Just made it........

.....by a whisker!



I haven't followed the setting for the blocks exactly. Because I'm using a jelly roll and a layer cake I've cut some of them differently. Also, this gorgeous fabric, Avignon, has some beautiful border type fabric that looks fabulous. I wanted to use them as they were, without cutting them into shorter blocks. The finished block size is the same, so it's not going to make a difference to the size of the quilt at the end.

I also cut all the pieces for the rest of the blocks and traced all the stitchery blocks this month too, so a little less to fuss about in May. Hopefully, I can get into the next block next week and be ahead for a change???

I'm loving seeing so many different colours and fabrics for this, some amazing blocks on here.........

April Deadline....Missed...

Still No Background Fabric to Stitch On, Waaaahhhhhhh.  The fabric ordered on 6 April has still NOT arrived!  Have you ever felt jinxed?  I certainly do with trying to get this fabric and all we want is plain...ordered muslin at the beginning of February...no go...moved across to Moda Bella Solid...still no go.  It seems like it would easier to obtain some rare vintagey one 2" square left in the entire world fabric than a good old plain solid!!!! And in a cream/beige colour no less, not even a colour that isn't as common as common - sheesh!

So I'm reduced to Gardener's Journal Envy as I sit and watch all the progress and lovely results of Everyone Else in this stitch-a-long...or for me...Stitch-A-Watch!  That means that I'm going to have to stitch doubly hard in May...if I ever get background fabric.

Well done ladies on your April blocks...I hope to join in One Day!

Happy stitching...

Annette

My first patchwork... block G!

 It's not perfect, but later I can always make minor adjustments! I wanted to fulfill the plan of attack of Chokyblue!

Have a great week end :)
Sofia

Love it............

I am so excited....

.....I have cut all the fabrics for most of the blocks and sorted them into bags....

....finally I got my block "G" together..............

I finished the stitcheries for this block a few weeks ago and had the bundle of fabric sitting on the sewing table that I walk past numerous times a day.............I was worried that I had picked the wrong fabrics or didn't have enough "light" fabrics............did I have to much "blue" 

now it is together I am so happy with my choices.........

so how is everyone else going with there 1st block whatever that one is for you............we need to get some more letters beside everyones names so we can see some progress.............it's the end of the month tomorrow........

&&&&

keep stitching away...............we don't want you to pack this one up and put it back into the cupboard.........15 mins here or there all adds up........

Catch you later..............

Chookyblue

Yea! The Book Is Here...

My book arrived today all the way from Australia. I am doing a happy dance. I am so excited. The sprinkler scene for block G is about finished, then I'll start on the Bird bath. Maybe I'll catch up before the end of May.

Mama Bear

Unfortunately . . .

I am not going to get my block done for April.  I have still not received my book.  Chookyblue was kind enough to send me some of the information; however, I think I still need the book to get going.  Oh well, I will just have to do double in May - YIKES!  You are all doing such a great job and all of the blocks are so beautiful.  Hopefully my book will come this week.

Lori

Block C is coming along....

Block C is well and truly on the way. I visited the Stitching Fairy yesterday to pick up the house. Mum you have done a wonderful job on the stitching. The 'Stitching Fairy' will be busy finishing the 2 other stitcheries to finish the block.

I am looking each day and everyone is doing such a great job.

Thanks Donna and Peg and Dale

The border fabric has arrived...

A wonderful parcel arrived last week when I was in Sydney. It was from Hatched and Patched in Bathurst and had my border and some more stitching fabric for the Gardener's Journal quilt. That means I can choose fabrics and perhaps get my first block done before the end of April...perhaps in the first week of May.

I pulled some fabrics out of my stash. The photo was a bit dark so the colours are a little wrong but I think they might do.

random stitching...

I have just been randomly stitching whatever takes my fancy, mainly because I just couldn't settle on what fabric I was gloing to use,

I think that I have the problem solved now,

and I am going to use these... lovely soft hues of rose pinks & browns, shame the photo doesn't really do them justice...but you get the picture, and I am happy that I have finally decided whcih to use!

Top Complete.....

Now to get the backing and off to the Quilter.....

I am soooooo pleased that this quilt is finally together.  Thank you so much for the move along I needed to complete the project.  I just hope it doesn't take you as long as it did for me to get to this stage!!

Happy Stitching and Quilting to all my Stitch-A-Long friends!!

Made it in time!!!!

My Block G is finished! I don't know why I fussed so much. It turned out better than I expected. I'm very happy with it. The material is an old range called Paris Flea Market. It's one I collected several years ago. I used to get it out just to touch and play with. It is about time I used it. There are lots of roses and flower posies, perfect for a Gardener's Journal.
Now on to stitch the pieces for the next block.
Kayly

Block G , work in progress...

Almost finished :)))Whe whave only 5 days to ding!!!I started cutting the 32 smaller squares ...

After many cuts came another study ...

Than, I went to sewing machine ...

Dharma and Malibu, patientely observed what I was doing :)

Because  I 'm inexperienced, I didn't yet  finished the block G :(

But I started stitching the bugs and the weather vine to bolck A!

Have a nice week :)

Sofia

Here in Portugal still 25 of April, 22:18PM. 

Border Number One......

Is on....

The instructions say to cut this first border at 1 1/2 " but I have cut mine at 2  1/2" - I like it just that little bit wider.  I have cut the second border, ready to go,  I have cut it at 6 1/2" - I wanted to see as much of that yummy 'Chocolat' fabric as I could!!

More to come tomorrow I hope........

How lovely to have a long weekend here for Anzac Day, perfect Autumn weather to stitch some more.....

Stitching done and decisions made.

I have finished my stitching for Block G ( you can only see the watering the garden stitchery but the bird bath is done as well). I have spent way too much time agonising over which fabric to use. If I had the time I could make a whole variety of colour ways but I have finally decided that I will use Garden Party. I know others are using it too - but I just think that it is perfect for this quilt. Mine may turn out more scrappy because I am using a layer cake, so I have some interesting times ahead trying to figure out the cutting. I do have some scraps as well so I should have no problems with yardage. I have actually started stitching a little bit ahead but now I have made my fabric choice I can start putting the block together.

Kayly suggested that I use an older Robyn Pandolph line - Sentimental Journey. I definately have enough in my stash and I am sure that it would have looked lovely too. But I like the tiny prints in the Garden Party range and the layer cake was a birthday gift so it seems the right choice this time. Now to get things under way.

Lynda ( bettsylyn)

Hola Margaret...........

Margaret has found our group and she is also stitching A Gardener's Journal. 

I have been trying to help Margaret out with her questions about the quilt. 

She has stitched block G and is currently working on block A.

This is not as easy as you think as Margaret speak very little or no English and I can assure you I speak NO spanish.

I have to translate every email and hope we don't loose to much in the translations. 

Sometimes the sentences sound a little funny. 

Adios Margaret happy stitching 

Chookyblue
PS Margaret doesn't have a blog

Bec

I'm afraid that I am not going to get my block together this month; I have the stitcheries done for April and almost done for May but have to sort and finish cutting my fabrics for the piecing.
Am having a crisis time here and won't be online for at least a week. Bec - OhSewBusy

Drain pipe or side of house ?

G,Day or night, whatever the case may be. On the stitchery of the house there are three lines on the rh side , I don't know about the third, two are the veranda posts . Is the third the side of the house ? I have scrolled through and the two persons that have finished this block they have the three lines the same. It helps if you are a one colour stitcher .

My First Block!

I am so excited – I have finished up my first block. I had to start over on my blocks because I was not happy with the colors I had chosen for the stitcheries. I am still a little uncertain with the colors of the tulips but I can always change it later if I want. I loved going through my fabrics trying to find just the right ones and I absolutely love what I picked!

Here are closeups:

   

Thank you Chookyblue for heading this up. I love seeing everyones progress!! Later - Jennifer

Block A`s stitching and Abbreviations.

Hi there, Grethe on the line here: Yes,feels good and recon I am ahead of schedule. But a busy month to come,so that`s fine. Had to make a new decision about fabrics,as apparently something went wrong with my order;still back-order for me(should have lived in Australia!). And with the ash-trouble up here north,post does not come as regular as it should. Pity that is. So back to square one,I am using mainly the Garden Party range, unfortunately. Oh,well,that is what I started off with anyway:-)

Do you see the nice,little purple note on the side of the picture? Being an expert on abbreviations -thought I was!-so there would be no problems with abbr.But being born and bread Norwegian, I have just cracked the code of a couple.
This means: OMG, anybody please help!!! Thanks a lot :-)

Happy Sewing.

Stitching tutorial............

for those of you who don't visit my blog I put up a stitchery tutorial today ..........

you can find the post at my blog Chookyblue

hope everyone is stitching away on their block for April...........not long til the end of the month now............

Catch you later..............

Chookyblue

My Fabrics

These are most of my fabrics - the cream in the front is for my stitcheries.  The rest are all by Blackbird Designs.  The five inch squares are Beach House by Blackbird Designs.  I think I need a few more in the green tone.  Any ideas on what colour to use for my stitcheries?  One colour or all, I can't decide.  I have browsed through this Stitch-A-Long and everyone's fabrics and colours are beautiful.   Can't wait to get started as soon as I get my book. 

Lolastitchida (Lori)  

Starting Today!!

I have been inspired to join this group because I have had "A Gardener's Journal" for a while now on my list of "things to do" (it's a very long list!!). Although I have been away for a month and am starting a little late, I hope to catch up with you all soon! I have chosen my fabrics from my stash and decided to stitch all the patterns with DMC 221. I'm looking forward to keeping up with everyone's progress and being inspired to finish on time!! Thanks to Chookyblue, Peg and Dale for gathering this group together!

My first post and fabrics

This is my first post to the A Gardener's Journal Stitch-A-Long. I know I am a bit behind. I have ordered the book and should receive it next week. I have picked some of my fabrics and will post a picture tomorrow once I figure out how. Can anyone help me with that?

Looking forward to lots of fun.

I live in Ontario, Canada and this is my first stitch-a-long.


Lolastitchida

Hello from Huntsville, Alabama in the USA

Thank you for allowing me to join you on this stitch-a-long. I just discovered you all at the end of last week. I love what you're doing. I had to order the book from Australia, couldn't find it in the US at least not online. Hopefully, it won't take as long as they said to ship. I got it from Patchwork Angel.

I have read all of your posts and seen your lovely work. I'm going to be behind but that's okay. I had these fabrics and I thought they would be good for this project.What do you think? What do you think I should use for the background on the stitching and the backing for it. I read that you are using different things. I like the idea of using one color thread as some of you are doing but I like the ones with different colors, too.

Looking forward to more posts and pictures from you.

Mama Bear(Sammie on the sidebar)

40%.......

Everyone is stitching away so well.........40% of the group have finished the "G" block............some girls started on "A" and that is fine........so long as we get a block done each month............we still have 10 days till the end of the month.........go for it.............another lady joined the group tonight.........

I have to get some more thread............can you believe I have all these blues plus more but not DMC 930.........Fairy Girl helped me sort out all my threads into number order........think this will be better then colour order...

HELP

Do you know if you can just buy the white cards (plastic or cardboard) to wind the threads onto and put in my thread keeper box???? 

Do you think 3 skeins of DMC thread will be enough to stitch the rest of the quilt.......???????

Catch you later..............

Chookyblue

A long long Journey

My husband and I went for a short trip to Brussels in Belgium and had a wonderful stay there.
We planned to fly back home to Denmark on Thursday last week but because of the vulcano ash from Iceland spreading all over the northern part of Europe a flight time of 1 hour 35 min transformed into a 3 days train journey with so many problems that I think I could write a book about it.
We are safe back home and I am on the right track again bound for stitching.
It is so wonderful to see all the stitcheries and blocks so many of you have made the last 10 days and imagine how I will enjoy sitting with my block A again.
Jytte R

Finally an update....

Hi all, well finally I can show something achieved. I've managed to decide on my fabrics and have chosen these ones I have been given last year in a swap - Portobello Market from 3 Sisters, it will look great as I am doing my stitcheries in DMC 3863, a lovely latte colour.

And I can now declare that I have finished stitching Blocks G and A ...........

At the moment because of my back problems and being unable to sit and sew, I am just completing as many of the stitchery blocks as I am able. So I am still keeping on top of things, it just means that one month I won't have any stitching but lots of sewing.

I am enjoying doing this with all you other ladies, everyone's enthusiasm is such a buzz and keeps it  all alive for us all.

Thanks Chooky. xx

P.S Sorry about the wrinkling stitcheries, have just washed out the blue pen and they are wet.

I finished my first block!

I pulled a set of fat quarters out of my small stash and was able to finish block G today. I even finished stitching next months blocks and hope to get them put together next weekend. :)

Enjoying every moment :) :) :)

Slowly but I'm on the way!

I already have the fabrics.

After a cup of coffee, I will do the selection of fabrics for the block G.

Have a nice  week and enjoy yours stitching

Sofia

P.S Here in Portugal is not the same hour!I didn't lunch yet!!

My first post.

Well here I am at last making my first post for the Stitch-Along. My name is Noela, I live in S-E Queensland and I have been quilting for a number of years. I love incorporating stitching in my quilts and so was drawn to Anni's A Gardener's Journal quilt as soon as I saw it. I too, like many of you, have had my book, fabrics and threads for a long time. They have been hiding among my stash of fabrics and UFO's. I am so glad I discovered this blog and was not too late to join in. I have prepared my first two stitcheries and have just started to stitch them today. I am adding a photo of the fabrics and threads that I will be using. The tea-stained fabric in the front is the fabric I am using for my stitcheries.

I look forward to seeing every-one's blocks as they are finished. Bye for now.........Noela

I'm finally here...

Hello everyone, I'm Leanne and I live in Tasmania, Australia. I am so happy to be part if this group. I know I'm a little late in posting but better late than never right. I am so impressed with everyones blocks, the fabric choices are beautiful. Here is my progress so far. Today I traced the blocks for this month so I'm going to start on those tonight. I have had this kit for 2 years so its lovely to be working on it with all of you. It will keep me motivated to keep going.
Happy sewing.

on my way

I am on my way I have started I am doing the stitching in red. I love how it looks
I still dont know what fabric I will use ???
I was going to use stash fabric but I cant make my limited stash work so I will need to do some thinking but I will just keep stitching untill I decide
hope you are all getting some sewing time
hugs Beth

My first one - BLOCK G - is done

A Gardener's Journal block G

I have always difficulties to sew tiny squares straight together. Although this time I really tried to sew them VERY CAREFULLY. And although I sewed longer than 1 1/2" strips together, cutted them afterwards. Yet there is wonky seams... krr...
The other error was, which I noticed immediately after starting to stitch, that I didn't cut my stitchery fabrics overlarged. When the pieces are stitched they are ALWAYS little smaller than before cutting. I didn't remember that fact at this time..krr! Well, I stretched the piece... and the seams are narrower than 1/4".

As I told before I use mainly the Garden Party fabrics from Blackbird Design (MODA). But I wanted more variation... So I searched my stash and found some of the Garden Gate fabrics designed by Ro Gregg - beautiful tiny roses, other flowers and currants. Furthermore there is few fabrics from Lecien, Quilt Gate and Faye Burgos - more rose and paisley prints.

There is - unawares - some nice fussy cuts on the pieces; one more bird is flying to the bath and some beautiful flowers too.

I have cutted the fabrics for the other blocks.

I got a good hint from Helen's posting how you can restore cutted patches.

Thank you, Helen;)

Very handy!

I also traced all five stitcheries for the A block.

HOPE YOU HAVE A SUNNY STITCHING WEEKEND!

Greetings from Satu

A Road Trip & A Finished Block!

After deciding to accompany my Beloved Geek Boy on a work-related road trip to the Sunshine Coast on Friday (pop over to my blog for the long version of the road trip report!!) I packed up my stitching gear to keep me occupied while he worked ...

... my favourite sewing pouch made for me by the gorgeous Joy, my favourite needle folder, a cute little fairy tin to hold my threads, my 'Watering the Garden' block and the stitching instructions. So that I didn't have to take a larger bag to fit my "Gardeners Journal" book in and so my pretty book didn't get travel damaged, I photocopied the stitching instructions and shrank them to A5 size pages so they fit nicely into my pouch ... why hadn't I thought to do this before now!!! SOOOOOOOO much easier to use than flicking through book pages all the time!!

I had quite a lot of stitching time while GB was installing high-tech video conferencing equipment and managed to finish 'Watering the Garden', so today I headed into the sewing room to put Block G together. During this process, I muttered some VERY unladylike things about rulers that don't sit still and small, slippery-little-sucker blocks that jump out of your fingers and remembered why I don't do a lot of patchwork!!! However, I persevered and the result is ...

Ta Da!! I know Anni's original quilt colours look more like summer, but it is definitely SPRING in MY garden! Tee! Hee! Hee! When I decided to join the stitch-a-long, I promised myself (and my long-suffering GB!!) that I wouldn't buy fabric to make this quilt, it all has to come from my stash. Shouldn't be a problem really, since I have just a FEW fabrics in there to choose from! Tee! Hee! Hee! It will definitely be a scrappy version of Gardeners Journal, though, I think.

And now that I have April's block finished, I can breathe a sigh of relief and feel rather chuffed that even if I'm behind for the rest of the challenge (a distinct possibility!!) I DID get the first month's block finished before the end of the month - YAY!! As a result, I think I deserve a cup of tea, so I'm off to pop the kettle on. Hope you're having fun stitching-a-long, too ... and perhaps managing NOT to mutter unladylike things while YOU sew your block together! Tee! Hee! Hee! Til next time ...

BEAR HUGS!

CHEERS!
KRIS

One down. How many to go?

On to 'Watering the Garden' now. I took up someone's suggestion to copy the page out of the book before trying to trace it on to the fabric. Much easier than trying to struggle with the staples and other pages. I also used a pigma pen this time. It did not drag over the fabirc like the other pencil I used for the first one. I reckon, by the end, my stitching will have improved. Is that why we started on block G first, so the viewer's eye does not go to my dodgy stitching first? ;-)

Keep those fingers moving,
Kayly

Borders..........

'Chocolat' by 3 Sisters

photo album.....

I saved all the finished blocks and put a photo album onto the sidebar............I will keep adding to it as we go along..........

hope you get some stitching time this weekend.........

Catch you later.....

Chookyblue......

A great stitching day.........

We have had a public holiday here today for our local agricultural show.  What a great day I have had. 

Do you ever scan your stitcheries?  I have a few times and decided to scan my favourite block from the quilt.  One idea is that you can use the scan to print out and make little gift cards with them.  Very cute and very original too.

Wouldn't it be fun to go to a garden party in pretty dresses and hats like these ladies!!

Soooooo, with a very lovely public holiday to stitch and garden, my top is together.

Two borders to go.......

Looks like I will be snuggling under this yumminess for winter.

In Stitching Fun......

Leisa

I am stitching.....

Hey everyone these are my blocks so far..........I have been stitching in one colour..........navy blue DMC 930..........I am loving all the stitching.........very much in the groove at the moment as I also have a couple of bugs stitched too........they got me started.....you know a quick achievement.....gave me that "feel good" moment............

I need to cut all my fabrics so i can piece these into a block........ 

and last night off I went and traced another block....... accidentally traced the wrong one............yep had a blond moment.........anyway I should be able to finish this one tonight or in the morning......and since I updated the "plan of attack" on the sidebar last night I will be 1 stitchery ahead for block B in October............

Better go trace another block for tomorrow nights TV............

Catch you later..............

Chookyblue