Binding my Beyond the Cherry Trees

After saying I wasn't going to work on this quilt because it is SOoooo heavy and big and the weather has been SOoooo hot this summer (100 degrees), you would think I would have chosen a cooler day to work on it  (it's only been 95 degrees today). Well, I guess when you get the urge to get into the quilt room and that quilt has been calling your name, you do what you have to do.  

I decided to put the binding on my quilt. 

So, now it is machine stitched on, trimmed and the binding clips are on (one side at least)

 

So, if I can stand the heat, I am going to start hand stitching this baby down.  

I used Superior Threads Masterpiece thread that was in a box of neutrals by Alex Anderson.  It worked great in the machine and now I am going to see how well it works with my hand stitching.  I have never used this thread and picked up this set at the Grand Rapids AQS quilt show last weekend, so I am really interested on how well it works.  I am sure many of you have used it, but I will give you my opinion once I am done.  

Hope to get a sleeve on and a label on real soon and then I will be sending out applications for quilt shows.  Keeping my fingers crossed that someone wants it for their show.  We'll see. 

Cherry Tree quilt is back from the quilter....

It's late and dark, the quilt weighs a ton and I don't have help to hold it up, so I will just post a couple pictures that the quilter sent to me in my e-mail earlier today. 

This one is the backing which shows of the quilting very nicely.

Tomorrow when I can get some help holding this quilt up and there is some sunshine so that I can take a really good picture, I will post again.  

Right now, I am happy to have this one back in my own hands.  I was actually having separation anxiety  after working on this for 2 1/2 years and then having to send it off to the quilter for just one month.  

Stay tuned.  

What am I going to do now?

I just finished the last stitch on my Beyond the Cherry Trees.  This was a 29-month BOM and though I had a wedding quilt that I did in between this time, I did keep up pretty well, I think.

No one is home to hold up this huge quilt, so this is the best I could do.

I had the last border on yesterday, but then realized I was short on applique on a couple corners, so had to stitch down a little more vine, three more leaves and one more cherry.  It's done and ready to be folded up for a couple weeks.

I will be leaving for the AQS quilt show in Paducah in a couple days, but when I get back, I will be piecing this beauty together for the backing.  

Besides being very "happy" to finally have this top done, I find myself at a loss as to what is going to keep my hands busy.  It's almost a let down.  There's hardly been a day I haven't stitched just a little on this quilt and if I wasn't stitching on it, it was most certainly on my mind. 

My patience isn't as good as some of the gals who will be hand quilting this very large quilt, so I have mine on my longarm quilter's schedule for June 1. 

For now, I would like to put up my feet and just enjoy the fact that I am done, but I have some packing to do.  I still have work the next couple of days, but then it is off to "quilt heaven" and hooking up with some great friends. 

See you when I get back. 



Beyond the Cherry Tree borders.....

Second border added to the first. (corners are going to be rounded) 

Third border was just added to the second, but first I left the vines loose so that I could get them to flow together.....or I thought.

They were way off.  So, I looked back at the original antique quilt and they do not meet up, so I stitched them down.  Mine seemed to leave a little bit much in the way of a void, so I added one more cherry to fill that spot.

I don't think anyone is going to hold me accountable for one extra cherry to this quilt.

I find is very strange that this vine does not flow all the way around the quilt, but since I am reproducing this quilt pattern as is, that is what I am going to go with. 

Wish I knew the story of this quilt.  I am thinking that more than one person worked on this quilt what with some very complex blocks and some very simple, some very rustic, some sophisticated and the log cabin style of putting on each  of the border sides with each vine just running off the edge.  It's certainly not something I would do today, but I have to keep in mind that I am reproducing this quilt and the only liberty I am taking is the fabric choices. 

I think it is going to be beautiful when done and people years from now are probably going to be wondering some of the same things I am wondering about the original.  Another reason I believe quilts should be labeled. 

Ok...on to #4 and then this will be finished....or at least the top will be. 

Solar flares and the internet...

Internet has been done a couple times and I found out that a whole region in our area was out because of "solar flares".  My bills are paid, so I am sticking to the solar flare story.

Well, with no internet, I got my first BTCT border complete 100 %.  Here's where I was a couple days ago.

With all the free time I had, I even got the embroidery done for the cherry stems.

I am a bit of a perfectionist, so the wonky stems are driving me a little mad, but I have to keep telling myself that I am reproducing an antique quilt and that is what has been the most fun about this quilt.  There is no rhyme or reason to some of the things that are done on this quilt, so I am just trying to enjoy the whole process. If I corrected everything, then it wouldn't  be a reproduction. 

So...on to the next side. I have a rhythm going and want to keep it up until this quilt top is all done.      



One thing leads to another.....

My goal was to get into the sewing room today....which I did.

I got my Beyond the Cherry Tree blocks together finally. 

This is going to be one big quilt.  I had to just drape it over my portable design wall for now, but will need to lay it somewhere so that I can place my borders. 

Before I could sew today though, I had to move these.  They  have been sitting on my sewing table for a few days.

I had asked my husband to save me a few of these for an organization project that I saw on Pinterest.  If you don't know about http://pinterest.com/, you have to check that site out.  It wonderful!!!

Anyways, he said he had already been saving them and came up with an armful for me. I hadn't planned on getting to this project so quickly.  So, to sew, I had to either move them or use them.  So, I cleaned out a little corner of one of my sewing drawers and this is what was in there.....a bunch of odds and ends.

I took the Altoid boxes and labeled them and organized my odds and ends.

I love being organized!

Well, back to sewing.....I pulled all my neutrals that I used for my backgrounds and prayed that I had enough to make my scrappy border. (It's only been a 29-month BOM!! and did I know what I wanted to do for my borders 29 months ago?...Nooooooo)

There wasn't a lot, but I did get enough cut that should cover all four borders and I didn't use all of these fabrics either.  Once I get this quilt laid out somewhere that I am able work all the way around  and place scrappy pieces in their places, then I will cut and sew.  Once the borders are made,  then I can start my applique.  In the picture above of all my odds and ends, you will see my freezer paper leaves that are just about ready to be placed on green fabric.  These are the leaves for just one side of the border.  Thank goodness I have almost ALL my cherries made for the borders. 

Beyond the Cherry Tree blocks are all done.

These blocks are 25 months worth.



One more month and I will have all four patterns for the four sides worth of borders. 

First I need to find the original pattern to see if I need to trim these blocks and then get them sewn together.  I plan on doing a scrappy border, so want to get these sewn up so that I know what to put where. 

Below is my final layout.  It just wasn't the best picture I could get of the blocks (like above).

I tried not to get "like" backgrounds too close to each other, not too many vases close to each other, not too many wreaths close to each other and tried to keep the blocks that read a lot of "red" too close to each other.  I think I did a decent job; of course you know once I get it all sewn together I am going to wish I had moved one or more blocks.  Oh well. 

Almost all my cherries for the four borders are made and I have started tracing out the leaves on my freezer paper.  I, also, need to makes yards of stems.   But I think once I get busy on the borders, it won't take too long.  I am so anxious to see this quilt come to fruition.  It's been a long 29 months. 

My last block is done.

I just completed #25  for the Beyond the Cherry Trees block of the month.  It's been a long haul. 

I have been trying to figure out how to make a mosaic of all 25 of my blocks, not only to show you, but so that I can easily see the layout of them.  Since I did them with a scrappy background, I want the look with the different backgrounds to be well dispersed, but as of yet, I haven't been able to figure it out.  I don't know that I have enough floor space to lay all of these out...let alone get a good picture of them laid out either. 

We'll see what I can come up with. 

Now onto the borders. 



Another Beyond the Cherry Tree block is done...or is it?

That little bird flying off in the distance is supposed to be in the upper right hand corner of the block, but it would be a tight squeeze, so I haven't decided if I am going to put it on or not.

I showed you a sneak peek of this block in my last post, but I had to make more cherries.

They are time consuming, but I do enjoy the process.

This is block #21 out of a series of 25.  I only have one more block to make and then on to the borders.

So, I had better get busy

Another one bites the dust.....

My 23rd Beyond the Cherry Tree block is complete.

It looked like this on the 27th of December.

and since it wasn't a very difficult block, I finished it up late (very late) on December 30.

Here's a couple close ups of the two different colorways for the flowers.

Block #21 is prepped as far as the freezer paper is concerned.  I will pick out my fabrics for each piece and get busy on it. 

Block #25 will be coming soon (patterns are offered up on the 10th of the month)  and then the center of this quilt can be put together.  It has been a long time coming. 

The border patterns are being offered one side a month.  I have three of those patterns, but I won't be working on them until the center is done.  Saying that, I don't feel so far behind on this quilt. 

It's been a long 29 month block of the month.  In the end, this quilt is going to be well worth it though. 

Here's wishing everyone a Happy New Year!

December 27, 2011

Wow....time is flying and I haven't had a chance with all the holiday preparations to get back in here and share a few things with you. 

First off, I have to thank Sharon for the wonderful blog prize that I won and it got here just in time for Christmas. 

This magnet (or should I say, several magnets) is such a great prize.  I for one was not able to attend the big Red and White quilt exhibit in New York, but this nearly makes up for it.  You can visit Sharon's blog here....http://grassrootsquilting.blogspot.com/  Thank you Sharon.  I feel so lucky!

For one of my gifts from one of my quilty friends (Nancy), I received the Cheryl Ann's design wall.  I put it up yesterday and thought I would try it out with my Beyond the Cherry Tree blocks.  This is what I have accomplished so far. 

I am a bit behind, but life has been a little crazy around here.  I will get caught up though.  This isn't going to be one of those quilts that gets put away indefinitely.

I, also, want to share the gift that my son made for his sister and her new husband.  It actually is a belated wedding present that he has been working on, but his life has been busy, too.

This is a maple TV cabinet.  It is his design and all made by hand.  The glass looks a little funky on the picture, but it is one of those glasses that looks like water.  He has made a few beautiful pieces of furniture and this is just his hobby.  Always good to have a man around that can produce beautiful furniture like this. 

Well, I am headed off to the sewing room today. It's been ages that I have had the time to do this, so I need to take advantage. 

If I don't get back in here, I wish every one of you a Happy New Year and may 2012 be a happy and prosperous one for all of us. 

Beyond the Cherry Trees progress

Over at my sister blog....Beyond the Cherry Trees (http://beyondthecherrytree.blogspot.com/), Sharon has suggested that those of us who are working on this block of the month show all of our blocks together at whatever point we are.  The idea was to help keep us motivated since the end of the BOM is drawing near. 

I have 18 blocks completed. There are 25 in total with a very involved border that has LOTS of cherries.   

I have one that is almost done and I think 3 or 4 that I am behind in.  Seeing them altogether definitely motivates me to get caught up and stay caught up.  I want this quilt really bad. 

Anyways, keep checking back at Beyond the Cherry Trees blog as there hopefully will be many more participants sharing their progress. 

Working on the Cherry Tree BOM again

I have been lax when it comes to working on my Cherry Tree blocks and I am behind, but one of the things holding me back on this block (#15)  was how I wanted to do this layered flower that was front and center on this block.  The last thing I wanted was to have five layers to the flower and then have to stitch it to a background that consisted of a vase AND the background of the block.  (I managed to only have two layers to the flower)

Well, I have ruminated long enough and came up with this little tutorial on how I managed to get this flower done so that I can complete the block.  I have posted the whole tutorial over at the Cherry Tree blog here.....  http://beyondthecherrytree.blogspot.com/

#16 Cherry Tree block and thread.....

I finally got another block of the Cherry Trees done.

I know...they look like grapes, but I am sticking with the red and green theme of this quilt (with just a smattering of rosey shades as of late).  Of course, there ARE red grapes, right?

This block, also, requires some embroidery stems, but because I made my cherries slightly bigger, I am not so sure that I am going to bother with the embroider since there isn't much room now.  Of course, that is something I can always do a little later.

Another thing I wanted to discuss with you is silk thread.  While at the AQS show in Paducah I had taken a block to work on and I had only about a yard of green silk thread left on my spool, so my mission was to find green thread in a vendor's booth.  You can ask Sandy over at http://sewthisismyblog.blogspot.com/ ......I got carried away.

I bought three spools ....all in about the same shade of green that I am using for the Cherry Tree blocks.   I won't be running out soon. 

Anyways, I bought Clover, Kimono and YLI.  These are all different from what I usually use.  Tire is the one I usually go for.  So far from the new ones I have tried the Clover and Kimono.  I like them both, but the Kimono one is really nice. 

So....what kind of thread do you use for your applique and why?  I would really like to know. 

Because of the 17-Day Diet

This is what I am working on to keep me busy.

It's my grape vine block from the Beyond the Cherry Trees BOM.  

Now back to the diet thing. This  is what  I started today.

Why? Well, it all has to do with the wedding that is coming up next month for my daughter.  I bought a very form fitting dress and when I went to the alterations gal, I wore my Spanx to get that smoothe fit.  WELL!!!  By the time I drove the 15-20 minutes to get to her house, my arms were numb, I could barely breathe and I am thinking...hey!  I want to be able to sit and EAT at my own daughter's wedding.  Anyways....I have decided to do without the Spanx and not that I NEED to lose any weight, but I wouldn't mind getting rid of that "roll" that seems to be right in the "middle" of me!  So......I have done the big "healthy food shopping" thing  and started the "diet" this morning.  I am dying.  I need to keep busy. 

Several of the gals at work are on this diet and let me tell you, the weight loss is amazing and it happens quickly.  I'll be happy with 5-8 lbs.....maybe 10.  With 5, my dress should be good as long as what I lose is that "roll" and nothing else.  

Anyways, back to the grapevine.  I am going to make my grapes red to go along with all my other cherry tree blocks and I have tallied up how many grapes/cherries I need for this block.

There are a couple sizes of grapes, so I have tallied how many of each by highlighting the smaller ones.  So I am going to start cutting out circles of fabric and get them prepared so that I can just stitch away and get this rather busy block done. 

It's kind of a cruel twist of fate that I am trying to avoid thinking of food, yet I need to make grapes for this block.  Really....that is just cruel.   

Happy Mother's Day.

No better way to spend the day than to see your kids, grandkids and your own mom, but the next best thing is to find the time to get into your sewing room and that is what I did and where I finished up #18 block of Beyond the Cherry Trees (BTCT).

The only thing holding me back on this block (which was #3 of my five blocks prepped) was the centers of the flowers.  I had to make something like 1/2" circle templates....which after all, I did not do.....because....while in Paducah, I was watching this lady demonstrate  how she did her applique on circle templates and then when she went to show it again, she used a "hole punch" and boy did my ears and eyes perk up.  Why didn't I think of this before?

So upon coming home, I ran to the nearest craft store and bought myself a 3/4" punch and I am still looking for a really good 5/8" punch as well (all so that I can move onto the next ...and what I think of as the most tedious block which has 100 or more circles or as some would call them either grapes or cherries).  I have been putting off this block because of all the different sizes of cherries/grapes that are needed.  Now, I have ordered my 1" circle templates from Paper Piecers  in the past and love them, but for this next block, I really don't need 100 or more of each size, so this seemed to me to be the next best thing.  Anyways...... I punched out these circles from the cardboard insert  of my Hanes pantyhose (yes.....I still wear pantyhose AND I save the cardboard inserts for templates!)  and I made the four flower centers from those and they worked out just great!  I am so excited.  I may not be putting off the cherry/grape block too much longer.  Just need to find that 5/8" punch.

Of course, now the only thing that is going to hold me back on working on the next BTCT block is that the wedding quilt came back from the quilter on Friday.....so......I need to put on something like 460" of binding.  That quilt is so big that I haven't even seen this quilt as a  whole.  But, the binding needs to be put on and I need to call it a day on that quilt.  I have a little over a month before it needs to be done, but this is one project I CANNOT procrastinate on.  So....you may not see me post again until I come up for air from underneath the "wedding quilt".  Unless, I need a break.  ;D

It pays to prep ahead of time.

Being behind on my block of the month, I thought it wise to prep all five of my blocks while I had the time. What I am finding out is that when the stitching bug hits me, all I have to do is sit down and stitch. 

Novel idea, right?

Well, I checked back on my last post and it has only been four days since I finished the last block.

Block #19 is now done, too. 

That's pretty quick for me.  I mean, there has been work, there's been shopping and Easter all within those four days, so I am thinking that all my prep work has paid off. 

I'll have to remember that the next time.  yeah, right.....I am usually not that organized, but it is a good thought.

I have my next block all picked out to work on, but it is going to go into my suitcase.  I am heading to Paducah via St. Louis. 

I am meeting up with my friend Sandy who lives in St. Louis

http://sewthisismyblog.blogspot.com/

and we are driving to Paducah and meeting up with a bunch of friends there to enjoy the big AQS show.  It's the 27th annual show.  I have been there a couple times and it is well worth going to if you have never been there before. 

http://www.americanquilter.com/shows_contests/paducah/2011/general_info/

I don't have a quilt in the show this year, but I can always dream!

I'll see you when I get back and with some pictures, too, I am sure.

#17 Cherry Trees is done.

This is the first of my five prepped blocks that I just completed.  I picked an easy one just to get some quick satisfaction....and it is satisfying to see my pile a little smaller. 

Now I am going to pick out the next easiest one just to get another one  done.  I feel like I am on a roll. 

See you soon.

Getting some stuff done.

Finally getting to some of my own quilting.  Everything had been on hold since I was working on the wedding quilt.

I have five blocks prepped and ready to stitch for the Beyond the Cherry Tree Quilt Album (that's how far behind I am).

#15 through #19 have all the pieces (or almost all) glue basted down with Roxanne's glue.  These aren't in any specific order.

This next one requires numerous cherries/grapes and from what I have heard there are over a hundred. 

This next one doesn't have all its pieces glued down as there are way too many and some of them are layered so  I didn't want them falling off while I was working on the block. 

In between all this prepping, I made another "star birthday block" for my exchange and it is ready to be mailed. 

What a good feeling to be sewing for myself again.  Just maybe I can make a dent in my sewing room that seems to have been ignored for quite some time. 



Hope to be back soon with a finished block.....or two.