Over the last couple of weeks whilst I’ve been busy decorating, I’ve spent a few evenings (when not stripping paint or wallpaper to a deadline!) in my sewing room, my little sanctuary! As well as making a new set of curtains which are just waiting to be hemmed, I needed projects that were fairly quick and not too taxing so my quilting blocks were ideal.

I’m now over half way in my Splendid Sampler journey, I’ve completed 53 blocks and two more are half done, just waiting for a bit of embroidery.

Block 47 was designed by Geta Grama, it’s called Circle of Love. I’ve nick-named it Flamingo Flower, I love this flamingo print, it’s not the sort of pattern I usually go for but it made me smile! The design has the outer part of the block made with applique too, but I felt I would get a neater effect by embroidering instead, I just chain-stitched round in a matching pink thread.

Joanna Figueroa designed Block 50, half way point in the Splendid Sampler, it’s called Flights of Fancy. I’m getting more confident now with my points and triangles, practise makes perfect as they say! As you can see I’m getting some of the sashing done as I go!

Pat Sloan (one of the organisers of Splendid Sampler)  designed a gorgeous applique block of a coneflower, isn’t it pretty, I think it’s one of my favourite ones so far. I grow coneflowers in the garden so I really enjoyed making this one. I used one of the DMC variegated threads to blanket-stitch round the petals.

This afternoon I made ‘Starting Point’ by Lissa Alexander. I’m really pleased with this one, I don’t always find it easy to put the fabrics together but somehow this one has worked really well. I fussycut the pink blocks, I couldn’t quite fit both bunnies in so I decided to aim for one rabbit! I chose two greens and two blues for the sides. As the sashing I’ve started to do incorporates a block in each corner, I decided to continue the pattern into the sashing!

I just need to start catching up with the sashing and quilting of all my other blocks!