Saturday, April 14, 2018

Blushing Peonies, Dahlias, and Kale--Oh, My!

My latest quilting project uses a beautiful fabric line by Moda called Blushing Peonies. The focus fabric showcases peonies, of course, in vibrant shades of deep coral, charcoal gray, and apple green. 



I am using a simple pattern with blocks large enough to feature the focus fabric as well as the companion fabrics. Here you can take a peek at some of the blocks sewn together ready for the borders. 


Pattern: "Take a Walk Around the Block" from Take 5: Quilts from Just 5 Fabrics by Kathy Brown

The inner border will be a lighter coral, and I'm using the focus fabric for the outer border and binding. 



I'm eager to add the borders and finish the quilt top, but today was a beautiful day with sunshine and temperatures in the 70's. I took a break from my sewing machine to travel with my husband to a greenhouse about 30 minutes away from where we live. This greenhouse is our go-to place for herbs, vegetables, and flowers for our garden and yard. However, this weekend at the greenhouse included a special festival with music, craft vendors, and food booths. The many blooming plants were simply a feast for the eyes.







And these ladies came to the festival dressed for fun!



My husband and I had a delicious lunch, viewed all the crafts, tasted homemade pesto made from local basil, and came home with some ready-to-bloom dahlias. 



In addition, we will add another variety of kale to the varieties already planted in our garden. One of my favorite spring treats is a kale salad made with freshly harvested kale, sliced almonds, shaved parmesan cheese, and dried cranberries. Yum!



Tomorrow may be a rainy day where I live, so I may again be at my sewing machine for the afternoon working with flowers on fabric as I put the borders on the blushing peonies quilt top. 
I have received no compensation for the mention of companies, patterns, or fabrics in this blog post. All opinions are my own.