Can't Quite Move On

I have the new hand applique quilt pattern I mentioned in the last post that I want to start, but I can't quite quit on the red and green applique blocks.

I finished three more blocks and now have 25 completed.

I have been playing around with an arrangement for the blocks and kind of like this one:

I think I am going to stop with these 25 blocks.  The blocks will finish at 9 inches and I would like the quilt to be around 70 to 80 inches square when complete so I have to come up with some sashing and borders.  I love taking pictures of the blocks and then seeing them on the blog.  It gives me a different perspective.  Maybe I will do a little more rearranging of the center vertical and horizontal rows (the "square" applique blocks)  Maybe those 4 outside row heavier blocks should be around the center block?

Or not...I think the rearranging may go on a bit : )
Happy Stitching!
Cheri

Applique!

A whole lot of applique has been going on around here.

I am all caught up on the Sally Post Floral Quilt. Gay over at Sentimental Stitches has been posting a block each Saturday from this quilt from 1854.  There are 36 blocks in all and we are up to block 19, but the first 19 are all still available for download if you want to join in.  She has each block on point (diagonal)  like the original quilt or a straight set option each week.   These are great little primitive blocks, they are 8 inches, and pretty fast to work up.  I am doing these blocks on my machine with blanket stitch applique and I like the diagonal setting.  I usually sew the setting triangles and sashing to each block as I complete it, but I have a quilt retreat coming up the end of February and that will be a good project to work on there.

I also have been doing some hand work on the peahen block from the Elly Sienkiewicz class I took at the International Quilt Festival back in November.  I have been working on the peahen off block on a light interfacing.  All of her embroidery embellishment is completed.  I need to do a little more work on her Ultrasuede spots and then I will cut out the interfacing 1/8 inch away from the peahen and turn it under as I applique her onto the block. 

The third border on Ladies of the Sea (Sue Garman pattern)  is getting close to finished, here is one end of it with the corner  Mariner's Compass block added.  This is another machine blanket stitch applique project.  The Mariner's Compass was paper pieced and then, because I am an appliquer, I just appliqued the finished circle onto a corner block instead of fussing with piecing that circle and the funky shapes to try to make it a flat square.

And finally, I have another block finished for the red and green mystery album - mystery because I still do not know how I am going to put all these blocks together.  This pattern was from Elly Sienkiewicz Beloved Baltimore Album Quilts book.  The roses are folded.  They start out as circles that are folded in half,

then in thirds,

and the last third going not quite to the the left edge, making a visible fold on the rosebud and also slightly squaring off the top.

 The folded rosebud is then tucked under the calyx and just the calyx is appliqued.  I did not stitch down the rosebud, but I did add a little yellow french knot in that little squared off rosebud tip, that tacks down the rosebud just a bit. 

Bummer, now that I see this picture on the computer I see that I need to redo and  recenter that second rosebud.
Anyway, I have been having fun here, doing what I like best...applique.
Happy Stitching All,
Cheri

A Little Cleaning Out

Happy New Year!

I have been working steadily on Ladies of the Sea, and the red and green applique, but no new pictures to show.  I decided to start the new year with a little sewing room cleaning out.  I tried putting a couple books and some fabric for sale on ebay over the weekend.  I was surprised how well I did, my Thimbleberries fabrics are gone, I have not used anything from that collection for years. 

  So I decided to have another go and went thru some of my Aunt Grace fabric stash and put a couple more books for sale.

 There are a lot of books I buy, just to read about a technique but that I do not have any intention of making anything out of, so I am not real sentimental about some of the quilting books I buy.  I enjoy the read or looking thru them and then can let them go.   I tend to buy a whole fat quarter collection of fabric and have lots of fat quarters I don't use.  It is time to thin this stash one way or another.  If this goes well this week I am going to get into the batiks next.