Flower Garden Appliqué quilt finish - finally!

 

Late last night I finished tacking back the binding on the Flower Garden appliqué quilt.  

This quilt was 3 1/2 years in the making.  I'm so happy to have it finished. 

I started this back around November 2020 in Tokyo, as a block of the month from Sentimental Stitches, called Poppy's Polka Dot Garden.  I have ended up calling mine simply Flower Garden. 

 

I made a lot of the blocks, but not all, and I just chose a very simple layout.  The blue is a shot cotton I got in Tokyo when we lived there.   I added little polka dot circles on the alternate blocks and the border, and machine quilted it very simply.  

The backing is a yellow beehive print, supplemented with a very old blue print.  

I sized it to fit on a twin bed: 

I have not washed it yet, and after seeing the photos here, I can really see where I might add more machine quilting.  Not sure.  I want it to remain really drapey. 

I am so happy to have this finished!  Now I don't have anything unfinished from the Covid/Tokyo years.  I just have a good sense of closure now. 

This quilt will live here at home for awhile at least. 

And, against my better judgment I've just started a second scrappy Liberty hexie EPP quilt.   It will be throw sized.

For some reason I'm just giddy about my new sewing basket  - from Liberty in London.  The benefits of David traveling and being willing to go to Liberty for me;). 

The print reminds me of my 70's childhood.  I love something that is practical, AND fun, AND pretty. 

I've been reading (mostly listening) a lot of books lately, and can recommend these: 

The Women by Kristin Hannah  - historical fiction about nurses during and after the Vietnam war.  I couldn't put it down. 

Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin - really remarkable novel about two friends and video game creators, whose lives intersect over many years.   Somewhat strange, compelling.

Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner - Korean American memoir, her mother's cancer; food culture; grieving.  

Between Two Kingdoms: A Memoir of a Life Interrupted by Suleika Jaouad - a remarkable memoir about living with cancer.  I also recommend the documentary American Symphony.  But read the book first. 

Finding Me - Viola Davis' memoir.  One of the best, most powerful memoirs I've ever listened to.  Unflinching, moving. 

Let me know if you've read anything fantastic lately! 

xo

Cynthia 

Lovebirds wedding quilt finish, books, happy new year!

 

We had a wonderful Christmas Eve with all our kids and spouses and grand babies with us - 

And on Christmas day Tommy and Camille opened up their wedding quilt.  It was so fun (and challenging) to make and I hope they will enjoy it.  David literally laughed when he saw the finished top, so I feel a bit insecure about it, but, it truly was fun to make. 

Indigo for Tommy and the bright cheerful colors for Camille.  In the folky style they wanted. 

And not the last quilt I will ever make for them... 

Machine quilted very freely - 

Quick photo after church - 

Side note - look at the Carolina blue sky - one of the things I love about living here, even as I miss the beautiful quiet New England snow. 

And now I've eased into the new year by cleaning out, straightening up, rearranging,  putting away all the baby things (Kaela's family is moving to California - I'm still in shock).  I've started a new quilting process notebook, and a new bullet journal.  I love a fresh start. 

Here were my books in 2023 - I listened to many of them. 

Most memorable were Demon Copperhead, True Grit, Tom Lake (all on Audible).   Lessons in Chemistry, Our Missing Hearts.  

Happy New Year quilty friends!  

x

Cynthia 

Ladies' Aid New York Sampler finished!

 

I finished the Ladies' Aid New York Sampler (this was a BOM from Barbara Brackman in 2021).  I really loved using Barb's big fan stencil for the quilting.  

The backing (and binding) is Petit Bloom by Edyta Sitar of Laundry Basket Quilts.  The batting is Dream Wool and I love the texture and loft! 

Walking to our little (tiny) neighborhood park:

David's folks "Nani and Poppie" are in town from Utah this week and we are having fun!  This weekend we will be driving to Virginia together for our niece's wedding. 

xo

Cynthia 

January project inventory and Happy New Year!

 

Happy New Year!  That's Ellie on the left, and Amelia on the right, at four months.  I just can't get enough of these babies... and big sister Charlotte.   I'm still pinching myself that we have three grand daughters living so close by.  We have all made a good adjustment to living in North Carolina.  I think 2023 will be a much more settled year for us all.  Knock on wood? 

In 2022 I made three quilts - and all three were a joy from start to finish because they were baby quilts!  

Amelia's nine patch: 

Eleanor's nine patch: 

Goldie's one patch: 

Meanwhile, I'm looking forward to MORE quilting time in 2023.  

Today I took an inventory of my "in the works" projects:   

1.  Japanese Tenugui quilt, with 9 star blocks from Barbara Brackman's 2021 Hands All Around block of the month.  Blue and white, with pops of red.  Currently working on finishing sashing. 

Cornerstones cut from scraps of tenugui: 

I did most of this in Japan in 2021 and now I just need more sashing and cornerstones: 

I am loving this quilt and it makes me long for Japan (which was inevitable!).  

2.  Ladies' Aid appliqué quilt in soft blues - from Barbara Brackman's 2021-2022 Ladies' Aid BOM .  I love these blocks!  Finished the last appliqué block the other night: 

3.  Poppy's Polka Dot Garden (from Sentimental Stitches) - ongoing hand appliqué, still working on the blocks, long term project, no rush, no perfection, just fun.  Check it out here.   I stayed up to date in Japan, and fell totally behind in 2022.  But finished this block recently! 

4.  Folky wedding quilt for Camille and Tommy - they are getting married in May, so the quilt will be "due" by their first Christmas married, next December;).  

While I had Tommy and Camille (I like to call them "the lovebirds") here at Christmas, we looked at fabric from my stash  - 

And we looked at lots of quilts and talked about what they want (folky appliqué, in all the colors, their themes, my corny design - challenge accepted!).  

We spent some time at Cary Quilting Company getting some quarter pieces and border fabric as a jumping off point. 

 I look forward to sharing the quilt here, block by block as I make it.  I'm sure I will call it "Lovebirds" ;). 

At home, auditioning fabrics and checking for contrast: 

And that's it for me this chilly January night.  David is in New Jersey on business for a few days.  

I can recommend a fun book I finished today.  The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman if you'd like a really well written cozy mystery with humor, and characters you will just love.   One of my goals for this year is to read a lot more and "randomly scroll" a lot less.   

Happy New Year all!  Thank you for reading!  Happy Quilting! 

xo

Cynthia