Rose Garden BOM - block 6

I have been able to get quite a bit of sewing done over the holidays, including the block for January's BOM Rose Garden.  This one is also a block with several names, and I saw it in a number of locations, including a link to the Spencer Museum. 

I was reading Barbara Brackman's book Encyclodedia of Applique, and she talks about names for blocks, and why there are various names for the same block, and various designs for the one name.  Mostly, in a nutshell, the designs were not named by the makers.  It is only in the 20th century when people starting have access to written designs were they given names. 

Hope you enjoy making this little block.  It is now available to download on the Legend and Lace website.

it is Christmas time, and that means a new project

For as long as I can remember now, I have started something new at Christmas.  It is a good time to start, as people often ask how long it took to make something, or when did I start it, and Christmas is a good time.  This one happened by accident.  I was scrolling through my magazines to show my visitor some good examples of English Paper Piecing.  I found an older copy of Quiltmania magazine No 86, and on the front is a red hexagon quilt, and a medallion quilt.

In the magazine they mention that the quilt was inspired by an old quilt in the Shelburne Museum, and it is in the book "Enduring Grace".  hmmm....I have that book.......some place.  Found it, and yes there is the quilt!  The centre is the same, but the borders have been changed.  I think I will make a combination of the new and the old.

 This is a perfect "scrap box" project.  I have saved lots of precious bits that I can not throw out, and now I get to use them.

So the centre is all finished, and I am cutting out the triangles for the first ring.  I decided to use the templates from Quiltmania, but I would advise that if you plan to make this quilt, just be a little careful of the instructions.  I am hand piecing and using templates, but there are a couple of templates not on the sheet, and they are then listed in the instructions.  Also, with the ring around the centre, the templates are both named the same "G", and the instructions say to "top and tail" them.  that won't work, as one has to be wider than the other to get the curve, and one has an outer curve and one an inner curve.  So, what I am saying is just be a bit careful of the instructions.

Would you like to see what my visitor has been doing?  Never done patchwork before, but is quite artistic.  I thought English Paper Piecing was a way to go.  What colours?  She chose red and black.  How about this for a first attempts?

Pieces of the Past - Christmas Star block

Do you think this looks like a Christmas Star?  It is probably as close as I get with it - red/green/gold.....has all the right colours.

This is block number 6 in the Pieces of the Past project.  If you have been collecting all the blocks, then you are two thirds completed.  This is not a difficult block to make, but it can get a bit tricky right in the centre - where all the seams meet.  I find that if you swirl all the seams around on the back in one direction and press them, then they sit flatter.

The pattern is now available on the Legend and Lace website.

Over the next couple of week I will be taking it easy with the holidays coming, family visiting and the HOT weather.  I have already completed the next Rose Garden block, but will not release it until the new year.

Last weekend I baked my Christmas Cake.  And this weekend, I plan to do the puddings.  I don;t know why I still think I have to do things on the weekends, as it is not like I am actually going out to work, and need to do these things on weekends.  I guess the habits of a lifetime are hard to kick.