Tuesday, April 29, 2008

Tuesday Chitchat

Well, it is dandelion season here in KC. I decided while plucking the little beauties from around the water garden, that if America would only adopt these yellow lovelies as the national flower, their status would immediately rise--saving me lots of time, energy and sore muscles!!! Remember when we used to rub the yellow flower on our chins and if they turned yellow, that meant we were "in love"? Or we would chain them into stunning necklaces if clover was not to be found? I never have eaten dandelion greens or sipped dandelion wine. Maybe it's time...



Playing a little catch-up in the sewing room, I have finished stitching and trimming up the redwork blocks for Paperdoll Memories. There's a small look-see of the pattern there to the left. Today I am pulling all reds, pinks, red-pinks, etc. from the stash to see what could work for the piecing, of which there is much in this quilt!!! I know that I have mentioned this on my blog before, but as a child I was a major paperdoll player. Hours on end could be spent developing the storylines, designing new clothes on typing paper, acting out the fantasies. Such great memories.



Block 4 of The Circuit Rider (KC Star BOM) has joined the first three. It is the one on the bottom right, called Rambling Rose. Using rickrack for stems has really made light work of these babies--and added a decided folk art look.











And in the "Oh, No, Not Another New Project Department", I just had to have the kit for this Very Hungry Caterpillar quilt. (Click for big.) The pattern is in the new Fons & Porter magazine and the minute I saw it, I went online and ordered the kit! (Sorry for the messy pic, but I was just laying everything out to take inventory.) One of my favorite things about teaching primary grades was the incredible children's literature available nowadays. Picture books are just plain works of art. It was a weakness of mine to purchase books for my classroom library (school districts do not allot much money for classroom libraries, unfortunately) and I have boxes and boxes of children's books stored in my basement. Like old friends, I can't seem to turn them loose. Eric Carle is a particular favorite. His collage-style illustrations have always seemed so quilt-like to me, as if he were a fan of batiks!!!

7 comments:

Libby said...

We have a market that sells dandelion greens . . . I had to give them a try *s* I just put them in a salad and found them quite tasty. I suppose they would be good cooked like spinach, too.
Your little paperdolls are just as cute as can be. I remember getting our neighbors used copy of McCalls to cut out the newest Besty McCall *s*

Raedene said...

Mom used to go out in early spring along the railroad tracks to gather tender dandelion greens. She served them with a warm bacon dressing and sliced hard boiled eggs. Yum! Also, dandelion wine has a special flavor all of its own and can't say that I would recommend the brew.

Norma said...

Oh, I need to get the new Fon's and Porter.........I love Eric Carle's books! Well, like you I love children's books.....hey, I love books. That was one of the benefits of working at a school with the little ones, you became aware of the new books out there. Do you like Tomie de Paola? He is one of my favorites too!

julieQ said...

Looks like you have been very busy! Love your stitchery and your dandelions too!

Yummers! said...

Ooooooo.. The Hungry Caterpillar. As a retired teacher it brings back wonderful memories. I have to have it... don't know what I'll do with it but it is a MUST! Do you have the website address... please??
Joni

Karen said...

Those embroidery blocks are cute as can be.
It's neat that you can get those quilt blocks from the newspaper. I know they can be downloaded also but I am waiting for them to come out in book form.

Juliann in WA said...

I had to buy that Eric Carle fabric too. I used his books for so many years in my preschool classes. Not sure what I will do with it but at least I have it :)