Monday, July 25, 2011

Design Wall Monday #27

This has been one of the hottest weeks I can remember and everything is brown from the heat and lack of rain. I have almost abandoned my garden. There are a few carrots and 3 green pepper plants, lots of tomato plants (but not many tomatoes on them) and 1 crazy zucchini plant that is taking over the world. **Less gardening time = more quilting time!**
So I have been working on my BeAttitudes blocks and look what's on my design wall today...all 12 blocks are finished! This is quite an accomplishment for me, since I have been working on these blocks for 3 years! There are a few embellishments to add but all the eyes are sewn on, and the buttonhole stitching is DONE! This shows the order of the blocks according to the pattern, but I am going to switch the October and November blocks to reflect the Canadian Thanksgiving in October (for the "Be Grateful" block), and Remembrance Day on November 11th (for the "Be Forgiving" block).
I am trying not to be critical of the colour choices I made in some of the blocks....like the blue in the "Be Smart" block meeting the blue in the "Be Joyful" block. I just made each block on it's own without checking what colour it would sit beside in the quilt, so "that's life in the random lane"!
It was odd to be sewing the Santa block while in the middle of a summer heat wave, but maybe it helped me to stay cooler? I did not enjoy the fiddley buttonhole stitching on the stars or candy cane, and am so happy to be done with that!
These are the 4 fabrics for the borders, but you can probably guess that I don't want to sew 4 borders! The thought of it could drive this quilt into UFO land! If you don't hear about this quilt again, please ask me and remind me that it really doesn't NEED any borders, but it does NEED to be finished!
To see other quilt design walls, visit Patchwork Times.

18 comments:

Debbie said...

I was just wondering a few days ago if I had missed some updates on this while on my expedition. (Got this pattern in my stash too...and the buttons....and the fabric.)I know how tedious the button hole stitch is to make around all those points! It looks awesome...put those borders on it now!

Cathy said...

It looks wonderful! It was worth the 3 year work time.

Janet O. said...

Great quilt! Worth the time it has taken. I'm with you on reducing the borders--though they often add life to a quilt, they can also kill my enthusiasm for a finish. Such a cute quilt doesn't need much in the way of borders, don't you think? : )

Happy Quilter said...

It's beauitful, please finish it. Just a simple binding and it's done. Hand it and enjoy!

Sally Ann said...

It's wonderful Kathy! it was well worth the wait to see the finished product!

Dresden Quilter said...

It has turned out so wonderfully. I have many of these fabrics and after having seen your quilt I bought myself the pattern. I will have to remember to change the blocks around too.

Diane said...

oh good for you! I've been toying with the idea of finally starting this one (at least get the fusible marked), while the work is being done here, but it hasn't happened. I guess I have enough to do already. but soon, I say, soon!
I don't think I've commented yet that I LUV your header picture. My computr is dying a slow and painful, for me, death so commenting is hit or miss. today seems to be a good day.

YankeeQuilter said...

It's your quilt and you can do what you want to...

I started this quilt too but it got packed away during a move and never resurfaced! Someday perhaps...

Mary Johnson said...

Good for you! My same blocks have been on the design wall since we got back from vacation and I haven't touched them.

scraphappy said...

Borders seem to catalyze UFOs for me too! Great work on getting it to this stage though, that is a lot of buttonholing. It looks great and nobody but you would be bothered by the same fabrics being next to each other.

AnnieO said...

All 12 done--that is a great amount of work represented there Kathy! Love the colors and the details, so glad you kept at it. Maybe if you halve the borders, you can call it finished at two :)

Silverthimble said...

I love the blocks! Why not consider using one of those 4border fabrics to sash the blocks--then it wouldn't matter that the two blues meet. (If it bothers you of course.) That would be a way to make one less border and still get in those wonderful 4 fabrics you have there for this project.

Alycia~Quiltygirl said...

That is adorable cute!! Maybe the Santa block will bring on some cool for you?

Jeanne said...

Way to go, Kathy! I've always loved these little quilts.

Khris said...

Awesome blocks Kathy....but the owl has to be the best one ;-)
Hugs Khris

Ellen said...

The blocks look great and thankfully I happen to like random. My quilts are often "very" random! I like quilts with and without borders - I think it would look great either way.

Kate said...

Congrats on getting the blocks all sewn. It will be a gorgeous quilt when it's all done (even if it only has one border!).

Mary said...

I love everything about this quilt. I am so glad you finished it and shared it with us.