Fiddleheads

I've had this idea in my head since I found my first fiddleheads this spring. If you live in a northern climate then you understand the thrill and joy of seeing the first shoots of fresh spring green in an otherwise dead brown leftover winter landscape. We are so sick of snow and then mud by late April early May, finding green shoots of ferns that you can actually eat and taste like asparagus........ Well we just have to dance and sing!

 

And of course we dance and play the fiddle on bluegrass music :-)

 

As much as we complain about the long winters I would not want to live where there is no change of seasons. Yes the winter is cold and seems so long but then we wouldn't be so joyful when spring comes. Or get that snuggly, just wanna curl up with a book under a quilt with some comfort food feeling in the fall when that chill fills the air.

What is your favorite season?

Oh, and by the way in case you have never seen a fiddlehead - this is what they look like when they are good to eat. It's only a certain variety of fern but just look for that thick stem. We are in the puppy days of summer now so these are just a memory but keep these babies in mind for next spring :-)

 

Posted with Blogsy

Mountain warrior pose

 

If I practiced yoga I would like to stand on top of a mountain at sunrise and do the warrior pose like this. I would feel powerful and peaceful all at the same time. But alas I don't practice yoga so I made this quilt.

That's a part of a necklace bead up on the sky pretending to be a moon.

 

I love all these bits of yarn fibers (bushes)

 

I also finished another kayak quilt. This one I tried making the closer water darker with a different fabric. It didn't blend quilte the way I thought it should so I took a light blue fabric pastel and lightened the dark blue abit to try to make the transition from dark to light alittle less in your face. It did help.

 

This is the inspiration photo

I probablly shouldn't show this because the toes got sort of warped or something during the quilting. I'm using black thread and FMQ around the toes and it seems to distort things. I wonder if I should just draw the little piggies in black pigma pen and then quilt with monofilament to quilt it down?

What would you do?

 

Posted with Blogsy

Picnic for one

Not a lot of finishes this week but things in the works

 

I did finish my "summer picnic" postcard for my postcard swap friend.

It isn't easy to make feet this small but wanted to try and now I know not to try it again :-)

The sky has batting clouds and the yellow is supposed to be a glass of wine.

 

I had these charm squares just needing to be used so I sewed them into 9 patches and then cut them apart disapearing 9 patch style. Cut that in half and made two mug rugs.

 

This one still needs binding. Good FMQ practice. See the word listen? I'm keeping that one for my desk at work as I need to remind myself to listen more.

 

Yesterday I took a drive over the lake of shining waters (I've been listening to Anne of Green Gables on audiobook) to see my parents at their home in the Adirondacks.

 

My mother is hand quilting her hand appliqued Dear Jane quilt. Can you imagine?

It's beautiful and has an antique look to it.

 

We sat by the brook next to their house and sewed and talked. So nice :-)

Hope you are having a good summer - it goes so fast. Get out there and enjoy it!

 

 

Posted with Blogsy

Kayak

I've only kayaked a couple of times but loved it. And do enjoy a good putting your feet up selfie.

 

So when I saw this photo I wanted to make a quilt.

 

First I quilted the water, sky and trees. A little McTavishing sky and McDowelling water.

(In case you don't know my last name is McDowell) lol!

Then added the kayak and couched down some yarn. Note the difference in picture quality. The others had a day light bulb in the lamp which is in my sewing room. This one is just a regular bulb. The daylighting you can get at any hardware store and they aren't expensive at all.

I tried shading the feet and screwed it up here. Looks like she was walking in mud :-/

I used watercolor pencils and did not like the outcome.

But I simply went back over the feet with a lighter color and cleaned off the mud.

I'm liking this and am starting another one with different fabrics and mood. I need different feet too.

;-)

 

Posted with Blogsy

Happy 4th of July!

I wanted to share with you the July 4th fabric postcard one of my quilty twitter friend (we call ourselves twilters) sent me - isn't it great?

 

We have a little swap thing going - this is the one I sent to her.

Have a happy a safe holiday!

 

Posted with Blogsy