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   I got an eye opener this morning right off.   Check out Bonnie's Day 10 Show and Share.    And she is right....this  quilt just makes me smile.  Thanks, Bonnie.

Second...questions about marking photos came up again.  I use Picasa 3....free download.  I have also heard about picmonkey.com  and  ipiccy.com  for marking your photos.  Both of these are online.  

And I found an wonderful apple applique pattern  at Bejeweled quilts.   Thanks, Barb, for sharing this.  It will go with my pumpkin block for a fall banner.

Happy stitching.

T.G.I.F.F.

Welcome to this TGIFF party----for recent finishes.  Visit Quilt Matters for the other links for viewing other finishes.

  A journal cover is my quick finish for this week.  It began with a little bit of thread painting on scraps of sun painted fabric.   What  else can you do with a small piece that is about 4" by 5"?   I framed it  with fabric  using the sew and flip method to cover a piece of batting the size I needed.   A little quilting and then I completed the cover. 

   My summer quilting project was the florabunda blocks that Bonnie Hunter shared  at Quiltville.com.  The first blocks I completed were strong.  It was almost overpowering with that yellow.  But I was committed to finish it. 

Once it was completed and quilted.....ah, success.   The overall quilting soften all the strong colors and prints.  Everything seemed to work together.    Click here for  my  final post on Summer of Love.

There's a sew along starting soon for this. ---- just in case you would like to make your own version of the florabunda blocks, which are a variation of Jacob's Ladder.  Freda will be following Bonnie's tutorial, too. 

  My bargello gift quilt is ready for the final press and quilting!  I may have a finish next week too.
Thanks for visiting on the TGIFF.  Happy stitching.

The answer is....

  On the right side about half way down....you can see a 4 patch unit that got turned the wrong way.  It is not a huge obvious mistake, but it is there.  I am not stressing over it.  But after all the questions of where is it, I thought I had better answer and use a better photo. 

  Happy stitching.

The end of Summer

There was a hint of coolness in the air this morning.  Summer is winding down, and the flowers are fading.  And I completed my Summer of Love quilt today....and all the memories that go with it. 

Seeing this spread out in the shade, made me think of the song, "What a day for a daydream".

Thrown over a porch chair, you can see a bit of the quilting design.  Yes, my favorite swirls spread all over the entire top.  I like the way they softened the whole thing, rather than making one part stand out. 

I used Isacord thread....oyster color for the quilting.  For sure, this is "Mellow Yellow".

Look close....can you see my mistake?   LOL....I didn't spot it until I was finished with the quilting.   Actually, there is another 4 patch placed wrong too....I just can't see it in this photo.  They can remind me of the "mistakes" I made in my youth. 

And finally, the label.  I found a flower graphic very typical of the 60's that I used in the background.  It doesn't show very well because I formatted the color of it to the lightest gray, so that the text would show up over it.  But I did use a new trick here.  The border fabric was added and turned under around the label.  Then  I added strips of heat and bond light around the edges on the back and fused it to the back of the quilt.  It will hold it until I get the edges stitched down by hand.   A great temporary label! 

  Many thanks to Bonnie Hunter for discovering the inspiration quilt and sharing the pattern for the florabunda blocks.  She has a pdf version of the pattern and instructions posted at Quiltville.com.

Happy stitching.

Where have all the flowers gone?

There aren't too many left in my yard....but they can be found on the florabunda quilt top. 

   While I was putting together all the blocks, I was planning the border.  Nope, not gonna happen.  I measured this one and found out it was about what I wanted.....54" by 72".  A 5" border on each side would grow it into a double bed size.   My first plan was really the best for me.....just a 2 inch band around it.  With all the seams on the edges from the blocks, I like to have a band at least to corral it and keep it from stretching or such till quilted.  And yellow binding will finish it off.....eventually.

I went outside to try and get some better pictures and truer colors.    Boy, it is still hot, hot, hot.  The humidity is down but I am so tired of 95 degrees.

   Not sure when I will get it quilted.....I am waiting on my batting order to arrive and my finger joints are really inflamed this week.  I think it is time to give them a rest.  So..... it will be straight line quilting on this one to emphasize the pattern. 

 

   I am really loving this one....just had to share it.

Happy stitching.

OH...Be sure to comment at Sew We Quilt (Stash Manicure) today.  It's for experienced quilters and the prizes are good!

Do you remember the Summer of Love?

Last night at guild, Cassie made a comment about the yellow florabunda blocks.  I told her the last one was finished and on the design wall.  Then I went into the last memory stitched into that block.  It was 1967, and I  had a huge crush on JT, who worked at the gas station.  As I stitched, I remembered how excited I was when he asked me out.....and what a disappointment it was!  He was tall, tan, and blonde, and had no personality.   I was bored to tears and could not wait to get home.  I can laugh about it now and realize the truth of a  life lesson. 

  Insight:  Some things are to be enjoyed from a distance.  The true worth and beauty lies beneath the surface.  So stitch some Heart into your quilts and don't take things too seriously.

So I am arranging and then changing the blocks on the wall.  I keep  moving the light ones around to decide where and how to place them.  Then I can get the rows webbed together and joined.

The border....I have a lot of left over strips of the florals, so I think I will probably just band the whole thing with the darker strips of them.  I can bind with the yellow to finish it off.   

I pulled out a fabric and began matching it with some fat quarters and scraps.  I love the leaf print--not sure when or why I bought it--it's kind of fall looking, and I am definitely ready for that.  So this is stewing in my brain for a bit until I decide which pattern to use.  I am leaning towards a Quick Quarter Trip using the technique and pattern by Eleanor Burns.   Decisions, decisions.....

Happy stitching.

Make it flat

Stitching 4 patch units.  Pressing 4 patch units.....finally done with all the separate units for the florabunda blocks.  Now to complete the blocks.

  I loved Bonnie's instructions for making the center spiral and lie flat.  Now that I understand, my centers will always be flat!  That's a good thing.  No reason for me to try to duplicate so....  Click here to read and see her tip.

   Now I understand, it's the last seam I sew to join the pairs that I give a twist to.  And presto...I have a teeny 4 patch at the center. 

  How did I get to be this old and never get it before?  ;) 

  And  the rest of the units for the florabunda blocks....enough for about 30 blocks or so. 

These will be my night time sewing for the rest of the summer!

  Happy stitching.

Sewing in a few memories

A little time spent quilting yesterday.....and just the border to finish up on this scrap one.  This quilting pattern works well in vertical rows, which is what this top is---just vertical rows of scrap strips. 

  The song "Mellow Yellow" kept running through my head as I was pressing some 4 patch units for the florabunda blocks.  I favorite line--at that time-- was "quite rightly!"    My Mom got so tired of hearing me use that phrase.  Instead of just saying yes, I would answer quite rightly.   I now understand how annoying I really was!  Sew.....I stitched  more memories into a few more blocks.   I will  smile when I see this quilt, just because of the memories it will bring back.
  The pattern is starting to emerge now, and the setting appears to be on point, but it is not.  I don't like to do sashing between blocks  for some reason, so I usually do scrap patterns that don't need them.  This block creates its own sashing effect, and I like that. 
   Time got away from me today and no sewing.  I finished up the guild library database.  Yea!  And then I needed to rework one section of the label class for Learningfa group. Computer is acting "old" again....like me, I guess.  I did a back up on everything.  It may be new computer time.  Ugh!  OH, and to all bloggers....be sure to have the latest version of your browser installed by August 1.  Blogger will be doing some more changes and won't be supporting older browsers.  And that means me.  Guess it is time to up-date. 
   Happy stitching,

Some florabunda blocks

The batik cobblestones came off the design wall.....time to get it squared up.  I was trying to decide if I wanted a border on it or not.   I think not.  I want to use this as a lap throw.  It is 48" by 55" and that is just about right.  Adding a border just seems to detract rather than add anything to the over all design.  I'll just save that strip for something else.

  So put on your sunglasses....for a quick peek at a few florabunda blocks I put together last night while watching TV.   :0)
 The blocks go together quickly once you get the 4 patch units and HST ready.  So I am pressing units today and stacking them up for sewing.

 
These blocks are really a good showcase for all my florals.  I can't wait to see how it will develop as I make a few blocks with softer  and more muted values.  Right now, it makes me remember cruising through Steak and Shake in Winter Park in Doreen's yellow mustang.  Heavens, that was a long time ago....here's to the Summer of Love!

Happy stitching.

One more time

I seem to make this over and over again....a rail fence is one of my favorite patterns for strips and donation quilts.   This one has a little bit of anything and everything in it.  As long as the strip was 6 1/2" long, I put it in.  I just make sure to have one strong dark for each medium and/or light twosome. 
  I didn't add a border to this one, just my "waste not" scrap bindings.  I used about 12 different scrap pieces to finish off the binding.  And now my binding bag only has 3 pieces left in it!  Yay!  I am making headway on the scraps.  
   

Free motion quilting-----easy, trailing and branching curls, and I think I can call this one done. 

Oops....I forgot the label and then it will be done.











I am working on the Florabunda blocks at night as we watch TV.  I have a pile of triangles and 4 patches cut and have begun sewing on them.
  Soon as I get the batiks off the design wall, I'll be able to put up a few blocks.
  I had a question about juggling so many projects at once.....I like to have multiple things to work on, so that I don't get bored.  I tend to do simple sewing at night, like the cobblestones blocks or strip piecing.  Daytime  is design time, quilting a project, or joining blocks on the design wall.  And when I need a change, I spend a few hours on a journal quilt.  Often my daytime sewing time is in small spurts.  Even 15 to 20 minutes at a time,  can be productive if I just sew a few blocks together that are on the design wall.  It's just what works for me.
Happy stitching,

Ending and beginning

  Before I started a new project, I needed to finish up a couple of tops from the closet.  They are pin basted and ready to go under the needle.  Both will probably be donations quilts.  I got a start on quilting the rail fence one. 
  During the quilting, I had time to think and reflect on the project that has been filling my mind.  So it is safe to say  that I found a new project that should take me through the summer.  I am using  this pattern, Florabunda from Bonnie at Quiltville, that she put on her blog.  It is based on an old quilt she discovered while teaching in Florida earlier this year.  I can't say it is beautiful, but the story and location behind it spoke to me.  Well, to be truthful, it shouted, and yelled, and just wouldn't leave me alone! 
    Why would the story and location matter to me?  Here's the thing.....I grew up in Central Florida---Orlando BD, before Disney---and I was a child of the 60's.   Flowers in the hair, flower power, and yellow, orange, and green were the colors of the time.....I still remember the curtains I made for my room ----yellow with orange and white daisies.  Can you imagine?
  I made most of my clothes at that time, too.  One of the prints in the quilt Bonnie found is so very close to the fabric I used for a vest that I wore with a yellow dress,  that I actually can visualize that outfit.   So yes, it has been haunting me.
   Nothing would help until I made one block.  I made one and cut strips for lots more---yellow background and florals for each block.   This is really not typical for me, but I believe it may be therapeutic.....memories and using up some of the floral stash.  :)
Happy stitching,