Trying to get back to appliqué!

 I was so very enticed by Gladiquilts job on the Stars & Sprigs quilt  that I ordered the pattern, bought some great background fabric and got started.  I have done a lot of appliqué but it's been years.

I'm doing a bright version and using a great red background!

These are the first two blocks I finished.  The pattern alternates with pieced stars.  I made one but I think the contrast is too great between the red background and the light background.  So I'm not sure what I'll use for the stars.  Don't you agree?

There are many different methods to appliqué the leaves;  for this project so far I've been cutting the shapes out of freezer paper, sticking the freezer paper to the back of the shape, cutting out the shape with the seam allowance and then pressing the seam onto the shiny side of the freezer paper.

I've done it where I've used spray starch and a firm brush, which also works.  Needle turn is another method I've used.  I think it depends on my mood!

I got a fabulous package of fabric last week from Wendy Reed (constant quilter) who went shopping for me at Cyndi Black's shop in Maine.  Boy did I get some fabulous fabrics.  And I mentioned to Wendy I was looking for some purples!  She did a fabulous job as my personal shopper!

I think these fabrics will keep me busy for a while!

I'm trying to take advantage of the last days of warm weather here in Central Oregon.  The leaves have started to turn and the mornings are a brisk 32*!  Last week I kayaked with my friend at a lake where we were able to see 3 mountains from the Cascade Range.  

You're looking at the South Sister which is a huge peak.  The snow hasn't even completely melted.  My kayak is an inflatable one, which means I can fold it up and throw it into the back of the car.  No need to kill myself putting it on the roof.  No thanks.  Has to be easy for me.

But let me tell you a couple of weeks ago, my dh and I went to go kayaking and we got all the way to the lake, and I unloaded the boats and pump when I realized I had forgotten one of the paddles.  UGH.  

I'm going again tomorrow as this week is gorgeous here in Bend!  And I will be sure to bring my paddle.  My husband says I should have a check-list but I'm not a check-list kind of girl.  :-))

Hope everyone is having a great week and staying safe.

Next???

I was determined to finish the challenge between two other friends and spent most of my sewing time this weekend finishing it up. I like how it turned out.

I love piecing my backs and decided to use up some fat eighths that I'd gotten many years ago at quilt market.  I also grabbed some flying geese from my orphan block bag. I also always look for sale fabrics for backings and this light French General was bought for that very purpose.  I think it's perfect for this top.  

 Can you see Max's tail in the corner? VBG.  I think Wendy (constantquilter) just finished hers so we should be able to do a display of all 3 of our projects.

Remember the other day when I was saying my wool appliqué isn't perfect?  Well, I don't feel that way about mitered corners.  To me, they have to be perfect.  It's probably the only aspect of quilting that I strive for perfection.  VBG. I ultimately opted for the darker border, which was the definite majority winner!  This fabric looks like a picture frame to me, so the corners really needed to meet up.

So what next??? hmmm.

 Do you find yourself a little lost once you've finished a project?  Not sure what to work on next?  I always find this to be difficult.

Today I was looking for something to work on and my eyes fell upon a UFO from many years ago.  I think it was a Bonnie Hunter mystery.  I didn't get very far, although I did sew tons of the string parts together.  I pulled it out but didn't really want to work on the quilt as designed, which is why I abandoned it years ago. This is how far I'd gotten putting it together:

I found piles of string pieces for the construction.  I think that's why I generally don't quilt that way---as sew parts as I go, rather than in assembly line fashion.  Anyway, this is what I pulled out of the bag, along with the top and a few other stars:

I'm looking for suggestions as to what to do with all those corner triangles as well as the 3" squares!

I decided I was going to use the top for a donation quilt for the kid's group I sew with.  I fortunately had some fabric here at the cabin that worked:  You can't really tell but the inner border is a nice purple.  It'll make a great kid's quilt, I think.

That's it for my sewing.  I'm still at a standstill trying to decide what to work on next.  I'm feeling the urge to do more appliqué so I'm looking at patterns that I might tackle.

Hope you're having a great week.  Fall has come to Central Oregon already!  It's been about 32* in the early morning!  The smoke is finally gone!

Another Twilight Garden block

 I have finished another block from the Primitive Gatherings SBOW 2018 and may have just another 3 or 4 left before I start on the center and borders, which will be very long projects.  These are my hand sewing projects for the car on the trips between California and Central Oregon.

I have never professed to be a particularly talented appliquér so it doesn't bother me too much when my blocks aren't perfect.  I am loving this project and think that none of my inaccuracies will matter when it's done.  It's definitely not machine produced! ;-)

That being said, I'm finishing up my medallion challenge quilt and decided I wanted appliqué in the corners.  Motivated by the master quilters Wendy Reed and Barb Vedder, I decided to do it by hand (the center of the quilt was done by machine).  I found the little flowers in the same book I found for the center. I added a little embroidery for the stems so the flowers weren't just floating!

I've decided to add one final "solid" border after the flying geese and I'm torn between these two.  I sewed one flower in the upper right corner; the other 3 are waiting for the flying geese to land!

What do you think??  

When all 3 of our tops are done, we'll figure out a way to post them together!  They are all so different but have the same basic parameters!

It's exceedingly smoky here in the Bend area and I'm staying inside until it clears.  I am hoping for rain later this week to put out the fires and clear the smoky air.

Take care, everyone.

A small study of selvages, Part I

 My son arrived with his family this week so my great plans of organizing selvages kind of fell apart.  Back into the bag they went.

 But not before I whipped up a small mug-rug out of some favorites!

Can you make out the sayings on these selvages?  Who knew that selvages had sayings?  I still intend to go through them and organize them and make them into something.  Haven't decided that yet!

Before the kids arrived, I did finish up a donation quilt for the kid's group.  Last summer I bought a baggie filled with scraps... It had two border strips, some squares and another strip.  It's all about glamping.  I wanted to use them up (of course, using up one small baggie doesn't make a dent!) so I found a pattern in an old book I had and punted.  The book is called Block Explosion.  I don't know where I got it from nor do I even remember opening it.  Maybe I picked it up last summer at the quilt show's flea market, when I got the baggie!  This pattern is called Garden Gate

Of course I had to run to the local quilt shop and pick up some go-withs, right??!!  Can you tell there are bananas?  I found a Tula Pink lime green fabric I couldn't resist!  I did mostly use up all the fabric in the baggie!

The true highlight of the week was this surprise package I received from Barb (funwithbarb)!  I recently sent her some puzzles and she decided to reciprocate!  I can't wait to dig into her puzzles.

And as if the puzzles weren't enough, she enclosed some great fabric and Applipops!  And a Barbara Brackman book!  I hit the lottery!! I've been really curious about how those circles work and she had an extra set!

Thanks Barb so very much!

I love sharing sunset photos from our house here in Central Oregon.  Last night, the sun was a huge red ball -- it almost looked like we were in outer space.

Hope everyone is staying well and having a great weekend.  Hard to believe it's the end of summer!  We are heading back to California mid-week to check on the mess the evacuation caused in my house with no power for over a week!  No fires, though, so that's a good thing!