…looking for “a soft place to land.” Ta Dah! Block #1 in the Beyond the Cherry Tree Quilt can be shared…
I like the way the reds and greens are working together – I tend to favor the cranberry to reds with a hint of brown and warm greens. But I noticed when looking at the photo, there probably could have been a better balance of the medium to darks. I should have remembered that basic fact…I also chose to make the gold centers raised on this block rather than doing reverse applique, which I don’t mind. I just felt like doing it a little differently.
Relating to this block, while at a recent small stitching group, one of my friends had a pattern from an earlier Elly Sienkiewicz book – it was almost identical to our Block #1 – placement, leaves, buds and stems…the only difference was the shape of the “cherries.” Elly’s pattern had a more flower-like applique instead of the round circle. Knowing the BTCT quilt dates to about 1850 or so, it is curious as to where Elly’s originated from…that’s a whole other area – being a quilt “detective!”
At any rate – on to preparing Block #2 for the BTCT quilt…which will, no doubt continue to be a slow process until after the Holiday sewing frenzy is over…
We took a long overdue road trip last Wednesday – ended up in Denmark – the Wisconsin town, not the country.
Kindred Spirits is a sweet little shop with a very friendly and bubbly staff.
This rustic willow tree was so appealing but had to stay put on display…
Then a stop for lunch in Green Bay and on to The Quilter’s Connection.
With the holidays approaching, I kept pretty close to my projected budget…
We have had an incredibly beautiful Fall here in the Northwoods. Spoiled and quickly forgetting in the past few weeks what a typical November could be like, this past weekend, we were brought back to reality…
And in closing for now – about looking for “a soft place to land…” I always try to keep my blog upbeat and looking forward as much as possible. Many of you out there can relate to watching a beloved parent experience memory loss and a personality change. So it is with my Mom. We have seen a definite decline this past year…forgetfulness, repetition, uncharacteristic flare ups and an almost child-like behavior on occasion. Gone are those days when we could talk about anything and everything, with humor and understanding. I don’t know how to approach Dad and suggest the possibility of exploring medications, etc. Dealing with Mom, who becomes very upset and defensive, calls for patience – something I am learning the hard way. I am left with a sadness in my heart – of what use to be and is going slowly and what is yet to come.
That is one reason why quilting comes to be so much more than just “making something.” It soothes the soul & helps to put things into perspective as you quietly arrange colors. Every stitch includes a thought, a promise or a prayer…and sometimes a little tear…so
Always take time to stitch…
Pat