Welcome March!

It is still really cold and snowy here in Denver but Spring should officially start in 3 weeks and the local bulbs should push through the snow: first the crocus, then the hyacinths followed by daffodils.  I can plant peas on St Patrick's Day so the gardening will start- providing the earth has thawed.  His Majesty the Tree was sewn thirteen years ago but still fun to look at.  March is the sycamore tree with signs of spring everywhere.  There is a birds nest in the tree of young leaves- lots of leaves with one stitch of ribbon each.  The kitty takes center stage with a needle turn appliqué in the center and an outline stitched in the lower right corner.  Take a closer look:

March block, the Sycamore tree

A cameo button clustered with blooming fascia and grape hyacinths

Butterfly ribbons and flowers

A kitty watches over the young garden

Buttons and tulips

Frisky kitty watches for birds

February Crazy Quilt block

So it's February!  The month started out with a dumping of snow but for the next few days it is going to be like Spring!  I love February!
February block:
A pine tree with a howling wolf with purple mountains in the back and a luscious pink sky.  Did you know the sky is pink when it is snowing?
Crazy quilts are mismatched pieces of fabric - usually velvets, silks and satins- and usually scraps from the Victorian era clothing.  The pieces are sewn together and embellished at the seams with embroidery and ribbons. Spider webs were often sewn on the quilts as well- very Victorian and very crazy quilt.  When I look at this work I can assume that the winter Olympics were going on this year. Love charms signify Valentine's and there are a few candles near the bead spider to remind me that this is also my birthday month.

February block

Wolf silhouette embroidered pine tree and love charms

Cupid charm, Olympic rings, lots of beads and leaves

snails eat the garden in February, moons and stars and a spider climbing to her web 

howling wolf, flowers, Happy Birthday to me!, spider and her web

Gold spider web, beaded spider, lazy daisy stitch flowers.  Camellias do bloom in February

November quilt block

Majestic tree calendar quilt 2002

A dozen years ago I set out to make a calendar quilt designed by Piecemakers quilt shop in Costa Mesa.  My Mom started this journey with me and warned me that it was a big undertaking for a new quilter.  Well that didn't discourage me and I started it anyway.  I have a guilty pleasure of collecting ribbons, threads, buttons and beads that I have no idea what I will use them for but have to have them anyway.  I knew I had a stash of all of these to embellish this quilt.  I wanted to post these blocks month by month.  I'll start with November:

Aspen tree with wild geese

upper right section with metallic embroidered spider web and bead spider, lots of ribbon embroidery

lower right crazy quilt corner with leaf ribbon and a silver French button

upper left section of crazy quilt, butterflies, ribbon embroidery and lots of silver beads

November lower left section, embroidered and appliquéd wild geese, thistle flowers and lots of beads, embroidery and ribbons on velvet

Each month is represented by a tree that is in its glory that month.  How funny that I will start with the month of November and the aspen tree.  The aspen tree is so symbolic in Colorado.  Although by now the leaves have turned and dropped, the trunks of these trees are beauty in themselves.  Each of the leaves on the quilt tree is a stick of ribbon embroidery. I hate to guess how many leaves I stitched - often changing ribbon color There are so many Canadian geese around Denver.  They fly in a magnificent squadron on cold days but don't really migrate anymore.  Their sound is quite a distinctive honk.