Tealorange! - for the love of orange

Here she is, Tealorange! She's finished!

You may remember that this quilt grew from two years worth of bee blocks. I asked my bee members to make 6 inch finished blocks that were teal, orange, and cream.

I could never have made this quilt by myself. I love that the blocks are a mix of measured and liberated piecing. I love the mix of fabrics. I love everything about it.

I quilted it with parallel straight lines about 3/8 of an inch apart. It took a while to get it quilted but I think it was well worth the effort.

The binding is made of scraps of fabrics that I used in the star blocks that I made.

The back uses some fabrics that have been in my stash for quite a long time, along with some Thomas Knauer jelly beans.

The finished quilt measures 60 by 73 inches.

This quilt is headed to someone who is a HUGE fan of orange. 

Tealorange - quilting progress

I decided that the Tealorange quilt needed simple quilting.  I started with stitching in the ditch between all the blocks and then added some parallel lines close to the ditch like I did on this quilt (but only in one direction).Then, I decided that I needed to fill the whole space with lines.

I have to say, I think the result is well worth the hours it took. I am thrilled with the results on the whole quilt.

I'm going to put a scrappy binding of orange and teals around it and will share a full view photo when it's really finished.

It has finally gotten warm enough to be outside without sweaters so we've also been working on some outdoor chores. Yesterday we went out in the fields hunting for morels and asparagus - we didn't find any of those but we did come back with a big load of garlic mustard. Today we'll plant some more things in the garden any maybe even have a field fire. I tell you, the fun never ends around here!

Odds and Ends

I have a few small recent projects to share with you.

Here's a pink pixie hat for a friend's daughter.

Bee blocks for Jennifer, she requested words of encouragement and healing.

Just one more pair of bee blocks and I'll be finished for the year. Tia has requested bird blocks!

It has been getting colder so I want to make sure that we all have warm slippers for the winter. I'm making a pair of "frankenslippers" that will use up a lot of the small ball ends I found when I pulled out my selection of worsted weight yarns. It will be good to clear these out of my sewing room. Yay for cleaning up and using what I have!

These fun vintage fabrics came in the mail yesterday. I did a little fabric swap with Katie. Don't you love those little Kangaroos? The two fabrics on the left are the old 36 inch wide yardage.

More Tealorange

I have gotten the last blocks from my bee members!

These beauties are from LauraJ.

she even sent me FOUR extras!

I LOVE that they are all different. Some are very pointy and some are more fat and squarish. Have I mentioned how excited I am about this quilt???

Tealorange

I had more fun mail this week! In addition to a box from Godiva Chocolates on my porch I got a package from Sarah containing these blocks

.Aren't they great?

I am eager to get working on these orange and teal stars. I am still awaiting a few more blocks but I hear they are in the mail! Wooo Hoo.

We have pies in the oven and a turkey in the fridge. Have a great day tomorrow.

Applique!

I finished the February blocks for the Bee FF group. Tia wanted applique.

For this block I started with a ring of bias. I cut a one inch wide bias cut strip, folded it in thirds and basted through all three layers. Then I basted that to the background fabric using a plate as a guide.

I added a bird over the join of the bias and a couple of leaves and flowers. I wanted a sort of minimal look but it still needed something else so I added an embroidered vine.

Here's the other block.

I do love hand applique.