July - Lazy Hearts BOM

July's Lazy Heart is finally here.
The design is in PDF and on my sidebar for your convenience.
Enjoy and have a great 4th of July holiday!

Snakes & Rabbits & Deer, Oh My

Gun Smoke was one of the western TV shows that I grew up watching.  Matthew Dillon, Miss Kitty, Doc & Festus, just to name a few.
One episode that comes to mind was Doc talking to Marshal Dillon where the doctor was explaining that he'd had a long night with a family where he was delivering the woman's twins. Matthew asked if the woman was okay, Doc saying that yes she was fine but that twins were unexpected and difficult to deliver...... Festus burst into the conversation asking, "Doc, what did you say she had?" Doc responded, "She had twins." Festus said, "Well Matthew, I don't know about twins but there were two of em!" Doc's head dropped to his chest in utter disgust.

Where am I going with that little walk down memory lane?????? One, at the time my family and I laughed out loud because Doc was so exasperated with Festus and two, that story was a cute way to jump into my next section.
I awoke to frolicking twin fawns in my back yard. Their mom is in the bushes on the other side of the fence. They were so cute, I stood in my window watching for some time.

In other breaking news around here...... the other evening just as dusk (9ish) I walking out to my bird feeder to take it in.... remember Mr. Raccoon eats the feed if I leave the feeder out.... well anyway, what awaited me under the feeder but a "chicken snake.!"  EeeeKkkkk! Sorry no picture and I won't repeat what I actually said but to make a long story short.... the snake is no longer with us.... I used a flat blade shovel to dispatch said snake. BTW, the snake was about three and a half feet long.
Finally, a couple of rabbits have taken up residents very close to my garden fence. The little fence is too tall for them to hop or jump over it but they can reach their little noses into it enough to get in a nibble or two. Can't get a photo of them... each time I've tried, they either run away or I wind up chasing them around and around and around the fence until they wear me down and I give up and go inside.
The animals are getting smarter.
I'm going to have to regroup.

Sew-In Results - "When Nature Calls" - Finished

 All done and I'm so happy!

I went with an old dead tree with long branches and a surprise at the end.
Measures roughly 56" by 68"
BTW, all from my stash!!!

Note the tissue!!!

Turning the corner on the first side adds a lot of interest, along with all the gnarly branches.

The wood-zie looking fabric did the trick.  

Don't be afraid to buy that unusual looking fabric.

I decided not to go all the way round the quilt with the tree branches.  I've used this method in several quilts and like the effect.  What do you think??

Several bloggers have asked me to do patterns for this quilt, so I'll be developing those in the next few weeks to share with everyone.

Now, I'll have to get this little one quilted but that's for in the far, far future.  

When Nature Calls Borders - Sneak Peak

I could not help myself with this sneak peak of mitered borders.  It's been forever since I've tried mitering but I was very happy with the way it turned out.....  Now, onto that other fabric I chose..... stay tuned.

Border Possibles

These are the fabrics I'm going with, I think, for the borders around the "When Nature Calls" quilt.
I really appreciate all the wonderful suggestions that everyone gleefully offered.  We have had a great laugh about the outhouses and our memories of the past.
I'm going with the toilet paper suggestion and a couple of others I'll save as a surprise.

Friday Night Sew-In / When Nature Calls #5

Here's what I've gotten done so far with my "When Nature Calls"
I added more trees that bleed into the filler blocks above and below the Outhouses.  I like the look of them.  So far the quilt measures 46" by 58".  I now have to decide on a border or borders..... any suggestions???

When Nature Calls Part 4

 Block #7

Block #8

These are the last block that I have so far.  At this point I will do a EQ mark up or sketch what I want out on graph paper.

Stay tuned.

When Nature Calls Part 3

 

Block #5  Notice the background fabric is NOT a tone on tone fabric but an entire forest focal fabric with the outhouse in the foreground.

Block #6  Notice the hay fabric and the the little chickens.  Don't be afraid to fussy cut fabrics.

Enough, Already!

I'm really thinking about pulling up those 5 squash plants......LOL 

Each day I go out to my little garden, more squash appear.....

I guess I shouldn't complain because I have gotten many veggies canned, blanched and shared with the neighbors.

The very large squash is called "bumpy" squash.... I kid you not!

When Nature Calls Part 2

Above are more of the types of fabrics I use when developing a photo type block such as the outhouses.

(Block #3) Batiks are great fabrics to use with this type of project because of tie-dye affect of the Batiks. Shadowing and depth can be achieved with the pictorial contrast.  Note the roof, door and tree branches in the above photo.

(Block #4) Plaids, floral directional fabrics do well in these types of blocks, as well.
Do not be afraid to audition fabrics by laying pieces out, one nearly on top of the other.  Another great trick is to take a picture of the desired fabric to view it on the camera viewer itself.  This may give you a sense of what you want from the fabric.

When Nature Calls

Hi everyone...... I'm back..... took a rest from blogging to process all that squash, bell peppers, zucchini and tomatoes.... whew!

Now back to my regularly scheduled programs.... ehehehehe

Take a look at these fabrics... click to enlarge if need be.

These fabrics are the ones we look at in our favorite quilt store but most of the time we pass them by.

Not me!  For some crazy reason I am drawn to them but after the purchase..... what to do with them????

Here's my solution.

When Nature Calls is my new project.... can you guess what it's all about?

Outhouses!

When I was a little girl my grandparents still had an outhouse (1950s) even though we had a bathroom with all the amenities. 

But I loved the outhouse..... I was 5 years old and very inquisitive... yea, that's it.

The other day I was rearranging my fabrics, sorting, refolding, fondling and such when I ran across all my strange fabrics..... I new project began to take shape of how I finally wanted to use these types of fabrics.

Block #1

Block #2

These two outhouses were my first attempt and I'm very happy with them.  Stay tuned because I'll be showing and telling how I managed to make a great little quilt from the outhouse theme.
(Blocks measure 11 1/2 inches)