So, here's what I accomplished this week:
Yep, these are the remaining multicolored Steps to the Garden blocks. I'm feeling a little iffy about the block made with the bright gumball fabric. They look like flowers to me, but I'm afraid the block might not fit with the others. To check, I took a picture of all 12 of the blocks together:
I laid them out on the grass because they're garden blocks, and because it was really nice outside. In retrospect I should have put the gumball block in the middle to check how it fit in, but my brain was not working really well. I blame all the pollen in the air. Still not sure about that block.
The only other thing I worked on this week (besides student papers) were a few more blocks for the strings quilt that I'm making for donation:
I'd swear I made a fourth one, but it does not seem to be there! These blocks are super easy but they take a *lot* of strings. If you want to use up some fabric, make one of these quilts. I threw in some other florals I had to help fill out all the strings I need as well. I'll be happy to get rid of those. And someone please remind me to stop saving such narrow strings! The pattern for this quilt is in Amanda Jean Nyberg's new book No Scrap Left Behind.
Since we kind of have a "floral" theme, how about a couple of pictures from the garden? It turns out that the ugly bushes in front of the house are all azaleas:
Who knew? I'm still taking them out, though, because they really have been neglected and look pretty bad. But one thing I'm not taking out is this tree:
It turns out that the pink trees at the back of the property are pink dogwoods! I'm not sure I'd ever seen one of these in person. It's so pretty!
That's the dispatch from here! With all the azaleas and other flowering bushes around here, I'll be dodging the bees while we're working outside this weekend. Hope everyone has a great weekend!
Sharing at soscrappy for RSC17 and Oh Scrap!
18 comments:
I just recently bought her new book and anxiously awaiting getting time to use it.
I like it - and I like it up in the corner, as it makes you look all over the quilt rather than just the center ;-) Love your pink trees!!!
Thank you for sharing the pink dogwood pic. We had white ones in the woods on the farm in Ohio. Iowa is getting cold rainy weather, good to be inside.
Your Steps blocks are all lovely, including the bright "floral" gumballs, hehe! That will be a fun quilt top! How narrow do you save your strings? have a great week! You're in the home stretch now to summer vacation!
Love, love, love your garden blocks! I am going to cave soon and make one and I am sure I need to buy Amanda Jean's book because my scrap pile is more of a scrap corner!!
I like the gumball block - and the flowers are gorgeous!
If you prune and feed those azaleas after bloom is done, you'll soon have a lovely border. Love the dogwood--they don't thrive in hot Sacramento, or I'd have one--and the gumball block seems to blend in just fine with the others.
I used the gumball fabric (from the Very Hungry Caterpillar line) as the border on my Hands2Help quilt. It is a bit brighter than the other blocks, but you could leave it in. Or put it on the back if it really bothers you.
I have never seen such a pretty dogwood as yours. I like the designs of your blocks, both styles. They will be such neat quilts. Love that gumball fabric; I bet it is from Eric Carle's line that goes with The Very Hungry Caterpillar.
Suzan princess is correct. Just after blooming is the time to prune azaleas. You can cut them small, just don't shape them as they look ridiculous as squared off shrubs. Remember that any branch you cut will result in five new branches at the cut, so prune low if the insides/lower branches are scraggly. The time to fertilize is six weeks after blooming ends and six weeks after that. Azaleas are beautiful and sometimes hard to get growing, so make sure you don't want them before you dig them out. Your dogwood is gorgeous!
I absolutely LOVE azaleas gone wild and I'm jealous of your pink dogwood! We only have white (and they are all done blooming for this year.) MUST. Make. That scrappy quilt!!!
I love your garden blocks. I think the finished quilt is going to be amazing! Sounds like all the gardeners are speaking up for those poor azaleas. They really are carefree once you get them shaped up :)
I recognized that "gumball" print from the Very Hungry Caterpillar fabric, too, and I love it! I think it makes a very fun block. I just love all that green, Mari! It definitely fits with the pretty green and blossoms in your yard.
I'll wait patiently to see if the gumball block makes it on the front of the quilt. I'm sure I'll LOVE it either way. Pollen... I used to be okay with it. Since I hit 51 I'm not so sure. Body changes... Only four more weeks of school here. Whohoo for summer vacation! Hang in there. Your string blocks for the donation quilt are bright and cheery.
I note that that you have two other paler blocks which stand out as well. Do some different layout pics to help you decide. Good luck
Stunning pink dogwood flowers. I have never seen these before. Thanks for sharing.
Your blocks are looking great.
Your azaleas and dogwoods are gorgeous! You could just feed the azalea after they are done blooming and see if you get some decent foilage. They like to have an acidic environment.
I love the scrappy quilts, both of them. The gumball block does stand out a bit. You could make another bright one and see if it looks better with a partner? Either way, the quilt is really pretty tho.
Pink dogwoods are very pretty. The white/cream ones are a common sight around here. The gumballs block could be a focus block - you don't want all of them to look similar now. Do you?
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