Country Gatherings Final Blocks 10, 11, and 12

I worked in between doing a commissioned project (Jill's Quilt) and finished the last three blocks of this UFO BOM Country Gatherings. Then on Monday, we were in the big city and was able to go to a store called Fabric Depot, which has thousands upon thousands of fabric, including quilting fabric from the major manufactures. I was able to find some fabric that will work as the sashing, but I am a bit stymied about the final choice of setting the blocks and borders. The booklet that I followed for this BOM has six ways to finish the quilt, including setting the blocks on point and the others have fancy sashings using star centers, and borders that are half square triangles, and so on. But for now I can say the blocks are complete and I can work on how I want to finish the quilt itself.

Here are the blocks:

Block 10

Block 11

Block 12

Warmest...

Another Two Blocks

I have been really breezing through the blocks of this UFO BOM, Country Gatherings. For one thing, I haven't picked another UFO BOM to work on at the same time, like I did when I was working on A Civil War Tribute and Land of Lincoln Sampler. I still have to put together all the blocks from the Civil War Tribute, so I didn't want to delve into another UFO BOM.

I spent some time outside yesterday  planting 120 glads, a couple of lavender plants, and some other flower seeds, in the flower bed I worked on the last couple of days.  And, again I come inside and sew in the evening.  I had the next two blocks already cut out and then was able to just sit down and make them.

Block 8

Block 9

Warmest...

Still Busy Outside

Yep, that's me, still busy working outside on several garden areas, one at a time.  Slowly, one at a time.  See, I am Manual, as in manual labor.  I am not allowed around machinery, so I do everything with hand tools and my back.  Such a slooooowwww process.  Anyway, here is what I have been working on last week and yesterday:

This is the before picture.  You can barely make out the edge where the grass meets the weed part of the flower bed.

Then this is the picture of all the weeds, grass, and excess dirt thrown in a trailer.

And this is the picture of the flower bed all dug up.

Now, today, I will be digging in the sprinklers back into the bed and setting them up for use when we turn them on later this Spring.  Then, I will be planting some more perennials, glad bulbs, and some other flower seeds (sunflowers and marigolds).

I also have been keeping an eye on my baby chicks.  I stopped brooding them about 4 days ago, but they are still kinda timid about venturing out into the real world (aka the chicken yard).  Below is a short video of them being silly and full of themselves.

After working so laboriously, I love that I can sit down and relax in my sewing room and do some sewing.  I got another block done for the Country Gatherings BOM that I have been working on lately.  I am breezing right through this one, and really like the bright colors.  At first I thought the fabrics were from the 30's era, I really think they are more from the 40's.  Here is block 7.

So, there you go.  Or how I go during this Spring Season!

Warmest...

Country Gatherings Block 4, 5, 6

I got a little time to sew these last couple of days, and when I say little, I mean little.  About 15-30 minutes of an evening, is all I have been able to squeeze in this week.  I have been working outside getting some big projects done.  It is so nice to have a sewing room off the kitchen, all set up, where I can just go in, sit down, and start  to sew!  Makes getting those little snippets of time so much easier to get in, and it allows more to get done!

I jumped ahead in getting the blocks done from the Country Gatherings.  I worked on the next three blocks.

This is block 4, a little busy for my liking, but it should fit in okay when the top gets put together.

This is block 5, more simple and not so busy as #4 was.

And finally block 6.  The jury is still out on the block and the use of prints and color...

Warmest...

UFO BOM Blocks

I finally finished one (yes just one) sack of scraps in getting them cut up into the three sizes for some "Scrap Therapy" patterns.  See my prior post about this process of scrap quilting.

Now, late this afternoon and this evening, I cut out and made the next set of blocks in the two UFO BOM.

First up is the third block of Country Gatherings BOM that I just recently started.

Next is the tenth month for the BOM "A Civil War Tribute". And, once again, the construction of the block is done using the technique of partial seams. UGH! For this tenth month it requires a 18" and a 12" block. This is the 18" block, i will have to finish the 12" block tomorrow.

This is the last of monthly blocks, the next "block" is a 36" X 36" center medallion star. That's going to take some time and patience to get done.

Warmest...

Country Gatherings Block #2

I continue to do Spring work outside, as we have had such good weather.  The rain days in between the sunny days, makes the ground easier to work.  I spent another whole day outside today, and I am exhausted, but I did get another block done in the Country Gatherings BOM!

Here is block two:

Warmest...

Progress and a new UFO BOM

I had another nice day to work outside and tackle another project.  This is our brick planter, built up against the front of our house and is what people see when they walk up to our front door. This past year, it had become the cat's potty box, and the soil had turned into a fine powder. So, I dug out all the yucky dirt, filled it with new soil, re-planted my miniature roses and then put down a thick layer of bark dust. Now I am not embarrassed when someone comes to my front door.

Next, the baby chicks are now three weeks old. Today, we opened up their area where we are brooding them as they needed more room.

I promised a couple of posts ago, that I was going to pick a new UFO BOM to work on and it would be a brighter one.  Don't be deceived by the fabrics shown on the cover of this BOM pattern because the fabrics are small prints from the 30's and 40's.




This BOM is called Country Gatherings, and is in a booklet form, rather than receiving a pattern with each block each month.  The BOM was featured through Homestead Hearth back in 2007.  Homestead Hearth has about 20 to 30 BOM's going at any given time.  Click here to see the 40 plus programs they have going on right now.   What is especially nice about the BOM, is that it has six different finishing directions you can do with the blocks to complete the quilt.  I'll share more when I get to the end of completing the blocks.

Here is block one.  There was a glitch with this first block because Homestead Hearth wanted to get the first month's block kits cut out before receiving the booklet, so they did the pattern themselves and the measurements don't come out to the pattern in the booklet.   So, I was frustrated and packed up the block and when the booklet came, I packed it too and all the other blocks that came each month.  So, when I pulled it out again tonight, I redid the block following the booklet pattern, using some of my own stash to complete the block.  I had already cut the fabric based on the erroneous pattern, so I had to work in some of my own fabric.  I really like how it turned out, and am looking forward to completing the future blocks.  Please note that I have done about 4 BOM's with Homestead Hearth, and they have always done a great job.  This was a small glitch that I addressed  with no problems.

Warmest...