RING that bell!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am not sure that I am HAPPY to see the end of those spring samplers, but  - OH who am I kidding - I am so GLAD they are DONE - well almost done. Have a look...................

Let's begin the saga where I left off the other day.

 See the stem on the left flower - it is on the WRONG side. 

Ripped the stem off - now remember that stem is appliqued onto the background so not so easy to add a new piece. I just grabbed what I had and sewed it on.

Then TURNED the stem in the right orientation. Looks good to me!!!!!

Resewed the leaf on. Yes - there are joins - I don't care!!!!!

I got that flower block done and sewn into the quilt. Now it is time to sew the top row to the quilt.

After sewing the birdhouse block to the umbrella and tulips - I see that the row is TOO SHORT!!!!!!!!   By this time - I am just laughing because I am thinking what else can possibly go wrong!!!!!

Hmmmm - I find this fabric in the pattern - so I could sew that in. Well when I got looking through the stuff for the other bird house block - I found a pre-cut strip of the SAME blue background. So...............

The last row got sewn on. But NOT before I had to take the birdhouse block OFF and sew the strip of background between the birdhouse blocks and the flowers/umbrella

Whew - ONE of the spring samplers is DONE - well except for the borders.


So onto the LAST block.

Here are the bits that I have to make the birdhouse block

Let's spread those pieces out - OH OH - I see that dark blue with those corners cut - that doesn't look good (and in fact I had to find a new square)

And we are NOT talking big pieces. See that tiny blue square - that is NOT a scrap

See how the little pieces are constructed. Stitch and flip MANY times on each section

Here is the final wing section

Then when I go to sew the bird together - I am missing TWO pieces of background to go around the top of the wings. ARE YOU KIDDING ME??????   

Well - I could take the long piece from the right, cut the two missing pieces and then use that bluebird fabric for the long strip. Perfect!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Then after I got that sewn together, I got to thinking - I still had a small scrap left over from that long piece. I could do this.................

YES - I ripped out that stained piece from beside the birdhouse and put the new piece in. Oh yes - this is the quilt that just doesn't give up!!!!!!!!!!!!!!   A true struggle to the bitter end. 

Then last night when I was sitting doing some embroidery, I noticed something on the table. OH SERIOUSLY???????

Remember I had a small bag with some odd bits and I had no idea where they belonged????   Well I found those two missing blue background pieces!!!!!!    HOWEVER - I am glad that I was able to replace the stained piece so not that big of a deal. Just one more COMEDY OF ERRORS on this quilt!!!!!

While I was doing the last of that sewing and starting on the borders - I needed an ender/leader project so I just HAD to dig out the winter sampler. I know - shoot me in the head!!!!!!!!!!

And this is what it looked like when I pulled it out!!!!!!!!   A HUGE mess of pre-cut strips. 

OH - here are the TWO spring samplers - DONE DONE DONE - well they are missing the borders!!!!!!!!

Ah - here they are with the FIRST border on - looking GREAT

And here they are - the TWO spring samplers - DONE DONE DONE!!!!!!!!!!!   - Well ...................

RING THAT BELL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!    And I did!!!!!!

I got the embroidery done on the umbrellas, cut the circles for the yo-yos, but there is still the yo-yos to make, embroidery for the butterfly and ladybug antennae and the bunny faces. So there is still a couple of hours left to finish those silly tops.  And I will go through my stash and find the appropriate beads and buttons so all the stuff to finish it will be with the quilt tops. 

Oh yes - I have to say that even though the outer border fabric was DIRECTIONAL - I did NOT make a mistake. Well - maybe I did and I didn't notice it!!!!!!!!!!!  I think there is enough of that fabric left to make the binding and I found a piece of UGLY purple floral in my stash that is JUST big enough for one of the backings. Will try to find another UGLY purple for the backing of the other one. Wasn't something that I would likely every use on a quilt top so that is good!!!!!!!!!!!


Well might as well keep working on the winter sampler since I have started!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Back to work on the snowman blocks

Even got to use my Easy Angle ruler to cut off part of that block so it could get set on point. 

I found LOTS of bits and pieces that were already cut and sewn so it won't take much to get these two guys together. 

Aren't you glad I am done those silly samplers??????   I can't believe how much trouble they caused me. I hope the winter ones won't be as bad?????   I know that not all the pieces are cut so it will take long. Good grief!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Got MORE stuff to catch up on - but will post it separately.

On that note - have a great day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ciao!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!