Stonefield's Blocks 1 - 4 - I've Started

Hi Everyone   Thanks for stopping by to see what I've been up to.

I've started the Stonefield's quilt.  This pattern is by Susan Smith.  I've had this pattern for quite awhile.  It was a gift from a nice lady named Barb Perrin.  I haven't seen her in years, and I hope she sees these blocks as I (hopefully) keep working on this quilt.   Here are the first 4 blocks. 

  

This quilt is mostly made up of handwork which really appeals to me.  There are 121 blocks which are mostly applique'.  I think this quilt has always attracted me because the pattern is a lot like the Dear Jane quilt.  There are line drawings and a sentence or two about how the maker constructed the block.  We're left to either use her suggestions or come up with our own method of doing the blocks.  AND, there is also an outer border of 3 rounds of 3/4" hexagons. That's right up my alley.   The inner border is made up of flying geese.  

I did do these four star blocks by machine because it seemed like the most accurate way to do them instead of hand piecing them.  These fabrics have been in my stash for awhile.  As soon as I saw this pattern, I started collecting fabrics.  The date on the pattern is 2013, so I've had some of these fabrics for quite awhile.  

I know this is a long term project, but this has been on my list of quilts to make for a long time.  

I've been watching Chris, Rebecca and Gretchen work on their Stonefield's blocks, so I decided to join in.  Gretchen has finished stitching all the blocks, and they're gorgeous.  She was working on one of the last few blocks when I saw her at the Dear Jane retreat in April.  

I didn't mean to be gone for so long.  I caught some kind of a flu bug, and it's taken awhile to feel better.  

Thanks for stopping by for a visit.

I hope you're finding time to stitch today.  

Design Wall Monday-Not Stonefields

I know I said I was starting Stonefields, but when I got downstairs to my sewing room I saw a pile of nine patches.   So I got an idea.   Our challenge for the next retreat is to sew something that reminds us of Rebecca Haarer that owns Rebecca's Arts and Antiques in Shipshewana, IN.  Somehow I missed the trip to the church cabin where the original quilt is hanging, but the girls that went took photos.  Here's my design wall with the blocks that I've sewn so far. 

The Christmas cross stitches that you see hanging around the edge somehow didn't make it upstairs with the other pieces of cross stitch that I have in my basket of shame to be finished somehow so I can display them.  

This is the photo that one of the girl's posted of the Church Cabin quilt.  It's really pretty simple.  It's a nine patch of nine patches.  The little individual nine patches finish at 3".  I've loved this quilt since the first time someone posted photos of it.  Several of the girls from the retreat have made their own version of the quilt.  I'm still doing handwork at night, but this is my new machine piecing project.   

I'm linking up to Design Wall Monday at my friend Judy's blog.

Thanks for stopping by for a visit.

I hope you're finding time to stitch today.  

Starting Stonefields - Fabrics and Planning

 I’ve been thinking about starting the Stonefield's quilt by Susan Smith.  The pattern was given to me by Barb Perrin many years ago.  I’ve pulled it out several times, studied it, and put it back on the shelf.  I even organized the pattern into a notebook.  I’ve been watching Gretchen, Chris and Rebecca all working on the Stonefield's quilt.  Gretchen was at the Jane Stickle retreat, and she was working on one of her blocks.  

I freshened my stash with some new Tilda fabrics and a few other pieces I thought I could use in my Stonefield's quilt while visiting Shipshewana.  

This is Tilda's Brie line.  I split a fat quarter pack with Theresa, a friend at the retreat.  We bought those at Caroline's Cottage Cottons in Rome City, Indiana.  I love her shop.  She has some really pretty fabrics.

The top fabric (below) came from Clothesline Creations in Middlebury, IN.    As I was leaving Yoders in Shipshewana, I spied the Barbie fabric.  The Stonefield's quilt has a lot of different blocks and the original uses a lot of different fabrics.  Do you think I dare put a Barbie in my Stonefield's quilt?  I know it's my quilt, but I don't want to wade too far into the deep end.

These are some other Tilda fabrics I've pulled to work on my quilt.

                                                                         

And I still have some Robyn Pandolph and Sandy Gervais fabrics from years ago that I plan to use.

I've saved some of these pieces for 10 or 15 years just to use in this quilt.  

I'm still stitching 3/4" hexagons.  For the project I have in mind, I'll need another 100 or so.  

                                        

This is the first yellow finch I've seen on the feeders this year.  Soon it will be time to put the hummingbird feeders out.

My Christmas cactus is blooming again.  Both of the small ones bloomed at Christmas.  One bloomed a couple of weeks ago.  I've never been able to get them to bloom, so I'm thrilled even though it's past Christmas.  The big plant belonged to my mother-in-law.  I've had it for years, and this is the first year it bloomed.  

 

I hope to post my first Stonefield's blocks soon so stay tuned.  

Thanks for stopping by for a visit.

I hope you are finding some time to stitch today.