6/22/14

Garden Party

This morning I finished the last of the stitcheries for the Gardener's Journal quilt. These little ladies are attending the Annual Garden Party.


With that one finished, I'm ready to piece the whole quilt top together. Six of the nine sections have been pieced, and three sets of stitcheries still need piecing together. When I worked on this quilt top last time, it looked like this.


Now that the last of the stitcheries are finished, I'm excited to finish piecing the whole quilt top. I started this project in December of 2012, and so I've been working on it for a long time. I probably won't get to work on this until August since my sewing time is going to be devoted to quilting the quilts-to-be-quilted pile that continues to grow in depth. Unfinished projects don't bother me, but a pile of quilts that need quilting will start making me weird, nervous, and thirsty. Having Big Bertha out of commission for so long didn't help.

With the Annual Garden Party finished, I was ready to put a new project into my rotating group of three. I'm still working on the Vintage Tin quilt for Erik and I'm still working on the Quilting Snowladies. My list of embroidery projects numbers 30 now. Since I want to work on all of them, I have a hard time choosing the next one. I've resorted to numbering them and then using the random number generator to help me pick my next project. Recently, I divided my projects into long-term and short, and I decided that one of my three rotating projects should be a short one. Since the other two are long-term projects, that made room in my rotation for a short project. When I generated the number for my next project, I was only looking at the short ones. 

So what did I come up with?  "An Embroider's Blessing" from Meg Hawley at Crabapple Hill Studios. Here's the image from the front of the pattern.


I love her stuff, and I have a ton of it on my list of projects. In fact, the Vintage Tin project I'm working on now is one of hers. An Embroider's Blessing will finish at 10 x 14 inches. It isn't really intended to be a quilt, but that doesn't mean I can't sandwich, quilt, and bind it when I'm finished. I plan to hang it somewhere in my sewing room if I can find an empty place on the walls that are already fairly well covered with doll quilts.

So this morning I made up the stitchery so that I can get to work on it tomorrow.


Today, I'm linking up to Slow Sunday Stitching at Kathy's Quilts.


It's a beautiful day out, and so I'll probably go out and pull some weeds. My back usually gives out before the weeds do, and so it's a never-ending task...at least until the rain starts up in the fall. I have a few house-keeping tasks to take care of, and then I'm going to get back to work quilting We are the World. It's beginning to feel like The Endless Project. Don't you think that would make a good title for a horror flick? Definitely the stuff nightmares are made of. Maybe I'll give Martin Scorsese a call later on today.

19 comments:

WoolenSails said...

That looks wonderful in a quilt, you did a beautiful job on it.

Debbie

Vroomans' Quilts said...

What a sweet quilt this is and your new project is a treasure.

quiltzyx said...

The new stitchery project looks wonderful. I can picture it up on your wall...or maybe on a pillow cover for your chair?

I worked yesterday & am at work today - I've been here since 10am & the phone JUST rang for the first time at 11:30! I was about ready to call myself to make sure the switchboard was working!

I bet Big Bertha is rarin' to get going on some quilting for you after being sidelined for so long! Just don't forget to relax your shoulders & keep breathing once you get going!!

Anonymous said...

Although I always have many projects hovering around I've never used "Random Number Generator" to decide my direction!!! You are way to funny!!! We are in the midst of a storm here and our soil is definitely wet enough for those weeds to 'let go'!!!! Love this most current of choices!!!! Hugs..........

Deb @ Frugal Little Bungalow said...

those ladies ready for the party just put a smile on my face..such nice projects you have going on there :)

Carol Swift said...

I love those three ladies and the quilt! It is just beautiful!

CathieJ said...

I love the embroiderer's blessing. How perfect. The garden party ladies are quite sweet. The quilt is pretty.

BillieBee (billiemick) said...

Adore this quilt!

Val's Quilting Studio said...

Barbara...THIS is stinking cute!!! I love the blue and flowers around the house!! You are a talented embroiderer!!

The Cozy Quilter said...

Love the ladies with their pots of flowers!

Quilting Babcia said...

Love the new embroidery project, and your Garden Ladies top looks perfect for a summer afternoon curling up with a good book in a white wicker chair.

Brown Family said...

Congratulations on completing the Garden Party. I like the idea of sorting into short and long term projects! That is a sweet one you are about to start!

Diane Wild said...

30? Really? But I love the rationality of it all. Those Garden Ladies are adorable.

Dasha said...

A milestone! Well done getting those stitcheries finished.

Quilter Kathy said...

So fantastic that you have 30 projects on the go... doesn't make me feel so bad about my UFO's hanging around here! Love the gardening ladies :)
Thanks for linking up and sharing your projects!

Lynda Halliger Otvos (Lynda M O) said...

Thirty is a LOT of projects on the burner. Your white board must be humming w all that activity. I love the Garden P arty Ladies-so real looking !~!

Chris said...

Hi Barbara....your projects are always so much fun to see. Do you know where I can get a copy of A Gardener's Journal? I'm in Florida but online ordering is a breeze these days.

Celtic Thistle said...

I am always amazed at the number of projects you have on the go and how organised you are with them Barbara! Your garden party ladies are lovely.

Deb A said...

I just love the snail, ladybug and butterfly in your quilt. So cute. The new stitchery - Love the saying. Enjoy working on it.