Monday, July 27, 2009

Dolce far niente


Yes, how sweet to do nothing.
Nothing but quilt!

But first a little reading. Look at the wonderful book I just added to my collection. I love every inch of it. This book is definitely going on my list of favourites. Visit Michele Hill's blog and be inspired. And, to add to the excitement, Barbara Brackman has a line of fabric out now called, The Morris Workshop.

All twenty Tiny Baskets are appliqued and this sweet little yellow one is my favourite. Now, what to do with them? Any suggestions?


I'm very excited about Lucy Boston POTC and have my templates cut and ready to go. One to trace the shape onto the fabric and the other to add the seam allowance. One day, I would like to try Inklingo, but my printer seems to have an issue with coloured ink.

My first POTC, as I'm pretty sure there will be more, will consist of sixteen hand pieced blocks. I have selected 48 fabrics from my stash, just for the blocks. Each block with be different, no duplication of fabric. Some blocks use only two fabrics, others use three or four. Some fabric I selected for fussy cutting and others just because I like them! My colour theme is based on my favourite time of the year, Autumn.

As I was going through my stash I found five pieces of William Morris fabric and two others that could be, but did not have anything written on the selvage. Very exciting! I have set them aside.


Vanilla Fluff Daylily

Stargazer Oriental Lily

The display of lilies in my garden right now, is breathtaking. Vanilla Fluff and Stargazer are just two of many lilies that would knock your socks off with their heavenly scent.



Speaking of flowers, I have been working on Karen's Flower Garden. Now complete is 24 of 92 flowers and they are almost as pretty as the lilies in my garden.


And, last up my July A Tisket A Tasket Basket or you could call it my Canada Day Basket, which is celebrated July 1st. My little lamb is made from flannel, but looks like wool. I love how flannel appliques. My flag size has been doubled to fit the stitching of the word Canada and I also appliqued tiny circles in the center of the flowers, instead of buttons.

Until next week.....happy quilting!



Karen

25 comments:

Gail said...

Wow, you've been busy! Everything is gorgeous, I'm envious!

Crispy said...

I almost bought that book LOL. I love your changes to the July block, it's so sweet :0)

Crispy

~Bren~ said...

Everything is beautiful!

Satu said...

I'm in love TOO with those new fabrics from B. Brackman's. And if you recommend I will buy Michele's book on one day TOO;) And you have again so many pretty things going on... thank you for sharing them;)

Funoldhag said...

Oh, Karen, what a lovely post today! All that you do is so well done and beautiful - and I would love to take a tour of your garden. I checked out that blog that has the POTC blocks - they are gorgeous! Yours will shine with the best of them. Enjoy!! Carol

Cathi said...

That book on William Morris looks very very enticing! I cannot wait to see your first POTC block!!

*karendianne. said...

Another fun post today! I love your super sweet yellow tiny basket. Oh I do, I do, I do! It's a nice display of lilies you share as well. Then oh, oh, oh I'm bubbling over at the flowers for the garden. Gosh! Such adorable happy work you have. Always happy to be here and visit.

Carrie P. said...

Busy girl! I have seen that book before. Maybe one day I will get it. Your baskets are sweet. And those lilies are gorgeous! I just love the pink one. The basket block is sweet. I am working on mine.

Anonymous said...

The little yellow basket is just darling!! It all was..fun visit today!

Betsy said...

Karen I too own the William Morris book and I want to make the cushion on the cover.
I have heard that Moda fabric Nouveu is reministant of William Morris designs.

loulee said...

I can almost smell those lillies. My fave.
Your hexies look pretty

Zlaty said...

Love the fabrics you used on your basket~!

Your flower garden is so pretty, including the fabric flowers! :)

Happy sewing!

Zlaty

Mrs Quilty said...

You have beautiful flowers in your garden, I am so jealous!! The petunias here are barely making it with all the heat...have to water pots twice a day!!! Your stitchery is lovely too! Love the hexagons and how they look after put together! That appliqued yellow basket is adorable!!! You have been busy!!! It's all wonderful! Yes, you are in a happy place!

Rachel said...

You are getting lots done! Love those hexagon flowers.

I, too, changed my July BOM block to make it a Canada Day block. I will post pics once I get all the stitching finished.

YankeeQuilter said...

I ordered the William Morris book a couple of days ago...can't wait for it to arrive. I still have several fat quarters of the William Morris fabrics put out in the mid 1990's...hope it all mixes well!

Kaaren said...

I bought the William Morris book a couple of months ago. I was hooked just from the cover alone and didn't even bother to look inside. Isn't is wonderful?

Your flowers are looking fantastic. With all the heavy, pelting rain we've had, my poor flowers look very washed out. But thank goodness there's still hope for the echinacea and rudbeckia as the blooms haven't opend yet.

Janet said...

What a lovely post. The book looks great and the baskets are very cute. I love the lilies, I used to live near alily breeder and had some of the oriental ones. I have the POTC book too, a wonderful quilt project.

Miriam said...

I too have the William Morris book. I bought a few of the new Moda fabrics last week and I can't wait to get something started....I just can't make up my mind which project to start first!

I love your lilies!

Gorgeous hexagon flowers too.

Quilter Going Bananas said...

I love your idea of "Canada" on the little flag.
I may borrow that idea from you if you don't mind! I'm stuck on the May block only because I'm having trouble deciding what colour to make my flowers, LOL

Jodi Nelson said...

Love your hexagon flowers! Love your Tisket Tasket BOM! Looks adorable. ooxx`jodi

Mrs Quilty said...

Today I was at my quilt shop and came across the William Morris book and did not buy it but may have to purchase it later. It truly is a beautiful book!!! Just wanted to share I saw it~

LeKaQuilt said...

Your Tisket Tasket block looks so great! What a splendid idea :o) Love your hexagon too !

Lori Holt said...

What a wonderful post...Flowers and quilting...perfect!
x Lori

Anonymous said...

Everything is beautiful...


Thanks for sharing...
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Melvin
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Ann-Christin said...

Oh I am so impressed of all your hexagonflowers! I think it is so fun to sew them, but havn't done so many ever. I am going to be part of a competion alot of Australian quilters are going to do. Worlds largest quilt!
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art2273.asp
Ann-Christin in Sweden
http://ann-christin.zoomin.se