Since I decided to put the Splendid Sampler on one side for a couple of weeks to concentrate on my other two BOM’s I’ve made great progress…
My Secret Garden quilt is almost there now, this is a BOM from Pat Sloan (she’s one busy lady!!), we’re just waiting for the final block at the beginning of October and I can finish it. A couple of blocks were repeats of earlier blocks but with different colour combinations, it was amazing the difference it made, though I did find I had to really concentrate to work out which fabric was needed for each block. I decided to start sashing, I took a block with me to the Northern Quilt Festival and tried it against a few different greens. I always have problems with plain green as it seems the colour I want isn’t available!! I found a dark green that would suffice.
I cut 2.5″ strips and also cut 2.5″ squares in different shades of gold for the corner stones. The sashing went on pretty well and I like the effect of the dark green, it really shows off the blocks. As soon as the next block comes out I can get this quilt finished. I’m thinking of giving it to my mum for Christmas, it crossed my mind that she had asked two or three times what I was going to do with it and I gave last years BOM to my in-laws, so she can have this one.
I turned my attention to my Anderson Farm quilt, this BOM is by Lynette Anderson. I got a bit behind with it when I was struggling with needle turn applique, things improved when I decided to use bondaweb instead, but I still felt quite a bit behind.
I’ve been embroidering block 6 which is a red barn with two cats on the roof, this block just needs the decorative button adding. This month the button is a barn quilt of one of the mini pieced blocks. I’ve stopped stitching on the buttons straight away as I can see they will cause problems with quilting.
I pulled all my completed blocks out of my workbox and realised I’d done more than I thought I had. I methodically went through each month, stitching the bits I’d missed. The main blocks missing were the little hearts, I’d done one with needle-turn quite successfully at the beginning but none since, mainly because I wasn’t sure whether to use bondaweb like all the other blocks (apart from the first one) or whether to do it properly! I decided to stitch them with needleturn applique and actually they didn’t take long. I could then stitch the block groups together, which made me feel a lot happier about my progress.
This week I’ve been stitching ‘First Love’ which has two cute rabbits on, I just need to add the button for the second rabbit, isn’t it a gorgeous button! ‘Peace Offering’ is the fox one, I’ve just to finish the embroidery on this one. These two go opposite each other, I realised when I started ironing on the shapes that I had forgotten to reverse the image, so mine is the other way round, I had to remember to stitch the ‘other’ bunny as obviously I couldn’t reverse the button!
I’ve just two strips of squares to stitch together and I’m up to date and feeling smug 🙂 I’ve no idea what the layout is like, but having arranged my blocks together it is growing on me, I like it! I think the next installment is the last one, so that will be two quilts finished!
I’m linking up with Kathy for Slow Sunday Stitching and Super Mom No Cape for Vintage Embroidery Monday, why not have a look what everyone else has been stitching.
thecraftycreek 
everything is coming together beautifully
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Thanks Clair, I felt I was really behind, but it’s all come together pretty quickly, just needed to focus!
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I love your Anderson Farm blocks! Your color choice and skill make it fun and warm! How I wish I had seen this in January! Beautiful! 🙂
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Thank you Patricia, I would have thought it is still available 🙂
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The barn is wonderful. I have always had interest in barns and the variety that they are made in.
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Thanks Karen, these barns are a bit of a mystery to me as old barns in Yorkshire are solid stone affairs!
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I think the chicken in you closeup is an amazing example of needle turn! I’m so impressed. This Farm quilt project is really cute, I love the barn, and the combo of techniques.
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Thanks Karen, unfortunately only the bottom barn and the hearts are needleturn, the cockerel was block 2 and that’s when I gave up and resorted to bondaweb, I tried the cockerel, probably got half way through, but I just wasn’t happy with it
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Wow! Your Anderson Farm blocks are delightful. I particularly like all the embroidery you are adding. And, you are so right. That bunny button is darling.
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Thanks Bonnie, I’m pleased with them 🙂
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You’ve a great eye for colour, they’re all looking fab! I bet they seem huge too after working on the SS. 😀
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Thanks Ali, they do seem huge, some of the pieces are nearly as big as the whole SS block!!
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I’ve never seen the Anderson’s Farm blocks before. I actually live on a dairy farm in northern Indiana and our barns are wood. I would love it if they were red but my husband doesn’t agree and they are white with green steel roofs. I like the purples in My Secret Garden. I also have trouble selecting greens. You are making progress. Have a happy week stitching. Blessings, Gretchen
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Thanks Gretchen, the Anderson Farm quilt is a mystery BOM started at the beginning of the year.
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The Anderson Farm blocks are pretty! Welcome to the SAL group 🙂
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Thank you Susan, looking forward to the three weekly catch-up 🙂
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