Seedlings

Do you sometimes wonder how we all keep starting MORE new quilts? For me it almost always begins with the fabric. So when the UPS man showed up one day a few weeks ago with a box of Brenda Riddle's upcoming Bespoke Blooms fabric collection for Moda Fabrics, well, I knew that a new quilt was just waiting to be made! 

And those are just a few of the prints. Aren't they pretty? Yes, I can see you nodding your heads. There are also some white-on-whites and some grey-browns. I think that Bespoke Blooms will be in stores later this spring. I even managed to untie the Moda ribbon and mix them in with my collection of Brenda's Ambleside fabrics. I love when collections can be mixed together. I like lots of prints and texture!

I needed a new pattern, and Brenda's website, Acorn Quilt and Gift Company has lots of beautiful vintage-inspired quilt patterns. I saw Seedlings on her home page. Sigh. I needed to make this now! (ps - Brenda is having a sale on her patterns now!)

You all know about my phobia of applique. I think I need to stop saying that because I'm actually starting to enjoy applique! Brenda's pattern has fusible applique, but I really wanted mine to be hand stitched for a more heirloom look. I searched for tutorial videos on YouTube, and found two by Jill Finley that were amazingly helpful. I learned how to make bias stems here, and freezer paper leaves here. I just watched them a few times, then paused and replayed them while I made the stems and leaves. 

Then came 120 3 1/2" nine patch blocks. There is a peaceful feeling about making the same block over and over and over. I've never made a nine patch quilt!

Ok, it's applique time! Brenda accented her heart wreath with embroidery (and I watched videos about how to do that, too!) but I really wanted to make berries. I traced a dime on freezer paper and used that as my template, then just placed them by eye. (There was plenty of "is this enough berries" and "oh no is this too many berries?" going on here.)

Then came a blue checkerboard border around the appliqued heart. I really had a difficult time with this. All those little seams didn't add up the right length strip, and I spent an entire Sunday doing that one little border. Rip, rip, rip went the seam ripper! (I don't think I got to have my cheeseburger at DQ until 4pm that day!) Adding the nine patches was quick and easy.

I love the way this looks so far. Now it's time to make the 80 nine patches (gulp) for the outer border. Brenda's pattern shows them in alternating blue and green blocks. I'm thinking of doing them in blue and grey. Or blue and pink. But not blue and yellow. And maybe blue and green. Hummm let me go think about this one. Let me know if you have any ideas!

three figs

Hi everybody! I may have been quiet lately, but I have been sewing, appliqueing, binding and designing. I've got lots to show you, but I need to start somewhere, so how about with a trio of new Fig Tree projects?

First is the upcoming Fig Tree Crossroads quilt along. I hope that you're excited about it! The kit arrived from Fat Quarter Shop and the fabrics are beeeautiful (never mind that I haven't even untied the fabric bundle LOL).This is going to be so much fun. As usual, the quilt along will benefit a charity, and this year we'll be raising funds for March of Dimes. The quilt was designed by Joanna Figueroa exclusively for Fat Quarter Shop. You can choose to sew with your own fabric collection or purchase the kit. There is LOTS more information about the sew along here, along with the fabric requirements. The first block pattern is the house (yay!) and it will be posted on February 15. I can't wait to get started! And I hope that you'll sew along with us.

Isn't this the most beautiful wool bundle ever?! Fig Tree has partnered with Weeks Dye Works to create this Retro Farmhouse wool bundle. There's also a new Aurifloss collection that matches. When people describe fabric as "yummy" I always think, no, you cannot eat fabric. But... isn't this wool... yummy?! It's part of a 12 month wool BOM that just started. I've heard that the program is full, but wool bundles (and wool mini quilt patterns) are available here. 

And finally today is the new Fig Tree Strawberry Fields Revisited Frivol. So what's a Frivol? It's a collectible tin decorated with polka dots and strawberries. It comes stuffed with lots of goodies - 42 7" squares tied with Moda's signature tape measure ribbon, a pattern for a churn dash quilt, an individual block pattern, and a surprise. The surprise is two strawberry quilt labels. I bought the tin just to get those labels! (And of course I love the fabric, too.) Oh how I wish that Moda would print bolts of assorted labels! There are many more pictures of the Frivol items on Fig Tree's blog here. I ordered mine directly from Fig Tree but it appears to have sold out. You might find it in your local quilt shop, or you can order one here.

You might think I'm crazy, but there's ANOTHER Fig Tree BOM that should be shipping soon. Yikes, I am going to be busy. And remember last year's Fig Tree vintage mystery BOM? It's being quilted right now, and I cannot wait to see it.

And now I must get busy sewing!