Found a loner

I was having a rummage and came across this block from The Civil War Bride quilt.

 I've made about half of the quilt. I have the pattern and background fabrics, but my reproduction Stash and already completed blocks are still in storage at my parents.

It's been 10 years since I packed my life into a shipping container, then started driving a caravan. 

Part of me wants to still be back in Gisborne.

The other part, and bigger part is so grateful I drove 3000km, and got to have my own family.

These birds need embroidered feet! Not going to applique those!

 

Bride Uncovered

Oh my! Why is it when you're packing up your sewing and your stash that you find all the things you feel like sewing???

This Civil War Bride block hasn't been touched since July 2010. Actually, none of the blocks have been touched since then...

It's been all fast and furious quilting, with little time for my own work.... or little inclination.... but the quilt mojo is on (as you might be able to tell)... and before I pack away my stash for a while to go caravanning, I am preparing a few blocks so they can be taken on the road to stitch.... ahhhh.....

I've sewn 2 purple daisies onto this block - I really need to take a better phoeo -this is just with a camera phone, and while it looks fine on the phone, it's not so good blown up on the laptop screen....

I hope there will soon be more to show.

Time to relax

It's been really important for me to try to find some time to relax over the last few days. Last night I could finally stitch a little bit of this Civil War Bride block. I deliberately chose the bright yellow flowers with a blue vase in mind. This ombre blue (it's a Dargate) is just perfect - even the diagonal pattern is great.
However, I am playing with the leaf fabric - fussy cutting from a green and pink print.
What do you think? Do the leaves look okay? Maybe I should change the bright yellow to a lighter yellow. There are other flowers to go on the top of the block. Will pink look okay?

Any thought appreciated.

A fresh start

I've started another block in the Civil War Bride quilt. Boy! Don't those tulips look lairy so far!! LOL!! The stems are only fused and pinned on at the moment, so the wrinkles will drop out of the background. (Have you noticed that no leaves are yet stitched!! That last block was absolutely full of leaves!!).

I've also started a baby quilt for my old friend's newborn baby. She was born 8 weeks premature, so the time for me has really run out!!

And, I've got a deadline - I need to bind a quilt very quickly for an upcoming exhibition, and attach a hanging sleeve to another one.

This block may just go on hold for a little while.

What a transformation...

From woah to go!! I've finished another block!

I love the "crowded" look of this Civil War Bride block.

I've added lots of poison greens to add brightness to the block. Unlike the pattern we at the Civil War Bride Blog are following, I used only one fabric for the flowers.
I really like the directional print on the red flowers too. Overall, I am pretty happy with this block.

So, how do they all look together now?

Slightly odd shaped. But that's what happens when you are half way through the blocks!! I just want to light those words in neon so they flash and sparkle.

Every leaf counts

It might seem excessive - a blog post for every few leaves added to this block, but I need to count every stitch as a positive!!

Who knows whether I will get to stitch anything tonight??? I plan to trace up a new block, so that's something.

Halfway through the blocks

Ooh, this is coming along nicely. This is my 10th block - soon I will be half way. I started making the Civil War Bride blocks last September... so that's one per month!! It's not too bad if you think of it that way!!

I hope I can squeeze in some more before I feel too guilty about neglecting the 12 Days Of Christmas and the Christmas Baubles quilt.

I love this flower. The directional fabric adds a zing. The leaf on the top left is unfinished as it will hang over into the next block.

New block

I was so chuffed with my latest Civil War Bride block, I started another one straight away.

I started to worry the colours in my blocks were a bit pale, so I've packed some punch into this block's choices. Lots of chrome yellow in the poison greens...

I'll take this along to quilt group tonight...

I just love it

This is block #1 in the Civil War Bride Quilt. My pink flowers remind me of Pink Heath - Victoria's floral emblem. Just perfect!!

I'm not sure whether the yellow bits are supposed to be leaves or flowers - this is a compromise.

Here are the 9 completed blocks so far. I just love it!!

Here's the catch...

There is only one catch to having an entire block traced out, and fabrics ready to go.... It makes me want to stay up too late, as the block just grows and grows... it looks so beautiful!!

Guess I'd better trace off another one or I'll have nothing to take to sewing group!! Hee hee.

The Bride Returns

I knew I wouldn't have much time to work on the Civil War Bride quilt during the first half of the year... so how have I managed to do so much of the cross-stitch stocking?

Well, the cross-stitch didn't require any preparation, it was ready to pick up and sew, and it didn't require much concentration and calculating (unlike designing my own quilts)...

So, (or should that be Sew?) I prepared the first block from the Bride quilt, and I actually sewed some.. yay!! I am glad to back in the saddle.

Of course I don't want to forget about the 12 Days Of Christmas quilt either... ooh...does this ever happen to you?

Anyway, this is why I write a blog - to keep track of my quilting projects.

Searching for the peacock

There will be a peacock on this block at some stage... LOL!!

This is one of the blocks for my Civil War Bride quilt. I am posting this partially finished block to show you that despite starting 2 new projects, I am staying on track with this quilt.

I love the colour of these fabrics... I haven't quite decided what fabrics to use on the peacock yet, hence the delay. I expect to be onto it very quickly!!

I already have the next 2 blocks traced, which helps to keep me going with the quilt. Hopefully, if I feel like it's too hard to make the decision on what fabric to use with the peacock, at least I can start on the stems of another block, until a time when I feel like choosing colours.

Thank goodness for a simpler block now and then!!


It did take me more than one day to make this block. LOL!! I just finished it...

So, that's 8 blocks down, and 12 to go (plus borders). Not bad so far...

I wonder if I have kept to my original hope of 1 block a week ( on average). I will go back and have a look when I started...Hmm.. I finished the first block on August 30. So it's nearly 8 weeks and I have finished 8 blocks. That's great!!

I would like to have this quilt completely finished, quilted and bound by July next year.

Even with a break over Christmas, it's a possibility...

Now there are seven.

I stopped working on this block with only a couple of flower centres to go, and a bud.

I had forgotten to add one of the stems, and had to wait until I was at home with the stem fabric (and an iron, and the other accessories) to make another one. So, I started another block, and finished it too, before I did those little bits.

Do you know what I mean? Sometimes you become tired of a project and need a break from it? That was me and this block.

Now there are seven blocks all appliqued. Ta-da!!

I will show you the eighth finished block tomorrow. You will just have to wait. *grin*

Always The Bride...

Well, I am working on the basket quilt today... (see previous post). In a moment I will be back to marking the quilt top for quilting, then I am going to baste it.

However, here is something I prepared (er... finished that is) earlier.

This is block 11 of the Civil War Bride Quilt. I am going to embroider the bird feet and eyes when I have finished the applique on all 20 blocks and borders.

I just love the fabric I used for the eggs. The shells look delicate and translucent. I am also really happy with the nest fabrics. I used a darker fabric inside the nest for shadowing and contrast, then the outside of the nest looks sort of woven.

Here's a glimpse of all my blocks (so far) together. Ooh, what a nice balance of colour!! Light, dark, soft, bold... Mmmm...

Wait until I finish the next one! It won't be long now!! Hopefully I can blog it as soon as I finish...

Here comes the bride!!

The Civil War Bride that is!!

Here I am with Lizzie who hosts the Civil War Bride Quilt Blog especially for people making the quilt.

It really was wonderful to see our blocks together. I can't wait until we somehow "photoshop" all of us bloggers all into one picture - it's not likely we can all get together at once given that we are from all over the world!!

It was lovely to meet you Lizzie. Thank you for coming by. *hugs*

The Bride is calling....

I got to one evening where I had done all I had prepared and ready for the Little Tailfeather quilt. So, I got to work on my Civil War Bride quilt block!

Here is block 7 finished (except for embroidered head feathers, feet, beak and fruit stems). This was such an easy block in comparison to some of the others!!

I also had time to trace block 2. I selected all the fabrics, traced the shapes onto freezer paper and I have made and applied the stems. I just need to stitch them.

However, I have since prepared 4 little tailfeather applique and stitcheries, so I had better work them off before I start on the next Bride block.

No more strawberries!

Please! No more strawberry appliques! Those pointy tips are driving me spare!! This is my fourth finished block in the Civil War Bride quilt. I wanted to show you a close-up of some of the fabric.

The cherries are especially creative, they remind me of the red and yellow cherries that grow near my house.

Here are the four finished blocks together.

I like seeing all of them together - it shows the range of colours I have used so far.

Here is my fifth block started - a peacock. There are 2 peacocks on the block, I have chosen different colours for each. The embellishment will be the embroidery on top of the head when I have finished all the applique for all the blocks.

Working for the bride...

Yesterday, I had a day off.. it was glorious! 25 degrees C... I sat outside, drank good coffee and read up on my holiday destination..

After my bask in the sun I spent a few hours in the garden - weeding and planting... then I worked on this garden:
Here is my third finished block for the Civil War Bride quilt. I finished it the other day. My flowers are purple - white wouldn't have shown up on my background very well.

I also started block 8 (pictured above).

I am just loving making these quilt blocks. However, I have to intersperse these with other deadlines now.

I think I need a new list of 5. This is the list I am currently working on - don't let me distracted from these!!

1. Finish dollhouse quilt top (not much to go, just the front door and some embroidery, then add the sides and grass at the bottom.

2. 1950s quilt top - I need to finish it!! (machine work)

3. Christmas belles - needs machine work

4. Civil War Bride quilt (of course)

5. Jo's Little Women baskets (machine work)

Too busy to blog?

Sometimes we have limited choices. Do I sew or blog? I'm sure I don't have to ask you what you would choose.

This means I have a few days work to show. I have been working on my blocks for The Civil War Bride quilt .

This is block 10 finished.I looove the fabrics I used in this block.This is the start of block 2. I loved the way the striped fabric worked in the strawberries block, so I used a different stripe in this block.

Here is a close-up so far...
I may have to slow down on these blocks soon - I only have a month to make the challenge quilt for One Step Further that I have been dreaming about, and I would like to make it while the inspiration is flowing!