Bramble Blooms Quilts are Progressing and A Couple New Starts!

Though I try to keep the open ended projects at 10 or less, a couple projects just demanded to be started this month. First off is the barely-there start to a very large improv. style Log Cabin quilt. It's going to be golds, cream, brown, black, green and rusty reds. Had to start it before the snow fell or it might end up being another year!

Feels good to start something new!

That put me at 10 projects, but then.... I just couldn't resist. So I went ahead and started what I'm calling 'This Old Friend'. The color palette is based on an old flannel shirt that I wore for years and years. Lots of greens, blues, creams, rusty reds and kind of a cantaloupe orange color too. We'll see where it goes but for now I'm just working on the beginnings of what will be a large basket. I really needed this. Feels so good to have something in these colors.

I could leave it like this

There has been sooo much hand work lately that I'm positively craving a little bit of mindless time at the sewing machine. Both of the new projects are improv. and virtually perfection free. Very easy to pick up and put down without worrying about making a mistake in piecing etc. 

As you can see from the previous picture, BBII-A is a completed quilt top. Or not. After getting the last stitch into the border, I decided it needed something more. So I added a couple little leaves next to the larger flowers. After lots more contemplation, I decided to try adding those little bottom pieces to flowers like what I had done with the first Brambles quilt. Maybe that would quell my dissatisfaction?

Auditioning the extra layer for the flowers

Thus far they are just sitting on top of the flowers waiting for a final decision and some stitching. It's probably not immediately obvious from the pictures, but they do seem to add a much needed layer of subtlety and value to the quilt. Not surprisingly, mind is mostly made up. I mean, I'm showing it to you, right? This new look absolutely gives me that feeling of quiet satisfaction I've learned to never ignore anymore. What's holding me back is the time involved!! Ughh. I just want to be done! And why oh why didn't I think of it before the borders were sewn onto the quilt? So annoying.

A closer look

It's one of those things that 'once you see' it's hard to unsee and would probably always leave me with a clench of regret if left undone.*sigh  Meanwhile, I'm hard at work stitching away on the borders of BBII-B. I've taken what's already stitched down, laid it side by side with the middle of the quilt and everything looks great. Pretty sure there's no last minute fix-it's with this one coming up, thank goodness! But then, this is the version that I've been happiest with all along. Funny since these are both made from the same fabric stack!

The BBII-A quilt however, might still see a little bit of fussy cut fabric placed over the top of the loudest red flowers in the sashing fabric between the middle of the quilt and the first border. They just keep reminding me of 'bleeding' and that's not a great vibe for this sweet, floral quilt. We'll see what happens. At some point I have to quit picking at and fussing with the quilt top--call it done and walk away! 

Three borders done for BBII-B

Another mindless piecing project that has been seeing a tiny amount of progress lately is 'Worthy'. August is probably the last time it's seen any love so it was way past time. I'm hoping to lay all the pieced units out this weekend and take a good long look at to what needs to happen next. I had thought to make some triangle units with a little bit of pink and cream or tan fabrics but will need to check and see if the quilt agrees. It's not that this quilt is uninteresting to me, it's just one that I'd prefer having a design wall to work with. It would make things ever so much easier as it's going to have be 'puzzle-pieced' together.

Starting to add up!

My daughter caught a quick picture of me doing some hand quilting late in the evening. She said that I looked very colorful! This poor quilt has been sadly neglected as I continue to devote much of my hand work time to the Bramble Blooms quilts. Still trying to have them done before Thanksgiving if at all possible! Don't worry if yours won't be done by then. It's early! Still tentatively planning on posting the link-up for the BBII quilts sometime after December 10th. 

Hand quilting for good health...

That's it for now. Our extended family is planning on having a crafty day during the Thanksgiving holiday where we will attempt to make a Wattle and Loop or Mandy Pattullo inspired {small} wall hanging. One of my sisters has shanghaied me into helping out with the bulk of it {like I know how to do this?} so now I'm scrambling through scraps and batting orphans etc. We're trying to keep it as cheap as possible and doing everything free-style of course, as it's our first attempt. If all goes well, I might even dig out that old window frame I've been wanting to frame little quilts in like forever....