Thimbleberries BOM 2005-2006

Better late than never...
I've started on the Thimbleberries Vintage Quilt, which I purchased on sale in 2007. I've been doing the embroidery on them for what seems like years! and I'm still not done all the squares.
The embroidery was not called for but I know how tactile quilters are & their eyes & hands would take a closer look at the center squares. I saw it as an advantage to enhance the center square that would become much more intense with black perle cotton.
Here's what's been done so far...

 December was half done, now both are done, waiting for the other months to be completed.

 I find the center has more clarity in the outline stitch in black.

 My son, Nick's cat Bose, she's the largest female cat I've ever seen. Everyone thinks she's a male but she knows at the age of 16, well, she's Queen Bose & Boris knows it too!

 January block completed,  I just love this center. It was a lot like the 'Over the River' with the tree in it.

Close-up of the center square.

 February block completed, this had to be the easiest constructed block so far!

 Close-up of the center square.

 March, finally I've caught up with the month!

I really liked the shamrock fabric that came with this block, the background was plum.
Well that makes 4/8 out of the 12/24 months, each month being done twice. The pattern wanted you to place the extra blocks on the back...I'm making another quilt to hang from the new upstairs railing at the cottage. If I'm doing all this work I want it to be viewed from the top of the quilt!

 Bose on 'her wingback chair' having her tartar treats that I give her everyday.

 This is Drake, the Bearded Dragon. He's back from Bill's apartment because Bill's never there because of work & when he has free time he is here with me. He's been Nick's pet since Drake was a wee reptile in 2005.

I peeled a few strawberries for Drake today & put them in his romaine lettuce, he's not to fussy over the apples I gave him the other day. I think he's holding out for the silkworms & crickets to come in to Petsmart this week.

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 In a recent discussion with Bill & my UFO's he said if I stayed focused more would get done! And did I really need to start a tea cosy?
Yes I did! Most of the woman at my church's Craft Guild were knitting & I've not knitted in a while. I love a good hot cup of tea & a tea cosy would give me that 2nd cup, good & hot.

I made this same pattern in 1976 in orange & white to co-ordinate with my sheer curtains with the ruffled trimmed orange & white gingham. Yes I have the harvest gold fridge & stove, a very vogue kitchen at the time. lol
Now I wanted the same for my newest kitchen. I started knitting the cosy in black & grey, I chose those colours to match the kitchen flooring - one thing that would not be changing in my lifetime & remembering how tea stained the white on the orange/white one. Well the black/grey colour, I didn't like the look of it with the Friendly Village dishes...so I tore out all those stitches.

I started it again, this time in a dark brown & a light mint green. It did have a contrast with the colours chosen, however I didn't like it with the dishes. I tore it all out again.

Going into my Briggs & Little stash I found a khaki green & with the dark brown it enhanced the dishes & will not show the tea stains. Voila! I just have the other side to do now. I like to have something in my hands at night...other than food!

I know Bill's right, I'm going to try to stay more focused & productive this spring/summer & work on UFO's & not take on too many 'new projects'. Oh but the flesh is weak! And the ideas that are swarming around in my head & need to come out to be visualized.

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I've been working on Nick's Spirit hanging too. I'm going to buttonhole stitch down as much as I can so he can have it many years to come. It is heat & bond but I don't know how that will stay on years from now & they recommend that you straight stitch around it. I'm going to treat it like an appliqued piece & buttonhole stitch in the same colour.

Sew much to do...sew little time.