Two More Laurel Wreaths



Spent some time these past two rainy days cutting out leaves for the wreaths and there are plenty of them to be cut if I carry on with this quilt.  Wanted to see how it would look with some in a row and I pretty much like it.  No flower or bird in the center of the top two for now.  The little black splotch on the bottom flower is a piece of black with tiny white polka dots that I will use to replace the solid color already there.  It's hard to see unless you enlarge it.  Plan to use a little black and white in each center object and think that would add some sparkle.  Think for now this will go back in the box until after Christmas as I have lots of things I would like to do.   It seems the older I get, the slower I get but I'm not about to complain because I'm still moving and getting the fun things done.  Housework and cooking?  Not so much!  (Click to enlarge)

My Mind's Made Up

I've been in the basement working on the fabrics for this quilt and have decided it will be done in the Kaffe fabrics ala Glorious Applique.  Certainly have enough of them in my stash - and it's fun using the really wild fabrics in such an old fashioned quilt.  This pattern was from the 1930's. 

Instead of matching the backgrounds of each of the fabrics, I am going black for the buttonhole stitch.  That gives it a really old fashioned look and I like the way it kind of unifies the pieces.  The closeup shot lets me know I might be going a little too fast around the curves!  When it is all done, though, little bobbles will be hard to spot!  That certainly is a great shot - you can see the weave of the fabric perfectly!  Good little Sony. (Click to enlarge)

Decisions, Decisions

First of all, as we all know, this is the anniversary of the horrific day in 2001 when the unthinkable happened and I know it is on everyone's mind.  I find it hard to watch television and see and hear about that unbelievable event but it draws you in and you relive those days again.  I pray that there will be no repeat of anything like that ever again. 

My week has been lazy and unproductive - guess the old hag takes a bit longer to bounce back from a busy time even though it was such great fun.  How can you get pooped out having fun?  But, by golly, I didn't have any naps yesterday and today so far I don't feel the need for one so figure I am back on track!  Sherry and I went to see The Help yesterday - the best movie I have seen in a long, long time.  Now I know what everyone is talking about.......it is so good.   The young fellow who played the part of Stuart (Skeeter's beau) was driving me crazy trying to remember what show I had seen him in.  I knew I had seen him a lot.  I googled the cast, found out his name and discovered he had been in Private Practice which I watch all the time.   He's no longer in it as his character died. 

Yesterday I spent some time in the basement sorting through fabric - batiks.  These will be for Hop to It.  Do you think I have enough to pick from?  (Just being a smart alec!!)  More of them show in the top picture.

This is the first block of Laurel Wreath and I am certainly not happy with it.  So I am thinking of changing the leaves to assorted Aunt Gracie fabrics------

and I'm not crazy about that either but probably haven't tried enough fabrics with it.  On to doing it as in the quilts on Glorious Color with Kaffe Fassett---

and I am leaning toward this one.  I would give much more thought to choosing the fabrics than I did for this.  I also thought of doing it in batiks but that would be a lot like my hexie quilttop.  Decisions, decisions----(Click to enlarge)

Laurel Wreath

I think this is what I will use for the stems and leaves in the wreath for this quilt.  Will work with the 30's reproduction fabrics and was going to do all the leaves in different greens (will still give that a try) but rather like this dark green on the background fabric.  My thinking is that I can put a pretty stitch for a vein down each leaf with the Sulky thread that I use for the buttonhole stitch to applique the leaves.  Also, I think the plain leaves may make the designs in the wreath stand out.   I am shy one leaf in this picture and everything is just temporarily stuck on since I am using some Steam A Seam Lite that I have. 

The color is awful here (I took this on the lighted light box) but you can see how the appliques will fit in the wreath.

A cute bird - one of four or five.   I think this will be fun to work on even though I will probably be getting a little weary of leaves since there are 25 blocks!  Do love to work with Aunt Gracielike fabric.  Then again, I love working with all fabrics. 

Since this is not particularly a pretty post, I will add a picture I found on Pinterest which originally came from http://loubuttons.tumblr.com/page/7  .   You could get lost on Pinterest - great stuff.

Isn't that a beauty?



 (Click to enlarge)

Ready for the Laurel Wreath Quilt

This is one of two quilts I want to put together this fall and winter. I sent for some very pretty background fabric (you will be able to see it if you enlarge the photo) and also more reproduction fabric from two different sources.  No one in Midland sells 30's reproduction fabric and you are pretty sure to be able to get what you want when you order it on line.  I bought the background and one set of reproduction fabrics from Fabric Shack in Ohio.  Their shipping is $2.50 for up to $75.00 and they were quick in filling my order.  I read about them on  The Polka Dot Chicken - there is a link to her blog on my sidebar.

I have posted this picture before and only do it to show the way the wreath comes together with a bird or flower being inside each one.


Bill and Ann are coming from Overland Park tomorrow evening and my middle granddaughter, Molly, and Doug are flying in from Portland tomorrow, also, so we will have some great family time with most of the family.  (Click to enlarge)

Work on One, Think About Others

We all do it - I think that's part of being a quilter - thinking about the next projects while you work on another one.   My red applique is coming right along with just one more block to do and then the sashing.   I actually am anxious to get to Hop to It and also thinking about this old reproduction quilt that was one by Nancy Page that was published weekly in newspapers.  From Sentimental Stitches (I gave you a link to that site in the post about Leslie's schlep bags and you can read their information if you enlarge the picture), I ordered this pattern for the Laurel Wreath quilt.

Here is an article with patterns for some of the birds and the wreath that I took from an old Quilters Newsletter Magazine in 2002.   These are such cutie pie birdies.

Three more of the birdies and the wreath pattern. 

The pattern for the quilt is on a dvd and it has all of the flowers and birds so you are able to print them and trace your pieces.  I am mulling over in my mind what fabrics I want to use.  First thought is Aunt Gracie type on some sort of a really cool background which is what the original quilt is.  I have also thought it might be great in Kaffe Fassett fabrics in the manner they are doing quilts on  http://gloriousapplique.blogspot.com/.   That may be a tad wild, though.  Solids might be very pretty, also.  Or just all sorts of scraps.  Fun to think about!    (Click to enlarge)