Closing in on a Decision

I've hinted at the speed bump that has crossed my path on my yellow houses and I think it's time to get some feedback. I've put a few blocks up on a small design wall just outside our bedroom and pass it several times a day thinking that the penny will drop, and I think that it's getting there. Slowly.

Let me start by saying that what I thought was my relatively good memory has failed me lately. I found this inspiration quilt online some time ago and loved it, but I only saved the image and totally missed tracking the quilter (if you recognize it, please let me know so that I can give credit where credit is due). I love the mix of yellows and its simplicity.

After having lost and found the image several times, I finally tracked it down for another look at the border. Two things. Notice anything about the blocks? All of the houses aren't yellow - half are white! And, in my mind's eye, the border was made of HSTs...

...as in THIS red and white version from Margaret Mew's Quilt Station blog. Sheesh, was I confused. Talk about partial recall.

So now the question becomes what to do about the blocks and the border. The yellow inspiration quilt is wonderfully graphic because it's all solids but I'm using a variety of yellow prints and the more I look at it, the more I think that if I make the negative version of the blocks in prints as well it just won't have the same impact, it will just become muddled. But take a look at the red version again - it's totally scrappy and works.

The border decision is easier. Once I saw the 'ribbon' border I knew that was going to be it, I just need to figure out the spacing so that the design works at the corners (the inspiration piece almost works, but not quite).

So what do you think? All yellow houses or a combination of positive and negative versions of the block? As I'm writing this I think that the answer is staring me in the face, but let me know what you think....M

p.s. BTW, can I get a round of applause? I think I've finally cracked the code of how to place images in the new Blogger. Yay!

A Little Time to Think

I hit a bit of a speed bump on my yellow houses so I picked up Minnie in the hopes that a solution will present itself as I do a bit of hand stitching.

Several set-in triangles still need to be made so I set to work on finishing a couple. There's lots of hexies cut but somehow not necessarily the colours that I want or the quantity I need, so maybe it's time to dig into a few fabrics.

After a few iffy weather days it was really lovely to be able to sit on the deck and enjoy the sunshine.

And, since rhubarb is still in season, it seemed like a good day for Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble; I wasn't wrong.....M

A Little Gardening, A Little Stitching

My planters and herbs are finally prepped for the season. I was all set to plant a few weeks ago and then it got insufferably hot, followed by very, very cold, so things were delayed a bit, but today was the day. As is the way with gardening, there was weeding needed in a few beds as well so what started out as a quick project ended up taking most of the day. Ah well, it was a beautiful day to be outdoors.

Big plans to make a Rhubarb Torte for dinner got shelved because I ran out of time but after dinner I did find time to sit and turn under more EPP hexies for Anna Levens.

At times I find this step frustratingly slow but today I quite enjoyed it. It's been a while since I've done any hand stitching and it felt wonderful to pick up a needle.

I'm almost out of paper hexies which makes me think that I probably have enough to lay out another row of them and attach them to the flimsy. I love seeing it grow, even if it is slowly - sort of like my garden....M 

Oh Happy Day!

A few weeks ago I opened a heart-wrenching email from Quiltmania. They were struggling to keep their doors open amid the operational challenges of these COVID-19 times and implored quilters that if there were books or magazines that they had been thinking about ordering, now was the time to do it; they were uncertain that they would survive.                                                                                                                I didn't need to be asked twice. I had a wish list so I quickly placed my order and then crossed my fingers. And then I forgot all about it, until a box arrived in yesterday's mail. I couldn't even remember what I had ordered so it took no time to tear into it. Oh happy day! Yoko Saito's Scrap Valley and Quilted and Embroidered  Floralies by Cecile Franconie of Facile Cecile fame. 

It's Yoko's cover quilt that I've been coveting in this book. 

All of those gorgeous dark-tipped stars combined with soft wreath of applique. It sets the mind to dreaming. How perfect that it is called Kindness.

I mean - seriously! Her use of colour is second to none.

If you love embellishments and haven't seen Cecile's blog, I would highly recommend that you take a few minutes to visit her. She stitches beautifully organic embellishments on all manner of interesting projects; you can spend hours exploring the layers and textures. I doubt that I will do much stitching like this, but it was just too beautiful to resist having this inspirational piece within arm's reach. 

This is the quilt that ultimately prompted the purchase. Hexies - surprise, surprise! That border proved to be too difficult to resist.

And the icing on the cake? This pretty little bundle of Anna Maria Horner fabrics was waiting for me as soon as I opened the box. Another thing to set the mind a-dreamin'.                                                                                                  There's more happy news, too. Quiltmania's latest email was a heartfelt thank you for all of the support that they have received from stitchers around the world; it looks like they are going to make it. Quilters are the best....M