April 10, 2021

How did Miss Madison get to be 20 years old!

I didn’t strictly follow the pattern provided for this card. I had some hexies already prepared and it didn’t make sense to make more. This made the card somewhat larger than it was supposed to be; I used a larger background square but in the end it was barely big enough.

I’m not sure I should cross the original pattern off my list but, for now, I’m saying that particular pattern is done. By the time I get to the end of the list of 100 blocks I’ll likely have forgotten one wasn’t quite “right”.

It seems fitting that these extra hexies should end up in the Burton household as the quilt I made is also at their place.

April 7, 2021

I love Sunbonnet Sue and I have a book full of patterns using her image. I was so happy when the ticket I pulled for Emma’s block was this one (I don’t think I even fudged on it).

I’m not a big fan of appliqué but I’m getting better at it. As well as a fun pattern it was nice to use up some of my coloured threads. How did I get so many colours of thread when I mostly use white or grey? I even made the quilt Sue is holding and her boots may be my favourite part.

Hopefully Emma will have a sunny day for her birthday, although I doubt she’ll be wearing a bonnet of any kind.

April 4, 2021

In the Splendid Sampler bonus blocks there was a pattern for Easter. There were parts of the pattern I didn’t like so I used what I liked and left the rest out.

This version is as close as I came to the actual pattern. I thought the heart was a bit odd in an Easter card but since my Valentine to Christy never arrived I went ahead with it. This was the last one to be quilted and I was a bit sparse with the stitching but I think it still works.

After digging out a template for the heart I used the oval shape on it to make a larger egg; I followed the pattern to make some smaller versions. This one will go to Elizabeth; I wonder if they still do their Easter egg hunt. This is the first of the cards that I quilted and I got a bit carried away with a new stitch I discovered – the mattress stitch.

I totally winged it on this last one. I thought adding the bow to the larger egg was a good idea. Again I used the mattress stitch but toned it down just a bit. It shows up well on the eggs.

April 4, 2021

I doubt that the designer of this block is old enough to remember Roy Rogers and Dale Evans but if you are of a certain age you’re already singing! I know for sure that Gavin won’t have a clue!

The block was meant to be done using one-inch squares for a pixelated look. I’ve done some pixelated projects and knew that where they call for more than one square you can use a strip. I’m happy with how this turned out, although even from the picture in the book it took me a bit of time to recognize the horse.

Although Gavin doesn’t have a horse (yet) I’m hoping the sky and mountains look a bit like a Calgary skyline.