Decembers Block - Winter Cardinals

December is here and so is the final block for this year's BOM. The year has flown by! I want to say thank you for following along and sewing along with me. I have enjoyed hearing from you and seeing your progress as we have stitched along together.

The final block features a couple of cardinals in winter. I have filled up the feeders with a fruit and nut blend and I have enjoyed seeing the cardinals show up. They are so beautiful against the white snow. Yes, it has snowed here in Minnesota, it's cold! Hubby has turned down the thermostats here to save on the heating bill. I'm freezing.... so cold.... glad to have my quilts to snuggle under. Sad part is we haven't even gotten to the coldest part of winter.... uggg. 

 So let me show you how I have made this month's block. Go on over to the Website and download the PDF pattern. The links are below towards the end of the posting. Make sure that your email is correct so that the link for the pattern is sent to you. Also, if you don't find it, check your trash or spam folder just in case it ended up in there....

Print up the pattern and gather your fabric for your applique block.

Trace the applique shapes onto the paper side of your fusible web. I use Flexifuse. I then group the shapes using the same color with the fabric.

Group the shapes with the fabric colors. Following the manufacturer directions, I then iron the fusible web onto the backside of my fabric. 

Cut all of the shapes out. Following the pattern placement sheet, position all the applique shapes on the cream background rectangle. Some of the shapes overlap. Iron everything in place. Your block is now all ready to be appliqued. I used dark brown thread and an applique buttonhole stitch to stitch around everything. 

~ Winter Cardinals ~

If you have been following along, you just need to download the assembly PDF once you are done with this month's block. You should have everything ready to sew together and then just add the border and your quilt top will be complete!

Feathered Friends BOM 2022 Quilt

Announcement!!!!

All of the block directions and the final assembly can be found on the website under the BOM tab. The border blocks and final assembly are all free downloads until January 1st. 

 The finished size of the quilt is 58" x 65" Each month's pattern is a free PDF instant download. If you miss a month, the patterns are available for $2.50 on my website and also in my Etsy shop.  

If you don't have a printer, you can purchase a PRINTED copy of the pattern

HERE

 There's also a Facebook Group, please join and post your progress! It's also fun to see everyone else progress too! Make sure to post your blocks so far! 

Post your pictures of your finished quilt top thru January 15th for a chance to win a few giveaways. 

 Make sure to stayed tuned for that!

I hope that you all have a wonderful day and find some time to do some stitching! I've always got a long list of items I'd like to make for the holidays, I'm going to take some time to work on a few more projects. Let's see if Josephine lets me. Her new trick is to jump up on my lap to snuggle, even if I'm sitting at the computer or sewing machine.  

Happy quilting,

Cindy and Josephine

Septembers Block and Cornerstones

September has arrived, where did the summer go? Kids will be back to school soon, the state fair is in its last week, true signs that summer is over... our summer was so full of events that it sure flew by! It's hard to believe that we will soon be thinking about getting the fall decorations out. I do have a maple tree that is turning, it always feels like it's too soon, but this maple is always the first tree in our yard to turn. 

This month's block features sunflowers and a set a sparrow, yes, another set of sparrows. There are so many different sparrows in my bird book. These feathered friends have a little different coloring. I also had to feature some sunflowers. My sunflowers are in full bloom right now, they are so pretty. I love how their little flower heads turn towards the sun! I leave my sunflowers in the garden thru winter so that the birds have the seeds to nibble on thru the cold months.

 So let me show you how I have made this month's block. Go on over to the Website and download the PDF pattern. The links are below towards the end of the posting. Make sure that your email is correct so that the link for the pattern is sent to you. Also, if you don't find it, check your trash or spam folder just in case it ended up in there....

Trace the applique shapes onto the paper side of your fusible web. I use Flexifuse. I then group the shapes using the same color with the fabric.

Go thru your fabric and pull the colors that you are going to use for the block.

Group the shapes with the fabric colors. Following the manufacturer directions, I then iron the fusible web onto the backside of my fabric. Then cut all the shapes out...

Cut all of the pieces out.

Following the pattern placement sheet, position all the applique shapes on the cream background rectangle. Notice how some of the shapes overlap. Iron everything in place.

I like to use an open toe foot for applique stitch. It's easier to see needle and stitch placement. I am using a brown thread to buttonhole stitch around the

 design. 

~ Sparrow ~

Today we will also work on making the cornerstones for the quilt top. I used a light and a dark fabric. You will need 1/2 yard dark and 3/4-yard light. The extra will be used in other parts of the quilt. I am using a variety of light-colored fabrics to add up the 3/4 yard in the quilt I am working on. All of my light fabrics are coordinates that I had in my fabric stash from Marcus. The directions for the block can also be found on the website.

The fabric I'm using for my cornerstone blocks.

The finished blocks will measure 4 ½” x 4 ½” square block (including seam allowance)

From dark fabric cut-

40- 2 7/8” x 2 7/8” squares, then cut in half diagonally to form 80 triangles (A).

 From light fabric cut- 20- 3 3/8” x 3 3/8” squares (B).

·         Line up the diagonal edge of a dark triangle A along the edge of the light square B, right sides together. Center the triangle so that the ‘tails’ are even on each side. Sew a ¼” seam along the diagonal edge.

    Repeat on the opposite side of the square B.

     Press to the dark side.

 

Line up the diagonal edge of a dark triangle A along the edge of the light square B, right sides together. Center the triangle so that the ‘tails are even on each side of the block. Sew a ¼” seam along the diagonal edge.

    Repeat on the opposite side of the square B.

      Press.

     Trim the block up to measure 4 ½” x 4 ½”. Make 20 blocks total and set aside for when we assemble the quilt top. Remember we still have a few more birds to do.

Each month will feature an applique design, I have a stash of basic colors that I use for applique, I bet you do too! You will also need a basic cream or white for the applique blocks. You will need 1 3/4 yards of a cream/white background fabric. It can be a tone on tone or neutral print. This cream fabric will also be used for the top and bottom boarders along with some pieced cornerstones. You can also get scrappy with your cream fabrics! The applique blocks will measure 8 1/2" x 10 1/2" (this includes the seam allowance).

It's an adorable quilt when it is done. The finished size of the quilt is 58" x 65" Each month's pattern is a free PDF instant download. If you miss a month, the patterns are available for $2.50 on my website and also in my Etsy shop.  

If you don't have a printer, you can purchase a PRINTED copy of the pattern

HERE

 There's also a Facebook Group, please join and post your progress! It's also fun to see everyone else progress too! Make sure to post your blocks so far! I will be ending this year's BOM with some giveaways. Make sure to stayed tuned for that!

I hope that you all have a wonderful day and find some time to do some stitching! I'm off to my sewing room to do some piecing. 

Happy quilting,

Cindy and Josephine

Bumble the Gnome

 Spring is here and I have started cleaning up the perennial gardens and I'm happy to say I've seen a couple of bees too. We have a cousin that is a beekeeper and we have been lucky enough to get jars of fresh honey from him. I love honey in black tea. I love to cook with it. Honey is a wonderful glaze on roasted carrots too! To make honey glazed roasted carrots. I clean and slice several carrots and put them in a 9 by 13 pan. I drizzle them with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast them in a 425-degree oven until done. As soon as they come out of the oven, I drizzle honey on them and give the pan a good stir. Yum!  One of my family's favorites. 

Bumble is a sweet gnome that takes being a beekeeper seriously. It's a fun design with a touch of whimsy. The design pictured was put on a tea towel that I made out of some fabric from Marcus Fabrics. I like how it turned out. It'll be so cute in my kitchen. I currently have it hanging on a cabinet door in the corner of my kitchen. It adds a nice pop of color!

I pulled some great bumblebee colors from my Marcus Fabric stash.... 

The pattern can be found both on the Quilt Doodle Website and in the Etsy Shop under the PDF patterns. Download the pattern and trace the gnome pieces onto the paper side of your fusible web.

I then group the shapes with the fabric colors and iron the fusible web onto the back side of the fabric following the manufacturer's directions.

Then position the gnome pieces to form the design and iron it in place. Something I didn't do, you can line your white fabric with an extra layer of fabric and fusible web to hide the overlapping shapes. This will make the gnomes beard and mustache appear a little crisper without the color bleeding thru from the body and hat pieces.

Using black or dark brown thread, machine stitch around all of the raw edges of the design. When finished, sew the button to the center of the flower and stitch the bee's antennae.

~ Bumble ~

I hope that you enjoy this cute new design. It's a fun one to do and it only takes an afternoon to do. Bumble can be found in my Etsy Shop and also on the Website. It is a PDF download.

Hope you are having a wonderful day and find some time to do some stitching!

Happy Quilting,

Cindy and Josaphine