Bramble Blooms, Future Dreams Wool, Free Pattern

 I got a start when I glanced out the kitchen window. This guy was over close to the veranda seemingly looking in the window. I wondered what had caught his attention. I keep my camera there and took this shot while he kept staring. Then I realized there was a Red Squirrel on the wood pile in front of the window and no doubt that was what he was staring at. 

Got to treat ourselves with a fast food take out meal recently. The fries were good and the wrap was a bacon, tomato/cucumber salad one. It was tasty and very filling. I don't know how they get so much in a wrap and it stays so tidy. Is this something you would like?

Below is my Bramble Blooms improv project to date, the inspiration and challenge from Audrey at Quilty Folk. Mine is definitely the Flower Power version. All the little appliqued orange peel blocks are finished and I did put a little dark turquoise dot in the centers as someone suggested. Thanks! When sorting scraps, I found a small piece of Kaffe fabric and wanted to use it one way or another in this project. It wasn't large enough for four corners so wound up in two. His designs highlight the power of flowers, that's for sure. Now it's time to sort out the next border. 

Maybe this outside shot shows the colours better.

My eye seems to be craving colour more. I saw this yarn below and fell in love with the combination of those reds/roses/pinks and the summer leafy green. I liked it even more when I read the West Yorkshire Spinners had specially produced it for a cause.  It is called Future Dreams and for every ball sold, they are donating one pound to the Future Dreams Breast Cancer charity. I ordered a few balls to try out for a new blanket.

 Being variegated, it is a little tricky to choose a pattern that suits. First I began a crochet pattern, Lucy's Cosy Stripe, to see how the colours would play out. 

Then I thought about knitting for a change since my recent wooly projects have been crochet. I researched knitting patterns best suited to variegated yarn. Several stitchers mentioned Moss Stitch works well with such yarn so I'm going to give that a go this week. 

And one last thing I wanted to share today. I was very taken by this post over at Barbara Brackman's always interesting Civil War Quilts site. The lovely appliqued block, Kentucky Wildflower, is featured.

 She states that overgrown plants in need of repotting are a Kentucky classic quilting theme. The pots are often shown as ridiculously small compared to the size of the flowers. I read about Carrie Nation and her personal war on bars and saloons. Women willing to go to jail for what they believe -that made me wonder about the depth of my own convictions. 

Meanwhile, here is a link to this free pattern for the the Kentucky State block found at the American Quilters site.  I came across it during my unsuccessful search to find out more about that appliqued flower block above. This interesting formation would work well being stitched using  EPP.

This week will be a week of no appointments! I will be free to begin gardening and preparing pots for sowing, etc. The ground is thawed and now is the time to transplant a few flowers that get hidden under bushes later on. I'm no longer planting any bulbs as the 50+ I've put in the soil since coming here have all been removed by the squirrels and maybe the groundhogs. I hope it was tasty eating!

Sharing this post with Small Quilts and Doll Quilts, The Inquiring Quilter, Alycia Quilts, A Quiltery and Songbird Designs.