Appliqué block for March

Yesturday afternoon, after I brewed my cup of tea, I gathered my appliqué block for March.  I've been wanting to get this one started for a couple of weeks now, but time just would not allow it.  I decided that now is the time.  I sat and had my tea and admired the vine parts of the appliqué that were already done.  I did that part years ago.  I did the vine parts on most of the blocks years ago...lol.  

Sometimes that's just how it goes.  Appliqué is an on and off thing for me.  I like handwork, a lot, but finding the time, literally hours, to sit and do it is hard....or at least it is for me.  Especially went there are so many other things that I also want to do!!

I forgot to take the before picture.  So above is when I remembered to take a picture.  I just finished sewing on that bud and pinned the two leaves.  The block is laying on top of the pattern paper that I have all the pieces pinned to.  The paper is face down, so you just see the pencil marks, of the shapes and where they go, in the background.

Below is how much I was able to do in the time I had.  I stitched the two leaves and added the green part of the bud, and later the two berries.  

Now, just to keep things real and give you a gauge as to how long this handwork stuff takes, from the time I started, it took me 2 1/2 hours to sew on the full bud and both leaves.  Then after dinner and taking the dog out for a walk, I gave it another go and worked on the two berries.  The berries, starting from scratch, took me about 45 minutes using the perfect circle method.  That's where you gather the fabric around the perfect circle shape with a basting stitch, then starch and iron to set your shape.

All aspects of appliqué take time, but that's what's nice about it too.  You sit quietly working away with no rush or hurry.  You, the fabric pieces, thread, needle and your thoughts, turning out a pretty block that's special, because of the amount of dedication you give to it.  I really do enjoy the process of it.

As I was getting ready to shut down for the evening, I thought maybe you might want to see how I set things up to do my appliqué blocks.  I have this ironing board that I made with a piece of 3/4" thick wood and an ironing pad that I cut down to fit.  The board measures about 16" x 24", give of take.  The padding is thick enough to stick pins in it and they stay upright.  

My plastic template pieces have holes that I've punched through them, and I use pins through the holes to hold the templates on the board, on the right hand side.  I also stick pins in the pad standing upright, to hold the small spools of thread, so when I travel with my board to another room, everything stays put.  There's plenty of room for my paper pattern with the pieces to sit flat on the left side. 

Then finally, I use this tube shaped pillow to support my arms, just below my wrist, while I am appliquéing the pieces to the background.  I find the pillow puts the handwork at the right height to see the stitches without having to be hunched over too much.  Overall I feel it helps keep a better posture and relieves any stress on the upper body and your hands. 

I might try to do some more of this later today, but for now I need to head to the kitchen to make some breakfast and take care of a few things.  Have a great day!!

Take care everyone.

A Spring quilt made by many hands

I am not sure why it's taken me so long to post about this quilt.  I quilted this quilt back in April 16/2023 for a customer, who then donated it to the HHQG.  I guess it kept getting pushed down, as new pictures were being taken.....and got lost as time moved on!

I like this quilt.  It's a bit of a sampler quilt.  This was a joint effort, made by many hands.  I believe they called it a tinner's quilt.  The way it went was, that there were a bunch of people that decided they wanted to make a quilt.  They each put some fabric in a "tin" and these tins would go around to each person, who would then make some blocks, to make a row or round, that the owner of the tin would then put together.  Depending on what they ended up with, would direct the design of the quilt.

The tin would make it's way around to each person to add in their interpretation of the theme, that was chosen by the owner of the tin and fabrics.  The theme of this quilt, if you haven't guessed it already, was Spring.  You may have to enlarge the next picture to see the words, but it says Spring.

This was another section of the quilt that I thought was pretty.  The pretty paper piece tulips and above them is a block of different bird houses.  This one had some embroidery done to it, for the vines that are growing up the poles.  Do you see the bird perched on the top of one of the bird houses?  So cute!

Maybe it's wishful thinking, but here is hoping that Spring makes an appearance some time soon.....  I am so over all the snow we've been getting.  I want some beautiful sunshine and time outdoors in the garden.  Bring it on!!!

Take care everyone.

A cheerful, whimsical quilt

I thought this quilt was cute.  It's cheerful and whimsical in pretty fabrics.  I'll apologize for the quality of the photo now.  The top half is a better representation of the colours than the bottom half.  I almost forgot to take a picture of it all together and so felt rushed to do it before this quilt left the house.

The majority of the fabrics were Tula Pink, her more feminine style fabrics.  No skulls or wild animals in these fabrics.  I like the cheerful pinks, yellows and greens.

Here is a close up of one block section.  This is the gazebo with some trees and a bird perched on a tree.  It's pretty how the blue sky background is seen through the openings in the gazebo.

Tomorrow, after making the Project Linus drop off in the morning, I am hoping to finally have some time down in my studio.  Not sure what I'll do, but since I've already taken care of the straightening up part, I should have more time to enjoy myself.  Then maybe have more to post about.... .hopefully.  

Take care everyone.

A couple more quilts I had the pleasure of quilting for Quilts for Survivors

Way back in Feb/2024, I was helping out Quilts for Survivors.  I had the pleasures of quilting these two donated tops.  This first one was a very detailed paper pieced turtle.  The centre block was approximately 20" tall and just a bit less wide.  I love how the background fabric picks up all the colours in the centre block.  Up close the turtle looks great!  I'm sorry that I forgot to get a close up.

Then there's this one.  Someone obviously had some sampler blocks and decided to make this top.  I'm going to say that they were more of a random assortment of blocks as the fabrics were different in each block, with only a few that were similar.  But I'd say it still works as there are some common colours in each block.

These were both sent out shortly after I quilted them and my mom helped to attach the binding.  Two more quilts providing some comfort to the recipients.  I've lost count how many I've quilted for Quilts for Survivors.  My hope is to help them out again soon, as I try to get thing here back in order.  

It's a good cause, so if you have any extra blocks sticking around that you don't want or a quilt top, think of them.  They will take them and finish them up.  They have been given the use of a warehouse to get together and assemble the tops and they have a longarm to do the quilting.  Various other longarmers across Canada also help out to get more done.

Take care everyone.

December's paper piece temperature wheel

Sunday, after finishing the March temperature wheel, I was still in the mood to continue.  Instead of moving on to April though, as I still want to follow the months with these blocks, I decided to go all the way to December and work backwards for any times that I can get more done.

This is December's temperature wheel completed.  What a contract to the March temperature wheel that I just finished earlier.  I put the March block below so that you could compare them.

December above, obviously has more colder days of purples, teals and dark blue.  Then we have March that still has some cold days, but the more colder days are heading into the warmer temperatures with an increase in the greens and heading into the pinks.  Pretty cool watching the change.

I really like seeing these wheels come together.  No moving things around to suit your taste.  This is mother nature doing her thing, every day and me recording it accordingly....lol....she is doing a fine job of it....lol....

Take care everyone.

March's paper piece temperature wheel

Yesturday, I spent some time in my sewing space relaxing.  I finished off ironing all the scraps that I washed and from mid-day on, I had some me time.  I have so many things I want to do that sometime when I get to do whatever I want, I just freeze for a bit.....lol.  I have to check in with myself to figure out what it is that I "most" want to do.

So, this time when I checked deep down, I decided that I wanted to make some progress on my 2024 temperature quilt.  I added this quilt to my list of required blocks and decided to try to do at least one a month.  I am following the months.  Being that we are March, I did March's block.  

Can you see how March is starting to show some of the softer colours?  Now we have some pink in there for the warmer temperatures.  Purple is the colder temperatures that move into the blues, then the greens and now the pinks.  

Since this picture was taken, I've taken off the paper and have placed the wheel on the background.  Later, I'll pin it down to the background so that I can appliqué it.  I still have a couple of weeks to meet this deadline, so no rush or worry.

Take care everyone.

A finished blue crumb quilt top

This post will be short and sweet.  I spoke about this little crumb quilt, that I was working on, all day Sunday.  The post was called, Small blue scraps.... from March 9th, so I won't go into too much details again here.

I'll just say that these strips are 2 1/2" wide with a 1/2" strip connecting them together to help avoid all the seams of all those crumb pieces.  I then cut 3" pieces for the borders.

It took some time to make these strips, but I really did enjoy the process.  With no rush or hurry.  Just sitting there with my machine, iron, a good pair of scissors and a backet full of very small crumbs.  Some mindless sewing.

And for those of you who are keeping tabs........yes........this is a newly started quilt.......lol.  But it's done!!!

This is a 25" square NICU quilt that will be going to Project Linus.

Take care everyone.