Sheep and Sunflowers
Sheep and Sunflowers! I am all caught up with my Fab Farm blocks for Kathleen McMusing’s Fab Farm SAL. If you are sewing along and making the baby quilt size, we are finished with our blocks once we have the sunflowers done. In this post, I had finished the pig block. Today I’m ready to share my sheep and sunflowers blocks, so let’s take a look, shall we?
I happened to be wandering through the aisles at JoAnns and saw the gray swirly print. I thought it would make a fun sheep body. The values of the print and the background fabric are pretty close, so the sheep fades into the background a bit, but up close I think he’s pretty cute! This was a simple, fun block to make. It would be fun to add some texture to a baby quilt using sherpa or minky for the sheep body.
Sunflower Saga
With the sheep done, I was ready to tackle the sunflowers. I read Kathleen’s tips for the sunflower blocks, and I was good to go. I decided to cut both sunflowers at the same time, because I really don’t like the cutting process, so if I can cut more than one block at a time, I’m all over that. I pulled out my brown scraps and found two different centers for the flowers. I pulled out my green scraps and found leaf fabric for both blocks. I pulled out my yellow scraps and just barely found enough of two prints for the sunflowers. Cutting out the yellow pieces, I was feeling pretty happy about having just enough of each fabric. Phew. I pulled up the directions for cutting the background fabric . . . and realized I had cut the yellow fabrics according to the background pieces. Sigh. Determined to make it work, I figured out what yellow pieces I could pull from what I had cut. Then I found more yellow scraps that matched up and used them for the rest of what needed to be cut.
In the flower on the left, there are three different fabrics, but it’s difficult to see that in the photo. The smaller flower only has two. When I went to make the leaves and stems, I realized I had cut both in the short block directions. Sigh. So I pulled out my green scraps and found another green scrap to use for the large block. Might as well have scrappier leaves with the scrappier flower, right? In the end, I like them both. I might also add that I didn’t piece the small leaves correctly on the right side – they should be offset like the large block, but I wasn’t about to take it apart just for that.
I added my sheet and sunflowers blocks to the design wall, taking the time to put the blocks up in the layout for the baby quilt. All that’s left is to add the sashing strips and borders and the quilt top will be done. I decided to leave that for another day.
Sheep and sunflowers and the rest of the menagerie, looking pretty fun on my design wall. Makes me grin each time I walk into the room.
Speaking of which – my sewing furniture is done! Yay! That means I’ll be moving in pretty soon. Once that happens and I get settled, I’ll give you a tour. Promise!
I’m off to link up to the Fab Farm SAL!
Wendy
Making Progress
24 Comments
Katherine Duquette
Your farm menagerie makes me grin too. The sunflowers are especially nice. Happy sewing.
ShelteringHaven
😍
Sandra Walker
If you had not explained all your happy mistakes, I would have thought this was just how it was supposed to be! Personally, I love controlled scrappy, so your sunflowers are just darling as is your entire quilt! You and Kathleen are making me want to make this…
Eva
This will be such a nice baby quilt. The little one will have to see a lot and I feel it goes over the lines often with the fingers to explore. My absolute favorite is the sheep!! I collected so many sheep fabrics…. Good inspiration. The sunflowers are brighten the quilt. And it was so clever to use more than one fabric. These flowers get my interest in the moment, because of using scraps… I love my Mount Scrap and it is always a solution to go on a walk to climp him up… lol
Wendy, this is such a nice quilt. Do all animals have names? Wilbs could be jealous because we look to other animals than him?
Stitchin at Home
I like the look of your scrappy sunflower, nice and bright additions to the top. I can’t wait to see the sewing room tour.
The Joyful Quilter
Super cute completed quilt blocks, Wendy! Best of luck with getting settled in your new studio. SEW looking forward to a tour of the space!
Tracie
Your Fab Farm quilt blocks are so cute! And the little strawberry and sunflower laying on the side add so much interest. It’s really fun to see the layout. Sounds like the sunflower process was a bit of a bugger, but they turned out great!
Kathleen McCormick
Oh, that is quite the saga. I thought about recommending cutting it out together, glad I didn’t. I was sure something would not work. I love the sunflowers and leaves with the different colors. I call these happy design decisions. And, that sheep fabric is perfect….what I had in mind, but I had nothing in the stash like that. I can’t wait to see your furniture!
Barbara J Stanbro
Oh my gosh…those blocks are adorable. I’m looking forward to a tour of your sewing room.
Mari
I love your quilt! I often make the same cutting error, switching whichever fabric I’m supposed to be cutting for another. It’s how I end up with so many scraps! Love the sunflowers, despite the trouble making them.
Sandra Healy
I love the scrappy sunflowers! The blocks are so cute all together.
Carol in Texas
This will be a precious quilt! I sympathize with your instruction and cutting struggles. I’ve been there too! But in the final outcome you have two cute sunflowers! Congratulations!!!!
texasquiltgal
The sheep is adorable with his little Grunge-y face and swirly curls, and yes that would be a great idea to use Minky on the body. OK I LOVE your sunflowers, so those scrappy things you did to “correct” made them look perfect in my opinion!
I really don’t like the cutting process either. I’m always so relieved to get it done that I have to relax with a glass of wine. 😉
Yvonne @Quilting Jetgirl
I really like the scrappier look to the sunflowers, and nature is nothing if not full of variety so the different leaves look beautiful and perfectly at home, too. I’m excited for you to move in and really start enjoying and benefitting from the remodel hard work!!
Bernie
Wendy, this is so great – as for the variance in your flowers and leaves, isn’t that how nature really is?? To me, it is perfect!
I love the look of all the blocks on the wall together. Super cute.
Rochelle Summers
All of your blocks are so nice I love the fabric for the sheep…perfect! Sunflowers are a favorite and these look so pretty. The different shading on the fabrics adds a certain dimension that makes them more life like. So looking forward to seeing the sewing room all set up and the new furniture.
Laura
Sometimes our own efficiency bites us in the butt…but not this time! The sunflowers turned out great! 🙂
I am really looking forward to that studio tour!
Diann@ Little Penguin Quilts
These blocks are just the cutest, Wendy! I love the sheep’s curly gray fleece and the the scrappy sunflower blocks, too. The rest of us will never see what you might have done “wrong!” This is going to be a very fun quilt!
Helen
The sunflowers are wonderful! I love them. I’d like a whole quilt just with those.
marissthequilter
Oh oh oh your new blocks are truly fabulous and the pin-up of all the blocks is just delightful
Preeti Harris
Oh the sheep is adorable. I am surprised (and thrilled) that you saw those possibilities in gray swirly fabric. At first glance it does not seem like anything but you saw what it could become. May the Happy Sewing continue!
Vicki in MN
Oh goodie for the finished furniture!!!! I rather like the sunflower block with the extra yellow print in it, flowers in nature aren’t always perfect;) And your sheep is just too sweet!
Cocoa Quilts
Scrappy sunflowers look perfect!! Can hardly wait to see your furniture!!!!!
Kathleen McCormick
And I am so late on saying thank you for linking up and playing along with Fab Farm!