"Buttons and patches and the cold wind blowing,
The days pass quickly when I am sewing"
~Author Unknown

Wednesday, May 12, 2010

Through the pumpkin patch...

Well, come along...
There is so much to see in the pumpkin patch...

Look! Emily has a face. She visits with me while I stitch. Now I know most people know Emily Bronte through her tortured romance Wuthering Heights, but are you familiar with her poetry? She writes music with her beautiful words. I feel, at times, like I am there with her on the moors as the words come to her. I am so enjoying my ode to Emily through this sampler.

If you wish to hear some of her words, I have placed some of her poems in my sidebar music box. Take a moment to really listen and you might also be touched in your heart by her...

Okay...I heard you snicker and cry what does this have to do with a pumpkin patch???

This is what is in my hoop today. I am working on this UFO which, if you read my blog regularly, know that it had to be put aside when I was sick a year ago. Why I have left it so long to get back to, I do not know! I just love it.

I saw you roll your eyes again thinking pumpkin patch. It is coming...

I picked my linen and threads for new SAL by a French blogger. Since this is a long post, I will keep you in suspense until next week over this one. I am a terrible tease I know. Can you see the pumpkin patch yet???

I am also raiding my stash cupboard for my next doll quilt. We are making an Irish Chain doll quilt for the next challenge on SmallQuiltTalk group. I am leaning towards doing a red and cream quilt with various reds for the chain.

Still no pumpkins???

I have been playing with some Japanese folded patchwork. Since I only just tested a couple of blocks, I cannot reveal much yet but promise more to come.

No pumpkins in sight? Do you need to put on your glasses? I see them!

You remember that I had started the Quilt Along for Strawberry Fields? I just love this and right away knew I wanted to use a burnt orange fabric that I bought recently when Saskia and I were forced to go to a local quilt shop. Yes, forced! Her mother told us to leave her beautiful dog with her and go. Really she did! *grins* So I picked this for the lightening setting blocks and went from there...

Seeing the pumpkins now?

I picked various autumn shades to make my 9-patch variation blocks. If you read my blogs then you know that autumn is my favorite season so it was nice to get back to these beautiful shades again. And with these fabrics, there is not a strawberry in sight so I decided that my quilt would have to be Pumpkin Fields instead.

And so you land smack dab in the middle of my pumpkin patch. Leaves me wondering if Annemarie is planting her pumpkin patch this year? I keep threatening to raid her patch each year. *wink*

Hand quilting is well underway with great pleasure. I started it yesterday while at Sonja's for more quilting lessons. When you talk, drink tea, eat yummy treats and quilt, you get so much done.

Bet you thought I was a little crazy when this blog post started? Go ahead and admit it. But I found a wonderful little handmade gift for my next giveaway among the pumpkins. I will be giving it away sometime next week but unannounced again. I am going to pick a previous post and use that for the giveaway. I just love surprises, don't you? Glad you joined me in the pumpkin patch! *grins*

26 comments:

Nancy said...

Wow, you have a lot going on with this entry. First, Emily looks oh so pretty now that she has a face. Her colors are going to really suit your taste.
You new little quilt is coming along great.
The needle case is really pretty too.
Now, is that fabric the next doll quilt?
I bought the fabric today for the Jane Austin house you told me I JUST HAVE TO MAKE FOR YOU. You are a trip, and con me into it every time. My squaw is getting pushed father and farther out now. I am still backstitching my Warrior, and today bought the frame. Hope your brother likes the frame, or it will go back.
Have fun stitching.
Love you, Mom

Kathy A. said...

I kept looking for the pumpkins!! Glad I found them at the end.
Love the idea for your next doll quilt.
Stitching is coming along well. You are almost finished your alphabet.
I wonder too if Annmarie has planted her pumpkins this year!

Elizabethd said...

You are such a tease Heidi!
I love the colours you use for your work, so gentle and sympathetic.

RoseLady said...

What lovely soft autumn colors you have growing in your pumpkin patch! Hmmmm...they would look lovely in my home...wink!

Joan

Saskia said...

Well, the weather is like autumn, but I still want some spring, and a little bit of summer first.You keep girls like us guessing, and searching for pumpkins. But i like the quilt. And maybe we can go on a forced quiltshop hop again?? I will be the one who will force you LOL!
But first I can come over someday next week for a afternoon of patching blocks (the centennial sampler maybe??)
knuffels
Saskia

Carolien said...

Hi Heidi,

My goodness, you are a busy bee!!! So many beautiful things under hands. Glad to see that lovely sampler again. My hands are itching to do lots of things too. Must be in the air ...
Good news: my cough is nearly gone (afkloppen! ;) and my nose is trying to behave a little beter. So I would love to make a reservation after that week off of yours, o.k.? I don't work on Wednesday and Thursday, so if that suits you I will be glad to jump on my iron horse ...
Have a great week off & hugs en groetjes, ook voor Jos,
Carolien

Barb said...

Heidi So now we know where you are hiding in that pumpkin patch, I still like your little quilts the best I think,
Oh Emily is looking good , and it sounds as if you are keeping your mum busy too lol.
Hugs

hazel c UK said...

Japannese folded patchwork

Emily is coming along nicely and so pleased she has a face now. Love all the patchwork you have shown us and the colours are so pretty. I can not wait until I see more of the Japannese folded patchwork, I remember when you showed us the other one that you pressed down in the centre.

Wisteria is all out around here now, its beautiful.
Hugs,
Hazel (UK)

Barbara J said...

Oh my Heidi ... you are busy, busy, busy! I think I'll copy your reds and creams, looks really yummy. Emily is coming along and I am rather curious re the SAL.

Now that pumpkin fields is just fabulous ... yes pumpkin suits it better :) Love those autumn-y colours myself.

mbroider said...

I know the SAL;-))) I am into it too, LOL. I am still pondering on my colors, so i am yet to start. Fabric - no choice as such - it is going to be 14 count white aida

Ginny said...

You are quite the tease! All your projects look wonderful, as they always do. Have fun!

Christine said...

So many beautiful projects!
The Pumpkin patch quilt is gorgeous, and I'm intrigued by the foled patchwork, can't wait to see more

Elyte said...

OOOOOOO I love it Heidi it has turned out beautifully.
Thanks for the quilting tip but I think that I will use a different design in the border. I think I am looking for short cuts but I won't be happy with the result. I love your colour choices.

Jantine said...

Oh, I really love your pumpkin colour fabric! Your quilt is awesome. I am still raiding my stash to see if there is any other fabric I might like to use for mine and can't wait to get is finished.
I love your stitching and will go downstairs now and take my J-sampler to do some nice stitching until I have to go with my DD to korfbal.

Siobhán said...

Oh, I loved my visit to the pumpkin patch. ;) I probably would pass over that orange fabric but upon closer look--it is gorgeous! I love the hand quilting that you've done so far, too. Lovely needle case, and Emily looks great!

Pondside said...

Now that's just the sort of post that I love - a good ramble! I enjoyed looking at the progress of the various projects too!

Maggie said...

Great work on Emily!
And your ABC is almost there! - i'm chearing you on for a finish :-)

Beautiful colours in your punpkin patch!

onlymehere said...

You really are a tease! The Emily sampler is intriguing and I'm going to come back and listen to your music box. Now the Japanese folded patchwork has really got my attention! I've never heard of that and I can hardly wait to see it. The pumpkin patch was too funny too. You gave me a smile today!
Cindy

Jenny said...

Heidi, what a fun post today. Looking for pumpkins has always been one of my favorite autumn activities, so I was all for starting early:) Your Emily is coming along beautifully, your sampler is almost done..yey..and it is wonderful, and your Pumpkin Patch doll quilt is breathtaking. I love the design and the colors. You have been so busy...I have hardly picked up a needle this week and am looking forward to the weekend lol. Thanks for the smiles.

AnitaA said...

Wat heb je momenteel veel onderhanden ! Heerlijk hoor. Je borduurwerk wordt erg mooi. Ik was er ooit ook aan begonnen.
Succes met de rest van je borduurwerk.
Groetjes Anita.

Brigitte said...

Ha, I found your pumpkin patch as well, lol. That fabric looks so great and what a great doll quilt it made. I'm already looking forward to seeing your next.
Emily is coming along great. She's one of my favourite writers, together with Jane Austen and Elizabeth Gaskell. I loved her poems as well.

Muggensteekjes said...

Hoi Heidi,
wat heerlijk om weer bij je langs te komen en al je mooie bezigheden te bekijken. Je bent wel druk zeg met van alles en nog wat. Momenteel zit ik in een cratief dipje, komt vast door het weer buiten, gewoon nergens zin in lijkt het wel. Maar nu schijnt de zon eindelijk weer eens en ben ineens weer een stuk actiever.
Heb een heerlijke dag,lieve groetjes Ingrid.

Anneke said...

Er was wel heel veel te zien in je laatste bericht! Wat heerlijk dat je er ook lekker uit bent nu, misschien dat je de volgende keer minder klaar hebt. Maar jou kennende, denk ik dat het eigenlijk niet uit zal maken.

Ik houd ook erg van de herfst, maar ik vind het zelf toch altijd lastig om met dingen van een ander seizoen bezig te zijn...

groetjes en fijne dagen met elkaar

Susan said...

While you had your break with your ABC sampler I got started and nearly up to where you are!!! I have used the thread colours you did also, as I love them. I'm currently doing the border around the STU letters.

I love the doll quilts you'e done as well. A great way to make a quilt trying a new pattern, without doing a huge bed quilt or whatever!!

Regards,

angelasweby said...

Goodness, what a lot is going on here :>)
I'm so glad Emily has a face, she can keep you company now. She looks so dainty. i love the colours and can see similar ones echoed in the pretty SAL you began last year. I need to go back and check out your colours as i really like that combination - being another pink-phile :>) I especially love that pretty little needlecase. Pretty and functional. WM would approve :>)

I can't wait to see your next dolls quilt. I have loved all the previous ones and am sure this one will be just as imaginative.

Oh were the pumpkins ever worth waiting for :>) The colours are beautiful, rich and warm. I can just sense that you are in your comfort zone here :>)
Angela xx

tich said...

How can you have done this so quickly? It seems no time since you started this!! It is gorgeous!