Country Charmer Quilt Along

Hello Everyone,

Today, the first day of the month is Country Charmer Quilt Along update day.  I'm so anxious to go over to Lesley's and check out Mr. Linky at the bottom of her Country Charmer post.  Patterns have been mailed all over the world!  From Germany to Australia to Canada, people are making their version of Country Charmer.

My friend Karen, from Los Banos, California is making her quilt in these yummy, coffee colors.  It is going to look so rich and creamy when she's done.  Just look at her checks and plaids!

My sister Gail, selected warm reds and greens for her Country Charmer to be on display year-round.  Her unifying fabric is her cream background with a small maroon flower and the red and green check fabric around her center.  Very "Gail" and gorgeous! Love the plaids, checks and strips.  It all works together so nicely.

My email friend and blog follower Tina from Nevada, is going all out for a Christmas Country Charmer.  Her bright reds and greens make her blocks very cheerful. Gotta love her plaid and her fussy cut centers!  Tina said she was having trouble with her 1/4" seams.....they look perfect to me Tina.

 

My friend Chris, from Livermore, California purchased a kit that I put together last year at In Between Stitches.  She is putting her stripes and polka dots to good use in her blocks. 

 

I love the way she fussy cut her center.  It's perfection when it comes to Chris' piecing!



Now we get to my almost finished quilt top.....my quilt without borders.  My melting pot of color all came together in the end.  Did you have doubts???  There were times when I did.....but I persevered with my forays through my fabrics. Every block is unique and just about every color of the rainbow is represented. The black and tan sashing and 9-patch pull it all together.





 

You can go over to FLICKR and see lots of posted Country Charmer blocks.  Thank you Lesley for setting that up for us.  Many thanks to Lesley also for taking charge, and leading the Quilt Along. 

 

Thank you all for participating in the Country Charmer Quilt Along.  I've met the nicest people over the past couple of months that have jumped on board.  It's never too late to join in this low-key no stress Quilt Along. The pattern is available HERE.  Keep those comments, emails and pictures coming.  You've all done wonders with the pattern and I'm so proud of all of you!!

 

Soon,

Lynn

Hello Everyone,

 

It's been a couple of busy days here at Sew'n Wild Oaks.  I finished the last four blocks for Country Charmer.  As I've been going around to look at other bloggers making this quilt, a consistent phrase that I see a lot is, "This is my favorite block."  Well, this is my favorite block.

 

This ISN'T my favorite block!  But mixed in with the rest, this cheddar cheese fabric seems to work.  Cheddar and teal, who'd a thunk it?

This in one of my favorite blocks.

I like this one too.

I thought my rocking horse needed a little boost.  I really like the blue check, but I didn't like the way it was all running together while he galloped around the block.

 

I used two stands of embroidery thread and stitched a little stem stitch around the leg and chin to separate them from the rest of the body.  (I wish I could do an embroidery stitch around my chin to separate it from my body.....wink, wink!)

 



I've received several pictures of Country Charmer blocks from those in the Country Charmer Quilt Along that do not have blogs.  I'll be posting them tomorrow for our monthly Country Charmer update.  If you have any pictures that you would like posted, please send them to patched55@comcast.net.  I'll also post them for you on the Flickr site that Lesley created for the group.  It's going to be great fun to go around the world and see what everyone has been up to for the past month.  Sew, until then........

Soon,
Lynn

P.S.  I refuse to put a word verification on my blog, but several and I do mean many, many idiots have managed to sneak comments through Bloggers' spam screening.  I try to eliminate the comments as quickly as I can and report them as spam.  DO NOT under any circumstances click on any of the comments that direct you to any other website.  You DO NOT need breast enhancements, get rich quick schemes, or pills for related male health issues.  Geezz, these people are making me crazy and annoying the H-E-double-toothpicks out of me!  I'll get off my soapbox now and return to the regularly scheduled program.

Returning to Toyland

Hello Everyone,

 

My friend Barbara is just going to town on her blocks for Toyland Tree.  Let me introduce you to Lynette.  Barbara says I'm her birth mother so she sort of named her after me!  I guess that means I'm responsible for child support until she's 18????

 

There is so much detail in each and every block.  The giraffe has a mane just like a real giraffe.

 Love the Teddy and his little plaid vest.

 

Barbara used a fabulous vintage fabric for the stocking.

 



Jack looks like he's jumping right out of his box.  Barbara has great attention to detail and an eye for color.

Again, great use of the vintage fabrics.

I'd love to have this little snowman bring me some presents!

I wish you could have seen Barbara when she took my Madrigal class.  She was a little hesitant to start in on the center applique.  Once she started appliqueing, there was no stopping her!  She was spending so much time in her sewing room, she had the cable company come out to her home and installed TV cable in the room where she was spending the most time!  I can't design patterns fast enough for her.  She is so quick, so accurate, so creative and a great person too with oodles of personality.

This is the BEST aspect of designing quilts.....seeing what other people do with my designs.  It is heartwarming for me and I'm in constant, jaw-dropping awe.  Thank you!

Soon,
Lynn

Cotton Pickin' Plaids

Hello Everyone,

 

I have just a little bit of time this morning for a quick post.  The other day at the shop, I put plaid bundles together and we are calling them "Cotton Pickin' Plaids". 

 

Melissa, the shop's owner, (A.K.A Boss Lady) is purchasing plaids all the time. This is just the first of many Cotton Pickin' Plaid bundles that we will be selling at the shop.
 

If you are interested, they are available HERE.  There's a bakers dozen of fat 1/8's that measure 9" x 22".  In my sewing room, plaids have their own bin, and all of these fabrics are in that bin!  They are perfect for scrappy quilts, and applique.  Just that little touch of plaid adds so much character to a quilt.

As usual, I have a busy week planned.  My to-do list is always bigger than I can realistically finish, but it keeps me on task.  There will be a worldwide Country Charmer post on Friday, March 1st, so I need to get ready for that one!  Send me pictures of your blocks if you don't have a blog, and I'll post them on mine, and you will have celebrity status!  Now wouldn't that be fun?

Soon,
Lynn 

The Teddy Bears' Picnic

Hello Everyone,

 

The Teddy Bears from Toyland Tree were running around the classroom at In Between Stitches on Sunday.  They came into the classroom in all stages of completion and they were just as cute as they could be. They were dressed up in their little plaid vests and scarves, ready for a Teddy Bears' Picnic. They were a feast for the eyes!

 

The Teddies posed for a family picture first, then they had individual pictures for the Toyland Tree album.

The girls did a fantastic job with their little bears.  They made them their own by adding cute little buttons and holly sprigs. More bears will be born by the fourth Sunday of next month, the next time the Toyland Tree class gets together.  This was just way too much fun to see all of the little guys!  I LOVED the bears. Now I can't wait to see the rocking horses!

This is what the girls are working toward.....a finished Toyland Tree by December. I know they are going to stick with it and make a block every month if not more.  You can always return to Toyland!

Soon,
Lynn

A New Twist

Hello Everyone,

 

Here is a new twist for The House on Edgewood Lane....the center made into a beautiful Celtic Knot instead of a house.  It is gorgeous!

 

Mary is going to incorporate more maroon and dark greens into her blocks to really showcase the center section.  I can invision quilted baskets in the setting squares stitched in a darker thread.

Ida has quite a few of her blocks completed.

Her center section and applique flowers are coming together nicely.

You would never know Ida is new to applique.  She tackles the tiniest pieces with ease.

The "Tag Team" quilters, Mary and Ardeen had two tables filled with block section just waiting to be sewn together.  They've created enough components to make 56 blocks so they can each have a set for their quilts.

Ardeen's house construction is coming right along.  It will soon be 'move-in' ready.

As always, I love to see variations, new techniques and different interpretations of my patterns. There was a lot of creativity in the classroom at Prairie Queens!

I hope you get well soon Helen, we missed you yesterday.  Today I'll be at In Between Stitches for the Toyland Tree class.  I'll be showing a parade of Teddy Bears tomorrow if the girls did their homework!

Soon,
Lynn

Works in Progress

Hello Everyone,

 

Lots of "Works in Progress" going on here at Sew'n Wild Oaks.  I worked on the Rocking Horse for the Toyland Tree class that I'm teaching tomorrow at In Between Stitches.  I'm having fun making mine on a white background this time around the block.

 

I also made three more blocks for Country Charmer.  This block is one of my favorites.

This block brightens up the mix.

This block adds a touch of Halloween!  Not sure if this one will make the final cut.....we'll see if it plays well with others.

I put three more weeks of fabric together for the Block of the Week program.  It is so much fun to have the whole shop at my disposal and select fabrics for the BOW.

I'm thinking about setting my blocks like this......maybe.  I can just picture some quilted baskets in the open areas.  This is very much a work in progress and is most likely to change at any second.

 

 

I'm off to Prairie Queens in San Jose this morning to teach the final segment of The House on Edgewood Lane.  I'm looking forward to seeing the progress since our last meeting.  I'm expecting to see lots of blocks and applique today.....no pressure girls!  This quilt was my first design.  I jumped off into the design world with this quilt and never looked back.  What a fun, wonderful journey I've had along the way.

 



Soon,
Lynn

Country Charmer Update

Hello Everyone,

 

Yesterday was a nice rainy day to sit in my sewing room and make more blocks for Country Charmer.  I'm trying to incorporate lots of different colors for variety and interest.



 

Those of you in the Country Charmer Quilt Along know that some blocks go together easier than others when it comes to selecting the colors.  I've been trying to work with teal blues in this quilt.  Teal is such a difficult color to find.  Just like good plaids, whenever I see a nice teal blue fabric, I buy it! My stash is getting low in the teal department.

I wanted to make a 'lighter' block for the mix and I came up with this combination.  I'll most likely make a couple of more blocks that are lighter, just so this one doesn't stand out in the crowd with a big bullseye on it.

Here's a collage of the blocks without the sashing.  The sashing will make the blocks stand on their own two feet and set them apart.

My goal is to have this quilt finished in time for the Amador Valley Quilt Show April 20th & 21st in Pleasanton, CA.  I'm going to have a booth at the show for the first time!  My sister Gail is going to help me 'woman' the booth.  So mark your calendars and plan on spending the day at the show and stop by my booth and say hello.  The guild always puts on a great, inspirational show. Alex Anderson is going to be the featured artist. It doesn't get much better than this folks!

Enjoy your day and make the most of every minute.

Soon,
Lynn