Ben Biggs # 4

I finally got back to the Ben Bigg's BOM from Sentimental Stitches and Dear Jane. This is just laid out on the background fabric. I am doing the corner buds and leaves and decided to do them all in the same green stripe fabric and different colours for the buds.

Ben Biggs # 4

I am wondering why I had decided in the beginning to machine applique this amazing quilt. Then I remember that I have several large and complex quilts I am working on right now and thought this would be one way to actually get the blocks done each month. I had enough of the background fabric in my stash and have more than enough civil war reds and greens from my Dear Jane Quilt and CCCQ, so was ready to start immediately. The patterns are free each month. I am learning to do machine applique.
But in reality, I am itching to get started on Beyond the Cherry Tree which I finally purchased in Feb when it went on sale. I have been admiring it for a couple of years now and have been seeing some almost completed ones. And, today I ordered a fat quarter bundle of fabrics in pinks and reds and greens and cheddars and yellows to add to the purples and greens I already have. I just need to find that 1 green that will be the focus for all those vines and leaves and, oh yes, for the nearly 300 cherries and 200 grapes.
But first I need to spend some quality time here.

I did a blitz of completing blocks back in June and stitched only half a triangle and half a corner kite back in the fall. My best day was doing 5 complex blocks in one day at a retreat a year ago. I had done all the easy ones then all the applique ones first then moved on to the paper pieced ones. I am planning to teach this class again starting in Sept. It will be modern and very very bright.
Blessings,
Chris