October Cheddarback blocks

Are you keeping up with the Cheddarback blocks from Sentimental Stitches?  Here's what I have for October so far...

A couple initials using a Cheri Payne alphabet, and the larger blocks for this month.  I figured out how to do the flower basket by piecing rather than the partial applique.  That would never have looked right to me.  I usually machine applique with a zig-zag or a blanket stitch, and that just didn't seem to be in the spirit of the quilt.

Snow on the River

In my efforts to work on projects I already have planned - rather than chasing off at every new internet idea or sew-along that I find...
I've pulled out a quilt that I first downloaded and set aside fabric for in 2012. 

It's a free pattern by Barbara Brackman which she posted on her Material Cultures blog.  (click here for the link)  She called it "Snow on the River Wandle." 

 I was drawn to it by the lovely rich jewel colors.  Before Mill End Fabrics closed, I found this snowy tree fabric and bought it for this project.  Time to get 'er done!

A rainy weekend at the cabin gave me time to cut out all the blocks, and start sewing.  Here's my progress so far.

The Tri-Recs rulers by Darlene Zimmerman & Joy Hoffman at EZ Quilt.com have been Wonderful!  My points on the stars are coming out beautifully. 

This is kind of a practice quilt for the Storm At Sea quilt that's on my bucket list.  I think I'll have the confidence to do that one fairly soon from the way this one is going. Yay!

Remembering Cheri finish

Remembering Cheri 52 x 58 inches

Besides being one of the loveliest days of autumn today, another quilt was finished!  Remembering Cheri was quilted up this week, and this morning the binding went on. 

A year and a half in the making, it turned out quite nicely.  Quirky, whimsical, primitive.  Not my typical style quilt, but a fun change of pace.

I'm not a big fan of applique, but enjoyed making these monthly blocks.  By the time it came to adding more applique to the borders though, I cried "No more!" 

I used buttons for some of the smaller applique design elements, and they are very cute.  (Flowers in April, May and September, berries in March, eyes in August, October & November, snowflakes & snowman in January and Santa's packages in December.)  A bit of a challenge to quilt around them, but it worked out.  The red star block is my label and the border is quilted in diamonds.  Most of the blocks have echo quilting around the applique.

As in all my Cheri Payne quilts lately, I've liberally used scraps from my Dad's cotton shirts and pajamas.