Happy Friday! Welcome April. April is having lots of fun with April Fool pranks for everyone, weatherwise, isn't she? Earlier this week we had near hurricane force winds, a rare day when I kept Mo in at dinnertime. Sustained 55-60 mph winds are knock us off our feet force, in my judgment. Plus the blowing sand can injure Mo's buggy-puggy eyes.
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Then today midmorning an earthquake![and another just now]
Bramble Blooms SAL link HERE
Winter Marsh, Parsonsfield and Liberty Pumpkin all were sent off to Lori C. the Quilter, so the final weeks of March I designated as Focus on Bramble Berries time. I was way behind, though in my mind I knew/ know what I am planning.* Inspiration reminders, my artwork.
My machine is not good at this, but the wide edge margins are deliberate.
As the project is washed and or used, the fraying edges can enhance the fringe-y parrot tulips' appearance. On completion the striped tulips will have black bugle bead stamens.
The pitcher is turned=edge hand applique, just to prove I do know how to do it! And I like the smooth curves of the blue jug contrasting with the ragged tulips.
Part two: I unearthed my collection of Kaffee Fassett fabrics, probably ten or 12 years old, but same as current. Lucky find! Love, love, love. It was like greeting old friends.
Then inner ''stop'' border. Just to frame the busy center. The purple and slate stripes are calming.
Late night photo auditions.
Much dithering over the wider border choice.
I don't have a big wall for a design board. Probably just as well as the threads and mess would give me the heebie jeebies. Auditions get taped on the old blue cabinet doors , a leftover from when this tiny room was a home office and guest space.
Other prompts were QST [quarter square triangles, means the block is cut into four wedges] as cornerstones plus applique motifs on this border. I just couldn't, cornerstones seemed too trad in this case, whare's the improv of that? Instead I inserted a handful of black and white QST blocks into the border.
I think it worked okay but I do not have modern graphiic black and white prints like I wanted, l;ike these.
I couldn't afford to spend $50.oo for a few small blocks. I like the Beach Balls print though still like the Rainbow Striped Squares more. But too many stripes, too much red/ pink/ orange. The duller tones of he beachballs calms things down a bit maybe.
Then I needed to address the applique portion of the prompt (#2). Again much as I love them, I can't see cute lollipop flowers
or prim birdies working on the crazy kaleidoscope I have going here. Instead I resumed late night ponderings on that empty spot left center. It bothers me. I am thinking an appliqued leaf and a special to me ladybug button.
Again, is that too cutesy? Trite? It wouldn't be added to the proh=ject til it is done, so that can simmer. Though I do welcome your thoughts.
Prompt Three is to create a nine patch border. I have ideas... more late night bursts of imagination?
*I lied---I have no idea what this project is or will be. What are we making here? --a bedquilt, a lapquilt, a wall hanging, a learning textile of no practical point, what? Above I had the notion to make a bed scarf, a narrow quilted decorative piece that goes on top of more simple quilts. This might look really cute across the bed foot, on top of a red and white checkerboard or a Popsiclle squares one patch?
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Auditions for patchwork border next time. Hint: it won't be these fab vintage blocks, lost out on the eBay auction. Bummer....And they won't be on point squares because I don't like patchwork set on point.
Have a great weekend! Remember not to look at the eclipse Monday.
love
lizzy
gone to the beach.............
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Earthquakes - we had an abundance when I lived in Alaska many years ago, I recall hearing them approach from afar in the middle of the night, before the actual shaking began! You get used to them after several years, though I was always glad not to have experienced any of the really strong ones.
ReplyDeleteYour artistic sense really shines through with BB1 - love those beachball prints with the B&W hourglass blocks mingling in. I like the potential addition of another leaf with the ladybug next to the vase. Dragging my heels at the thought of 4, 9 or 16 patch blocks for the next border, but really need to get a start on it, maybe tomorrow. Hope your winds have subsided by now, it's about time for some warmer real spring weather. No forsythias in bloom yet around here, only a very few daffodils at the lower elevation. We "might" see some of ours open by the end of next week.
So glad you're safe. This spring has really thrown some sneaky punches.
ReplyDeleteThe Bramble Blooms is fascinating. You always come up with ideas that I would never think of. But, that's because we individually stay true to who we are even in our creative processes. I like the little addition of the ladybug and leaf. Hope it makes the final cut.
What a charming little quilt - love the newspaper print style background, and those stripey Petunia blooms on the border. Not to mention the Ladybird :) Just LOVELY. There are occasionally mild earthquakes in the UK, but never felt one.
ReplyDeleteI love what you are doing with your Bramble Blooms. So cheerful!
ReplyDeleteNice work on BB; I have put mine aside for marinating...I just cannot "see" another busy border for mine...maybe just a stop strip?? I will get back to it after my little hiatus here from sewing things..
ReplyDeleteOther side issues taking up my time right now...hugs, Julierose
What I love best about your BBI quilt is how much of you it has in it! The colors and style are just pure fun.:)
ReplyDeleteWhat fun your Bramble Berries/Blooms/Blossoms is, Lizzy! It is vibrant and beautiful. Yes, I like the jug's smooth edges in juxtaposition to the raw edges of the tulips, too. Very effective.
ReplyDeleteDithering is good sometimes, I think. It gives us space to look, consider, evaluate, decide.
I think the leaf and ladybug will work if the leaf is raw edge appliqued like the rest of the leaves.
I hope you've resolved what this project will be.... Sometimes the quilts choose (other quilters tell me) and sometimes (always, in my case) I decide what the quilt will be as far as its size, use, etc.
You didn't win the bid on the 9-patch blocks but you could make some similar, right? I think on-pint blocks would confuse this border and the whole quilt.
Those were crazy early April winds. I can relate to the strength of the winds only by imagining trying to stand outside a car while it's travelling at 55 mph. Oh, and yes, the sand would have made it so much worse! Would Mo wear Doggles?
And an earthquake, too. That's even crazier. The two earlier sound severe. I would have dressed in a hurry, too! I remember a small one here in Ohio years ago, and a much larger one while we were on a mountain in El Salvador, and other smaller ones while we were there, too.
Good for you to have finished three quilts to send off to be quilted! You probably have them back by now. I'll look forward to future posts about all three.
Did you see the eclipse on Monday? Were you in the path of totality?
Thanks so much for posting your BBI progress to the link party! Your quilt version always makes me smile, just love the happy vibes.
ReplyDeleteWhat a neat idea to pink the edges of the tulips to allow for fraying. (I have some parrot tulips blooming right now.) Love the hourglass blocks not in the corners!
ReplyDeleteThe following comment deleted itself! Thanks Linda! Linda @ kokaquilts has left a new comment on your post "Bramble Berries (Blooms, Blossoms?) Bumbling Along here":
ReplyDeleteLoving your BB1 progress. And such a delightful read.The Kaffe beachballs border is a great (unexpected) use of that fabric.
We almost never have earthquakes here, but I experienced on a few years ago. I thought a big truck was driving by the restraunt we were eating at until folks started talking about it! I love your black and white quarter square triangles inserted into the border. It took a minute to notice them, but they're perfect! Too bad you missed out on the 9-patch blocks, maybe you'll need to make your own? And I too don't much like blocks on point, but guess what? My bramble blooms quilt needed them. So I did it. Made sure I had my "big girl panties" on first, though!
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