Showing off the flower quilt work- so far

So I finally got my 20 flower blocks appliqued down.  These were origionally published in the Detroit Free Press in the 1930's and again in the Kansas City newspaper in 1932.

As usual I am a raw-edge applique gal.  I also like to tear my back ground fabrics and  trim to size after the flower is sewn down.  The blocks are 8 1/2 x 11 inches and traditionally set four rows across by 5 rows down.  I tend to like my tops more square so I am setting this group of blocks five across and 4 down.

 I took a quick trip to Aurora with Connie to look for sashing fabrics.  I found the perfect (for me fabric for the outer borders and the back but won't show it off now.  At first my plans were to do a 2 1/2 inch sashing with setting squares.  I sent Connie these pictures to help me choose which fabric for the strips.

 I just couldn't decided between the two.  In fact I thought I wanted the black, then changed my mind to the green.  When I started to cut into the green, I just didn't like how busy the print was when looking at 2 1/2 inches.  So next best thing, cut at 1 1/2 inches and do a strip set with 9-patches as the setting blocks.

 I am so going to love this setting  As a disclaimer-  I don't iron, the 9-patches are 3 1/2 inches and yes I do see the bottom right block is going to need attention,  I will fix it, I promise.  I don't use pins when I sew, so every now and then, my friend the seam ripper gets put to work.

Flower update, library classes, long over due--my bad

Marionville library group progress on our blocks

I have been slow in getting these beautiful blocks posted.  I love working with this group of ladies.  I also love working with blocks from the past and seeing a new generation of lovely keepsake quilts being created in today's fabrics.  

Not everyone got the first seven blocks sewn.  These are all going to make beautiful quilt tops!

Patterns are always left up to interpretation.

Embellishing with buttons, enlarging the original pattern, playing with scrap fabric-  so much fun!

My favorite- cheater flower--sorry I didn't think of this first--lol

I see the start of a beautiful quilt.

This is from show and tell-  Can you see the D-9 pattern?

This one is mine.  Again a D-9 with a twist-  interesting if I say so myself!

Connie is working on anther project - these girls are large and all seams are turned under ready to sew onto their background fabric.

Our intro to applique class produced several lovely quilts.  Of course I didn't get picture of all of them.

The "Crumb" class, mixed blocks with the applique class and all I can saw is "WoW"

flowers, and scraps of solids

Connie came to visit and shared her version of the flower blocks (so far)  I love the green backgrounds.  I am getting excited to see what the other library class gals are doing with their flower patterns.  I always find it so interesting to see the different interpretations.  When the newspapers printed a quilt block pattern, many readers would make similar blocks b/c they had access to similar fabrics.  Today anything goes.  We have confidence in so many different techniques, styles, fabric choices, the possibilities are endless.

Connie has more blocks sewn down then I do.  I am impressed with her colors and I love the straight raw-edge sewing.

While we were visiting and working along with Monett library quilter, Francis, we also sorted through 7 totes of solids.  I want to make 100 baby blankets for a Missions project.  We are going to sew a (print) top and (solid)back fabric together and add applique (or not).  These will be various sizes depending on the original fabric.  They will be going to El Salvador so we won't be adding batting.

After pulling larger solid pieces from the totes to use as backs, we then sorted fabric into smaller piles.  I keep two loose filled totes of colors and one of whites/cream/tans.  So happy the other ladies took home what they wanted and we still had three totes to give away.  I have been calling new quilters and offering them a chance to add to their stash.  We should be totes empty by the end of the week.

Next play-date will be to tackle the prints.  We may need to call extra helpers for this quest.

almost empty!

lots left here

Not a real tote but a lot of good fabric!

Flowers from Erin--your UFO is still my UFO/WIP

Awhile back Erin gifted me a few flower blocks to play with.  I had several ideas of things to try with them.  The let's get it done was only a 24 hour bug and the blocks got buried under a pile of TO-DO's.
Well thankfully our A/C is still not working.  I spent a day at the building where I have my fabric.  It has A/C and my quilt machine.  I sorted and uncovered many forgotten goodies.  Everything for this project was kitted up with notes on ideas I had had.  Guess which one I choose----none of them!

Erin had given me 15 blocks (11 1/2 inches m/l)  I knew I wanted to add butterflies (8 1/2) blocks.  What to do, what to do.  I knew I didn't want to do a ton of butterflies as an outside border so I compromised and did just a strip to off-set the D-9 setting.  I love, love, love this look.

I will come up with some sorta of witty saying for a wide border and then finish off with the black/pink flowers.  Now to google butterfly sayings--lol

Thank you Erin, you can send me your Orphans anytime!  I have two little grand-daughters (and their mom) who have called dibs on this future keepsake.

The 'Pink' around the flowers is a yarn used to make pot scrubbers.  The texture is a bit stiff, but so cute.  At first glance it looks like I had tension problems and didn't know it--ha ha.  I hope to find large pink buttons to sew in the middle of each flower.

The A/C is getting replaced tomorrow, so I will have to find another excuse to take a day off and sew.

Erin's flowers and pink yarn

Yes I already had the butterflies cut out for a future project

New favorite setting for 12 focus blocks.

flowers, flowers, and more flowers pt 3

All 20 are cut and tacked, ready to raw-edge applique.  Hopefully sometime next week I can start working on the borders.  There are a couple in this series I didn't get photos of.  I can't believe how many times I have changed my mind on how I want to do these.  I think I will be as surprised as everyone else when I finally get done.  I am considering adding beads and/or buttons after I quilt the top.  So far this top is entirely out of scraps.  I did use a sheet for my background fabric but it was one that cut into to finish a different quilt.

Our A/C is out (new one on Monday?) so I spent most of the day at the missions building.  I cleaned, and sorted fabrics and wish I had taken a before photo.  Pat on the back, I am bring home 5 empty laundry baskets.  Several ladies are meeting with me on Tuesday to go through more fabric.  Hope I get to send a bunch home with them.

Ben picked the prints for these flowers

I hope to embroidery the thinner lines 

looks like I forgot to make the embroidery lines

wouldn't buttons look cute in the middle of these violets

more embroidery opportunities 

flowers, flowers, flowers cont...

still working on the applique blocks from our library class.  I have cut out next months flowers.  I don't know when I will raw-edge applique them all.  It has been fun selecting scraps to cut shapes from.

Here are a few favorites so far:

Cosmos should be pink, lavender  I like the whites

zinnia  pinks reds orange-  ha ha-  this will look better after I trim up the bottom flower 

hyacinth  this block is a re-do didn't like the first try

not sure if this needs something else, kinda plain

my floor after cutting the zinnias

this one will need embroidery on the berries

love these fabrics

flowers, flowers, flowers!

Marionville quilt class at the library on the first Tuesday of each month is always a lot of fun.  We have great show and tells.  I pretend to teach the class but Connie always has all the examples made.  This series we are looking at ways to applique.  I have the complete set of 21 flowers from the Detroit Press 1931. - 1932.  Some of these flowers were re-introduced in the Kansas City Star a few years later.

Here is a sneak pre-view of my work so far:

(Disclaimer-  I wasn't sure if I was going to do any blocks but did a coin flip that confirmed that 'I was"  My flip-a-coin version of quilt design is leading to a few interesting choices in this future keepsake.)

I have the first 7 blocks cut out and ready to machine raw stitch applique.  I hope to embellish with embroidery and maybe even a bead or two here and there.    The flower pots/vases were all cut from the same piece of batik (another coin toss decision)

The battery on my camera is low so I didn't get pictures of all seven that are done to this stage.  14 to go!

I like to add words to my outer borders-- This quilt will read:

The grass withers
The flower fades
but, The WORD of
GOD stands Forever

two of my favorites--so far

ooops I see a piece missing,