Beginnings...

Spring keeps me busy and not necessarily in terms of stitching.  First, there is strawberry season which has been particularly good this year.  The flavor of the berries is exceptional this year and I've made repeat trips to the fruit truck for boxes of berries.  Then I make jam. Here's a batch just out of the water bath.

A more artistic view of my handiwork:

The garden also keeps me quite busy.  Here it is just after I finished planting a couple of weeks ago.  At this moment, it is perfect: no weeds, no bugs, no fungus.

I also spend quite a bit of time in the Spring cleaning out flower beds, but it pays off with lots of inspiration.

Now it's time for me to focus on stitching!!  I'm planning to begin a block for my Baltimore Album quilt shortly.  The design is ready to go and I'm looking forward to getting started.  The first step in the process is to prepare a background square and this is how I do it.  My blocks will finish 17 - 18 inches, so I use a large 20 1/2" square ruler to cut a perfect square.  Move the ruler to the center line of your block and place a strip of painter's tape along the edge of the ruler.

Move the ruler out of your way and stitch along the edge of the tape in a nice straight line.

Do the same thing on the opposite half of the block.  When finished, you will have perfectly straight registration lines to guide the placement of your appliqué pieces when using an overlay.

This is one of those things in appliqué that may take you a few more minutes but save you time and headaches later on in the process.

While I'm working on my next Baltimore block, I've decided I need something easy to do when I need a break or when I'm watching Wimbledon or the NBA playoffs (GO HEAT!!!).  Here's is "Ring of Roses" in Quiltmania Magazine, issue no. 101.  

I just love it and I'm collecting pink, red, and beige fabrics to get this going ASAP!  I'm going to use some red Daiwabos too.  It should keep me out of trouble.

Don't forget that registration is open for The Kathy Dunigan Academy of Appliqué where I will be teaching, along with many other wonderful teachers, in February 2015.

Hopefully, my next post will be full of photos of work in progress!  Stella is quite tired from all that jam making.