Tuesday, June 30, 2026

Alice's Country Diary Quilt

This quilt is so exciting to me - but I keep setting it aside until I finish Oh Susanna.   I did complete one of the 25 blocks just to see how my fabrics will look - and so tempting to go ahead and do another with the cone shape epp pieces rather than the kite shape in this picture.  My friend, Martee, is going to head-up a 2027 Sew-Along for our guild and I will "serve" as her assistant.  We already have 10 people who are ordering the book and planning on participating in the Sew-Along, but will not have the kickoff until January 2027.  Right now, we are finishing up our 2026 BOM, which has58 participants (a few counted twice as they signed up for both BOM's).

Here is the book we will be using.  Of course we are requiring all participant to purchase the book.  It combines the art of EPP and Embroidery, both of which are favorites of mine.  


This is the block I recently finished:  The blocks are set on the diagonal which is why there is a little of my design board showing. The designer recommends a rainbow color setting with the EPP pieces arranged as Red-Pink-Orange-Yellow-Green-Teal-Blue-Purple.  When you applique the wreath to the background fabric, you just rotate it a little to balance the colors in the quilt.  Such fun!


I would love to show you some of the pages in the book, which are just beautiful, but concerned about copyright issues.  It also has heat transfers for the embroidery, which I prefer to use Sulky Stick & Stitch. Some ladies are choosing to do some type of machine embroidery in the center of their wreaths, while other are choosing to do a smaller EPP block to go in the center.  Some may just leave the center blank and do some custom quilting there.  So many choices, and hopefully many will enjoy this Sew-Along.


 

Sunbonnet Sue - Oh Susanna

 I have been working on my Sunbonnet Sue quilt this past month and decided to call it "Oh Susanna!".  My grand daughter asked me who I was making this quilt for, and I told her the first grandchild that gives he a great-grand-daughter named Susanna gets this quilt.

I now have 17 blocks made - and 7 to go.  I am having so much fun "dressing" all my little Susannas and have decided on the layout shown below using a Sweet Daisy english paper pieced block.


I am including some more pictures a little closer up - 4 blocks at a time.  The sashing is actually a blue/green patchwork with little postage stamps used in the corner stones.  Right now I am thinking of adding three rows of the blue/green patches (without cornerstones) around all four sides to make a border which I might cut into scallops.  Still thinking about that.

I do not have all the embellishments (like buttons, cording, lace, etc) yet as I want to get it basted by a long-armer for hand quilting.  I am keeping little jewelry size zip bags with the embellishments for each block to add after the quilting is finished.








Monday, June 1, 2026

Gather Round Seasons - June

Completed my June block this morning and got it in the frame.....maybe a little bit cockeyed, but it will stay that way until it starts driving me crazy.