Last time I shared my progress on the Owl and Hare Hollow quilt I seemed to have lots of half done or not quite finished blocks, so I’ve been concentrating on those. This was helped by the fact that I’m up to date with the embroidered blocks at the moment as I’m just waiting for the next magazine to arrive with the next instalment of instructions, with a bit more planning I’ve been stitching the mini hexies on whilst out and about, my handbag stitching!

Thee weeks ago I was here…

I finished the last few flowers on the embroidery and then stitched lots of hexies together in strings of 19. I’m trying to make the hexie borders pretty much the same, though the positioning changes and as I progress through the quilt there will be a few substitutes as I run out of various fabrics. Having them in the same order makes it much easier as I don’t have to think about colour mix and balance each time.

I stitched the rings of hexies round the three embroideries waiting to be finished and also stitched a circle in the centre of the flowers so that was another three blocks completed…

I still hadn’t finished the applique owl that I started weeks ago. The owl was complete – he’s having button eyes which I’ll stitch on after quilting. He was just waiting on the applique border which I must admit I was putting off a bit as I found it fiddly last time. A couple of nights ago I settled down, made the ten paper piecing arcs, stitched them together in a circle and after a good press managed to get the papers out without distorting the shapes. I then just had to stitch them on, after all that prevaricating the border went on without any issues and I really like this block.

Two other unfinished blocks were those made with hexie flowers. I mounted the larger hexie flower onto a double ring of fabric, this is the second version of this block, matching the pink one I made earlier.

The ring of ‘forget-me-nots’ was also waiting to be finished. This one was hanging on for me to find a very pale green background fabric. I just couldn’t find what I wanted in local shops, I nearly used silk paints to colour one of the fabrics. I found this one that in certain lights does have a definite greenish tinge to it. In the end last night I stitched them all on. I did think this morning I could have stitched them on a darker green seven inch circle and then stitched that onto the lighter background…I’ll bear that in mind, I’ve another one to do so I might try it with that one and maybe change this one.

I think I’ve another two blocks to make before I’m up to date and officially half way through this quilt-a-long. I’m already mulling over ideas on how to quilt this one, hand or machine, whole or quilt as you go…decisions!

Hand Quilt Along Links

This Hand Quilt Along is an opportunity for hand quilters and piecers to share and motivate one another. We post every three weeks, to show our progress and encourage one another.  If you have a hand quilting project and would like to join our group contact Kathy at the link below.

Kathy, Margaret, Deb, Nanette, Sharon, Karrin, Daisy, and Connie

I’ll also be linking up with Kathy’s Quilts for Slow Stitching Sunday, please follow the links to see what everyone has been stitching.