Wednesday, November 8, 2017

Garden blocks

Hi everyone!  That is an imaginative post title, isn't it?  Sorry, just not feeling witty today, but I certainly am feeling chilly!  It's getting pretty cold, and we may have our first freeze this week, which can come and kill off the nasty bugs and allergens any time it wants to.  Sometimes I miss the real cold, which does a great job of getting rid of the things that make me sneeze.

This week I've been working on the Steps to the Garden blocks again.  I started these at the beginning of this year as a project for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge, but somewhere I fell out of the habit of making them.  When Preeti was over this weekend I pulled them out to show her and looking at all of them again made me excited about this quilt again.  I was going to hold off and finish them between Thanksgiving and Christmas, but I should strike while the iron is hot, right? Here are the newest blocks:


Don't they look good on those leaves?  I took this picture this morning because it rained and rained yesterday, so it's a little washed out in the morning sunshine.  I'll take the sun, though, even at the expense of over-exposed pictures. For some reason, these blocks are easiest to make in pairs, so I managed to make four of them.  I've picked out some pieces for the next few blocks, too.  Here are the rest of what I have so far:


Yep, the new ones will fit right in!  I'm planning 30 blocks for a nice-sized throw quilt, so I'm just over halfway there.  I'm hoping to get this done this year yet, too, so keep your fingers crossed.


And that's what's up in my sewing room right now.  I've really been feeling like I'm failing at it because of everything else that's going on in my life right now, but making these somehow made me more energized.  I've got to remember that!

Finally, just because this is a short post, here are a couple of fall pictures from our property:




Hope all is well out there in blog land!  Stay warm-- winter is coming!

Sharing at Let's Bee Social and soscrappy for RSC17.

24 comments:

Bernie Kringel said...

Another fun quilt Mari - Nice pattern and great scrap buster!
Also, if I may whine a bit.... I am jealous that you and Preeti get to be real life friends and not just bloggy friends. Wah. How fun! ;-)

Ruth said...

There's a lovely softness to the greens. Lovely colours in the morning light!

PugMom said...

Hi Mari
Your blocks look great!! I hope that your allergies are starting to subside.
Pugs and kisses
Nancy

Quiltdivajulie said...

It's been wet and rainy and COLD here, too. The colors are mostly dull here with the exception of a few brilliant trees, but the leaves are falling faster now with the cooler temps and the windy wet.

Theresa said...

Where could I get the pattern for this block, it is beautiful. I live in PA.Hope the weather is being kind to you. Theresa

Jo said...

So what sue blocks are they. All these blocks look really good together. Looks like tiny pieces

Louise said...

I hadn't seen your earlier blocks in this design. It's really cool! Is the block called Steps to the Garden, or is that just what you call it? I wonder if it could be modified to use a jelly roll that I hanging around...

Chopin - A Passionate Quilter said...

My favorite are the green blocks

Mari said...

Thanks Theresa! You are no-reply, but you can find the pattern for this block here: http://academicquilter.blogspot.com/2016/02/intricate-stitches-brown.html

Kate said...

Glad to see you working on the Garden blocks again. Those are going to make such a fun quilt. It's been doing the cold day/warm day here, which is typical for the year. But boy it makes it hard to dress for the day.

Preeti said...

Wow, magic happens when the blocks come together. I am loving this Mari. My favorite is the bright red one in the top row.
I enjoyed every minute of my visit with you. Thanks for the fun, food and fabric :-) It is cold here today and reminiscing my trip just warms my heart.

Preeti said...

Oh Bernie, it was you I face-timed when I had to share that princess block, because I had to share it with someone. And you'd be the one who would be awake at that hour, being on the west coast. Mari had to wait months to see them :-)

Kate @ Smiles From Kate said...

Steps to the Garden, what a lovely name. The quilt is going to be just as lovely I think, the green ones especially are beautiful.

LIttle Penguin Quilts said...

Those are such pretty blocks, Mari! The green is so refreshing. And lovely fall photos from your home, too!

Marly said...

You have such restful fabrics there; I can imagine that sewing those colours is calming.

Katie Z. said...

They look marvelous!

Cathy said...

Lovely blocks. Lovely scenery.

Monica said...

Well, those garden blocks are fabulous! I'm a big fan of X quilts, and I haven't seen that exact one before. I'm glad you went back to it!

Julie in GA said...

Beautiful collection of blocks! I'm glad that you have pulled this project out again.

Sheila said...

What beautiful RSC blocks! Beautiful fall pictures!!!!

Cathy Tomm said...

Great blocks! Love how you have the same green in all the blocks. We have snow so how is that for cold.

PaulaB quilts said...

Southern WI is below freezing, but no snow yet. Good Quilting weather. The Steps do remind me of spring and all the gardens that have been part of my life.. I imagine they have the same memories for you.

gayle said...

These are such a fun block! Can't wait to see the final quilt! Will you be sashing them or setting them side by side?

JanineMarie said...

I love the secondary pattern when you line up the blocks! Your autumn pictures are beautiful. I wonder: after you took the pictures, did your leaves drop all at once (foom!)? Ours did after a frost. All down in one day. That's okay though. Walking through the woods with the light coming through in November is a special kind of pretty, too.