Tale of two sunflowers

Evelyn showed us her Dresden Sunflower block the other day--quite lovely and looks terrific on the green background she has selected. Consider this one an experiment that won't quite work for its intended purpose.

I am still agonizing over what I want to do for a 6 inch hand appliqued round for a round robin. Two elements I know will be included--beehives and some silk ribbon embroidered bees. The owner's center is a Honeybee block and she "put in her order" for the bees at least.

It is those flowers, stems and leaves that are driving me round the bend. I am not usually so indecisive about anything. Perhaps if this were my OWN project I would quit waffling so much. I am not fond of applique to begin with and resent being told that it has to be done a certain way to begin with so there is a whole lot of issues involved here, I guess.

Anyway, yesterday I ran through the crafts/fabric area at Walmart Supercenter looking for DMC floss for my "bluework" snowmen BOM before getting our week's groceries . What did I spy but this EZ dresden plate ruler--marked down at that. It included the ruler, a point turner thing, a couple of those stick on decals along with a pattern for a simple wall hanging. All these different sizes from cut strips, as EZ rulers do. Maybe this would work for that round robin?

I sewed a couple more stars and sashing together yesterday afternoon but set it all back in its project box since the robin deadline is creeping up. BTW, I was right about how antique this UFO was when I saw the signatures dated 99 and 2000. It waited this long, it can wait a bit longer, LOL. Good thing quilting doesn't have an expiration date!

I cut a two inch strip and started sewing on the plate blades last evening. It is kind of cute actually but too large for the area that is to fit into. The pieces were a bit small to handle already so I doubt that I would try doing them at one inch--the machine would eat them. The picture is not doing the fabric any justice -- it is a luscious Felines and Canines with some mottling effect, metallic dots and geometrics. I have other sunflower patterns from an old Piecemaker's book "Something to Crow About" but would they be too folk arty to use is the other issue? Even buttonhole applique might look to folk-y though the preceeding round used it but by machine and with a dark background it is subtle.

The owner is a very down to earth person and would probably not care what I did. Still, I want to do a good job for her. I'll waffle some more about the danged flowers but prep some stems, leaves and beehives today and sew the borders on the round to make the base.

Here is one that I made from Eleanor Burns' "Egg Money Quilts". Marilyn was giving a demo on Dresden Plates recently. I had suggested showing the pointy version because the edges are already turned for applique. I did up a sample block for her to use (the center is off a hair, I noticed after the fact). I also did the demo prep work with extra bits cut and sewn so she could show how it was constructed.

It wound up in the block drawing later and one of the newest Belles won them. Carolyn had said while making her blocks for the drawing that should she win them, she was going to make a quilt for the Big Oak Girls Ranch with them. I'll post the picture when she turns it in. She had done a small wall hanging and a bunch of reversible placemats to that point so it was her first quilt!

I'll make another block for me but maybe the blades just a bit smaller so there is a bit more white space behind it. The BOM was naturally just 12 blocks but I wanted a larger quilt and made enough extra for a 5 x 6 -12 inch block set. Now that is the project I should really work on for myself as it is much, much closer to being done!!

Well, that is how it is going at my house this fine morning. DJ is off for an appointment and we will walk when he returns. I'm going to catch a ride with him tomorrow and go pin a few tops since he will be driving right by our meeting place on the way to the golf course. By the time he's done with his 9 hole round, I'll be done with my work. Use his gas, LOL.