Back to work on Magnolia Quilt

  Forgive my tardiness but my life has been rather hectic the past few months.  Keep praying for Mr. Whoozy, as he needs your prayers.

I adjusted the size of the quilt at the top of my blog.  It is really the wildest quilt I have ever made.  It was a mystery quilt that I did for a newspaper a couple of years ago.  I decided that this would be the quilt that I would take with me to the "retirement home" as it will give them a good idea that I am a non-conformist in a big way!  ha.
I do love the colors, though.

I shall be adding directions for placement of Magnolia blossoms on the Magnolia Quilt pictured below, ASAP.  I shall be taking pictures of this to put on the blog; so stay tuned as they say on the radio (whatever in the world that is) ha.  I am showing my age using such expressions!

Happy Days are here again.  Quilting is my therapy!  Let it be yours as well!

FORGIVE ME!  I have had a few distractions the past couple of months.  I am back on track, now, so get ready to get some good new ideas from me.  I shall still be posting pictures of some of my quilts that I have made in the past 20 years.  Sometimes it surprises me how many I have made, as I really do have a life!
   I have a new computer that I am trying to get to be friends with, but, almost to no avail.  I keep thinking that I just need to use it more and forget that the old laptop that I love, is still sitting quietly by my side, waiting for me to throw this one in the trash!
   I've heard more people complaining about the new computers due to the programs that are on it. I am right there with them.  Whoever thought them up should be ashamed of themselves! MERCY!
  Keep checking this blog, because, as soon as I find out how to get pictures on this new computer, I'll be putting them on my blog!

Magnolia Mystery Quilt top picture

Magnolia Mystery Quilt top

Here's my Mystery Quilt Top ready to layer and machine quilt.  The fun part of this is that this is a wedding present for one of our grandson's and his "to be" who are getting married next March, 2014.  They are marrying at a Magnolia Plantation, so this is a must to have finished for them.
      I am keeping the background of the top very pale, so that the beautiful Magnolia blossoms will show up nicely on the top with their dark green leaves and white blossoms.  They will be appliqued on top of this quilt top, AFTER I have quilted it!
     This is a new techinique that works well for some quilts.
    The binding (gold fabric) is just laid on top of the raw edges right now.  More to come later....................
    Patterns for the top are forth coming..............:)Happy Days

Lacy Pastiche with designer B. Talley

Wow, thought you'd enjoy seeing a "crazy quilt" wall hanging this month, that I had made a couple of years ago for an exhibit at our Cultural Center In Ponte Vedra Beach, FL.  It is made out of hand made handkerchiefs, buttons, lace etc. that were some of my mom's treasures.  She had saved so many of these things that I thought that I had to save them, further.  It is not quilted, as I just didn't have time to do so.  It is all hand stitched.   I loved doing the silk ribbon embroidery, etc. that is on it.  I would love to do another one, as I still have so many things that were in her "treasure box" in her sewing room. Many of the buttons were given to me by a dear friend in NC named Helen M.  She had kept many of them for years, as well.  Another dear friend, Mary G. bought a box of antique buttons for me at a Hendersonville Antique Day in NC as well.  What a treasure it is to have things from relatives and friends, all preserved in one "crazy piece!"  Enjoy looking at all the little details in this, this month.  

Magnolia Mystery Quilt Block Pattern #2 Ladder block

Hope you are having fun piecing the blocks for the Magnolia Mystery Quilt.  I have all my blocks pieced and sewn together.  It makes a pretty background for an applique project.
The applique project will be to applique beautiful Magnolia blossoms and bud onto the background.  First, you have to finish piecing the blocks.  Make 8 identical blocks if making a square quilt.  To make a twin bed size quilt or larger, make 4 more identical blocks of #2 block.

The pattern is here for Pattern Block #2.

MAGNOLIA MYSTERY QUILT Block #1

Here we go with another Mystery Quilt.  Seems like folks like these fun projects.  There are only two block patterns that are pieced blocks.  I am using hand-dyed fabric that starts at a pale blue and ends with a pale green with lime green accents here and there.  The main thing is to use very pale fabrics.  You may choose any colors you wish, but just be sure that one of the colors is much much lighter than the other two so that the design will show up nicely.
You should make 8 blocks using this Block #1 pattern.
The only requirement is that all of the blocks for Block #1 must be made exactly alike.   The size of your quilt will be determined by the size of your blocks.  I am making a small wall-hanging so I am making 6" finished blocks.  For a twin bed size, you would want to make 12" finished blocks.
Remember that you must use very very light colored fabrics that will help your applique of beautiful magnolia blossoms show up well.  They will be appliqued to your pieced background.  For 6" block cut squares 2 1/2" and for half-square triangles, cut squares 2 7/8" and cut apart diagonally.