Civil War Bride Block 2

Today was a cold, windy and somewhat rainy Sunday, so spending time in the garden was now freed up for other things.  It was a good day for PPP, press, picture and post.

And, this would be the April Sweet Nostalgia block, Happy Easter.

Until next time.....happy quilting!

Karen

Civil War Bride Block 19

Applique I have missed you!  My first quilting love, yet we have drifted apart.  So, to ease my way back I have stitched Block 19 of the Civil War Bride quilt.  With eight blocks completed, my focus is on finishing the last twelve. 

A four day Easter weekend is just around the corner and timing is perfect, as I just started stitching the April Sweet Nostalgia block, Happy Easter.  I also finished another Dear Jane triangle and hope to have that posted soon.  Still happily working on crochet, but yet to try the felting!

Until next time.....happy quilting!

Karen

CWB Block 18

Block 18 of the Civil War Bride quilt stitched in a timely manner, but how is it possible for three weeks to pass by before I find five minutes to French knot the eyes?  Anyway, the girls are finished and looking rather lovely.  Another block with tiny toes, but a challenge I quite enjoyed.

Until next time.....happy quilting!

Karen

CWB Block 20

Well, I think I just appliqued my tiniest piece ever, the bird beak.  Can you see it?  You may have to enlarging the photo.  And, I also appliqued my second pair of tiny feet.   Block 20 of the Civil War Bride quilt was a nice one to stitch and unlike the previous blocks, there was room to spare without crowding the seam line.

Last week, I hand appliqued Block 20, but really should have had it done months ago.  Everything was ready to go; I just needed to make some bias stems.  Now, I don't know what it is about me and bias stems, but I always seem to put off making them.  I'm not sure why, as it is not difficult to do.  Anyway, when I finally got to making them, I made lots of stems, so I should be good for many more blocks.

228 of 500 Klosjes Completed

I have really fallen behind on my Klosjes, only six made in a little over two months and what a depressing bunch they are!  Of all the bright and happy Kaffe Fassett fabrics, I managed to bring home some dull ones.  

Time in the Pink Garden is where most of my free time has been spent over the past couple of weeks and I sure can't complain about that.  We seem to have come into a dry spell, so many evenings are spent watering the gardens.  On July 1st, as I watered away, fireworks filled the sky for Canada Day.

Right now, my focus is on my Tiny Thimbles, but I also have the urge to do a little stitchery too, so I have prepared the next Sweet Nostalgia block,  it is called The Witching Hour.  The question is will I get it done before the real Witching Hour?

Until next time.....happy quilting!

Karen



Civil War Bride Block 10

All finished and pleased with the results.  Not even all the pointy strawberry tops could take away the pleasure of stitching this lovely block.  As you can see, I have to finish two leaves, which land close to the seam line, but will be completed when the blocks are attached together.  My next block will be Block 20, with lots of leaves, a few flowers and one bird.

A border has now been added to my Veranda Views quilt top and I have just two sides left of the Confetti doll quilt border to hand piece, and then Confetti will be the first, of the two, to be hand quilted.

Until next time.....happy quilting!

Karen

Sweet and Delicious

So sweet and delicious to indulge in applique once again.  I'm back working on my Civil War Bride quilt and about halfway finished block ten.  This will be my fifth block of twenty.  The stems and strawberries have been appliqued and now I'm working on the berry tops and leaves.

Prepped and ready to go are thirty 1930's Klosjes.  That also finishes up the last of my background fabric, but I have been on the lookout and was successful in finding other fabrics that match nicely.  So, I am still aiming for 500.

Hanging among the tablecloths was this long since forgotten cross-stitch, of quilt blocks, from 1996.  A pleasant surprise, but I really don't know what I would do with it other then hang it back in the closet.

My Sewing Chair

Polka-Dot Girls

I can't tell you how long I have been working on this block, but it sure felt good to finish it up over Christmas along with my last two Ring in the New! blocks.

December

I will honor Christmas in my heart,

and try to keep it all the year.

Charles Dickens

November

How bountiful is the good earth.

I am a little overdue for a One Flower Wednesday report, but I have been working on my garden, every Wednesday at teatime and now have 43 flowers joined together. 

As I piece my flowers together I continually change my thread to match the colour of the darker of the two flowers I am joining together.  This way, I don't have to worry about that odd stitch that makes its way to the top of the quilt being noticeable.  Does anyone else change thread colours as they go along?

Last Saturday, at Sew Saturday, I spent the day working on my Confetti doll quilt.  I just love the diamonds and squares pattern and as each row is added the more I love it.  About three more rows to go, then the center will be finished. 

And, speaking of doll quilts, I ordered three of Kathleen Tracy's books; Prairie Children and Their Quilts, Remembering Adelia and her soon to be released book, The Civil War Sewing Circle.  The first two books have arrived and I like what I see.  It is going to be a fun year of little quilts.

Until next time.....happy quilting!

Karen

Klosjes, Honey Bees and Flowers

45

Klosjes Completed

11 made last week

One Flower Wednesday

32 of 92 made

My goal last week was to get back on track with my hexagon flowers. I decided that Wednesday would be the day of the week I would make at least one flower. Afternoon tea seemed like the perfect time to do so. Ends up, last Wednesday, I had time to piece together two flowers during tea and I made a third one in the evening. Valentina and Jan are also going to set aside time on Wednesday's to work on their flower gardens.

April

The pedigree of the honey, does not concern the bee;

A clover, anytime to him, is aristocracy.

Emily Dickinson

 Civil War Bride
Block 12

And my fourth Civil War Bride block is now complete.  Would you believe it has over ninety pieces in it? 

Until next time.....happy quilting!

Karen

Grapes on the Vine

Grapes on the vine, ready to be picked.

Civil War Bride Block 4

The birds have long since enjoyed the few grapes my little garden vine had to offer. But, if they visit the vineyards near by, they will find lots of grapes waiting to be turned into ice wine. I enjoyed piecing my third Civil War Bride block, even the thirty-one little grapes.

Until next week.....happy quilting!

Karen

Civil War Bride Block 9

Two blocks finished and eighteen to go! As you can see, I am not piecing them in order. Just selecting them by what catches my eye at the time. And, what caught my eye were the beautiful feathers on this bird. The pattern suggests sewing the eighteen feathers together, then appliqueing them on as one piece. I decided to applique each feather separately. I think it gives it more dimension. Isn't she beautiful! Her feet are pretty small, but I think, twice as large as the bird's feet I stitched on a Red Delicious block.

Suminagashi Japanese Maple

The long storm was followed by a north-west gale, and when it was over, the hills took on their first umber tints, the sky grew more densely blue, and the big white clouds lay against the hills like snow-banks. The first crisp maple-leaves began to spin across Miss Hatchard's lawn, and the Virginia creeper on the Memorial splashed the white porch with scarlet. It was a golden triumphant September. Day by day the flame of the Virginia creeper spread to the hillsides in wider waves of carmine and crimson, the larches glowed like the thin yellow halo about a fire, the maples blazed and smouldered, and the black hemlocks turned to indigo against the incandescence of the forest.

~ Edith Wharton's Summer

I hope to see some of what Edith Wharton described above, in the next couple of days. Early Monday morning, my sister and I are heading off on a road trip. It will take us seven hours to drive to Pennsylvania. This will be a second visit and yes, quilt related. My little black book is updated and in my purse. We plan to return to our favourite shops and visit a few new ones. To keep my hands busy, when not driving, I will work on basting about 400 hexagons for Karen's Flower Garden.

Until next week.....happy quilting!

Karen

Civil War Bride Block One

One down, nineteen to go!

What a great block to stitch. I love the irregularity of the pattern. It makes it more real.

I've been wondering what the two brown objects are at the top of the block. I did them in a similar colour to the original pattern and have ruled out it being foliage, as all foliage in the original quilt was done with the same green fabric. So, what else can it be? Could it be bird's nose diving? This quilt has lots of birds in it.

Until next week.....happy quilting!

Karen