Basket Applique Quilt

I have finally really learned how to applique, and I am in LOVE!! I adore applique and I am picturing all of the quilts, wall hangings, table toppers, place mats, and runners I am going to make! Here is one of the pieces I am learning on. It is a quilt by Kim Diehl, from her book Simple Blessings. The quilts is called Baskets of Bloomers. 

Super Fun!!!

I already showed you the first block, but here it is again,

This is called Tulips. Here is the second block,

Gerbera Daisies

And the third block,

Pomegranates

They are all needle-turn applique. So much fun!! There are 9 blocks in all to make a square wallhanging. But I am going to make a throw for my living room, so I am going to add 3 more blocks. I am going to use the basket but put my 2 cats and my dog in them. Then it will be more of a rectangle, and a good throw size.

I'm lovin' it!

3 down, 1 to go! Long post, picture heavy!

I don't know how it is for you in your neck of the woods, but for us May is an insane month, with a never ending whirlwind of activity! We had prom and fundraisers, the track season which is short and intense, the end of travel basketball, kids moving back from college, and a high school graduation! 

First of all, here is Isabel showing off her ribbons from track, she got a 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th!! LOL! all bases covered!!

We are so proud of her! She is such a determined athlete. I don't know where she gets it, I was one of those kids who cringed whenever someone threw a ball at me! LOL!

And next we have Aidan and his girlfriend Annaliese at senior prom. Aren't they a gorgeous couple? I wish I had better pictures but I ended up taking lots of pictures FOR Aidan with his camera and neglecting my own!

And then we have graduation! Yay!! 

Here is Aidan and Annaliese posing with Chelsea! Aidan is off to Western Illinois in the fall to study criminology, and Annaliese is off to Marquette! Wow!

So Isabel has about a week of school left, and then the summer begins. Lucas is going back to Marquette for the summer to work. This will be the first summer I don't have everyone home. :(
But as they say, "Birds gotta fly, fish gotta swim!"

And on the creative front:
I joined a quilt guild in March, and then subsequently have joined 3 little quilting bees, or mini groups. A Wool applique group, a regular applique group, and a Baltimore Album group. So naturally I have been doing some applique! I already showed you my woolie project in a previous post, so here are some of my applique projects:

Block 1 and 2 of my Baltimore Album quilt. I still have the embellishment to do on both of them.

Blocks 3 and 4 of my Grandmother's Kitchen quilt. I have showed blocks 1 and 2 in a previous post here, and if you want to see the entire quilt by Lori Holt of Bee in my Bonnet go here.

And this is block 1 of a basket quilt designed by Kim Deihl. I am thoroughly enjoying all of this applique and have become quite addicted to it!
Thank you for reading my blog and I will try to get back to posting regularly again now that all the frenzy is over and we move into the lazy days of summer!

What I worked on while on vacation

apron block

detail of embroidery on pocket

Isn't this super cute? It is the first block of a quilt called Grandma's Kitchen, by Lori Holt of Bee in my Bonnet. I love love love this quilt. I am doing it in 30's and 50's conversation prints and colors. It is all hand applique using the needle turn method. There is plenty of hand stitchery to keep me happy too! I just adore this project!