A bit of Sewing

I have been trying to shoehorn a bit of sewing in among my other chores this month but don't have a lot to show for it!

My friend Patty's qal (Elm Street Quilts Repeat QAL) has been going well and I was itching to stitch some letters...I paper pieced these cute lil guys in about an hour including time to choose fabrics and I am now halfway to "quilt"...

I am planning a mini quilt with just that word and my fave of all - a churndash block.  I am using a favorite Sweetwater texty print for the background and a fun gold I used in my son's Doctor Who quilt..oh such memories!!!   I am liking the look so far.  You can use the link above or the one on my sidebar to visit Patty and join in on the fun :)

In other qal news, I couldn't resist joining in on Primitive Gathering's newest Summer Block of the Week wool on flannel quilt and this was the first week's assignment...cute, cute!!

 Lots of little extra hand-embroidered touches...

 This is week 2...

 

I deviated a bit from the pattern on this one...

 This is the freebie from week one, such a cute little 6 inch block!!
I believe you can still get in on this one here if you want to.

 

Sunflower -Shenandoah Valley Botanical Quilt

I am sewing along with the Shenandoah Valley Botanical Quilt project - the pattern is provided by the Virginia Quilt Museum and all pattern sales benefit the museum. Dawn, from Collector with a Needle, and Doreen, from Aunt Reen’s Place, are hosting a quiltalong for this quilt, here.

The pattern size as provided by the museum easily makes 9 inch blocks. I am doing mine in wool so that I can make that size (8 1/2" finished), many are enlarging the pattern and all the participant's resulting blocks are well worth a look...so pretty!

This is my version of the block June, labelled Sunflower:

 I adore sunflowers, I adore this block...I couldn't wait to make it and have had it done for quite awhile, heheheh...

 I love the layering and the way it looks and feels in wool.

 Here are the 12 blocks done so far.

I have really enjoyed playing with these designs!!

I haven't been getting much done on the sewing front this month as my son is out of school and would like to drive me everywhere since he now has his driving permit....hmmmmm...so far so good ;)
 

Mountain Laurel - Shenandoah Valley Botanical Quilt

I am sewing along with the Shenandoah Valley Botanical Quilt project - the pattern is provided by the Virginia Quilt Museum and all pattern sales benefit the museum. Dawn, from Collector with a Needle, and Doreen, from Aunt Reen’s Place, are hosting a quiltalong for this quilt, here.

The pattern size as provided by the museum easily makes 9 inch blocks. I am doing mine in wool so that I can make that size (8 1/2" finished), many are enlarging the pattern and all the participant's resulting blocks are well worth a look...so pretty!

This is my version of a block from a prior month(December!), labelled Mountain Laurel:

 I like the way the flowers look like little hearts on this one!

 Here are all 11 posing for their family picture.

Playing Catch-Up Shenandoah Valley Botanical Album Quilt, Liberty Tree

I am sewing along with the Shenandoah Valley Botanical Quilt project - the pattern is provided by the Virginia Quilt Museum and all pattern sales benefit the museum. Dawn, from Collector with a Needle, and Doreen, from Aunt Reen’s Place, are hosting a quiltalong for this quilt, here.

The pattern size as provided by the museum easily makes 9 inch blocks. I am doing mine in wool so that I can make that size, many are enlarging the pattern and all the participant's resulting blocks are worth a look...so pretty!

This is my version of a block from a prior month, labelled Liberty Tree.  I thought of skipping this one, I didn't think it looked "right" with my blocks so far...BUT

Open letter to Esther Blair Shaw(the original maker):

Oh my Esther, how foolish I was to doubt you, the block I didn't think I liked has now become one of my favorites.  Big surprise, I am using wool...umm...and these are pennies, silly Kris.

 

Shenandoah Valley Botanical Album Quilt - Bouquet

I am sewing along with the Shenandoah Valley Botanical Quilt project - the pattern is provided by the Virginia Quilt Museum and all pattern sales benefit the museum. Dawn, from Collector with a Needle, and Doreen, from Aunt Reen’s Place, are hosting a quiltalong for this quilt, here.

The pattern size as provided by the museum easily makes 9 inch blocks. I am doing mine in wool so that I can make that size, many are enlarging the pattern and all the participant's resulting blocks are worth a look...so pretty!

This is my version of the block for this month, labelled Bouquet...

 I'm afraid that I have again taken my own artistic license with this design to allow myself an easier time to make it in my chosen media of wool and it is a bit unrecognizable as the pattern in the official packet :)   In krislovesfabric world, this is my vase of wildflowers.
And here are my nine blocks so far in a group shot...waving a bit in the wind, sorry!!  I am still beiing challenged by the weather to get good quilt block pictures!!

Have a great weekend and Happy Mother's Day to all those mothers I know :)

Wandering Camera - Month 4

We are back around to that time again, wow!    Time to link up again with my friend Soma's  series Wandering Camera.   Be sure to follow the link and check out all her wonderful tips, this month she shares about the subject of Aperture.  Weather has been my challenge this month as I feel like Goldilocks trying to find a day that's not too wet or a time too bright or what have you.  Bah! :)
  These pictures were taken on my walks the last couple of mornings...

 The grapes are starting to unfurl some foliage.

 Peony buds are starting to appear...much to my delight and unfortunately the wasps seem delighted as well - I am trying a paper lunch bag decoy idea I saw posted online that is supposed to ward them off as they think the bag is a hornet's nest.  Anyone know if it will work?  So far, it's been too rainy to confirm around here!

 These little posies are usually prettier, they are a bit muddled by all the rain, I have that in common with them :)

 Anyone have any good rhubarb recipes?  I made a strawberry rhubarb pie last weekend but I obviously need more recipes as my husband has a green thumb with regards to rhubarb, it seems.  He has his eye on trying rhubarb wine.

 My poppies have just about surrounded the lone tulip in my garden, we don't have much luck with tulips as the squirrels like to dig them up and take, ahem...one bite.  Sigh.

 The little azalea is looking to have lots of buds, yay!

 Our pear blooms have faded and fallen away but now it is the apple trees time to shine!

 
  Thanks for wandering along with me today and make sure to wander with all the others linking up at:

Soma's May Wandering Camera Post

In the Garden BOM - Month 4, Carla at Creatin' in the Sticks

The next two limited time free blocks in the In the Garden Block of the Month hosted by Amy of Sew Incredibly Crazy have been released!  They are designed by Carla  of Creatin' in the Sticks and you can find the patterns here.

 

I am using fabrics provided by Riley Blake for this QAL supplemented by some older Riley Blake fabrics from my stash.  The main fabric line I am using is Bee in My Bonnet's Calico Days.
 
These are my versions of this month's cute blocks:

  
  Here are my prior blocks from this QAL and the links used to find them:
 

Month 1 February
Amy – Sew Incredibly Crazy

Block #1 and Block #2 from Amy's design, you can find the patterns by visiting her blog.

March
Carol – Just Let Me Quilt 

Blocks 3 & 4 are designed by Carol and you can find the patterns here.

 

April 

Doris – Quilting Queen Online

They are designed by Doris  of Quilting Queen Online and you can find the patterns here.

May

Carla – Creatin’ in the Sticks

 June
Sue – Super Mom No Cape

July
Joan – Moosestash Quilting

August
Kris – Kris Loves Fabric <---Me!!

September
Pat – Life in the Scrapatch

October
Vicki – More Stars in Comanche

November
Lana – It Seams to be Sew

December
Jan - Sew and Sow Farm

January

Amy – Sew Incredibly Crazy– Final Blocks and wrap up

You can also join the Facebook group if you like and share your blocks and/or see what everyone else is making.

CLICK HERE