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Sunday, December 8, 2013

Back to the Blue!!!

I've  really been down for the count this past week, sick with a sinus infection and bronchitis -yuk!!!  Hopefully this will be my "obligatory" sick session for the winter and I'll have great health for the rest of it :*)  Once I started feeling better today and was able to sit up for a while, I got out this hand-applique project to see what I could work on while just sitting...

The Blue Collection
Design & Quilt by Maggie Walker
This poor project has been sitting ignored for WAY too long!

The Bad News -----
I was pretty shocked to realize the last time I touched  Blue Collection was in March!!!  
Wow!  Really???

The Good News ----
Almost all of the blocks are done for this quilt - whoohoo!!!!  Last week I finished up the next-to-last standard block before beginning to put the center of the top together - this is the tall vase standing on the left-hand side of the quilt ....



I left the top un-sewn to allow for those wonderful vines that will flow from it....


I still have one more block, as well as quite a bit of tracing and template prep for the outer border features, so sitting in my chair while tracing off those pieces was not too taxing at all :*)  My last true block will be very intricate - I'm just crossing my fingers and hoping it won't be too difficult....

The center block that holds the tree that moves through the center of the quilt
Here's how it looks in Maggie's wonderful quilt....



Of course, you know I'm prone to make things hard on myself, right?  I'm using a border print for this pot, which will just add to the challenge!  


Where you could usually use one fabric for the bowl itself, I will need to cut individual pieces and fit them carefully together to get the right angles with this print.  And I don't have a large piece of it either, but I really think it will be worth the effort!

Something you might not realize either is that the tree - that's 3D!!!  Yes, it's is 3 fabric ropes braided together and appliqued down.  Now that I think about it, is it really any wonder I've been dragging my needle on this one???

I also have to make some upgrades to a few blocks before I put them all together.  I started this quilt before I really learned how to do applique well, so some of the blocks are roughly done :(  For instance, see these pathetic attempts at koi below? ...... aren't koi supposed to be beautiful, elegant fish???



Ugh!!!  Nothing graceful about these poor things!!!  I found a print of some koi that I will use to make a new template - hopefully these elegant fish will look much better when I'm done :*)

It's not 2014 yet, but my mind has already started thinking along the lines of finishing up some UFO's which is my plan for the year.  I didn't touch anything at all on my December To Do list, but when you're sick, you have to do what you can do, right?  Hope you all have had a much better week than I did LOL!!!

Hugs & Blessings!
Teresa
=^..^=

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25 comments:

  1. Hope you get better quick!! It is nice to have some drawing which you can do---I like looking through old books or magazines which isn't too hard to concentrate on. Fingers crossed that this is your only too---this is the worse part of the holidays (germ sharing). Keep looking after yourself.

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  2. Wow! That is quite the project, but it is going to be gorgeous.

    I hope you feel better soon.

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  3. Teresa I too am trying to finish mine. I am struggling with the tree

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  4. Wow, what a project! I am bound and determined to learn to appliqué ... But I'm not sure I'll live long enough to have enough confidence to tackle such a complex (and beautiful) project! I can't wait until you can show us your finished project.

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  5. Well first, I hope you feel better. Looking at that lovely quilt should help : )

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  6. That quilt is going to be amazing! You need to take it easy though and get better so you can enjoy that new baby that's about to arrive! Hugs!

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  7. Ugh! Sick at Christmas--no fun! I got sick on Christmas Eve last year and spent that nice, restful week between Christmas and New Year, well...resting up. : ) Hope you feel much better now!
    Looking on the bright side, it got you to pick up this gorgeous project again. As for those koi--if I could applique even that well, I'd be proud!

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  8. Your applique on this project is amazing. Yes, you do make things more difficult on some patterns, but you always enhance it and it is defintely worth it when you are finished. Glad to see you are up and about more.

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  9. Oh my goodness, Teresa, this is absolutely gorgeous!

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  10. Hope you feel better soon! Your quilt is going to be beautiful!

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  11. So sorry to hear you've been so sick, Teresa. Sounds like me in November. Hope you are much better now. I so enjoyed your post on the Blue Collection. It is a beautiful quilt and I've enjoyed seeing you bring these to life with all the touches you added to them. You always seem to have the best fabrics for your projects.

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  12. I think I lost my comment...I am losing everything this week. Hope you are feeling better and enjoying this beautiful project again! I just love it and am so happy to see you are working on it again.

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  13. That is one of the most stunning quilts I have ever seen! Yeah for you for sticking with it.

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  14. Seeing the rest of the blocks you've done for the blue quilt, you'll get that directional fabric set up right. Looking forward to seeing it. Stay warm.

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  15. Hope you feel better soon, not funny to be sick by Christmas time. I will be lookin forward to seeing the blue quilt done. Take care of yourself.

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  16. this looks terrific. Doesn't matter how long it takes, when it's done you'll love it more.
    I used to be in a guild with Maggie Walker... always loved this pattern.
    LeeAnna Paylor
    lapaylor.blogspot.com

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  17. Oooo!!! Good to see this one out again. Are you serious that it was dormant from last March? I can't believe that, either. Sure seems shorter than that since seeing it last. :)

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  18. I hope you start feeling better soon and isn't it amazing how fast time goes by!! I remember you working on this and it is so beautiful!! Thanks for sharing.
    Freemotion by the River Linky Party Tuesday

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  19. Simply amazeballs! Hope you have had a better week this week!

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  20. So sorry to hear that you have been sick. That blue china quilt is on my list of to-do!

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