Lollypop Trees

I'm finally posting the full picture of my Lollypop Trees quilt, (well, it will be a quilt once I get it quilted) the pattern designed by Kim McLean. I recently joined the blog, Glorious Applique, and posted it over there. If you've not been to that blog, you should visit - all applique projects by Kim McLean using some fabulous fabrics, not only by Kaffe but many other inspiring choices.The quilt is so large I could barely get it all in the picture and had to stand out in the foyer. I enjoyed every stitch taken. Btw, I think they have greatly improved the pattern from when I bought it 3 years ago. It was half a pattern and the circles were hand-drawn. My friend, Ille Waters, and I remedied that by making our tracing overlays and using Staedtler plastic circles for our templates.
Here are some close-ups for a better view. One of my favorites was the pastel block above.
If you want a long-term project with very easy applique, this is the one for you! So fun!

Flower Pots - Block 2

I finished my second block of Flower Pots by Kim McLean and have now moved on to a side border with a vase of flowers. I enjoy working with 'happy fabrics' that make me smile!

I thought today might be the first day of Fall but according to my calendar, we have to wait until the 23rd this year - not sure about that. When I was growing up it was always the 21st and now it varies. I enjoy the cool mornings that are great for walking in the neighborhood - here in the south that means 60 degrees, yet it is still in the nineties in the afternoon. I don't recall a summer staying so warm for so long. I'm ready for some cooler days! Happy Stitching!

Flower Pots

This is my first completed block of Flower Pots, another beautiful quilt designed by Kim McLean, using many Kaffe Fassett fabrics. I love the way all the colors interact even when you might not put them together on your own!! Fun and simple to do. This pattern is from Glorious Color, along with many others by Kim.

Lollypop Trees Coming Together

I have been working on the borders and sashing of my Lollypop Trees for over a week now. June is usually a slow month for longarm quilting so it gives me a chance to put in extra hours for my own quilts which is nice. I had to cut 600+ squares for the borders and sashing on this quilt.

It was fun going back through all the colorful fabrics I used and then separating them out so I could get my squares in order. Think there is about 75 rectangles in the border going between all those baby blocks I saved til last.

Here are the border rows being put together on my design wall. Then sewing, then being sure these hundreds of squares will line up properly and the seam allowances will butt up against each other for a flat quilt. Oh, yes, and then I had to decide, will I SID (stitch in ditch) in the lollypop blocks? That adds another dimension to the pressing because pressing against all those seam allowances is not near as easy as pressing towards the background fabric, but, I decided I wanted a defined line so I pressed towards the sashing and squares.

Here I have pieces hanging all around my room - even on the longarm bars. It is a fascinating quilt to me, though, and the colors and fabrics and very simple shapes are what drew me to it. Such easy needle-turn applique!!

Here are some blocks displayed as they are being sewn together. Maybe in a week I'll have the top completed, but I'm going to need a simple quilt project to work on for a while after this.