Cherry Tweet quilt top finished!

Some quilt tops take six years to make.  Yes, I've been working on and off on this project for that long.  It became my General Conference Weekend two times a year project.  This April Conference I finally finished the last of the applique blocks.

So during April, I made the four pieced blocks, cut sashing stripes and corner stones, and sewed it all together including the eight inch border.  Now I need to save some money and find a professional machine quilter who can custom quilt this quilt for me.  At almost 90 inches by 90 inches, it will take some serious money.  I just want all that white space to look amazing.

This quilt has four cherry wreath blocks.  Love cherries.  I didn't know about "Perfect Circles" by Karen Buckley until well into this project.  I just kept going with my imperfect circles as it seemed like the right thing to do.

There are five bird blocks.  So cute and hence the "tweet" part of pattern name.

Four pieced blocks the same size as the cherry wreath and bird blocks.

And eight of these half triangle blocks which are around the edge of the quilt and inside the border.  So when you fall in love with a quilt on the wall of a local quilt shop and decide you must have one, it will take learning how to applique and a whole lot of time.  BUT it will be worth it!  After six years, I still think this quilt is the best.  Thank you Cori Blunt of Chitter Chatter Designs for designing "Cherry Tweet."

Weekend doings

It was a beautiful weekend.  Friends and family dropped by to spend some time with us in the backyard.

Last night all the local grandkids and their parents came to help Grandpa Glen roast hot dogs in the fireplace.  Oh, and to eat them and play tag.  Saturday night Eric and his son, TJ, went to Priesthood Session with Grandpa then came over to dine in this same spot on leftover 15 bean and ham soup and biscuits.  TJ is definitely getting older.  He used to be a very picky eater.  Now he slurps down things like ham and bean soup.  He also downed a few homemade chocolate chip oatmeal cookies. I can't even really describe how much I enjoy this outdoor space during Arizona springtime. It is close to heaven especially when filled with friends and family.

 

This is what I worked on during General Conference this year.  I am now officially finished with half the bird blocks for my Cherry Tweet quilt.

There will be five total.  I say half because this one is not quite finished.  There are four more cherries to needle turn and sew down and stems to embroider.  Maybe I will finish the last two blocks during October Conference.  April Conference was great and I will be listening to several of the talks again.  So can you by going here.  They will bring you enlightenment, peace, and comfort.

My RNC Convention project

I rotated between knitting, quilt binding, and the bird block shown above while watching the RNC Convention last week.

It joins these four finished cherry wreath blocks.  There are four more bird blocks to go plus much more to applique and embroider before I can piece together "Cherry Tweet."  Like I have said before, "I hope to complete this quilt before I die."

My first hand appliqued quilt block

While in Utah I attended a basic hand applique class at Quilts, Etc. taught by Jeana Kimball. I didn't know it at the time, but Jeana is considered an expert on hand applique and has taught classes all over the country. Her work is beautiful and she also publishes books and has her own online store for needles and such.

My sister, Lynette, had stayed with her friend Annette a day before leaving for home back in July. She called and told me to cancel my class because Annette had just showed her the best method for doing applique. I wasn't sure when I would meet up with Annette again, so kept my class time and I'm so glad I did. Jeanna Kimball is the master of back basted applique, the method demonstrated to Lynette by Annette. (Don't you just love to say "Lynette by Annette?")

This is my practice block done with my odds and ends at Jeana's class. I took the class because I had fallen in love with "Cherry Tweet" a quilt designed by Cori Blunt of Chitter Chatter Designs back in February. It had lots of red and crisp white. I love red and crisp white. To make this quilt, I needed to know how to applique. I just finished my first block for that quilt. I'm pretty excited to have overcome my "applique mental block." Here is hoping that I can complete Cori's quilt by the time I die :)