This week

has been all about applique.

I couldn't decide if I wanted to join the new BOM over at Sentimental Stitches or not.  She is doing an applique quilt from 1857 and giving out the patterns free for the month they are introduced.  There are 64 blocks in the quilt so this would be a long term commitment.  I printed out the patterns and stewed, mulled, brooded over, considered whether I should take the plunge or not.

 I saw that Lori of Humble Quilts had finished the 3 blocks for January and was reminded that  I needed to make a decision or I would soon be three blocks behind.  At first I thought I would have to use the same red, green, and cheddar fabric throughout.  I knew I didn't have enough of any one piece for the whole quilt.  I am really into using up what I already have and not buying more right now.

Hey wait!  I could dig into my vast Jo Morton stash and use whatever colors I wanted.  Jo Morton fabrics seem to always go together no matter what you choose.  "It's like magic." (quote from Sleepless in Seattle - ha!)

But, unfortunately, I didn't have a good single piece of background fabric so I did have to purchase something else.  I love it though, it is Hollyhocks by Jo Morton 7750  Color RY.

Now, don't go buy it all up, I need some more...................

I finished the goofy flower block yesterday.  (What kind of flower is this supposed to be anyway?  It's like nothing I've ever seen.)  It was a tricky little stinker to applique too, let me tell you.  I need to put the diamonds in the corners and go on to the other 2 blocks so I'll be ready a week from today to copy the patterns for the next three.

The other applique I was involved in was for my "When the Cold Wind Blows" quilt.  I stitched down the stems on the "Coxcombs" on the left and prepped the "Rose Hips"block on the right.  The greenery at the top of the hips remind me of  mustaches. These blocks are so big (I know I've complained about that before) and so they take extra time and room to prep.  Laurie Simpson of Minick & Simpson just finished her version, it's lovely

I sewed this bird, a star, and finished a tree on the first block for "Sleigh Bells" by Jan Patek.  I just need to sew on all the windows on the church and finish another star to be done.  It shouldn't take too long if I don't get distracted by the other projects again!

Hope everyone has been able to dig out from the weekend storms.  We got about 6 inches of snow last night after it had rained all day.

Robin

Dazzling! Alletaire done!

It feels like I have been sewing for weeks!  Oh wait, I have. . . 

When I got ready to assemble the blocks I had a slight problem.

I didn't print out the first clue because all I had to do was make HST out of 2" strips of gray and neutral.  Easy, peasey, right?

The only problem was that I had only made 140 HST and I needed 240 - gasp!  So a straightforward sewing clue turned out to be more time consuming than planned.

But, diligence pays off and here is the "Dazzling" Alletaire quilt top from Bonnie Hunter's most recent mystery QAL.

I wanted to create this solely out of my stash.  When it came time to do borders I only had one gold piece of fabric that was big enough for the whole border but I didn't love it.  So, I decided to piece two other golds in long strips for the inner border.  The colors are pretty close so it isn't very noticeable at all, especially with the striking outer border grabbing all your attention.

I also had a hard time coming up with a piece from my very small black fabric stash, that would work for the other border.  That is, until I found this piece of Giverney fabric by Bernartex that was left over from the border of my "Votes for Women" quilt that was a QAL with Barbara Brackman a few years ago.

I only had a few 8 1/2" strips and one very long 6" strip so I figured I could cut my borders 4 1/4" and have enough to surround the whole quilt top.  It turned out to be 79" X 86".  I won't be scalloping the borders like the original but a smaller size means less to hand quilt and that is fine with me.

Heads up -  I had quite a time with all the bias edges made from trimming the rectangles along the outside of the quilt.  I'm sure glad I didn't lay the top aside for a while before sewing the borders on. Just sayin'. . . . . . .

Four inches (border) was meant to be today as I woke up to this lovely fluffly four inches of snow.

Billy's quilt is on the frames.  Now that the mystery quilt is done I can focus on working with the plaids.  I should have this done in no time.

What are you working on today?
Robin