SCRAPPY STAR RISE

                                                  SCRAPPY STAR RISE SO FAR.....
                                             This definitely will be a long-term adventure....

I am building this one on 6" muslin squares and totally enjoying
string sewing once again....(and I will not be putting any other batting between front and back--)

I am using all small strings and triangles and bits and bobs to fill
the bill for these in deep dark blues and pale white/blue/pinks.
AND............

here are my baskets of culled pieces I've been pawing through....

Set to the right of my sewing machine and near my makeshift ironing spot....

                                and I am still plugging away by hand on these every evening....
I have 7 done--five to go....

I can finish about 1/3rd to 1/2 of a circle each evening depending on the state of
my wrist/thumb issues; but, I am totally enjoying this big stitching....

Hugs, Julierose, 
La Blageuse (stripping-euse) lol ;)))

OASIS IN THE RAIN ET AL

Oasis is a flimsy; it no longer fits on my design wall with Star Rise..so
my "helper" is holding it for me...(measuring 41" wide and 49"+/- long).

It is resting on my dining table right now until I decide whether or not to border it and what to use for the backing...

This morning I finally found an ironing board--just an inexpensive,
 plain, old simple, but metal--
(you know my track record with plastic lol) board from Target.

("Tar-zhay" as Mom always called it ). 

Here is my very favorite  block (they are all nice patterns, but I love this trailing flower viney thing):

I think it is a succulent [something "beads??]--yummy anyway....

And on the Dresden front:

I have hand quilted the first one...using white regular quilting thread for the spokes and perle cotton (Valdani) for the background...

I will need to add more of the perle cotton quilting, but am waiting until I square up all the blocks; for now, three rows of echo quilting...
This is my evening tv project...

And Star Rise is coming along (pray tell, and how did I end up working on
THREE quilts all at the same time?? I think they got together and snuck up on me lol);000

Here is my working area to the right of my machine...

All these strips are leftovers {and a lovely selection from Dawn--thanks hon
;))) }
Here are some of my favorites...

Those Winter-ey branches with silver sparks, clouds, and stylized flowers--
AND

the Asian waves, deep blue roses and batik leaf shadows....

I am trying to take it slowly and enjoy these processes...
Hugs from "mizzling" CT
Julierose, La Blageuse (triple playing-euse)

SECOND GIFT QUILT STARTED & EASTER VISIT

Here's the start of my Snowball Four-Patch quilt that I will be gifting to a special
someone....(Shhhh)
I just love this line of fabric--- "Oasis";)))
the "snowballs are a very pale blue and I haven't decided whether to just quilt them or add some applique flowers...

All the 4-patches are made and I am "snowballing" the blues...the blocks measure 8 1/2" each.  

****************************************************

Our Easter was wonderful here; all my children and grandchildren came for dinner.

these decided to bloom and also

these lovelies...

Just in time to greet:

My son, Jeff, his wife Lindsay, and the two girls: Fiona (green dress) and
Willa in pink...

And here are my daughter's four children--my, they are growing up fast!!
they are all taller than their Grand-mere (admittedly not hard to do lol):

(L to R) Steven (17 and college bound this Fall), Connor and Greg ( 14--the twins),
and darling Cassidy...(16 ).

We had such a special day--Thom and I were so happy they all could come and we could spend this Easter together--who knows where we will all be in the next few years....
As you can see we were able to be outside on the deck for a while--until the cold breeze off the ocean sent us back in....

I am thankful for the blessing of such a terrific family...;)))

**********************************************************************
On my quilt scene.....
The Dresden Plates are coming along well, 5 more to applique before I begin to big stitch
them separately, block by block..

I used Warm and Natural batting squares to ready them for Quilt As You Go

Here are the 1st three all appliqued; I had to take  them down to make room for the Snowball
 4-patches...
My design wall seems to be ever-changing lately...
I am enjoying the simple applique on these--it is good practice for an applique-challenged
Grand-mere...as..........

I would like to make  two seasonal wall pieces depicting Summer and Spring
to alternate with my Fall and Winter ones in my dining room using applique. 

Thinking about some Dresden flower pots (a la Jenny at MSQ)
as I really enjoy this pattern...for Spring --

and, for Summer--perhaps an ocean landscape--I've always wanted to 
make a landscape piece...

Today and tomorrow will be errand days for us; so, probably not much quilting,
although I can most likely sneak in some more applique while watching the Red Sox tonight...(they should be called "Baseball Plates" ROTFLOL!!)

Hugs,
Julierose, La Blageuse (happy that Spring has sprung-euse)

BACKING FOUND

I scoured my stash all day yesterday-(my sore back and calves from squatting to reach those lower shelves attest to that! )

and as a last resort looked in my Oriental pile..thinking...

now just how desperate am I to find the right backing???

 

It surely couldn't be anything in here................ and, and

AND, lo and behold!! Wowzers!  Look at this!! 

YUP--"The Emperor's Garden" by Maywood--a very old

2 yard piece (and I never buy 2 yds--or almost never--of anything!! lol) 

of this yummy fabric...

My gift recipient likes neutrals, nothing raucous or loud...

And so, this is my idea of perfection...Not too busy but with a little 

something going on in the background, and a bit of richness to it...

I had just enough, with maybe a small 2" piece left over,  

to cut (12) fifteen inch squares--

which I will trim and cut down after I hand applique them..AND

then I will add the batting behind and do big stitch in an echo pattern...

PHEW--I was really thinking last night--(getting frantic, actually)

why did I opt to use this charm pack--

NOTHING but nothing goes with it and it is not available ANYMORE!!!

                    Here's a closer look at this pretty fabric

...a really nice cocoa color that blends with all

those hues in my plates...

Can I tell you just how happy this makes me? 

{time out for yet another "Happy Dance Fest!! LOL}

Isn't it funny how you just KNOW when you've discovered the "RIGHT" fabric?

And how it's a true gift to find it in YOUR OWN STASH, calling your name

"Here I am, over here, underneath all these "Oooff" get offa me--

 others that are NOT RIGHT!!"

 

As my hubster said: "It doesn't take

much to make you happy!" He has NO IDEA!!!;))))

Hugs from your happy

Julierose, La Blageuse (lucky-euse)

EARLY APRIL GARDEN, et al

HYACINTHS emerging...

Lavender made it through the winter...

Daffodils coming up....

these are those little short tulips (forget what they are..) poking up through my Blue rug Junipers that are spreading like crazy...

finally, my hydrangea is budding out..a bit, too....
too early for my lilies or mums and even my iris is slow...

It has been so windswept and cold here...

I am hoping this rain will push things along....
We are in need of some warmth and sunshine...

On the quilt scene: I have finished the 12 Dresdens and tried putting them up on the backing I had chosen--
                                            N O T gonna happen, 

that tan color just makes them die...so, I am looking for a fabric that will make them shine...not so easy with these muted colors on white....

I pulled a reddish, cranberry one, but I think it will overpower them...

And so, this project has come to a screeching halt; 
I will have to take bits of all the fabrics with me to my fabric place 
and see what I can find....I don't even like the centers I had chosen..

I find that this seems to happen to me all the time....does it to you???

In the meanwhile, I began my 2nd surprise gift lap quilt as a leader ender to
the Star Rise {which has moved to the first place from leader-ender ;)))} ...
and more on this subject.....

My friend Dawn sent me a whole BOX of deep, rich blues to 
enchance my paltry stash...thank you Dawn, that was so sweet and generous...
can't wait to incorporate them...I am petting them now...;)))

My grandson just left JFK on his European trip with his High School Jazz Band
this afternoon; I will admit that I  am a bit nervous about it all,
fingers crossed all will go well for them...our world is an unsettling
place these days....

hugs from rainy, gray gray gray CT
Julierose, La Blageuse (Star Rise-euse-ing) 

SERVICE FOR 12

All 12 plates are done...I'll need to re-arrange them, of course, but my shoulders would not allow me to reach up to do it this morning..;000.
Now I can remove them and work on cutting the backing squares and centers....

In the meantime, my leader-ender Star is coming along too;)))

   

                    They are just rising and you can see swathes of pinks from the sunsetting..

All of these fabrics are LEFTOVERS...strips and strings, bits and bobs...I have separated them into two baskets and am
cutting as I go...

I think you can see the star points in this smaller picture....so loving this type of sewing...
                     ("String along with me, I'm on my way to the Stars...") .
{File under Songs for All Occasions....}lol

Rain, rain and more rain here; our chimney is leaking a little onto my little bookcase that houses all my "STUFF" in our tv room...we will have to call our guy to come and re-caulk it...not too bad though, and nothing damaged as I was up early and able to put out a bowl to catch the drips...
But, it's always something, right?? could be worse....;))))

Hugs to all of you,
Julierose, La Blageuse (Star shine-euse)

SUNDAY DINNER

The "place setting" so far.... this rainy and still cold really, Sunday; I have been working on my Dresden Plates.  

I need to cut more wedges now....but the old shoulder issue has reared its
ugly head again...so I will be using the Corn Bag that the amazing  Colette so kindly made for me to soothe it....;))) it works so well...
thanks again Colette....

AND..... reading, or rather, re-reading, (I do that a lot as I cannot
seem to find many good books lately) a P.D. James book: 
"Death of an Expert Witness". I love her Adam Dalgleish series....

I have also been browsing Missouri Star video tutorials for the 2nd secret
lap quilt I plan on making...I like the "Snowball Four Patch" the best so far and
the "Periwinkle" quilt (but,  this Periwinkle has tons of little pieces...hmmm)

I will be making pork fried rice for my hubby for his dinner with some leftover pork chops...I will be having a S A L A D yet  AGAIN!!  ;((((, 
BUT............ I have lost 3.5 lbs this past week, 
so onward and 
"DOWN"ward I hope..... LOL

Hugs, 
Julierose, La Blageuse (Dresden-euse)