May Flowers

One of my objectives for 2015 has been to finish up some of my favorite wall quilts - Calendar quilts!

I started Kim Schaeffer's May Calendar Quilt in 2012 - yes, three years ago!!!!  I traced off the pattern pieces onto fusible and chose happy, bright fabrics - and promptly forgot about it when something more urgent called my name.  Yeh, that happens to me a lot *very big grin*!

But I am happy to say I finally finished it recently and it is proudly hanging in my living room, cheering me up each time I spy it =^..^=  Kim gives her Calendar Quilt designs such cute details.....

Kim's pattern version stuck to reds, oranges & yellows for her quilt, but you just know I had to add in a little spark of blue - right?

And then I decided that a big-stitch hand-quilted "path" for the blue butterfly was a necessity to fill in some much needed quilting in that open area .....

One thing I did that was new with this quilt was to applique the pieces down as I quilted instead of before quilting.  In other words, I fused them all down in their proper positions, but instead of stitching them down as I usually would, I next sandwiched the quilt layers, and then used the applique stitching as my quilting.  It went SO MUCH quicker that way!  I also tried out a few of my decorative machine stitches around the flowers.  I just love that orange raggedy zigzag stitch around the outer part of the center!

I wasn't happy with the blah look of the yellow flower petals, so I got out my colored pencils and added a nice orange "blush" to the edges and tips .....

And after adding a black-and-white rope trim around the center of my red flower, I needed something to cover up where the two ends met rather messily.

Now I ask you, what could be cuter than this little caterpillar???

My usual choice for a binding is darker than the quilt to add a "frame" around it, but for this one, I fell in love with a simple, spring-like yellow and blue plaid, cut on the bias ....

A binding finish to share at
Julie K Quilts' Binding Blitz!!!

Of course, I used lots of GREEN scraps in the background, so I'm linking up with the Rainbow Scrap Challenge at SoScrappy! 

I love changing out these quilts each month, adding a fresh new look to our home.  Each little quilt helps me to transition into new seasons and holidays.  I finished up the June calendar quilt two years ago and it is one of my favorites!

I don't seem to have a picture handy of it bound and quilted, but trust me it is :*)  I have July and August in progress, so I'll be sharing those with you soon.

My outdoor spring flowers are very happy that we have actually had quite a nice spring here in Nashville this year.

Usually we get about one week of spring and then the summer heat hits hard and fast, not letting go until sometime in October.  It's been much cooler, and we've gotten some nice rain showers too.  I sat on the porch this morning and enjoyed the soothing sounds of a gentle drizzle while watching my favorite Oriental Lillies begin to open up ..... ahhhhhhh - Life is Good!  My Guy does such a wonderful job of keeping our lawn and yard looking spectacular, doesn't he?

I'll leave you with a picture of the lovely spring flowers my son sent me for Mother's Day this year .....

It is the first time he has sent me flowers, and I have to admit I was charmed and delighted :*)  They lasted a good long while; I reluctantly disposed of the last of them just a few days ago.

Hugs & Blessings!

Teresa

=^..^=

Linking up with:

Patchwork Times - Design Wall Monday
Freemotion by the River - Tuesday Linky Party
Julie K Quilts - Binding Blitz
Quilting Reader's Garden - WIPs Be Gone
Confessions of a Fabric Addict - Whoop Whoop! 
SoScrapy - Rainbow Scrap Challenge