Blocks, blocks and more blocks.

We've just enjoyed a long weekend here for the Queen's birthday and it's been a busy one. Going shopping is madness at the moment with all the sales going on but I needed to get some clothes and what did I come home with? I had to have this little polka dot set, it wasn't expensive and if you live in this part of the world, it's by Maxwell Williams and is just the right size for the two of us. I even went to the tea shop to get some fancy pants loose leaf tea to christen it.

That liitle purchase kinda eased the pain of being in a dressing room with mirrored walls. You know the ones, no doubting what the back or side views look like. It was like being in a mirror maze and I was glad to get out of there.

You probably want to know about quilty stuff. The last week has been all about blocks. I managed to get 16 of the Klosjes done so my total is now 165. Am I sick of them yet? Heck no but I don't know if I'll make it to 400. I might have to give some thought to settings soon.

I finished the two Morrell blocks I started and I really enjoyed doing the broderie perse. The fusible I use is Lite Steam a Seam 2, it keeps a nice clean edge

This hand pieced 20" monster took me quite a bit of time, it looks more crooked in the photo than what it really is.

The fabric I was searching for on the last post arrived in the mail so now I'm ready for more blocks. I think I might give this one a light coffee dye to cream it up a bit.

I'm switching styles with the quilts in progress and did get four more small applique blocks done for the Stars andSprigs quilt. I'm so thrilled to have 6 out of 9 rows done. I can't wait to get to the borders.

Because of all the distractions with making blocks, I've just been nibbling at the hand quilting. It's taking a bit longer than I anticipated since I decided to echo the circles. It looks better and it evens up the density of quilting throughouout the top. I'll get there, there's no time frame.

The Sarah Morrell quilt

I haven't started a new quilt this year and I think I lasted quite well but seeing the Morrell quilt around blogland was just too much and I finally ordered the pattern pack and a starter kit of fabrics.
This is the original quilt pictured in Glorious American Quilts.
It's dated 1843 New Jersey.

This is the pattern from Threadbear by Di Ford. The ladies at the shop give great service and are extremely helpful.

I made a start on the center block and if you knew me, you'd know that hand piecing isn't my forte but I never shy away from a challenge and this will be a good skill building project.

I have a friend doing an insane handpiecing project that helped me with some great tips for hand piecing.

I appliqued the center to the background instead of piecing it in, just because I didn't want seams.

I've never done broderie perse before but I always wanted to have a go and I really lost myself in making this floral arrangement. I'm still in the process of buttonholing the edges and I'm using cotton sewing thread to do it. The pieces are fused on first.

I was fortunate to get the fabric below which  is Austen Manor by Harriet Hargrave and is a bit darker than in the photo.

I've been fabric foraging for the broderie perse and thought I'd hit the jackpot when I discovered the one Di had used called Sophia Pearce from Andover from the Winterthur collection.  It's got floral sprays on a cream background. I ordered it from Quilters Corner only to be told they didn't have it. If anyone knows of a source, let me know. It's a few years old now so I don't fancy my chances.

Edit: never underestimate bloggers, you are the best! Thanks to Miriam, who is also making the quilt, she put me onto a shop that had some and thanks to Christine who also offered some to me.