On Friday night I decided to set too and finish the embroidery for my Anderson’s Farm quilt. This is my third BOM in progress at the moment and probably the one which takes most time. It’s designed by Lynette Anderson, I’ve loved her work since I first saw Journey of a Quilter so when I saw this new Block of the Month, I jumped at the opportunity.
Lynette’s designs tend to have a lot of applique and embroidery, they are more wall hangings than everyday quilts (in my home anyway!!) There were three parts to this months block, a pieced block, a small appliqued and embroidered heart (both of which I finished a couple of weeks ago) and then main block which is an embroidered applique of a barn.
I’m still very new to applique ( like at the beginning of the year I had never tried it!) so it’s been a pretty steep learning curve. I tried using chalk paper to transfer the design but couldn’t get it to work so in the end I used a window and a pencil! I’ll give the chalk paper another go next month…
I stitched the applique using the needleturn method and then started the embroidery. Lynette uses Valdani embroidery threads, they sound beautiful,they are subtly variegated but were a bit out of my budget and I also had a box full of DMC so I was very pleased when Coast and Country sent me conversion chart. I discovered that DMC now do a lovely range of variegated threads so I bought a selection in Samuel Taylors, aren’t they gorgeous!
I’m really pleased with how the embroidery has turned out, it’s just back-stitch, french knots and lazy-daisy’s, when I first started the main tree I thought it was going to take forever, what with all those leaves and blossom, but a few day-dreams later and it was done! I left the windows til almost the end as they were the bit I was worried about getting neat the most!
The hand-painted button mushroom should really be stitched on at the end, Lynette advises stitching it after quilting, but I couldn’t quite trust myself not to have lost it by then, and I wanted to see it on anyway.
My first month is complete, it’s interesting to compare the different BOM’s seen as I’m doing three at the moment! I think Lynette’s is more designed for the experienced sewer, whilst the instructions are there, they aren’t in quite the same detail as say the Pat Sloan BOM’s, so I am having to concentrate more! The instructions are sufficient, my only criticism would be that it would be nice to have a bigger image of the finished block, just to help with embroidery, a 2″ square photo really doesn’t help me much!
I finished the first block just in time as block two arrived yesterday from Coast and Country…it’s got a gorgeous cockerel as the main block!
I’m 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 is stitching?
thecraftycreek 
That house with the trees is just adorable!
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Thank you 🙂
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What a lovely project and I especially like how you describe the finish as a few daydreams later! I know that I always feel that this or that is going to take SOOOOOOOOOOO much time and yet just breaking it up to here a little, there a little and it’s done .
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Thanks Deb, a few day dreams certainly helped the tree along!
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I like to daydream as I stitch too… Lovely blocks. Looking forward to seeing the next set of blocks.
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Thanks Gail, next one looks a lot more complicated applique, no day-dreaming for that one!
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Beautifully done. It’s going to be gorgeous when you have it all done.
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Thanks Kate
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Wow, what a great project you’ve got in front of you! And you’re doing so beautifully! I think applique is one of those processes that has so many variations of techniques, it can make the overall process confusing and tedious. You’ve just gotta find the one (or maybe two) techniques that works best for you and then it’ll be a piece of cake. Enjoy your slow stitching day! 🙂
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Good for you for trying something new! I try to do one new thing a year…=) Your projects are looking great.
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Thanks Deb, these BOM’s are proving to be steep learning curves!
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You did a fabulous job! Such gorgeous threads to enjoy…very stitch intensive BOM!
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Thanks Kathy, next month’s block looks less embroidery but alot more applique, not sure if this is good or bad 🙂
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Such gorgeous embroidery! 😍
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Your stitching is beautiful . You would never know that you are new to this.
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Lovely work – congratulations!
(Love those new DMC colours.)
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That is a fabulous block. Your applique and embroidery turned out great!
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What a beautiful block! I recently learned about the new line of variegated DMC flosses. I have only seen photos, but they are gorgeous.
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Lovely block and stitching
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