Bramble Blooms top and a squirrel popped in from Across the Fields

After much dithering around with my BB1, begun when  Audrey began the Bramble Blooms QAL, I decided to just go with my central piece of applique and then borders, I concluded that even with Audrey's very welcome encouragement,  applique was just not for me.

So here is my Bramble Blooms

still needing to trim a few stray frays and straighten the bottom corners.

I knew I wanted to have the limey green colour of the small flowers in the appliqued blooms somewhere in the border. Tried so many greens, no luck,  until I dug deep in a pile of fabrics waiting to be sorted and found the butterflies - perfect! Hand stitching to be done on the blooms then waiting in line for quilting and red spot for the binding.

The squirrel hopped in as I was cutting for Across the Fields, I had a photo in my last post,  squares, then into triangles and I was just ready to cut the 12" strips

when Fonthill came into my mind - a KF pattern which I had planned to sew when Wanda was busy with her Fonthill, mine didn't happen but fabrics were more or less ready to go, problem had been the main fabric for two borders plus a few triangles here and there. Just playing with a mock up now before cutting more fabric, lots more playtime involved. I'll have a photograph of the KF quilt in my next post.

As you can see this is my sort of fabric! Alexander Henry from 2021 I believe and this was bought from  Material Obsession.

Using this fabric for Fonthill will be time consuming I'm sure,  I need a couple of easy projects to work on at the same time. Thinking time needed over the weekend.

Lots of you are posting beautiful garden photos, thank you for that and please continue doing so, we are cold and wet here in NZ and about to get colder!  My garden blooms are mostly finished but I have a photo of one of the last blooms on my Japanese Anemone or Windflower as I believe they're sometimes called.

Happy Quilting

Maureen

Back in my Happy Place!!

Computer issues sorted and new blogger working OK for me,

so yes, here I am in my happy place

ready to look through my Kaffe books and re-visit quilts flagged

as possibles to make some time ago, my patchwork notebook from my husband for jotting

ideas, a Laurel Burch mug gifted to me from a local

patchwork shop many years ago, packed with pens and pencils and last,

but not least  my beautiful bright mug rug gifted from 

Wanda at Exuberant Color

a little while ago. She said she thought I would like the colours and she was so right!!

I have all the books by Kaffe apart from two, my first love when I came to quilting 

were Amish quilts, then I discovered KF fabrics and books and my fate was sealed!

However, I'm also a fan of other designer fabrics and above a few new ones

 from

Kathy Doughty

and the top three from

Heather Ross

I'm still making progress with Green Diamonds and my Postage Stamp squares

and also using up some of the strips shown in my last post I've made a start
on a Lego quilt, three blocks only right now.

In the planning stage is a quilt from this book

by Kathy Doughty

this particular quilt has the title 'Madness'

and you can see why

there is no pattern but ideas for

materials, preparation, elements to include and assembly.

On the subject of books I made a purchase last week of the book below

by Sue Ross

first glance at a review had me thinking it was going to be totally focused on
applique/broderie perse

but looking at the few photos shown there I was wrong. 

I have now added four more quilts to my waiting list.

It's an expensive purchase  published by Quiltmania but I''m sure

it may be possible to check with your local library, they may have it on their shelves soon.

Apologies for this long post, I think my mojo is back again and you are all

suffering the consequences in this post.

Following a a medical appointment on Monday at the surgery

 husband and I called in the delicious book shop in the main street,

we are regular visitors and customers but our intention that day was to just browse,

plans are sometimes made to be broken, mine were because heading back to the exit 

I came upon the most beautiful book I think I have ever seen.

Adriana is a botanical artist and each page not only

has a particular flower but the opposite page is given over to a wealth

of information about the plant.

The cover just gives you a tiny hint of what you find inside the book.

I think I had better disappear now but I have two more photos, one of a camellia 

and one of a naughty tuxedo kitty who is very curious and decided to

spend a little time in the laundry room

and this is what I found!

Don't worry, she wasn't in any danger,  no power connected

and I am always very aware of checking out the dryer and washing machine doors

before using. This is the first time I have ever seen her do this.

Last photo, the first Camellia Japonica to flower in my garden this Winter

and goes by the name of Dr Clifford Parks.

To those of you who have managed to make your way to this point without

falling asleep enjoy the rest of your week.

Keep safe and well.

Maureen

More blocks and a Block of the Month adventure

Five more blocks done for UANDUQAL, I would have had them all sewn up by today had

it not been for developing tendonitis in my left forearm!!!

Here are the latest five

I need to get all the blocks sewn so far up on the wall and find a good balance before

making a start on the last seven.

The inspiration quilt had mixed strip borders but my border idea is a little different

and I've already decided on the fabric, I think.

You see there is a Block of the Month mentioned in my post title, I hesitated for ages

before deciding to go with this.

Kathy Doughty at Material Obsession

always has a stunning choice of BOM projects by different designers.

Deciding to try something outside of my comfort zone I went with

Flying in Circles

by Sue Rose

Block 1 below

lovely movement in this block and the idea of a hexagon flower in the

centre appealed - then the envelope arrived with fabric and pattern and the

papers for the hexagons 

and gosh are they tiny!!

Hopefully if my arm is more comfortable I can make a start this coming week.

So, it's been a quiet week for me on the  sewing side but I've been catching up with reading and

re-watching my Downton Abbey series before going off to

see the film tomorrow. I'm a huge fan!

Gardening has been a no-no of of course but I had a wander around
the garden and took a few Spring photos.

The Japanese Maple is just breaking into leaf

and we had a trip to the local garden centre, I spotted something I had

been hoping to have in my garden for ages. 

Michelia Gracipes

Delicious scent, Winter and Spring flowering and just look

at the colour of the cover on the new flower buds, they feel like silk.

Such a delicate flower

I'll post a photo of the plant in the ceramic pot I bought to
plant in when I next post.

Got to dash now I'd forgotten I had a programme I really needed to watch on TV

so see you soon!!
Happy Quilting

Maureen