I think 2016 was quite the year and am really looking forward to 2017. Have you planned at least 20 new projects like I have? I'm really good at making lists of all the quilts I want to make, gathering the fabrics and then by next month I'll be more realistic and scale things back to maybe only 10 projects - haha!
It's hard to believe by the Fourth of July holiday we'll be finished with our 1857 Album Quilt! I have four blocks for you today. They're a mix of things I love and things I would never think of including in an applique quilt so let's get started.
This block is signed by Uncle Andrew. I actually like this block quite a bit. It's unusual and has some great elements within it. I made it a bit smaller than the original and you might want it even smaller so take a look at that before you cut any fabric.
I'm not sure if the branch in the center is a mixture of fruit and leaves or all leaves. I wonder if those are figs? What do you think? Whatever they are this will be a fun block to pull fabrics for and stitch.
This block was made by Maggie or Maddie. I can't quite tell because the embroidery has worn away.
Find yourself a great polka dot piece of cheddar fabric for the center of this block. You can see the block more than fills the background square so I made it a little smaller too. Check to make sure it's the size you want and reduce or enlarge if necessary.
This block was signed by C. Ackerman
I think these represent gardening or farming tools. A spade, hoe, watering can, pail and clippers.
They're pretty tiny but kind of cute.
Be still my heart! This block is just beautiful! The layers on this rose are fantastic and lend themselves perfectly the an ombre piece of fabric if you have one.
It's almost hard to tell the very center of the rose was once a sunny yellow. Those stems are not for the faint of heart. You can see my "stitch and cram" technique for sewing these beauties HERE.
I wonder if the brown fabric was always brown or once another color? The embroidery once down the center of the leaves has all worm away.
If you're intimidated by the stems you might consider embroidering them or use a lightweight, washable ultra suede for those pieces. No edges to turn under and looks really elegant in a block. I've used the ultra suede on miniature blocks and been very happy with the result.
Happy New Year everyone! Thank you for sharing this quilt journey with me in 2016. I pray you'll all be blessed in 2017 with much love, good health and happiness. Lots of fabric and time for stitching would be nice too!
The 1857 Album Quilt - Block Set 13
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