Vintage blocks, and Chickens with a sense of value

We get eggs from "the farm"  -- there were so pretty, and almost organized by value that I had to get a photo!  Weird? yep!  sometimes there are blue or green ones included.  8-)) 

 

Since I had the good fortune to grow up on a farm, I HAD to buy this book and a bunch of appropriate FQs to go along with the vintage "flavor."  There is a wide variety of quilt designs included, made from these blocks and it's spiral-bound !  Blocks shown are in either 6 or 12 in. sizes.  Mix and match or choose what you like.  The book is a delight all by itself.  So far my blocks are all 6 inches finished - a bit tedious -  but I wanted a project that took some time, instead of speed producing!  Also, instead of iron pressing each step along the way, I mostly finger pressed, and was pleased with the result.  Instructions are clear and easy to understand, but not much chain piecing!  The book and fabric are from an amazing shop half way between Delafield and Milwaukee, Wisconsin, along the Interstate - can't remember the name, when I visited family about 18 months ago.  

This is another beautiful book by Lori Holt, of http://beeinmybonnetco.blogspot.com/ Her style is fresh and bright and inviting. 

 

"Pinkalicious"

"Pinkalicious".   (I always name my quilts - this one was easy!)  I pulled all my bits of pink, some with little girly motifs.  Some little girl will love it!  I DID purchase the border fabric, which is all very small overlapping boxes, so I machine quilted overlapping boxes, something I've always wanted to try.  My boxes don't follow the fabric motifs, but they turned out well, and very textured.  I used the round plastic guilting foot - a great help.  At the very end of the  border quilting job, I quilted one giant swirl, in the border,  just to be obstinate! 

Dig that cute backing!  I DID purchase that especially for this little quilt.

"Pineapple Parade" - DONE

Yeah - It turned out DONE and good!   If you have not made one, I would encourage you to try.  Design possibilities are endless - note that there are 2 blocks in this design, making that "spool-like corner" and dark center in the same block, and the other block is traditional, and mine is scrappy.  The block corners are where much of the design ends up.  Get a good ruler and a good design and go for it.  No paper is needed for this 8 inch size, no drawing on muslin, ... those are other options.  My Pineapple DVD with several patterns was found in Annies Craft Catalog and designer is Gyleen Fitzgerald.  You will LOVE the DVD, (currently $14.99!) even if you don't make the quilt.  (There is another DVD option for the same quilt, but higher cost - not sure what that is.  I learned from the DVD and instructions on the DVD, and did not "join" the on-line class, another option.)  I DID purchase the ruler she recommended but others are available.   Again, she has a simple ruler, but Annies has a more complex ruler that that did not appeal to me.

My geraniums this year - almost all of my gardening is right here!  The foliage was so dense, and the leaves were thick and triangular - very pretty when weather was good.  Here, they have had one frost and one heavy wet snow, but they did survive under a blanket.  See all those green/yellow crawling ivy trailing things? I forgot what they are called,  but this year they survived the winter and returned.  8-)))

Now, I am off to sew on a project that is going to take a long time - my house is overflowing with quilts that get turned out every month, and there is NO room!  Yesterday I delivered 2 Linus quilts so there is a little bit of space again!  Happy quilting!

Tried something new and it worked!

I generally, don't "do" stippling, but I tried this foot to help keep the curves more uniform, and surprise - it worked very well for this area.  This is the corner treatment for "Pineapple Parade". 

The foot is one of 3 for quilting that came in one Janome package, and is round clear plastic, with several guides on it, for various size circles or lines or ... stipples.  This corner needed larger curves. 

That worked pretty well, so I tried something new in this  outermost border on "Pineapple Parade".    (The batting is not trimmed yet.)  You can see the foot on this photo.  BTW, this foot does NOT hop.  It took me some time to learn how to use it, but in the end, it does the job.    

Today I'm sewing on the binding - my favorite part.  8-)))   This quilt is about 70" x 90". 

"Pineapple Parade"

LOL - I just love that name, especially for this Pineapple quilt, which is a little bold, ostentatious, bright in some places and marching all in the right directions, many colors, all marching at the same rhythm!  PERFECT name.  (I had to check the dictionary for the right "P" word to go with "Pineapple".)  This is the second Pineapple I've done in last few months - I LOVE this technique, not difficult at all with a decent ruler.  Mine is from Gyleen X. Fitzgerald, who I "found" when I purchased a DVD from Annie's Craft Catalog.  Lucky me!

Above, that far right are Sally Terry  style feathers.  In this case, they are too cramped, but usually I like them.  There are 3 borders, each one slightly wider to accommodate a corner treatment (not shown) 

Hearts are always good, aka "xxx ladies on a barstool"!  Third border, finally decided on today, is a Baptist Fan.  I am struggling to learn to incorporate 3 borders that seem to blend together, yet stand out, not too big, not too little and still be in keeping with style of quilt and one that I know how to do!  Not so easy!

Above is just to show the bold backing.

I quilted the quilt top with a King Tut quality thread, with a fine Mettler Silk Finish on the back - this usually works together for me, but in the borders, the same King Tut was not the best and I finally took out several first tries, then changed to Essential Pro which sews like butta!  This combo works very well together for me, and the Essential Pro is fine and blends in so well.  One sees the texture not the thread.  I need to remember this!

I am nearly finished - wanted to show it.