Design Wall Monday April 30th

What's on my design wall today?

It's something perfect for the season, a row for my Spring row quilt.

I am making a row quilt with a group of other quilters and my first row was to be done in April. Since today is the last day of April, guess what I'll be doing today? It's a rainy day here, so a perfect sewing day!

Everything in the above photo is just pinned on my design wall. I wanted to see if the design and colors was going to work before I started sewing things together.

I've sewn the background pieces together and appliqued the fence rails on. Now I'm working on appliqueing the fence posts. My row is 42" wide, I had to have seams in my background pieces and fence rails. I placed the seams so they would be covered as much as possible by the end fence post.

 My daffodil pieces are all backed with fusible. I used my applique pressing sheet to assemble the cluster of daffodils so now they are easier to decide where to place them on my row.

I think my row needs a little more color and I am planning to make some tulips too, I just have to decide  which color. Of course a little butterfly or bee may fly by and I shall have to include them too!


You can head over to http://www.patchworktimes.com/2012/04/30/design-wall-monday-april-30-2012/

and see what fun projects others are working on too.

Time for me to get off the computer and head to the sewing room!

Distracted by Spring!

Goodness, I can't believe it's been 3 weeks since I last posted. I guess that means I've been too busy doing "Spring" things, planting in the garden and greenhouse, packing up the winter gear and pulling out clothes for sunnier days. And enjoying the sunshine, at least on the days it shows up!

I have been quilting too, of course.
I finished my Scrap Squad quilt a few weeks ago and today my post went "live" on Quiltmaker's blog.

And here's the quilt that has finally been brought out of seclusion!

You can read about it here: https://web.archive.org/web/20170716215344/http://www.quiltmaker.com/blogs/quiltypleasures/2012/04/qm-scrap-squad-jackies-ladder-of-success/

I've also been working on some quilts for Project Linus. I like to do this for several reasons. First, they don't need to be complicated or really big, and it's rewarding to get a quilt top made in an afternoon or two. Second, I have a lot of fabric and it's a chance to use up some of my less favorite or older fabrics to make room for new ones. 

Here's two very easy and quick quilt tops I've recently made.

                                              

And one made from left over's from my scrap squad quilt.
I volunteered to donate a quilt for a Silent Auction for our church's youth group, I think this one may be headed there.












I think I will welcome the rainy spring days with a smile and recognize them as a great opportunity for a sewing day!

April's UFO, A tug at my heartstrings!

When Judy over at http://www.patchworktimes.com/ drew this month's UFO, it was #10. When I looked at my list this was an easy, but special project for me.

Here's what I have so far

                                                        60 of these appliqued hearts.

But now for the rest of the story...................

I had a dear quilting friend who passed away. After her death a large quilting yard sale was had with all the bounty of her sewing room, there was much to choose from! After selecting many items I paused to look through a bin of scrap bags. I discovered a bag of squares with hand appliqued hearts.............for only $1. All that handwork and love put into that project and it had been valued at only $1. Something pulled at my heartstrings and I felt I needed to rescue this project and finish it in honor of my friend.

Back at home I pulled the contents from the bag and found 30 completed heart blocks, a few more hearts cut out, and enough background fabric for 30 more blocks!  So last summer this was my take along project for camping trips, etc and by summer's end I had completed them all. This brings me to where I'm at today, 60 appliqued blocks.

So what to do with them?  I'm thinking simplicity, making the quilt all about the hearts. I played with them on the design wall and have figured out a placement that uses all 60 of them.

Today I'll be auditioning border fabrics, and maybe even sew rows together.


It will feel really good to finish this project!