A Quilt and A Prayer: Yarn ball block

Thursday, September 26, 2013

Crazy About Wool Blog Hop!

When I agreed to join Denise Russell (Pieced Brain) in her fun Crazy About Wool Blog Hop, I really had to stop and think about it first. I am the lowliest beginner at wool applique!!! I've done only one wool project before this Hop, and that was almost 3 years ago. But.....of course, I can't resist a challenge!!!

This is the first block for my Summertime wool applique wall quilt!

My colors are a little washed out here - the yellow in particular is much more vibrant as you'll see in later photos.

Here is a picture of the original quilt by designer, Erica Kaprow....see my little block on the bottom left?

Quilt by Erica Kaprow, Designer
Photo courtesy of PatternSpot.com

The blocks are only 10", and I am only going to do 9 of them, so it will be small. It's tough deciding which 9 to do, too! Of course, I have to do the watermelon, and the teacups, and the birdhouse, and ..... well, you get the idea! Complicating my decision is this cute pattern I won in the silent auction at guild a couple weeks ago.....

Darva's Daisies by Mary Lou Designs

...... and I think it would make a totally CUTE addition to the quilt if I just reduce it in size to fit the size of the blocks. Gotta have a cat in such a fun quilt, right?

=^..^=

Here are a few closeup's of my first completed block ....

The happy little hosta in the front is going wild with blooms!!!
And how about those wonky stairs LOL!!!
One of the things I love about wool art is that it doesn't have to be perfect :*D

These leaves and berries were hard to keep in place because the fusible started separating
from the background as I worked on other pieces....

So I took a tip from a Pinterest pin and stapled them down until they were stitched securely!
Worked like a charm!!!

I have had this set of patterns since 2006 - yes, 7 years. Now, bear in mind, that I started quilting in 2006!!! Everything was still so new and exciting - and I had definitely "drunk the Kool-aid," as they say. My brain was totally rewired to think about nothing but quilts and quilting LOL!!!

One of my new quilting friends was working in wools on a similar set of designs by Erica and of course I was enthralled by all that color popping on the black background! :*D A quick visit to the Web revealed that she had a new set of patterns available - Summertime - and they were mine in the blink of an eye. Then the pattern sat... and sat.... and sat. I didn't have any wools and none of my LQS carried wools, so it just continued to sit.

A few years ago, though, I got smart! Yes, indeed, I really did! Don't you dare listen to anyone who tries to tell you that's not true LOL!!! Anywho.... I started picking up wool jackets at my local Goodwill.

These are 100% wool jackets, reduced regularly to $7.99 at Goodwill, but I get them for 99 cents on Wednesdays :*)

I had 3 black jackets in my stash - enough for 3 block backgrounds each......

I think I'm going to love the variety of blacks for this background!

And I cut them up into usable pieces.....

I also had some fun colors to play with!

Of course, I've also been picking up the odd wool piece here and there as I found them at quilt shops - and I've been collecting threads as I come across them too.... I found these on our way home from Runaway at a shop that is going out of business... $1.25 each - score!!!

Of course, now that I've discovered the joys of working with wool - and I have this stash of wools and threads that need to be used!!! - I'm finding projects everywhere that I'd like to do! One of my students at Runaway had this fun pin cushion that caught my interest immediately....

Isn't this just darling?!?

And I've already traced off the pieces in fusible for this fun ball of yarn that I found on Pinterest. It will be for a simple block that I will use as a pocket on a new knitting bag I plan to make someday.