Dearest Lavender Feathered Square, Honeycomb & Orphans

I’ve been on bit of a roll with my Dearest Lavender blocks. I’ve completed the Feathered Square...

...the Honeycomb...

...and I've been putting some borders on a couple of orphan blocks to bring them up to the required 10"...

My friends have finished all of their blocks and are finishing off their Dearest Boy quilts: 

Cathy

Karen

Julie

'Til next time

Carole

Dearest Lavender Crossed Canoes & Caesar’s Crown blocks

Catching up on a couple of Dearest Lavender blocks, a variation on Crossed Canoes...

...and Caesar’s Crown.

I have completely lost all confidence in the original Dearest Boy pattern and have drafted these blocks myself just to make sure everything fits. This partly explains why I'm so behind - starting a new project also doesn't help :D

Lavender and Bruce are thinking it’s getting pretty muddy around the shed but they’re still hopeful of getting some of Hettie's leftovers.

'Til next time

Carole

Return to Dear Jane

Thanks to the inspiration of my blogging friend Julie I am returning to work on some blocks for my version of Dear Jane. I am looking at the blocks with a fresh eye and seeing how they can be completed in potentially simple ways. That’s why Brenda Papadakis' book is great as you also get a clear pic of the original block.

For D-1 Alison’s Guiding Light I appliquéd strips over one piece of background rather than piecing it. I’ve also left off the fiddly borders. I know there’s heaps of resources out there on how to construct the different blocks but I’m just going to think about each one as I get to it - good brain training! This approach was encouraged by Brenda when I was lucky enough to meet her and do a workshop at Linda’s Quilts in the Barn. It’s hard to believe that was nearly five years ago!

I have completed 38 blocks (+ a few triangles) and I’m using all blue Liberty fabrics.

I haven’t forgotten about Dearest Lavender but hubby has had to be re-admitted to hospital in Melbourne so these little blocks are easier to prepare and more portable for all those waiting times.

‘Til next time

Carole 

Dearest Lavender tomato block

I digress yet again from the original Dearest Boy pattern which had 4 strawberries, I decided to do 4 tomatoes instead.

I already had strawberries elsewhere in the quilt and I wanted to have tomatoes because I converted Lavender’s pen into a vegetable garden and grew some wonderful tomatoes.

This Lavender in her pen when she was a few months old, with lavender growing in the background - that's how she got her name.

And here is a more recent photo of her, she seems to be approaching the size of my car!

Don't forget to visit my blogging friends for their versions of

Dearest Boy...

Cathy

Karen

Julie

Cheers 'til next time

Carole

Dearest Lavender oak wreath

It’s taken me a couple of months to complete this block as my husband has been very ill.

Dearest Lavender oak wreath block 5A

I changed the placement of the leaves, acorns and berries from the original pattern to make the wreath look symmetrical.

Dearest Boy oak wreath block 5A

Don't forget to check out the Dearest Boy progress of my blogging friends...

Cathy

Karen

Julie

Cheers

Carole

Dearest Lavender vase block

A quick post for my Dearest Lavender quilt. For this block I slimmed down the vase from the original design, added a striped neck and made the berries blueberries.

I'm still running behind but to see other versions of this block please visit:

Cathy

Karen

Julie

Lavender is also a feature in another of my quilts (Reading the Fine Print) that I have started to QAYG.

'Til next time

Carole

Dearest Lavender tumbling blocks & bird block

I enjoyed making the tumbling blocks as it was relatively easy just the placement of the blocks was a bit tricky. I love the secondary effect of the star in the centre.

I’ve also been playing catch up and finished my bird block. I didn’t really fancy the bird in the original so my sister suggested I use a bird from the Home Sweet Home quilt (Blackbird Designs) instead.

After some to-ing and fro-ing with the author and trying to draft the block myself I have temporarily given up on the Live Oak block. Thanks Karen for sending me some clarifying information. I’ll get back to it when I can muster up the courage :D 

Here’s the latest view of the blocks on the design wall, it’s starting to look like a real quilt! That big gap in the centre is just waiting for Lavender.

Don't forget to check out my blogging friends:

Karen 

Julie 

Cathy

Until next time

Carole

Dearest Lavender Live Oak block quandary

Sorry fellow Dearest Boy bloggers but I have sewn one piece of the Live Oak block and I'm not game to proceed any further as it doesn't look right. The diamonds seem too elongated.

There seems to be a discrepancy in the Dearest Boy pattern between the written instructions and the accompanying image. The instructions say to cut the diagonal strips at 2" and the photo has the ruler lined up on the fabric at 1 & 3/4".
Has any one else had problems with this block??

Anyway, in the meantime here is a pic of some of my blocks on the design wall.

And the obligatory cow pic... Dearest Lavender with her mini-me Hettie.

Until next time

Carole

Dearest Lavender Hearts block

The 30th of the month and so it's time for another Dearest Lavender block. I really liked sewing this block because it was all needle-turn appliqué.

The original Dearest Boy pattern called for tiny 1/4" hexagon flowers. I chose to do some fussy cutting instead.

We have adopted another orphaned calf, meet Hettie.

Isn't she cute? 

And here's Lavender and Bruce, eating out of their new Munch Trough - and no, I didn't make that name up :D

Don't forget to visit my blogging friends who are way ahead of me on this quilt:

Karen

Julie

Cathy

Til next time

Carole

Dearest Lavender Pine Burr block

Still catching up with my Dearest Lavender blocks, this is my Pine Burr. I sewed the yellow and green triangles by freezer paper piecing and then hand pieced the large pink border triangles.

On a sad note, we have had to say goodbye to our littlest calf Henry. Despite the vet's best efforts he couldnt be saved.

Until next time

Carole

Dearest Lavender Circle of Trees

Here is my circle of trees block for Dearest Lavender. I used Doreen’s idea of sewing the ring as one piece rather than individual trunks which made it easier.

The original design had an embroidered wreath in the centre but I planted a flower instead :)

Here's a recent pic of the quilt’s namesake with Bruce and Henry in the background.

If you haven't already please visit my blogging friends to see their versions of this block:

Karen

Julie

Cathy

Yikes! I just realised that they finished this block last October! Oh well, better late than never.

Cheers

Carole

Dearest Lavender Little Boys Britches

I wrote this post two days ago and have been very frustrated trying to publish it, Blogger does not sem to want to save or publish from my iPad so Ive now gone to my computer. Anyway I wont bore you with the details. Last year I started to draft the darting minnows block for freezer paper peicing but it all got too hard.

So instead I decided to make Little Boys Britches blocks.

They came together fairly quickly using Linda Collins templates.

Be sure to have a look at my friends blogs in the Dearest Boy sew-along, they're way ahead of me :)

Cathy

Julie

Karen

Cheers

Carole

Dearest Lavender hexie flowers

I maybe behind with the Dearest Boy sew-along but I am posting by the 15th of the month - yay!

Here is my hexie flower block.

The original had embroidered trees in the centre, I decided to use a strawberry print instead.

It can a benefit to be behind as unfortunately there was an error in the pattern. I wrote to the designer and it will be amended but too late for my fellow bloggers who could not fit their 4 hexie flowers into the block:

Cathy

Julie

Karen

Here is the quilt's namesake enjoying a big breakfast.

And a new little calf called Henry with Maggie (Brucey was under the trees somewhere escaping this morning's heat).

Wishing you all the best for 2019

Carole