I took way too many photos yesterday to share them all so I need to be selective – LOL – I have enough for three post at least so I will trim it down to fit in one. I did get busy on the Snails Trail pieces yesterday and now today I actually need to cut more diamonds and rectangles. I need 22 more. These were done yesterday.
I’m down to close to the floor, in fact I was kneeling on the floor to put up yesterdays blocks that I made – I think if I stick to this size it will be 80 x 80 estimated. I have not decided on a name for this one – some one said – it might have actually been several said it reminds them of the Harlequin designs – the way the snails trails end curve out reminds me of a Court Jester’s hat – does it to any of you? Maybe Court Jester or somewhere along that line? Linking to My Quilt Infatuation –
Noriko’s Star still needs a lot of black pieces and as I piece the rows together I will be able to move the design around to fit everything on the board to make sure the layout is right. I think I will do the top half of the rows and then rearrange and put it on the board sideways so all of the hexies can fit on – the top half would just be folded over when stitching is not happening. Black outlines just about the whole piece and has four in the middle of the bottom row
Quilting on Rainbow Crossings from Tuesday night
The Redbud tree is in blossom – this means yes it is early spring in the south – but next week on Tuesday night we might get down to freezing – this doesn’t usually harm the trees but it is always possible – a very cloudy day – it rained Tuesday night and into the morning and stayed cloudy all day with more rain last night. It just started to open so should look fuller in a couple days – hopefully before the freeze. Our last official freeze date is about April 8th so this is not unusual.
I thought 2 of the 3 clematis died so I trimmed the very dead ones back to the ground and they are now re-growing – a save! I will need to train this one and the other to go back to the railing to climb. I will tie them is what I normally do.
And finally some growth on the very dead looking hydrangea – down at the bottom finally spotted some leaf’s – I will wait another six weeks or so and see if the canes have any leaf buds but they are looking very dead so most likely the bush will be pruned back to the ground level, no flowers this year but maybe back next – this has happened to it once or twice in the past.
Rhubarb back for a second season. If we do get a freeze next week I will be out there covering some plants up with the pine needle mulch and maybe some old painting sheets but they usually survive a March freeze ok.
Nice progress on your projects. My redbud is beginning to bloom too, and our last freeze date is later than yours! I hope it doesn’t snow in April this year.
Dear Karen,
The hexies are looking amazing and the snails trail and diamonds with all the colours definitely reminds us of medieval times, maybe dancing around the maypole with all the rainbow of colours with the ribbons. Definitely celebrating fun and happy time together with friends and family. Our next snow storm is arriving tomorrow morning, we are still recovering from last weekend’s snow. Thank you for sharing nature pictures with us, so we live in the hope of seeing spring flowers soon.
Court Jester is a fun name idea for the Snail’s Trail project! Those curlicue areas really do stand out. I love seeing the redbud trees – they don’t grow around here, so I have to enjoy them in your photos. So glad you’re seeing new growth in plants you thought might have been gone, too! March is definitely a changeable month – we’re finally going to get some nicer weather here.
I really like Court Jester. The snail trails really do resemble the jester hat. I think I lost my clematis. It really seem to struggle after I planted it. And I’m not sure about my hydrangea either. We shall see. Supposed to have a really cold day on Sunday here with temps dipping into the 20’s at night. But we are supposed to bounce back pretty quickly. My mom and I are going to seminar on pruning roses later this morning.
We first encountered a red bud tree in Missouri on our way home from AZ the first year. They were so pretty! So nice your clematis is returning. I think the snails trail blocks always remind me of surfer type waves.
I hadn’t noticed the jester hat until you mentioned it. I can definitely see it. Your plants are bursting forth with life! I’ve always heard it’s hard to kill a hydrangea bush. I hope that’s true because I have one that was originally transplanted from the edge of a cemetery.
Our Redbuds are about to bud too!
Mmm, rhubarb! We have a plot of rhubarb which seems to grow easily. We love it, make rhubarb crumble and the like, and often cook some up with apples to have with our breakfast cereal.
Redbuds are really pretty! We don’t have them here, of course, so it’s nice to see photos of warmer climes.
I’m reading your blogs backwards today after not reading for a few days. Not sure why I haven’t – just busy doing whatever I do. Sometimes I start sewing right after getting dressed and don’t come up for air until lunchtime. Anyway, I enjoyed reading your bread cutting method and may give it a try. I still seem to have better success doing the last rise and baking outside the machine. I do have a recipe that seems no-fail for in the machine completely, though.
Your hexies are coming along very nicely. I was looking at the Snail and diamond quilt and the secondary pattern jumped out at me. Probably because you mentioned a jester’s hat. Anyway, how about Diamond Jester for a name? Just a thought 😉