It's that sprig!

When something small catches my eye, the lightbulb comes on and away I go with the idea.  The idea caught me by surprise and I keep changing the original design (Promise of Spring by Kim Diehl in American Patchwork & Quilting magazine, Feb. 2007).  It has been 6 years that I have drooled over this pattern!  The pattern can also be found in her book Simple Comforts (the pattern name has changed to Serendipity Sampler).

This is the original first block:

My version has subtle changes that makes the block look less busy: 

See this little sprig of berries?  This is when the lightbulk clicked on.  This little sprig is starting to pop up all over the blocks.

In the center section, I had the big red pointy piece in the center all sewn down and then wondered what it would look like if some sprigs were placed on the diagonal.  Yep, I love it!  So, with a little bit of ripping out, those sprigs are going there.  It is the little things like that that changes the whole look of a design.

Here is a better view of the center:

Here is the original center block below.  As you can see, my center section has been widened a lot so that the design is not crowded.

I have been collecting plaid and striped fabrics for many years now and have added some thrift store shirts to round out the look that my blocks needed.   A couple of plaid/stripped charm packs is what decided the size of the background blocks.  Having 60 blocks already cut out pushed me into the direction of the bigger blocks that you see on my version.  My blocks were cut down to 4-1/2" square because after my charms were washed and dried, they were no longer 5".

Now, I'm wondering what else will change as the remaining blocks are worked on?  Plus, there is a border that needs some planning since it is not in the original pattern.  Whatever is done, it has to be in keeping with Kim Diehl's look.

P.S. In case anyone is wondering, I'm not affliated with Kim Diehl in any way ..... I just love her patterns and books.

Now that two of our wall units have been painted and the paint has had time to cure, the time has come to figure out what to put back into the units.  I had just put in this gold/blue quilt on one of the shelves and later noticed that Miss Ashes had made herself quite comfortable. 

Miss Hank has made herself comfortable in this unit in the master bedroom.  Their hidey holes keep changing all the time.  We never know where they will be and we have to be so careful when closing a closet door.

My July OPAM has a total of 11 dish cloths and 4 kitchen towels.  As fast as I make them, they are given away or replacing older worn out items in our kitchen.  At some point in time, my obession in making these pieces will come to a halt.  For now, I will keep churning them out.

Have a great day!