link.

I was not able to visit the museum display nor the go to the Houston Quilt Show but I did see many pictures of the various quilts made from the same pattern.  I was able to view videos of the Houston display.  The variety of color, block size and placement, block arrangement, etc. was oh so interesting.

I chose two dark brown backgrounds for my quilt.  I used a quilt as you go technique for machine quilting and then sewing the blocks together.  Something I had only attempted one other time.

I look forward to making another quilt from one of the museum patterns.

Karen

Dearest Boy, Mrs. Lincoln's Sampler and More

November 30th and time for a Dearest Boy update.  The block this time proved to be a problem.  It is now obvious that the designer's template for the hexagon shape included seam allowance.  Three of us participants in the sew-along assumed that it did not and used one inch paper shapes.  The block was to have four hexagon flower shapes and, using the one inch papers, four will not fit.  Carole had not started her block so she knows now to use a smaller hexagon paper.  I set my block aside to make a decision on what to do.  I do not want to re-make my flower shapes so am going to stitch down two of them as shown and just be happy with it.

The group has decided to take December off from block making for the sew-along and start again in January.

I finally had my "Mrs. Lincoln's Sampler" quilt machine quilted and then stitched the binding.  I don't have anyone to hold it up for a photo so have taken pictures with it on the floor.

Some closer pictures of the blocks.

If you are interested in making your own version of the quilt, the pattern is by Lori Smith.  I found it very enjoyable stitching.  Here is a link to the pattern.

I completed two more applique blocks for the "A Perfect Garden" quilt I am working on.  First is the strawberry block and second is the apples.

And a picture of all six blocks on the design wall. 

Have a great day!

Karen

A Perfect Garden

A new quilt project.  I am working on "A Perfect Garden".  It is a design from an out of print book by Terry Clothier Thompson called "The People of the Plains".  I am using red, green and cheddar fabrics.  I have four blocks done and they are large ones.  Twenty inches finished.  The design is nine blocks and border.  There will be sashing between the blocks.

A close up of the cherry wreath block.

The tomato block.

The acorn block.

And last is the pears.

I am often asked what type of applique I am using and it is needle turn.  You will find me in my chair today stitching on the strawberry block.

Karen

Dearest Boy Update and A Finish

November 15th update for my "Dearest Boy" quilt project.  A pieced star block this time.  It did not take much time to do.

I finished a quilt from Jan Patek's pattern "Hearts and Flowers".  This will be gifted later on.  I started the quilt in April of 2014. I had the pieced and applique blocks done for a good while before beginning the process of sewing them into rows.  I got about 3/4 of the way through that and had to stop for some reason I no longer remember.  It becomes easy to forget about going back to finish the process.  A couple months ago, I decided it was long over due for a finish and took time to finish the process.  The local quilt shop did the machine quilting.  I am happy with the finish.

I am back working on a quilt from a Linen Closet design.  I just finished the last applique block and hope to start tomorrow on the sashing and simple borders.  I will share a picture soon.

Karen