Sunday, June 1, 2014

Finished Handwork

There is a little corner wall space in our living room that has always wanted a picture or wall hanging or some kind of decoration on it.  Since the living room was finished a couple of years ago, I've had a black and white quilted wall hanging I made in 1994 hanging there.


This wall hanging is actually the very first piece I ever made when I started quilting.  It was very hard for me to pick out colors (still is but I'm a smidge bit better now) . . . so that's why I went with the rather bland black and white.  (I was a total Scaredy Cat lacking in color confidence.)

A couple of months ago, I decided I wanted something with a little more color to grace the spot.


I chose the pattern for this wall hanging from Kim Diehl's book, Simple Traditions - 14 Quilts to Warm Your Home.  


I'm pleased with the way it turned out and had fun doing it.


It's a combination of pieced work and applique, and I hand quilted it.  Now I can cross that project off my list.  Yippee, a finished piece and some color in the corner!

` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` 

We had 1/2" of much needed rain yesterday and overnight.  Much more forecast for today and tomorrow.  Both Papa Pea and I spent much of the drizzly day yesterday digging through the built-up mounds of "stuff" on our desk tops.  I actually made it to the bare wood of mine and washed it off.  (How does a desk top get so dirty if it's totally covered with papers?)

Today I'm in the kitchen restocking the freezer with soups and maybe some cookies.  

I'm nearly done planting in the garden.  Just the beans, squash, eggplant, corn, peppers and such that need some consistently warmer temps before planting the seeds or setting out the transplants. 

13 comments:

DFW said...

Your new wall hanging is beautiful. Look how far you've come. I will say that your first piece looks intimidating to me as well. I love the black & white motif.

Unknown said...

What a great design, love it.

Carolyn said...

VERY pretty! Have you ever looked into Pennsylvania Dutch Hex Signs as a quilt pattern? It would be INSANE....so probably something you'd like to try.

Susan said...

I would be comfortable with black and white - while I love color, I am such a chicken. Your new hanging is wonderful! I love the design. Can you send some of your rain our way? We've had hardly a quarter inch in a week.

Mama Pea said...

DFW - Thank you! Gotta admit I've always liked that black and white piece. Maybe it's the simpleness of it? Or maybe the design and quilting show up because the eye isn't distracted by color? Anyway, thanks!

Mama Pea said...

Nancy po - Very folk artsy, no? Thanks.

Mama Pea said...

Carolyn - Yeah, they've always held an appeal. But truth to tell, I'd need a good pattern to follow and haven't seen any . . . although I'm sure they MUST be out there.

Mama Pea said...

Susan - Your pictures in your post today of your sunshine make me more than willing to trade some of our gloomy wetness with you. Hope you get your share soon.

Anonymous said...

Wow, I just ready what you have been up to lately (3 posts I think), and you sure did come back to health with a roar! Way to go!!!
Your garden already looks better than mine, but like I told Bud...it's going to take me a couple years to get mine to look fab. So much amending needs to go into it. Hope you are enjoying that sunshine, you deserve it!

http://caffeinatedhomestead.weebly.com/blog

Mama Pea said...

Stephanie - Yep, I could only take so much of that feeling crummy! Bah, don't want to go there again.

Our soil was once nothing but gravel and clay. Took many years and lots of work to get it to where it is now. And I know you'll get there, too. But each year along the way, you'll get a bigger and better harvest from it so you'll know it's worth it. Keep at it, girl!

Sandy Livesay said...

Mama Pea,

A beautiful design, I wish I was as talented as you :-)

Mama Pea said...

Sandy - I'm sure you have lots and lots of talent! And thank you.

Lisa said...

Your quilting and applique work is so beautiful. Love the hand-quilting touch too. Very pretty!