The Need for something Bright & Cherry

You know when you have days that look like this?  The view from my bedroom.  Grey and boring.

That's the view of the orchard and vege patch, chicken coup and guinea pig cage.  The farmland behind belongs to the neighbours.

Makes me feel like raiding my fabric stash and pulling out something bright and cherry, and whipping up something fun.  Just like this!

This design is from the Buggy Barn Blooms book, which has a variety of 20" floral applique blocks.  There are two quilts displayed in the book, both very traditional - but no reason why I can't add a bit of fun with a more whimsical fabric selection.

Just one more flower to blanket stitch around, and this block is complete.  I haven't fully decided what I am going to do with this lone block.  While searching the stash I found my last piece of Valorie Well's wren fabric, I really like the way it makes sense of the colour palette.  But there's only a narrow width left... hmm, thinking cap required.

Maybe an asymmetrical quilt layout?  We'll have to see what happens.

Even though it is a large scale print - there are so many interesting little details in the pattern.  Note to self, see more, buy more.

Arisen from the dead is my huge hand blanket stitch project.  I haven't done any since well before Xmas.  It did go along to retreat with me, and I did actually do some of it.  Yesterday Monika and I had a fun play day at Charlotte's - fun for the kids, and the big kids made a mess with fabric paint.  Except me of course - I stayed on track and did some more blanket stitch.  As I approach the four year mark with this quilt, I'd really like to get it finished, or at least the top finished, this year.

Hand quilting has been progressing slowly.  I'm onto Block Three (of nine).  I've been having some blah moments with this one, and to be honest, if I could think of a great way to machine quilt it - I would have ripped my hand stitches, and started over.  But Charlotte and Monika talked me down from the ledge, and hand quilting continues.   We agreed that it probably needs more quilting in some areas than originally planned, and have come up with some options, then I had a brainwave last night, and can't wait to buy some darker thread to start the next phase.  Well, once the first phase is finished!