Almost done.....

These are my MIL's hostas. Wow!  I'm going to have to go the the extension office to find out what is going on with them.

Finished the seed head dandelion. I just cut the loops and fuzzed it up with a brush. 

Our small group is making a charity quilt. 

It is the spider web block design. 

One of the gals gave me some scraps. 

(She is downsizing)

The centers will be gold. 

Very striking!

I like it. 

Finished up the dandelion by embroidering the leaves. Now I need a critter / visitor in my garden.

No way was I going to do a rabbit. Too big. 

I should do Japanese beetles. They were infesting my raspberries last year. 

But, I couldn't figure out how to make them. 

Sooooo... I'm going with a mouse. 

I wanted shiny eyes so I didn't needle felted them. Polymer clay wouldn't be shiny enough. 

Then I thought of the colored needles.  

So I stuck them in, affixed them with hot glue and cut them off on the back side of the mouse. 

They even bug out like real mice. 

Then used more hot glue to stick him under the dandelion. 

Then added the raspberry border. 

Mulch!  I wanted 3-D mulch.

So I cut up chunks of wool and hot glued them onto the quilt. No way was I going to sew each one on. Besides, the stitches would show. 

All ready for quilting. 

I think I will use this multicolor thread.

I'm thinking I'll use a meandering pattern.

Hope to get it done by next weekend. 

It's supposed to rain a lot this week.

Hmmmmm, that will free up my evenings after work. I might actually meet me goal.

It's spring!

It's springtime which means no time to work on my projects.  I've been working in the yard trying to get my garden ready for planting, deciding which plants/trees/bushes have to go and where I can plant new members of the yard.
(Bushes and new perennials)

60 bags of compost/manure.

Just me to spread it in the garden. 

Ugh! My aching back. 

All done. I've NEVER planted my tomatoes and peppers this early. But the weather seems like it will stay warm.  My tomato cages are the best. Sturdy and with large holes to access the tomatoes. Im going to try to grow my cucumbers up the same cages. We're even going to try brussel sprouts this year. I was happy to see that some of my asparagus are alive. Still need to rogue out weeds. Ran out of time for that. I was happy to get everything planted and marked. Even went around with the mower and picked up grass to mulch the plants. 

Found these for my mother in law for her yard. They are a thank you gift for all her hard work on my son's quilt. Her embroidery is immaculate and beautiful and sooooooo appreciated. 

Lantana. 

My favorite summertime flower. 

They love the hot humid days and look like a party going on around the plant with their multicolored flowers. 

Beautiful crabapple blossoms this year. 

We're considering them for the front of our yard. 

My springtime circle around the new cherry tree looks great this year. The rabbits didn't eat all the tulips!

Took time out after work last Friday to throw a bowl. My biggest one yet. Looking forward to spiffing it up. Not sure what I'll do. It will be for a friend if it doesn't crack

Weekend retreat

Spent the weekend at a retreat with the girls. 

Was able to get a lot done on the raspberry challenge.  The deadline is coming up in May.

Need to get it done! Started attaching the leaves. 

Used a buttonhole stitch. It worked well to cover up the twist tie wires. 

Then started working on the dandelion.

Made the templates.  You know, you see dandelions all the time but do you ever really LOOK at them?  I had to Google pics of the plants to determine how to make the leaves and structure of the plant. 

One of the gals let me borrow her toys. 

Definately on my need to buy list. 

Dandelion leaves done. Still need to attach the 3D leaves but liking the applique leaves. 

Thought I'd share pics of some of the projects the gals brought to work on.

Cake time!  

The retreat building is beautiful. 

I knew what I wanted for the flowers. 

I didn't know how to do it or that it is called "turkey work".

Thank you Google!

Stems! I didn't have yarn for piping so I braided floss, stitched it down and glued down the folded over seam but didn't iron it because I didn't want it to flatten out. 

This is how I kept the loops all equal in size. 

Have to make sure the flowers cover up the end of the stems. 

On to making a flower bud. 

Also going to make a white seed flower. 

MIL finished the embroidery of the grizzly bear prints.    Now I have to baste it and hand quilt it. 

This will be the final version. No more revisions!

Raspberry challenge update

Progressing on the leaves. Got them all done.
Yes, one has a different color of floss.  I will just say it is the sun bleached or diseased set of leaves. I actually changed my mind on which floss to use and didn't want to redo it.

I'm using a buttonhole stitch to attach the wires tightly to the applique.  I think I'll embroider a little more on the stem to give it character. 

I'm liking how the leaves are popping out from the piece. 

Only 3 more sets to add on and then start working on the dandelion. 

Hmmmmm...... how to do that....

I have ideas.  Will have to see if they work. 

Raspberry Challenge

Been working on the raspberry challenge quilt.
Really tired of making French knots. Didn't count how many I made but it was a a lot.  The beads were added after the knots were done.
I used dark beads to simulate the overly ripe berries, the shiny red ones for perfect berries.
Raspberries are white before they ripen so I made some that look both unripe and starting to ripen. As of last year, our berries get those damn Japanese beetles on them.  Maybe I should add them.....

Finished sewing the main cane on last Monday while at a guild meeting.

Then embroidered the berries to attach them to the cane.

Next came the leaves which are in sets of 3. I made a template for each leaf size.  Turned the starched edges and then removed the template. 

I made backs for each leaf.  I used twist ties for the wiring. I cut off the green sides on 2/3 of the wire and stripped off the green paper trying to leave only the glue on the wire. Three of them ended up getting stripped down to the bare wire so I had to coat them with hot glue so it won't slide out of the floss when I attach it to the quilt.

Initially I planned to only make the smaller leaves 3D But then changed my mind and did this with all 3 leaves.  Her ears the halves ready for the backings. 

I hand sewed the backings on.  It was getting late and I started to get tired and not pay attention....

After a good night's sleep, I tackled making the leaf trio. I embroidered the leaf design...

Leaving a tail.

I used a buttonhole stitch over the wire. 

I wrapped the small leaves individually then used the buttonhole stitch to attach them to the big leaf. Then took the long tail from the big leaf to give it a finished look and combine all 3 wires.  I will attach them to the quilt with floss and create the stems with the leaves popping off the fabric.  At least, that's the plan. 

Here are the fabrics for the border (raspberry fabric) and binding (green fabric)