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Wednesday, June 14, 2017

Beyond the Cherry Trees for 17 ufos in 2017


Although I have been working on these blocks off and on this year, I don't think I have blogged about it for my 17 ufos in 2017.  I first learned about it when I discovered Sentimental Stitches and Dear Jane doing the justtakes2 mystery quilt-a-long on Dec 30 2011. The last block had been posted and I wondered what it was all about. I started seeing completed blocks then completed tops then quilted quilts and I fell in love. I finally purchased it on one of Gay's insane sales as a digital download Feb 2014. Printed off all the patterns and started dreaming about it. In April of that year my Sweet Farmer and I went to Bedford Pennsylvania for a cattle auction and I bought the 11 yards of Kona Snow in anticipation of starting it some day. Well that day came in June 2014.


I started this quilt exactly 3 years ago
when I was waiting for the birth of our daughter's first baby.
I packed my project box and flew out to New Brunswick.


Started off in good form by not placing those first corner leaves correctly.
  
So started again in the middle this time.


Took these blocks on a business trip to Lacrosse Wisconsin.
Watched the Mighty Mississippi River rise an inch a day
and flew through thunderstorms in 2 very small planes. 


Finished this one.
Making and stitching on those 1/8th inch red  bias strips was interesting.


I had these 4 blocks done in 2 months.
Stitched a lot of leaves babysitting the girls.
Lots and lots of leaves.



England and Poland Oct 2014
 
This brings me to the grapes. 


Lots of grapes. About 120 give or take in this block.


 Australia April 2015 



What else to do on a 6 hour layover in Hong Kong but stitch.


Oct 2015 Bennington Vermont to see the original Jane Stickle Quilt. 
This block came along.

More grapes and now some vines and leaves.

Lots of bias stems.

More grapes and now some cherries.



India October 2016



Stitched the first 8 leaves in the backseat of the van on our way to
the Shipshewana Quilt Retreat  2016.



Came along on another  business trip to Bedford Pennsylvania



where we bought another 11 yards of Kona Snow for the backing.
I plan to hand quilt this one block at a time


as soon as I complete this block.

Blessings,
Chris





15 comments:

  1. Lovely blocks. It's nice that you have documented when and where you made the blocks. Good luck hand quilting.

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  2. Wow, those beautiful blocks have certainly travelled far and wide!

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  3. Wow, lots of beautiful handwork. Isn't it interesting how the longer a project takes, the more it's packed full of memories by the time it's finished? This will be stunning!

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  4. You mean you're actually working on the last block? These quilts are beautiful. Many women in the Jane Stickle group made one and they're all beautiful but they're all different too.

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  5. Chris your blocks look beautiful. The Kona is just the right weight for applique. I cannot wait to see your finished quilt!

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  6. Wow, your blocks are beautiful. What a lot of detail, and all so carefully and accurately done!

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  7. Wonderful visual journal of your quilt. Your work is beautiful!

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  8. This is one lucky quilt, having already travelled around the world on adventures!
    So fun to read of the progress of this quilt!

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  9. Amazing job! What well travelled blocks you have and they are just stunning!

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  10. Wow! This will be one fantastic memory quilt!

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  11. So nice to have travel memories for each block!

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  12. I love, love your blocks. I too came into the game late. I have some of the blocks done but have not worked on any in a few months. Too many projects going at one time.

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  13. All these blocks are so beautiful. I found about this quilt late too, and jumped on the 1857 bandwagon instead of trying to go back.

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  14. So so beautiful. I love this quilt and have admired it for a long time. It's great that you're able to stitch memories into each of these blocks because of your trips. That's a bonus!

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  15. I love the storytelling and documenting in this post to accompany the beautiful blocks :)

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