Sunday, June 5, 2022

Churn Dash and beyond

Well ..... I'm very pleased with myself ..... am making great progress on the Churn Dash Challenge that Chookyblue (http://chookyblue.blogspot.com/) has tempted many bloggers to take up.  It all started with the binding challenge that I issued.  While we were zooming she worked on bindings and her Churn Dash quilt was one of them.  Many of us were hooked after seeing her quilt and there was a lot of chatter about doing a sew-along ..... a challenge was issued and viola ....

 

Back in 2008, I had started a Churn Dash quilt but it got shelved.  It was the sashing that bothered me then and after pulling it off the shelf last month, it still bothered me.  So .... plan B came to play and I'm very happy with the new look.

For the next four months we are to make 1/4 of the blocks required.  For the big blocks, 7 blocks are to be made for the month of June.  So far, there are 13 blocks made ...... guess I'm ahead of schedule!  LOL   For me, all the blocks will continue to be made sooner rather than following the plan for each month.  I just want all the blocks and cornerstones finished.  It is the sashings that will take longer to finish up as they all need to be appliqued.  For them, 16 sashings per month need to be completed to make my goal.  Right now, all the pieces are just pinned in place.  Once all the blocks are done, then there will be some switching around of the circles until just the right look comes into play.

At the end of May, it was at this point:

Then, five more large blocks and four more cornerstones were cut out and viola good progress made!  I try to make the blocks in small groups as it goes quicker in the assembly bit. 
These are the fabrics for the next round of large blocks.  
Three more cornerstone blocks ready for trimming and then assembly.  
These are almost the rest of the circles needed for the sashings.  I usually wait until almost the end and then choose what fabric colour is missing and then add them into the mix.

Oh yes, I'm very pleased with this new/old project!  When it has been 14 yrs. since first starting this and then taking it off the shelf this past month, it feels like a brand new project.  See, there is a reason for my UFO's after all!  LOL

A few readers wanted to see photos of our garden.  

This grouping is just outside our patio door.  A hummingbird feeder, a fuchsia and some coleus.

We have so many iris blooming right now.  A lot of them were purchased from a home owner who was clearing out his collection of irises.   Some came with our house when we purchased it.   After these photos were taken, a peach iris and two yellow iris bloomed.  How wonderful they are.  I will try to get a photo in the morning before we get our scheduled heavy rain.  

Those of you wondering how steep our hill is and it goes up about another 24' to our property line.   All those stones and bricks were hauled up the hill by my husband.  He put in a LOT of work and we can now sit back and enjoy the view.  There were semi terraces already established when we bought this house.  He just made them safer and wider to work in.  Before, we were sort of sliding downhill a bit if our foot went in the wrong place.  Dangerous for us older folks.
 
Stop, admire and smell the flowers blooming around you.

Cherish your day, cherish your life!  

10 comments:

loulee said...

Your Churndash quilt is going to be stunning. What am I saying? Even half done it is beautiful.

Nancy said...

The new version of your churn dash blocks has such charm. I love the applique sashing. (The idea of applique might just stay in my brain a while and evolve....) Your garden is gorgeous!

Jennifer said...

Your garden is so pretty - even when it's not autumn! lol Yes, it was a lot of work getting those terraces done, but well worth it. Well done on the new/old churn dash, I love the itty bity little cornerstones.

dutchcomfort said...

Love to see photos of your garden! I always imagine what it would be like to have a real garden ;-) We only have a very small city garden. I have a soft spot for churn dash quilts. When the blocks are set on point it looks even more amazing!

Kim said...

Oh, I always stop and smell the flowers. =) Your garden is lovely and those irises are beautiful. Your Churn Dash quilt is going to be lovely. Gosh, that is a lot of circles.

Deb said...

It’s amazing how everyone is going to interpret this challenge so differently! This will be a gorgeous finish to a long time start for sure! Giles has done amazing work on your hillside garden it was not an easy task and the keep up still is major work could set up your hand quilting on one of those terraces and look over North Bay as you quilt. I am loving the time spent outside quilting!

Chookyblue...... said...

so pleased you ahve breathed some life back into that quilt.........its going to be beautiful........better get appliquing with all those little circles......they do look good though.........

eloidastitches said...

You have been busy!! I love what you are doing with your churn dash quilt. Love you gardens as well. A picture perfect place to photograph your quilts in different seasons.

Florida Farm Girl said...

I'm so looking forward to seeing the churn dash quilt all done. It's going to be stunning. Love your terraces. We have steep slopes in our yard also and I can't even negotiate them anymore and DH out not to do them! Your gardens are lovely.

cityquilter grace said...

a lovely garden rose marie and oh those churn dash! excellent! love the red sampler too...so many pretties to see