~ Cutting it Close, August Blocks ~

Happy Friday Friends!  I'm happy to say I'm keeping up with the Quilt Doodle Designs 2017 BOM, putting the last stitches in the August blocks yesterday.  The theme of this BOM is Grandma's house.   This months blocks really hit home.  Both of my grannies canned everything they could.  One of them even made her own ketchup and butter!  Ok the butter I liked but the ketchup...Heinz will do for me.

Once again I've made a few changes to the blocks.  Turned edge applique for the Ball label would have been impossible for my skill level.  The double machine stitch worked out great.   It was slow going but worth every minute in results.  

The little tomato stems were also way to tiny for turned edge applique so once again I just took my time, outlined the stem with the double machine stitch and then filled it in with more stitches.  This took about 45 minutes.  But I think it adds some nice texture to the block.  If you decide to try this for yourself I should tell you I did use a sticky tear away interfacing on the back of the block.

Up till now all the blocks in this quilt remind me of my Grannie.  It was nice to add a little touch of Gramps in the quilt also.  My Gramps had several tractors, most of them were red Farmalls, but a green Tractor seemed to fit my in my quilt a better.  I left out one of the stripes on the tractor simply because I didn't want to make another.

A little double stitch for the steering wheel and grass...

.... and the puff of smoke...too cute!  All of the applique was secured into place using a teeny tiny blanket stitch.  Lori Holt's line of Aurifil thread was used for the bright colors and Superior Threads Monopoly was used on the gray and brown fabrics.  The black thread is Gutermans. 

The new block for this month was just released this morning.  You can find it and  the details for the other blocks by clicking here.

Thanks for stopping by my little spot in Podunk!

~ Lea Anne ~

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Two fun Mystery Blocks

Happy Monday Sweet Quilting Friends!  Did you get in some quality sewing time this weekend?  I love it when I can spend an entire day in my Studio.  It recharges me for whatever lies ahead for a few days.  This weekend I made the July blocks for the Quilt Doodle Designs Mystery BOM 2017.  While I've enjoyed making all the blocks so far, these two are my favorite.(I think I say that every month)

 The theme for the Quilt Doodle BOM is Grandma's House.  So each block brings back so many good memories of both of my Grannies and the simple pleasures of years ago.  

A few changes were made to the pattern again.  The main reason for changing most of the patterns is.... the pattern calls for raw edge applique which is much easier to make.  Since I'm doing turned edge applique I sometimes need to alter the pattern to make the process of making the block a little easier on me.  Take for instance the fence.  The original pattern calls for a few more pickets and the fence also covered the front door, it was all one big applique piece.  My fence has fewer pickets and 10 small pieces.   

After  making all the tiny pickets I was searching for ways to simplify the rest of the block. The window applique template was cut and ready to use when an epiphany hit.   As you can see below the fancy stitches on my machine are finally being used.  A simple scallop stitch to dress up my double stitched windows.  And since the entire door is exposed a doorknob was added by using another sewing machine fancy stitch. 

 The next change was the smoke stack.  Both my grandparents heated their homes with wood, so adding a little puff of smoke seemed like a good way to make this block a little more personal, it also added a touch of whimsy, don't you think?

The Singer sewing machine block really opened up a flood gate of memories.  The Podunk Pretties Studio has many old machines.  Not just any old machines but machines that belong to my mom, both grannies, and a great aunt.  There's been several machines passed down to me over the years.  Not all could stay, some have been donated and re-gifted.  My aunts, cousins, and a best friends machines have also passed through my studio.  And allof them have been Singers.  So when I saw the Singer logo on the applique...adorable!  Again some modifications were made to suit my applique technique.  The original pattern has 6 applique pieces, mine has 3.

The Singer Logo was a challenge to do by machine.  It probably would have been quicker by hand or embroidery machine, but I was at the sewing machine so I went with it.  The little buttons are part of the original pattern.  My button color choices aren't sitting well with me.  Might need dig a little deeper in the button stash.

Can you believe it, I'm almost caught up on this mystery?  All that's left to do is stitch the dresdens to the background fabric.  The plan is to get that done today, but it's so sunny outside and there's blackberries to pick.  See that is why I get behind.  Oh well whatever happens...happens.  Are you doing the Quilt Doodle Mystery?  If not, it's not to late to join in the fun.  You can get all the information about these two blocks and the previous months by clicking right here.

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Quilt Doodle Designs 2017 BOM

Hi-diddly-O happy quilters!  It's been so long since my last post, but I assure you I'm still here and still just as obsessed with quilting as ever.  So come on in, grab a cup of your favorite giggle juice and have a seat while I share what I've been up to lately.  Since all the blocks have now been released for the Quilt Doodle Designs free 2017 BOM it was time to get my hiney in gear and get them done.  I've never been able to keep up with BOM's.  This year I'm determined to give it my best shot.

 Over the last week the studio has been a complete mess as I made the blocks.  Tiny little pieces of freezer paper pieces all over the floor.  I was doing my best impression of Eleanor Burns...just get rid of that with a quick toss over the shoulder.  The freezer paper applique was a little bit harder than expected.  In order to make some of the blocks changes were made to make it a little easier on me.  Cindy from Quilt Doodle Designs had designed them for raw edge applique.  When doing raw edge you can have tiny sharp points.  Those tiny sharp points are almost impossible (for me) freezer paper applique. 

Now I'm going to admit one major change that had nothing to do with points.  The theme of this BOM is... things you would find at grandma's house.  Well one of the blocks was Lilacs.  My grannie had lilacs but her hummingbirds and feeders were EVERYWHERE.   So I decided to change that block to fit my grannies house.

These blocks are all 100% machine stitched.  No handwork.  The applique was done using a teeny tiny blanket stitch and a collection of Lori Holt Aurifil thread that matched her Calico Days fat quarter bundle fabric used for the blocks.

Calico Days line of fabric is one of my favorite lines of fabric.  However I've a complaint about how Lori is doing her prints these days.  Instead of having 42 prints that can be bought in yardage she designs 3 panel pieces, each having 8 fat eighths printed on them.  I DON'T LIKE THIS.  I WANT YARDAGE IN ALL.  So I'll no longer buy any line that doesn't allow me to purchase all prints in yardage.  Why you ask?  Because I needed more of the small white prints used for the applique background.  In order to get them I needed to buy 3 yards of fabric but only getting a fat eighth of each of the fabrics I needed and then 7 fat eighths of prints that I didn't need.  So I decided to buy a different print.   The little yellow rose buds below is what I've decided to use for the centers and possibly the background fabric.  What do you think?

I think it's adorable.  Wishing I could get in several colors.  Now let me tell you a little secret...shhh... Lean in close and swallow your coffee.... It's Walmart fabric,   can you believe it?  Paid $2 a yard!  You betcha I bought the entire bolt!

~ Lea Anne ~

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Weekend project

I've been playing around in EQ and this is what I came up with.  The pink looking flower is actually a coral color that the camera washed out.   And that yellow really ties in also.    It really does all tie together.   Well maybe I should've used the larger print florals on the baskets instead of the center.  Oh well whats done is done and I'm still pleased with the outcome.

Of course I had to add another picture of whats going on here in Podunk.  Everything is blooming and it's so gorgeous!  Spring is here and I'm lovin it!  This is one of our apple trees.

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