Travelling to The Pacific Northwest with my EPP

My quick trip home was loaded with hugs, many of those from family I had not seen in a decade! Holidays were often spent with cousins growing up, but as adults we have spread out & lead busy lives in different states and countries. Visiting Seattle was in honor of my Uncle Tom's passing, but it was every bit the reunion I had anticipated. Tom was a family man and this is what he'd want as a celebration of his life.

I did not take pictures as I should have along the way (I really need to work on that(!).

I used to be such a photography geek, forever carrying my 135mm with all it's lenses, film and such. Now that my camera can fit in a pocket, taking photos seems a chore. hmph, go figure..

I managed a cell-shot of the huge Clematis in my sister's yard.

Flowers, berries, and green trees make me homesick. When I stepped off the plane in Bellingham, I held back tears as the smell of cedar immediately came to me. BTW, Bellingham is such an awesome little airport!

While travelling, I worked on Flower Block #24 for my oldest WIP, Grandmother's Flower Garden. I think this will be my last one - time to decide between appliqueing these all on whole cloth, or making hexies to connect them all. These have been a wonderful travel project, many have notes on the back with the date and place/event I was attending recorded. Somehow I would like to record the notes on the finished quilt, probably a big label on the back..  Previous posts are HERE if you would like to see some of the other blocks!

Congratulations to KathleenD, who participated in Cozy Afternoon Blog Hop for Block #3, Kathleen won the drawing last week for the pattern bundle by Jacquelynne Steve's!

And now I am back in the saddle with my foot on the pedal!

*Home Sweet Home*

BOM's Away Kitschy QAL: Block One!

I finally made my fabric decision and whipped up the first block to link up with the cool & Kitschy QAL at Quiet Play. I went with fabrics that remind me of my own childhood. This block reminds me of my Grandpa's rustic cabin in Canada, back in the 70's.
For a beginning paper-piecer, it went together pretty well. I was a bit stingy cutting into that way-vintage print, so I did have a couple close calls in which I was left with barely enough fabric.

I also finished Grandmother's Garden Block #23! Photo is not the best, but it is a cute block, meant to help tie in some of the other fabrics.

One or two more of these to go and I can start putting this puppy together!
Hopefully I will have a photo of all the blocks for the February linkup at Hydee's InHand EPP Party at Splish Splash Stash! I will play with a couple options, but I am leaning toward bone, or ivory solid.

I am linking up my blocks today with Lyn at What a Hoot for BOM's Away. Her post today has photographs of her adorable new kitten:-)
And Quilts.
of course.

EPP Hexagon Block Update

The Completion of Flower Number 22

I am playing a bit of blogland catch-up today! It has not been easy to divide my time lately, so I am quite proud that I managed to complete a flower this month. Now I am qualified to link up to Hydee's In Hand EPP Party!

EPP or otherwise, this is actually the only block I have actually finished in some time so I will also share with Lyn for BOMsAway Linkup!

Here is a first-time OOPS:
I wonder if anyone else has ever done this?
I whip stitched two patches together - wrong sides together.
It was late at night, and I didn't even notice til morning. I thought of Hydee, and I knew that I would have to share this blunder with ya'll:

Can you see the stitching?
Actually, it is not very visible to the naked eye, but I can feel it, and the seam does not have the same indent as the others. Of course I didn't even consider taking it out. I use a super tiny whip stitch!

Way-back-when, before I knew anything much about sewing, I began my 1st flower, using a teeny-tiny whip stitch. Since I have made so many in this manner, I can's seem to let myself loosen up a bit. I know that no one will know the difference if the stitching varies, but I just keep whip stitching the same old way...
With 20 - 25 stitches per inch. Hmmm, I wonder what kind of thoughts that provokes?

 

Maybe, "No wonder it has taken her so long!!"

 

Actually, I have no idea what the 'norm' is, or the recommended rate.

And now I am very curious, and I hope you will share, what is your average stitch length for EPP?

 





In Hand EPP & a Giveaway

Last month I linked up with Hydeeann's Inaugural In Hand EPP Party, where I shared the fabrics chosen for my 21st Hexie Flower block. I am pleased to say it's now a finish!

Saturday night I pulled all 21 Flowers out and laid them on muslin. Since I have averaged only one block per year, I am hopeful that this monthly linkup will help me kick this project up a few notches - maybe I can actually finish the quilt in my lifetime:-) Over the years, my tastes in fabrics have changed a lot, and my stash too of course. Although I really do like my blocks, I felt fairly disappointed with them all laid out together. I arranged and re-arranged. Then I pulled three blocks out to get a more cohesive look. One of those pulled happened to be my new block, the one I just finished. Aghh...

Then I got to thinking. I have been quilting a long time now. I am a make-do quilter, and I love the story a quilt can tell by the fabrics included in it. This gives me a strong passion for scrap quilts... Scrap quilts that require a large 'palette' of fabrics to draw from...

These blocks do tell a bit of a story for me, and I decided I am not quite ready to give up on any of them yet. I will 'whip up' a few more blocks that could help bring them together. Still, I may end up culling a few (thanks for the chuckle Liz!)

And Liz has a point: It is best to choose a bit of a color-way to stick with prior to starting a quilt. Way-back-when I had no plan. I just stitched up a block one year. I stitched up another the next year... And so on. I knew a few years into it that it was a bit off, and I'd attempt colors for the next block that I thought might help it out. Now I guess I just can't quite give up on that concept.
So, back to my old ways, I quickly packed them back up and selected fabric for my next flower.

(honestly, that muslin looks gray doesn't it? Next month I will photograph them on white!)

All this leads me to a bit of advice for all those 'fabricaholics' who are discussing Detox:
Nonsense!! Be always on the lookout! Fabric is essential to feed your palette! It can take years to gather fabrics for some quilts, and these are usually the most sentimental ones.

That said, I am forever in destash mode as well. When I make a decision to part with fabric, I usually keep a tad bit of it. I can't say how many times I have used these bits for odd projects, like BOM or swaps. Tastes change over time too. (I was anti-floral/anti-calico when I started my garden quilt!)

Speaking of destash, it has been a LONG time since I offered a giveaway!

On Tuesday, the 12th, I am participating in the For the Boys Hop.  I prepared a BOY Bundle to give away in conjunction, but first I thought I would offer a GIRL Bundle:

Girls before boys ya know...

Art Gallery Spellbound FQ Collection

Just leave a comment if you want to be in the drawing for this bundle - sometime before midnight, PST,  Sunday Nov. 17th. No pond is too daunting for me to ship over, as long as I can contact you for an address ;-)

Linking up with gratitude for the hosts:

Hydeeanne at Splish Splash Stash for 'In Hand' EPP #2

 

Lyn at What a Hoot for BOM's Away

 

Shameless, I know, but if you would like a second chance to win, leave a second comment to let me know you took a stroll at my new Etsy shop (and follow me there if you are so inclined - I have not one follower yet!)  https://www.etsy.com/shop/RedLetterFabrics 

In an effort to de-clutter my original Etsy shop and focus on handmades there, I am clearing fabric out and posting new fabric into this new shop. I have a ton more to post there as time permits!

Block Talk with BOMs Away

I am really enjoying the Add a Border Group I joined, and finished another border, and can now mail off the two 18" blocks I have been sitting on. This one did not take nearly so long for me to figure out. I happened to have the same fabric for the corners, simply mimicked the HSTs, and used a fun rooster print to liven it up.
I had hoped to have the 12" done for the post as well, but I chose to do some handwork on it so it will be another week or two, and I will save the reveal for then. After all, it is best to save the best for last and it is really cute!
Hydee over at Splish Splash Stash launched a new linkup party this week to share EPP projects. Of course, I dug out my old(est?) UFO, a traditional Flower Garden. I counted 20 completed blocks. Hopefully the party commitment will help me get this project moving since that is about one per year maybe..  I know I should be doing the border hexies, but I have yet to decide the border plan. I will post my most recent border thoughts in a future post and maybe get some feedback from the partygoers:-)
For now, the party did get my butt in gear enough to fussy cut some hexies for the 21st block.

Linking up to In Hand EPP , and with Lyn of What a Hoot for BOMs Away

Grandmother's Flower Garden

My husband and I have returned from our trip to Seattle. We had a great getaway for my mother's 75th Birthday. I did not make it to any quilt shops, but we did have fun rummaging at a few estate sales. I love finding vintage linens to post at my Etsy site.

While flying, I completed the 19th block for Grandma's Flower Garden Quilt. I started these in about 1994, and have apparently only averaged one per year(!). since it has been in the works for so many years, the blocks are a real mixture of old and new fabrics. This is my 'travel' project, so most of them have been done on airplanes/airports. 8yrs ago I finally started writing the dates and places on the back of each block , after I realized I couldnt remember which one I had made first.

This one actually says AZ , Nov 2012 because I did most of it while visiting the in-laws during the holidays.

 

Here is the incomplete block that actually says Seattle, Feb 2013.










And here are some of them last time I 'auditioned' border fabric. Funny, I saved a green for years for this quilt, several times wanting to cut into, then switched to a different green a few years ago, and now I am considering something like this mint green shabby chic. I dont think I actually have enough of this particular one though..

 

I really need to decide on a fabric and start the bordering patches though.

I prefer someone inherit this as a completed quilt!

Maybe peach? Yellow-orange? Or peach-on-white?