Saturday, June 25, 2016

THIS WEEK'S FOUR PACK MAKES 100!!.....also machine quilting update


I like all of this weeks blocks very much.  They are all adaptations from Chuck Nohara's book.
This one is my favorite.  The flowers and stems are from Chuck's book but I did not like her bird and substituted this broderie perse one.  I love how graceful the stems and flowers are and how the bird complements the colors.


Chuck's sunflower petals were shaped differently.  Since I wanted to use a directional fabric and her pattern called for the petals to be cut from one piece, I had to cut individual pieces and I also shaped them differently.  This is the beauty of having good resources- they generate ideas instead of being slavishly copied.

I love sunflowers!  We have some volunteers growing up around our birdfeeder.  They will not "make" as rural farmers call it-they are spindly and small.  The ground is too dry and uncultivated there.

This basket was fun but time consuming.  I have told you of my frustrations with hexagons-triangles are easier-the thread does not wrap around so much. Also I received some good advice on how to handle paper pieces working with them.  I wanted to put into practice the advice I had received and I think the basket turned out okay.  I had to call into account my math skills when making this block when I sized it up from being 2x2 inches to 6x6.  I also thought the braided handle would be more interesting than the simple one from the pattern.


I have never seen a block like the one below.  It has such a different look. This makes 100 blocks-43 to go but who's counting!


I have been working on my free motion sampler and have completed week three. This was an especially hard one-not sure why.  I have included a copy for the pattern for a couple reasons.  One-you can see the difficulty with this pattern-one sews around the circle and then backtracks and shoots off in another direction. The hard part was not getting trapped in a corner.  I drew and drew this and did some practice squares.  The other interesting thing is how individual style is achieved with practice.  My circles are closer together and are more curvy.  This just happened.  The fmq is not perfect but I am pleased.

As promised, here are two more blocks from my Caswell Quilt:


The robin block on the left is from the original pattern except I wanted the block to be 8x13 instead of 11x11.  So I deconstructed and rearranged it and added the snail.  The second pink flower bloc is taken from the original Caswell rug.  The idea for the caterpillar came from looking at Elizabethan stitchery and the dragonfly is placed on a seam to break down the barriers between blocks. 

Lastly, we have a red bellied woodpecker who visits the corn feeder.  He edges down the tree to the feeder, snatches up a kernel, goes back up the tree to beat the kernel against the bark before he eats it.  You can't see the kernel but that is what he is doing.

I will be so glad when my birthday is here in a couple weeks-I will have my new camera and hopefully be done with fuzzy photos!  We also had a large yellow flicker wood pecker some to the fountain but he flew off before I could grab my camera.

Happy quilting!


Linking up with Slow Stitching Sunday, MCM, Moving it Forward Monday, Oh Scrap!, Monday Making, Easter's WOW, and NTT .
  Thanks for hosting ladies!



22 comments:

  1. Oh, the blocks are lovely, and your favorite is also mine. The Caswell blocks are also terrific. I love that little snail.

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  2. I like how you used the broderie perse bird in your quilt block. I like the muted tones of the bird itself.

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  3. Love the different blocks and I like the live bird to.

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  4. All of your ideas really add to the quilts you are working on. Thanks for sharing!

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  5. Your blocks are very pretty. I especially like the unusual one that you noted (top right in the picture of the four, if that makes sense).

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  6. Your blocks are amazing. Your quilting is coming along nicely. It's all about practice, practice, practice.

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  7. Love the extra touches you add to your blocks making them so much more your own. The broderie perse bird is such a great piece.

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  8. So many lovely blocks completed! I love that basket block with the fancy braided handle!

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  9. Wonderful applique blocks, and your quilting seems good for me. Thanks for sharing the picture os the red bellied woodpecker. I love birds. Happy Slow Stitching

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  10. The blocks you made are so pretty and I like that you changed them somewhat. It makes them much more personal. The robin with the snail and flower with the caterpillar are so pretty. Great idea to hide a seam with a dragonfly. I was wondering why you were talking about two blocks.

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  11. Your applique is beautiful; inspires me to consider doing it more often. I too love the flower and bird, and your adaptations. Claire aka Knitnkwilt

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  12. Such beautiful work! I really look forward to seeing the finished quilt for those applique blocks.

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  13. Such beautiful applique! I love birds in quilts and your broderie perse one is wonderful! And another beauty in the Caswell quilt. Best advice for FMQ is practice, practice, practice. Great job!

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  14. Oh, Pam -- your blocks are exquisite! I just love your little broderie perse birdie. This quilt will be just spectacular.

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  15. oh my....you do some sensational stitching! I personally love the four petal flower (top right)...I love the fabrics you have used. Thanks for linking your beautiful creations up on DBM at Bits 'n Bobs :)

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  16. Hi, Pam! The broderie perse bird is perfect on that block. Pretty little fellow, for sure. :)

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  17. Each is as perfect as the next, what a gorgeous set of blocks! I love each of them, and what a sweet bird too. Lovely :)

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  18. Your blocks are so pretty and I think it's wonderful you are putting your own personal touch on each one. They are uniquely yours! I'm going to try that FMQ design...backtracking is difficult but gets better with practice. Your practice piece looks great! Thanks for linking to MCM!

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  19. Such a pleasure visiting here to catch up with your applique's! Everything is so beautiful, and I really thought the dragonfly clever to tie the blocks.

    Not many Peckers around here and I miss them, we used to have the beautiful Pileated I could see from my bedroom.

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  20. I lile your choice of fabric and how you combine them. Your bird complement very well your flowers. And your sunflower is fabulous; such lovely petals.
    I saw your appliqués in your previous post as well and I love what you make. :-)

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