Quilt News! Sunflowers with Borders Quilt Top Finish, Komebukuro/Rice/Drawstring Bag finish #3 in a Series, Happy April!

My newest drawstring bag finish. It's embellished with running stitch, sides are 5" square.

Sunflowers with Borders close view.

Here are the 3 rice/drawstring bags I've made this year, I'm keeping sewing supplies in them.

Sunflowers with Borders quilt top finish, 35 x 57".

 

Hello Quilt Friends! 

'April showers bring May flowers' and that is what we have in the valley. The sun does manage to peak through, lovely, and the birds sing rain or shine.

My blog friend, Carin @ queeniepatch.blogspot.com sent me an interesting link to a great article on Komebukuro, which is traditional Japanese rice bags, and their cultural history. Here is the link; https://tatter.org/komebukuro/ . There are also some beautiful examples of vintage komebukuro in the article. Thank you Carin!

The fabric I used for my 3 drawstring bags was leftovers/scraps and extra fat quarters, (bought too many on a sale.) And the drawstrings on two were made of extra ribbon and I used the same fabric for drawstrings on my last bag as the the body of the bag. I'm hooked on these little bags, I have fun changing up the sizes and using different fabrics. And I enjoy embellishing them with sashiko/running stitches. They are also very useful and make good gifts.

This week I finished piecing the final borders onto my Sunflowers with Borders Quilt top. I bought the panel at The Quilt Barn in Puyallup, WA. The Quilt Barn has a wonderful selection of color, I always find what I need and what I didn't realize I needed. :)

Next on my agenda is to finish piecing my Log Cabin Improv quilt top.  

Linda @ kokaquilts has a gorgeous Housetop Log Cabin variation that she has pieced. If you want to see a fabulous quilt visit her blog.

And that is the quilt news from the valley, where progress is being made.

What are you finishing up this week? I'll be by to visit.

Quilt News! Sunflowers with Borders Quilt Top Progress, Sashiko Embellished Rice Bag Finish, Spring Blossoms...

Another Rice Bag variation with Sashiko on pink linen....

White Hellebore at Lake Wilderness Arboretum.

My Sunflowers Panel with Borders quilt top, one more dark border to go.....

White Quince blooming at local arboretum.

Border choice interview... dark, light, dark, light and so forth....

Cherry blossoms ready to open..

 

Hello Quilt Friends, I hope you had a good Easter. 

It's spring and we're enjoying walks in the local arboretum, things are sprouting, birds are singing and blossoms are opening.

I finished another Rice Bag, I found a slightly different method and I wanted to see how it would turn out. I was happy with the outcome but I had to tweek the drawstring casing to work with the ribbon I had on hand. I always try whenever possible to use up what I have when making new projects. The bag now functions well but I had to take it apart a few times to get it there. The challenge met!

And good progress is being made on my Sunflowers Panel with Borders Quilt top. I bought the Sunflower Panel at the Quilt Barn in Puyallup, WA, last summer when I saw it on display. There were little bits of blue and purple tucked in among the sunflowers, 'I know what I could do with that!'... And it was on....

Walks in the Lake Wilderness Arboretum are stupendous this time of the year. The Hellebore and Camellias are fading out, the Magnolias are taking turns, their blossoms are super fragrant. I could  go on and on but I won't. 

What new color and project challenges are you in the middle of? 

Have a great day and I'll be by to visit.