It's My Turn!

 Welcome to my day of Pat Sloan's Girls in the Garden Blog Hop!  Pat asked five designers to use the  patterns from her new series published by Bigfork Bay Cotton Company and make projects in our own styles (and I'm so excited to be taking part ~ I had a blast!)  Well my first dilemma was that my "style" is kind of all over the place ~ I like it all...and I've come to the conclusion that that's OK!  What I've always loved about Pat Sloan patterns (even from way back in the day when I facilitated the Sloanies Club at the quilt shop where I worked), are that they work well in a variety of fabric styles, so I decided to make a couple of projects :)

So remember I teased you the other day and said that I was working on something from cutting up this old wool sweater... 

Well I thought it'd make a great background for a Cardinal pillow using wool applique.  I used the Ava's Winter Flurries pattern and just chose some elements from it.  I laughed outloud when I saw that yesterday Heather of Olive and Ollie made a pillow with the same cardinals!  But hers is done in modern fabrics and I think just proves the point that these patterns play well with all fabrics!

I did fusible applique, and a machine blanket stitch with the wool, I think that works well to keep everything stable and it's quick.  One little tip that I'd like to share... when doing the machine blanket stitch around multiple elements like the parts of this snowflake, sometimes it's easier to stitch around them all in one pass instead of a lot of starting and stopping (see how I just crossed over in the center).

And then fuse the center of the snowflake on and blanket stitch around that.  Btw, I used an old scrap of batting for the snowflake instead of wool because I don't anticipate washing my pillow (and I was out of white wool).

Then I just loved this Amelia's Spring Delight design, and my foyer is in need of a new Springtime quilt on the wall, so I pulled some traditional cotton fabrics and I made this quilt top.  All the fabrics came out of my stash and scrap bins, no new purchases for any of these :)

The pattern directions are very clear and they all come with a full size lay out sheet with the pieces numbered, so it went together in a snap.

I finished the blanket stitching, but I didn't get to quilt this one this week, but it'll be finished and hanging up in time to welcome Spring!

Then last but not least, I wanted to work with some of my more modern fabrics, so yesterday I hand appliqued this purple coneflower from the Chelsea's Summer Garden pattern and I decided that I needed to dress up my garden notebook.

Doesn't it look sweet standing up on a shelf?  This was so simple to do.  After appliqueing the flower I just added a little batting to the back, figured out where the spine would fall, and wrote the word Garden by stitching it in on my sewing machine like free motion quilting.  Then a little hot glue and trimming, and she's done :)

Every year I say I'm going to keep a nice garden journal so I remember where I plant stuff (and what it's called, I'm terrible about that), now I have one all ready to go :)  (This should not make me as happy as it is)

So if you've been following the blog hop all week over on Pat's blog you know that she's had us all answer a few silly questions (and you can read my answers over there today).  Well I decided to turn the tables on my friend and ask her to answer her same questions ~ after all that's fair, right?  So here are Pat's answers:

·  If you were a salad, what kind of dressing would you want poured all over you?

Yes I DID ask this one... and I do believe I'd have to go with Blue Cheese as it is decedent, creamy, and one I shouldn't have as often as I do!

·  Who would play YOU in the movie version of your life. or If I'm in Thelma and Louise.. who am I and who is my sidekick?

I'm going to pick the movie as I LOVE this Chick Flick.. I'd have to be "Lousie" played by Susan Sarandon as I just ADORE her and she looks super in those sunglasses! My BBF Brenda B. would be Thelma. Although Brenda does not have Thelma's personality , she is the one I want with me as Brenda can get us INTO and OUT OF any situation and to anyplace we might need.. ummmm...  want to go!

·  If you were a car, what kind would you be?

I switched the 2 questions because you will see WHY I asked about Thelma and Louise... Vintage car ALL THE WAY and a powder blue 1966 Thunderbird Convertible is my ride of choice.. anyone have a spare to give me?

Now the truly fun part for you!  The folks at Bigfork Bay Cotton Company are giving away one pattern of your choice to one lucky reader of mine! To enter, please leave a comment at the end of this post. I'll use the random number generator to choose the winner, and the giveaway will close at midnight EST on Sunday, February 26, 2012.

Here's the rest of the Blog Hop line up for the week, visit everyone for more chances to win:

• Tues Feb 21 Michele of Quilting Gallery http://quiltinggallery.com/2012/02/21/my-day-on-pat-sloans-girls-in-the-garden-blog-hop/
• Wed Feb 22 Heather of Olive and Ollie http://www.oliveandollie.com/
• Friday, Feb. 24:  Amy of Amy’s Creative Side
• Saturday, Feb. 25:  Heather of {House}of A La Mode Fabric 

The Fat Quarter Shop is also giving away five full sets of Pat’s patterns. Visit their Jolly Jabber blog to enter.
Finally, visit Pat Sloan each day too as she shares her inspirations on designing “Girls in the Garden” and she’s giving away another full set of the patterns!

Enjoy the day!
~ Dawn