Bramble Blooms II Update

Audrey from Quilty Folk is hosting a Quilt Along (QAL) called Bramble Blooms - an "informal, structured, yet unquestionably improv. style of QAL" that will include prompts for making a series of 3 quilts. 

Our first step of the Bramble Blooms QAL was to make three piles of fabrics for the three quilts in the series. All three of my piles started with orange and lime green bits and pieces. Each of the three piles had more greens added plus an additional color. Bramble Bloom I had purple added. Bramble Bloom II has pink added. Bramble Bloom III will include aqua/turquoise. 

I completed the top for Bramble Blooms I and now am working on Bramble Blooms II. 

I completed the Bramble Blooms I center piece  back in May. 

" BBII: First Border Prompt

Putting together the first border in the 2nd Bramble Blooms quilt. Making connections with the first BB quilt but trying for a new look."

The first border contains 8 inch Quarter Square Triangles (QSTs) but instead of lime green and orange like the center piece the blocks are made of other greens and pink. AND instead of alternating the colors of the blocks in the layout like I did with the centerpiece I matched up the greens and the pink/orange in the second border. Doesn't really seem like a border but that's how I introduced pink into the quilt and I was not really feeling inspired to do much of anything after thinking about it for a long while. 

" BBII: Second Border Prompt

Sewing the second and last border onto the quilt. Considering making it with random pieces of fabric in a simple yet improv. style. Adding applique motifs in the same style as the first BBI quilt. The choice to include bias vine, including a tutorial for making your own bias vine without any special tools. "

Ok. So, I've never added an applique border let along an improv appliqued  border. So, I've never made a bias vine or bias binding for anything.  I know it is recommended that the applique be done before it is added to the quilt; however, I don't think I can do that so I've gone and added the border - that lime green, pink and white floral. I'm thinking I will applique some vining roses going around the corners. That means I will make some bias vines for the first time and add some needle turned rose leaves. And then, I hope to add some ruched roses if I can remember how to make them from those days long ago when I used to do quite a bit of crazy quilting.  If my ruched roses don't turn out then I might try some broderie perse roses.   So, if I get as far as rambling roses in my corners then I might add some butterflies to the rest of the border. Or not. 

So my next step is to make a bias vine. I've cleared off my little 18 x 24 cutting mat now I just need to gather my vine fabrics and go for it. 

And sew on...

***

CELEBRATE! (my word of the year)

October 27 - Beautiful pink sky at sunrise. 

AND I finished a book! - I Will Close My Eyes by Amy Fillion.  Barbara, Martha's best friend since the age of 3 passes away. 101 year old Martha remembers their lives together.  This is not the usual type of book I read; however, I have to say it was light reading and a pretty good book that covered a lot of different life issues and how they were dealt with by different characters.