ambitions ...

As I blogged earlier, june is my month of the Ringo Pie Bee. My theme is in the summertime ... and I have been working on a few ideas for designing my block.

One of my favorite things to do is spending a few hours reading ...

in the hammock in our tiny front garden...

smelling the flowers (lavender bush) and watching the occasional butterfly...

fluttering by ...

I might be in trouble now. Aiming high (refering to skills in paperpiecing design & execution). But there's wonderful blocks being created in the bee, and I would like to show that I'm into the task myself...

This sketch is what I'm working from: reading - barefoot - butterflies

Drawing the hammock proved difficult. The feet, too. I am quite worried about actually piecing them. Might end up with no feet and a few butterflies?

Summer is more of a concept than reality, right now. Cold with a sprinkling of rain. Good weather for sewing ...

; )

Do you ever show your plans for sewing, or do you think that is asking for trouble? My excuse is temporary insanity due to the creative wibe in the bee!

( it will take me some time to accomplish this block, since I think I'll have to make two - one for my friend who also suggested reading in a hammock ... ambitions, ambitions...)

another june finish

So today is summer solstice, the longest and lightest evening of the year. I have finished my sunny vintage bars quilt, and can enjoy it as a decoration for our dining room on our 6th wedding anniversary. This is a very romantic quilt to me, soft, pretty, delicate water color flower prints in sunny yellows and pale pink. Very simple layout, just letting these bigger pieces of fabric speak for them selves...

These fabrics were gifted to me from a generous friend. It is a gift that I appreciate very much.

This one finished at 60" * 74", beautiful quilted by a longarm on a soft Quilters dream batting. The back is shades of yellow. Very simple and classic. For the binding I used my last stripes from the Dream On line, combining pink and yellow to make do.

A few close ups...

These vintage sheets are soft and worn, not always 100% cotton. I was relieved to see how well they took the longarm quilting.

Wish you all some sunshine today!

june finish ...

First of all I want to say a big THANK YOU for sharing your ideas for "In the summertime" in my previous post!

I have an idea slowly brewing for the block. Slowly being the key word...

But I have been busy with a couple of other projects. Inspired by Carla and Jenny, I set out to finish my cross quilt.

Adding a row and a column to increase the size to 54" * 66".

Piecing a backing. Selecting a solid pink to go with the added cross blocks.

Pin basting and organic lines quilting on Quilters Dream Select cotton batting.

And finally, with help from the man with long arms, taking some outdoor pictures between the rain showers...

Very happy to have a finish!

These cross blocks were so fun to make, I think there will be another cross quilt in the future. The only thing to remember is to allow at least an extra 1.5 " or 2" on the starter squares, to make the process a bit easier.

Crossing this one of the list...

; )

you got mail ...

... soon, Ayumi. Just a bit of flying ahead of me ...

Ok, maybe I sound silly, but it is my first original paper pieced block design. So a bit of twittering is ok, I think.

The Ringo Pie {a Patchwork Bee} girls are good at making challenging themes for their month's blocks. May theme was "delivering letters and packages". It took a few attempts and a bit hair-pulling to come up with a good idea.

Inspired by Harry Potter and Sarah, I decided to make a carrier pigeon... started sketching, numbering the pieces, trying to incorporate the beak and the letter. Not easy!

Being a bit late, I started making the block, designing as I pieced. The beak and the letter was solved by using a bit of 3D and adding a separate unit.

June is my month of this bee. My theme is

"in the summertime... things you look forward to, and things you enjoy doing"

I have a few ideas, maybe another paper pieced design is called for? It has to be simple, though!

Summer is still not here, and it's june already. I guess dreaming of summer is as good as it gets these days. Please share with me, what is your favorite activity "in the summertime...". If I use your idea in my bee block, I promise, I will make one for you, too...

; )

... pretty please ...

; ) ; ) ; )