There are still blossoms to be spied on my walks. Here is the late flower whose bloom mimics a frog and this one is housing a little creature made visible by the sun shining through. What a pretty colour!
Inside a few more of my little appliqued pumpkins have been stitched and I'm loving using scraps for these. But a word about that. During the last several projects I'm having that feeling of not wanting to use what I think are really good scraps, larger ones or nicer ones that could be used for something else, some unknown project. Do you know what I mean? This is a totally ridiculous feeling at this stage of my quilting life I might add. But does that happen to you?
I love April Cornell (though I don't order from them as their shipping from the US is expensive) and in their latest catalogue, they featured patchwork items. I think that may be a first. One can only imagine how wonderful their leftover scraps would be! They featured an apron, oven mitts and tablecloth made from scraps. How pretty this Patch Parade Apron is! Love the pockets. At April Cornell if you'd like to check it out.
Quilt Inspiration offers this bank of free patterns so I'll be taking a good look there at all the variations.
That may have been a SAL with Melva Loves Scraps. Is that twigging with anyone? Update...the project I stitched with Melva was Flower Garden Block and it was stars in blues. That's another colour I have a lot of in my stash.
I've been taking my chances with the frost warnings so it's time to move in those front and back veranda plants. What to do with that huge Coleus? It's over 3 feet tall and 3 and a half feet wide!
There is also lots of general tidying up to do around the gardens still. It's sunny and 6C this morning so great for working outside.
Take care wherever you are and whatever you are up to this first day of the second month of autumn, October! My brain is thinking what, already!
Sharing this post with Quilt Schmilt, Creations Art Quilts, Alycia Quilts, Days Filled With Joy ,Sew Can Do, Songbird Designs, Quilting is More Fun Than Housework, Small Quilts and Doll Quilts and The Inquiring Quilter.
28 comments :
I love the views on your walks! I'm still waiting for fall to start here and your walks look so inviting. I too love that scrappy apron set. Need to go check it out. That list of Dresden quilts sure is inspiring! Thanks for sharing on my weekly show and tell, Wednesday Wait Loss. https://www.inquiringquilter.com/questions/2025/10/01/wednesday-wait-loss-452
well isn't that apron unique - bet no one else has one like it. Fall looks so pretty in your area with the leaf's and the foxtail and other things going into fall mode.
Those are lovely projects! I need to go out and mulch leaves...
I thought I was too careful to save small pieces/ scraps, then I saw what a friend does with tiny pieces, makes a cardboard box, then adds scraps, glues on, covers each edge with a tiny sliver of the next piece. puts the box upside down over a bowl to dry between adding more, then seals it with an acrylic sealer.Ans she makes paper or fabric beads too. I made a Dresden Rooster as a tester a good while ago, quite fiddly but finished well.
When dithering about using my “favourite” fabrics, I tell myself…they make new fabric every day. Use the fabric.
I always like seeing your projects. Your walk in the woods is lovely.
I completely understand what you mean about cutting into nicer scraps. I haven't made a dresden project yet but it is on my bucket list. I really like your mat.
Jocelyn, your hexi stars are beautiful. Let's get 'er done! I also hate cutting into some of my "prettier" fabrics. What the heck are we saving them for??? Lol! Very lovely walk, thank you for taking us along!
Looking at that apron and others on that site, it would be interesting to use our wonky, orphan blocks (they showed log cabin blocks for the skirt on an apron) (and the string pieced?) cheater cloth apron could be done with 1 1/2" strips like a jelly-roll race. However, with what I know about fabric, it would need to be cheater cloth else it would really wrinkle and have frayed threads all over unless one has a serger.
Ah, using up red or blue fabrics, how about scrappy 9-patches set with a muslin for the light squares, and as the alternate blocks. It would make lovely checkerboard for a quilt. I'm old enough to want to go with what's easy, and if it is scrappy one never runs out of fabrics to use.
Loving your autumn colours! Think how much pleasure using up your 'special' fabric will give you - as you work on it, and again as you use the finished piece.
I just love that apron. So very unique. Just might have to try my hand at something similar in the new year.
Your walks are so interesting. I really like that flower colour.
God bless.
Isn't it great to still have some flowers blooming?! Those foxtails are interesting and fun. I love your sweet pumpkins and also that quarter Dresden mat. You're giving me lots of ideas, Jocelyn!
October! How can that be? It's a pretty time of year. Wow - so many dresden patterns!
It seems we're all in the same boat, hoarding our favorite fabrics rather than letting them shine in our next project. Seems silly but I guess we all do it at least to some extent. A few years ago I made Christmas table mats with Dresden blocks in the center, need to make more,they're fun!
Wanda of Exurberant Color says she'd rather use up her good fabrics now than have them end of in an estate sale. And isn't it better to sew them into something you can enjoy seeing regularly instead of storing them in a box or on a shelf. Go for it!
And for your large coleus, you can prune it back to bring inside. You can put some of the cuttings in water and they will root quite readily. The pruned plant with send out new side shoots, although they will getting leggy due to less light in the house. Then, if it survives the winter, you can prune it back again when you put it outside.
We've been unusually warm for late Sept and had only .5 inches of rain for the month. Things are looking pretty sad around here.
Pat
The foxtails are from the plant Cimicifuga or Black Cohash. I have quite a few. Black stems and leaves and bees love the flowers which are fragrant. They will self seed. Long lived perennial. Northern Minnesota. Love your blog.
It is so pretty in your neck of the woods. The leaves have not started falling here yet. The warm weather is taking a toll on my flowers though. Darling pumpkin blocks. Enjoy your week.
Yes I hate cutting into my "pretty" fabrics - why?? Petey looks quite content. You must get such joy from your walks in that beautiful place. Wow on the coleus. I would say trim it back and root the trimmings, but it sounds so big you would have a house full of rootings!
Ohh what a pretty place and time of year!! Fall has come to you - its so pretty. Yay for two puppies - they can wear each other out
I feel like the summer just went by so fast! Our woods are starting to look sparse too. There are lots of dry leaves on the ground. I also have a hard time parting with scraps. Isn't that the reason we save them?? Thanks for the Dresden patterns!
Beautiful blocks and plans...the apron will be a lot of fun to make!
I have the vaguest of recalls from my childhood of a quilt in my bedroom. Not sure when it arrived or departed. I believe it was made by paternal grandmother. She died when I was 2 years old. At some point during my earliest grade school days, the quilt left my bedroom never to be seen again. What I do recall was it was a Dresden Plate pattern and the fabrics were scraps from worn out/out grown clothes. I was fascinated. Every time I see a Dresden Plate quilt that warm memory returns. Your little piece is similar in palette to mine. Looking forward to seeing where you take the block.
Do I gather Petey will be staying with you permanently? Ned will be in 7th heaven if that's the case.
I know what you mean about not wanting to use special fabrics (or in my case, it's often threads) and saving them for a 'greener pastures' project down the road. I'm trying very hard to overcome that mindset though. Hmmm - perhaps you could use some of your scraps and make yourself a version of that apron? It looks pretty straight forward.
That apron would be adorable!! I'm betting most quilters are guilty of saving special fabrics and waiting for just the right project for them.
Oh that apron is very cute, and just think! not a spill would show! LOL
I say take those larger scraps you are saving and make yourself a lovely apron like you saw at April Cornell. Quilt Inspiration might have a close pattern in their apron section. I know it’s easy for me to say when I have a couple of bins of those “larger scraps” but I have been cutting in to mine this year! Your photos show you are ahead of us in the fall outdoors. In my valley in BC we have just seen the trees start to turn colour in the last couple of weeks, but snow is forecast for Nelson later this week. Still no snow here; only rain! Thank you for sharing on To Do Tuesday.
Your scrappy pumpkins are so sweet! Yes, sometimes I stress about the size of my scraps too... and then tell myself that I have so many that I just need to use them for whatever!!! xx
How great that Petey is staying and Ned can have some company! Your little pumpkins are so cute and I love that Dresden mat you made. What beautiful views on your walks. The leaves, the flowers...awesome! I understand about cutting into pretty fabric, doesn't matter if it's scraps or not, it's just difficult sometimes! Thanks for sharing with us at Monday Musings.
Post a Comment