Friday Finish

After hours of taking pictures I gave up, deciding that they will do.  This is the last photo taken with the famous watering can, of course tons of editing to give it a vintage look.  I've also made the pictures a tad bit bigger in this post for those quilters that want to see details.

Experimenting started from the very beginning of this quilt.  So I might as well be consistent throughout.   The scrappy basket block is an old pattern that I reworked.  The original block is completely appliqued with no flowers or leaves.  In my version the basket is pieced and I've added a few more appliques shapes.  A block tutorial with free printable templates can be found here on my blog.

 The white backgrounds always say "Quilt me to death", so I did.  But I really love the feel of a quilt that has minimal quilting.  The decision was made to do minimal quilting outside the blocks.

 The background fill quilting is my favorite fill.  I've no idea what you would call it other than random.  A little of this and that with a touch of McTavishing.

 The backing is just some old yukky fabric.  It's become sorta my trademark to have a totally odd piece of yukky fabric on the back.  Sometimes more than one.  Use what you have, and like many quilters I've tons of fabric bought years ago that doesn't appeal to me anymore.  

I'm linking up with Sarah over at Confessions of a Fabric Addict.  Hop on over to see other Finishes this week!

~ Lea Anne ~

Today's freebie from CluckCluckSew

Click here for pattern

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Thrifty Threads

In the last couple of weeks there's been some additions to my thrifty fabric stash while hanging out with mom.  Every few days she has a doctors appointment followed by thrift shopping.   You never know what you'll find if you have the patience to dig through mountains of junk for one great find.  This was the deal of the week, 50 cents for both pieces.  (2) 8.5 ft. x 13 in.  table runners.  I love it when they leave in the selvages!   Of course I don't want table runners I want to cut them into pieces!

The pink(rosy) gingham below is Pottery Barn Kids curtains, $1.  It feels really nice not at all flimsy.  Passing up gingham or pink is just not allowed when thrift shopping.  And it coordinates well with the fabric above.  I think both will be set aside for my yearly breast cancer awareness quilt.

 The blue fabric is a twin sheet, 50 cents.  The dust ruffle in my spare bedroom is the exact same fabric that I purchased at Bed Bath and Beyond.  However I purchased both of these pieces at the Salvation Army thrift store with my moms senior citizens discount.    

All the fabric below was purchased at Joann's.  They had a great sale this week 30% and 50% off.  The pink and teal fabric is super quality, comparable to LQS.  The others are of lesser quality and much cheaper in price. The total spent $15.61.

Now here's my tip if you choose to buy build a stash in this way.  You must wash all fabric, no if, and or buts about it!  All fabric shrinks differently.  Not washing and drying could cause some tears later on down the road.   Hand washing(or soaking) is my preferred method for the smaller cuts of fabric.  

If more of the LQS would carry my palette of choice I'd buy more so called "Name Brand" fabrics.  But around here Civil War and 30's prints seem to dominate the market.  You know it's nice to fondle the fabric before buying.   There's modern shops an hour or more from Podunk.  But the fabric selections don't appeal to me.      Later in the week, when it arrives, I'll share my online fabric splurge.  So much for my quilt fabric diet.  Every diet is allowed a cheat, right?  Is that called justifying a weakness?  

~ Lea Anne ~

Today's Freebie From Joscouuntryjunction

Click here for pattern

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DWM, Time flies

My goodness, it's Monday already.  It's hard to believe a week has passed by with so little quilty work done.  The tomatoes are ripening in the garden faster than they can be preserved.  So that's taking up all the quilting time.  And then there was the bright idea to make homemade pizza sauce instead of the usual easy canned tomatoes.  After about 10 hours of simmering tomatoes and herbs, 2 quarts of sauce!   Pardon me for being a little cynical but the bragging rights aren't worth the effort.  Oh my almost vegetarian son and his vegetarian girlfriend were impressed  Saturday night when I made homemade vegetarian pizza with cauliflower crust.  Of course I sent them home with a grocery bag full of fresh tomatoes( Less for me to preserve) and gave them a jar of sauce.   

Well here's what been accomplished in the studio this week.  Not much!  These Periwinkle/Hummingbird blocks finally put on the design wall.  Maybe by next Monday they'll be a completed top.

182 blocks = 65 x 70 quilt.  Sometimes I wonder what was I thinking! 

The Scrappy Baskets quilt is almost done. (block tutorial here) 4 more blocks to quilt, I'm hoping for a Friday finish.  Do you think Red gingham binding would be too much?  Can you have to much gingham?  Not in my world!   While  quilting this I thought about how this basket block would look so cute with strawberries instead of flowers...a little hand embroidery for the strawberry vines....I may need to make a wall hanging from this pattern.  

Linking up with Judy@patchworktimes for design wall Monday.  

~ Lea Anne ~

Today's Freebie from Scapbook Etc.

Click here for pattern

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Little Bitty Plan

Here it is a Happy Monday morning again!  Hope everyone had a great weekend and lovely weather.   Here in Podunk it's been picture perfect all summer.  Inspiring me to keep working with happy spring fabrics.  The little bitty 4 patches below are going to finish at 1 inch!

 Now there just needs to be a little bitty plan on what to make with them.  I'm playing around with a couple of different ideas.  Wondering if maybe some cherry or strawberry applique might be needed.  I'd like for it to finish big enough for a table topper or small baby quilt.  In order to do that I'll need to get creative.  

While we're on the subject of being creative hop on over to

 Judy's @ Patchworktimes for DWM and Connie's FreeMotionbytheRiver for Linky Tuesday

 for a whole lot of creativity! 

Well there's tomatoes and pickles waiting to be canned, so I better turn on the radio and get busy!

I've been humming this song while piecing these little bitty pieces, so I thought I'd share it with you.   Enjoy!

 "Little Bitty"  by Alan Jackson.  

~ Lea Anne ~

Free mini quilt pattern from Piece by Number

Click here for pattern

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