Lemon Tree Tales

Art for Food Auction

Take a few moments and look at all the artwork that's being auctioned to raise money for one of the largest food banks in Seattle. LoriBeth Chandler-Lewis wanted to do something to help stop hunger. Since she's an artist she thought that she'd do what she knows best - art. She's also running art workshops. Go and check it out at http://artforfood.blogspot.com. (I apologize for the link not working but I'm typing this from a cell phone at the race track.) (Okay, I'm back home and was able to fix the link.)

Half-Square Triangles layouts

Okay everyone, I need some opinions from you. Which layout do you prefer for my half-square triangles?

Around the World v1
 

Around the World v2

Around the World v3

Around the World v3 Squared

Broken Dishes v1

Broken Dishes v2

So which do you think I should use? Around the World (v1, 2, 3 or squared)? Or should it be Broken Dishes (v1 or 2)? I'll also have a nice solid, fairly neutral border to help frame the design.

How to make Appliqued Perfect Circles

 If you've ever tried to applique circles, you'll know that it's not the easiest thing to achieve perfect circles. That's where these little templates by Karen Kay Buckley comes in handy. At first I was skeptical that they'd work. But lo and behold, I was able to make gorgeous looking circles the very first try. Now that's a product that lives up to its name!

It was fairly easy to do. Trace out the circle on the wrong side of fabric. Cut it out with 1/4" seam allowance or a bit less for the smaller ones. Stitch a running stitch with a knotted end and keep a long tail. Now pull it tight around the template. "Paint" the seam allowance with a spray starch. I used Mary Ellen's Best Press. Press it until the starch is dried. Let it cool a bit and then loosen the stitches to remove the template. Clip the thread tail and applique it. That's it! Wasn't that easy?

 If you like to applique at all, then I'd highly recommend getting this little set from your local quilt shop. Hmm, now I wonder what else needs circles?

A little sneak peek

Just a quick little sneak peek of my center block for the second session of the Spring Fling Round Robin. This time around we're not supposed to post full pictures, just little previews to get the curiosity piqued. Well, is it working? Are you wondering what this is? All that I can tell you is that I used a lot of fabrics and 98% of the block was template formed applique and the remaining 2% was raw edge applique (sewn down by machine). It'll be a long while before I can reveal the entire block and by then the quilt should have traveled around the world being worked on.

4SQS Summer - Mermaid's Tears

The mailman delivered a lovely gift last week. It was my quilt for the Four Seasons Quilt Swap, summer edition. Now unlike Calamity Kim (who was thrown off by my little hints here and there that I was making a quilt for someone else), I knew that she was making my quilt. In fact she called me up right after she signed up saying that she had asked to make me a quilt and was I signed up yet. Every couple weeks she would ask me what I wanted my quilt to be. I always responded that I would be delighted with one of her gorgeous collage style quilts that she often makes. Now, the surprise for me was what theme she would select. Boy, did she nail it on the head. I absolutely LOVE my quilt!!! However did she know that I like mermaids?  :-)

May I present to you Mermaid's Tears. Mermaids cry because they like shoes but don't have the feet to wear them, doncha know?

That lovely mermaid is by Waterhouse and is printed on beautiful ink jet fabric as is the sheet music for the song, Mermaid's Song.

Ah, flying geese, one of my favorite quilt blocks. And do you spy Oberon?

A closeup of one of the "tide pools" or "portholes" to the right. This one has a hand stamped and embroidered seahorse on linen.

The back is just as interesting as the front. I really, really like the image on the quilt label.

When I first opened the package I was struck speechless. I just smiled and oohed and aahed as I poured over every detail. I'm still discovering new little bits to admire. Thank you Kim! It's just absolutely amazing - a true art quilt in every sense of the definition.

Luna loves mosaic

Luna (the travel doll from Angela Jarecki) loved the mosaic obelisk at the Cherry Orchard shopping center in Sunnyvale. She insisted that I stop and take her picture. When we got home we looked at the artist's website for more of his work, Marlo Bartels. I think that Luna has excellent taste as this is my favorite piece of mosaic artwork ever!

Luna - travel doll from Texas

Meet Luna. She's visiting from her home state of Texas as part of the Doll Street Dreamers travel exchange program. I'm sure that her mom, Angela Jarecki, is missing her but she's having a great time here in California. Isn't she the most adorable little thing?!

California Coastline - Los Osos and Montana de Oro

Saturday was a very long but fun day for us. It started with a lovely visit with my grandmother to take her out to lunch. Then we drove down to Los Osos to meet up with Dan - one of our racing friends. After a quick turn around town looking at the hot rods near the beach, we drove to the Montana de Oro State Park. (I didn't even realize that this is the same state park that my grandpa worked at for eighteen years, but it makes sense because it's not too far from Atascadero and Morro Bay.)

We hiked along the coastline trail enjoying the ocean views along the way. There's something so amazing about the ocean waves pounding the cliffs, carving away pieces of the land little by little.

Spectra Green hot rod at Los Osos

View of bay at Los Osos

Coastline at Montana de Oro State Park

Arrrrrgg, climb the skull and walk fifty paces north to the buried treasure!

Trail at Montana de Oro State Park ... the fog rolled in very quickly!

Happy Trails!

4SQS Summer quilt - Done!

My little quilt finally made it to its new home in Florida with Calamity Kim so I'm free to share all the pictures with you now.

The entire quilt, Summer by the Sea:

A little surprise in the quilting. Can you see it?

A closeup of that dragonfly:

It's amazing how much it completed the quilt to add those little red and orange rhinestones for the eyes. It tied back to the little red accents elsewhere. As soon as they were in place I knew it was done. The wings are fairly delicate for mailing so I had to tape a plastic cup around them for shipping.  LOL Go here for the closeup of the illustration of the lady.

The back with all the quilting:

I tried out some new free motion quilting patterns but it still feels a bit wonky to me. I think that I need to make some quilted squares and just practice for a bit. Now looking at all the pictures, I realize that I should have driven to the beach so that I could photograph it in the sand, not the backyard grass. So if you compare the finished quilt with my sketch, do you think they match up?

Well that's it for the last round of the Four Seasons Quilt Swap. Once again, thanks go out to Margaret, the swap hostess with the "mostest". This was a great experience.

4SQS Summer quilt - sneak peek

Just a quick look at the 3D flower on the summer quilt that I made for the Four Seasons Quilt Swap. It's now in the good hands of the USPS and is on its way. Is it coming to your house? We'll see.