The fourth block for the Splendid Sampler is called Happy Happy and I have to say, I’m really happy with mine! When it was released on Thursday I was somewhat concerned by the tiny applique circles and yes, they are as small as they look! I decided that if I prevaricated a little longer, someone would come up trumps with an easier way to do them…and they did!

Charise posted a tutorial on her blog which makes it so much easier, gathering the circle round a card template, pressing it and then removing the card before stitching it on. It worked a treat, I think I might use that technique for other small shapes in the future.

Happy Happy

I fussycut the circles and then appliqued them on by hand. I read somewhere recently that it’s better to match your thread to the background but I found it easier to match the thread to the appliqued item. I added a length of vintage broderie anglais along the top of the vase. I back-stitched the stems with stranded cotton and decided to add a running stitch around each flower to give the suggestion of foliage and also so it didn’t look so lollipop-ish!

I have finally started my third BOM, this is the one I was particularly excited about as it’s the latest one from Lynette Anderson, it’s called Anderson’s Farm. I’ve loved her work since I first saw Journey of a Quilter. I’ll get instructions each month for a block together with a decorative button. This months has three parts to it, a little 4 1/2″ square block called hen and chicks, an appliqued and embroidered heart and an applique of a farm with embroidered trees and mushrooms. After much thought I decided to buy a pack of the required fabrics from Coast and Country and I’m so glad I did, the fabrics are perfect, I decided to use my stash  for the embroidery threads though, just using DMC threads instead

I’ve stitched the two smaller blocks first. I have to say that if I hadn’t been stitching the little blocks for the Splendid Sampler there is no way it would have turned out so neat. I’m well chuffed with it, the practice with tiny pieces has paid off!

I tried using  chalk paper for transferring the embroidered design without much success. I’m hoping it’s because I was trying to transfer onto a dark grey, but as I was using the white chalk paper I was hoping it would work. In the end I drew it by hand with a chalk pencil. I’m hoping the paper will work better for the farmhouse.

Linking up with Kathy’s Quilts for Slow Stitching Sunday and Super Mom No Cape for Vintage Embroidery Monday, why not have a look what everyone else has been stitching?