My husband and I went for a three-mile run this morning.  After returning home we shared a fabulous breakfast of quinoa smothered with cinnamon, honey and fruit accompanied by a piping hot cup of coffee.  With my exercise out-of-the-way and my tummy satisfied I rolled up my sleeves and hauled out my Heart and Home pattern and fabrics from Acorn Quilts.  I’ve been making slow but steady progress on my quilt by Heart To Hand.  Proceeding through the many, many steps takes care and loads of patience.  Because I want to produce an eye-appealing, top-quality creation I’m careful not to choose this project on a day when I am low on energy.

I’m almost finished with block number one.  All that is left are the french knots on the flowers and hand-stitching of veins on the leaves.  The hand work is something I can do while relaxing, in the evening, so I set that project aside.

The obvious next step was block number two.  First to complete was the Flying Geese panel.  I gathered all twenty-eight pieces and followed the instructions for assembly.  Each piece was carefully aligned, stitched and pressed.  After pressing the final seam and turning over the panel it was neat to see the finished strip.  I was well pleased with the color combination as well as the placing of my points.

Up next was the attachment of the Flying Geese to the main body of the block.  Once I had the two pieces stitched and carefully pressed it was on to the placement of the multiple pattern pieces.  Piece by piece I appliqued each section to my block.

First to be added were the tree and its many branches.  Next came the beautifully colored bird with its long and flowing tail.

This bird, as with most, needed a home to rest its weary bones.  A well fashioned nest complete with three little eggs was the next addition.

To finish off the block leaves and berries were added to adorn the branches.  As with block number one, this block also awaits further embellishment.  The bird will receive a hand-stitched eye, his feathers will be defined with contrasting embroidery floss, the blue berries will be decorated with small stitches and last but not least the leaves will be sculpted with lines to represent their veins.

The applique is now complete on blocks one and two of my Heart and Hand quilt.  Blocks three through six are already cut out and waiting assembly.  I can’t wait to work on them.  Here’s one more look at blocks one and two.

WIP Update

Very little progress has been made on my WIP list other than the updates I have shown you on my Heart and Hand quilt and the small quilt for my middle granddaughter Miss L.  Here’s my list as it stands:

*Quilt Tops Ready for Quilting*

My Colorado daughter’s king sized quilt; Simple Times quilt by American Crib Quilts; May Night from the Pineapple Passion Collection by Nancy Smith and Lynda Milligan published by That Patchwork Place; and Bear’s Paw Quilt by Eleanor Burns from the TRIO of Treasured Quilts Quilt in a Day Series.

*Fabric and Quilt Patterns Purchased For*

Autumn Quilt by Heart To Hand; Heart & Home by Heart To Hand (progress being made); Snowy Days by Heart To Hand; The Bundling Board by Primitive Pieces; and First Year Log Cabin by Acorn Quilts.

*Quilt Pattern Purchased For*

Cathedral by Villa Rosa Designs; Civil War Battle Series # 2 by Clothesline Quilts; Courthouse Square # 169 by Country Threads; Family * Home * Friends by Cottage Creek Quilts; Joyful Welcome by Threads That Bind; Martin’s Pennies by Civil War Legacies; Snow Drifts by Hanging by a Thread; and Tall * Small by Waltzing with Bears

*Fabric and/or Craft Pattern Purchased For*

Chelsea Tote by Lazy Girl; Elf Mittens by Button Stitch Designs; Encore Purse Insert by Studio Kat; Miranda Day Bag by Lazy Girl; Penny Mats thru the Year January, April and November by Buttermilk Basin; and The Sammi Grace Bag by Fishsticks Designs.

I also have fabric purchased to make a quilt for each of my three two grandchildren.  These quilts do not require a pattern.  7/3/12 Note:  one of the three quilts has already been made.  All that’s left to finish is the hand-stitching of the binding.

* * *

I’m linking up with Freshly Pieced.  Be sure to stop by her blog for more WIP fun.