Tuesday, September 30, 2014

Flower Gardening

Wow, I really missed the boat on the hexie craze.  I started this quilt in 2003.  I purchased a little pack of paper in Paducah at the AQS show.  I finished it 6 years later.

I decided to use all Asian prints and different blacks.  Even the border is is all hexagon pieces.

It is hand EPP and also hand quilted.  I used to call it my Asian Torture quilt.

The label

Gardening:  Rich and I added 6 more perennial plants to the front border of house.  Unfortunately the previous owners were not gardeners and filled the whole border with red rocks. ouch.

We figure we'll just keep adding where we can (it's very under ground too).  We added all this last year.

I like to clip the tops of the hydrangeas off and just place them in a shallow bowl or basket.  They will dry out nicely.

Here is a dirty little gardening secret that was an accident.  I wanted a pop of red in the front garden island, so I got a 1/2 flat of impatients.

but I never got around to actually planting them!  They looked great this way all summer!  I'm doing this next summer too.

Here are some critters I found this year out here in the country~

Mr. Mantis.  He really looks like he's praying in this photo.

I was weeding and out wiggled this snake to say hello - eeek.

We treated ourselves to an outdoor fireplace from Lowe's - I love it!  I can't wait to use it this winter when it snows :)  

And lastly, I ordered this floral, machine washable slip cover form SureFit.   The fits is not perfect, but I really like the look of it.

This weekend is the big 9-patch swap!!  I'm waiting for 4 swappers.  True Confession:  I haven't finished mine, but I will have them done on time :)

27 comments:

Julierose said...

I really think your Asian Flower Garden is spectacular, Barb! I don't often use black in my quilts--I really don't know why because I love it when I see it in others! We finally have some showers this morning--little spritzes really!--my poor shrubs and plants have shriveled up from lack of rain. Lovely star quilt under hydrangeas, too...am still 9-patching...hugs, Julierose

julieQ said...

Good morning, Barb! Love your pretty hexie quilt! I too have one of those...ehem...in progress, LOL! Your garden seems so very inviting. Funny thing...my son and his wife just got a fire pit very similar to yours...they love it too!! Have fun swapping all those nine patches!!

Sujata Shah said...

You were way ahead of time! I love your quilt. I have few Asian fabrics but never found a way to work them into any quilt so far. The label is perfect for the quilt. Your hydrangeas and impatiens in the flat look pretty. I am loving this time of the year when hydrangeas turn pink and soft blue/green. My globe hydrangeas did not bloom this year at all. I guess I am turning into a bad gardener.
You are so good at blogging..There is always something fun going on in this corner!

antique quilter said...

I just can't jump on that hexie wagon, at least not yet. this was the perfect way to highlight those asian fabrics, I always liked this quilt. different. funny had to laugh at the flowers I did that one year with geraniums just pushed the pots into the ground and covered it with mulch easy to remove in the fall clean up !
bought a sure fit cover for a couch someone gave M recently it doesn't fit perfectly either but looks nice.
love this happy red floral print! looks nice.
Kathie

Lori said...

I've considered a sure fit cover, but am never sure if I want to! lol Nice to work on your outdoor space, it's looking very nice.

Kyle said...

You could have been the trend setter with your hexie quilt. Really a great look with the Asian fabrics. Your impatients were certainly happy in their own little flat. Can't wait for the big swap!

Nifty Quilts said...

Oh my! Your quilt is stunning. Absolutely lovely. Excellent blending of the Asian prints. I love the way the design pops into the border. Wow! Thanks for the gardening secret too. I may use that one next year!

helen said...

Well said, Sujata!
Barb, your garden secret comforts me!! :)
And your hexagon-quilt is beautiful!
Best wishes!

Janet O. said...

That is a stunning flower garden! Love the uniqueness of it--and your nickname for it! : )
Oh, I had a good chuckle about the impatients! Had a friend who had lots of huge flower beds all over her yard. One day she laid a grocery bag full of iris rhizomes at the edge of one of the beds. She never got back to it (like I said--LOTS of flower beds) and the next year they were growing and blooming out of the bag. The roots had penetrated the deteriorating bad and found soil and they were thriving, laying on their side in a paper bag.

Pinkadot Quilts said...

Your quilt is wonderful and HAND QUILTED! Oh my goodness girl!
If I left my impatiens out like that, they would have been dead, not red and lush looking.
I have an entire front garden to plant, any suggestions would be greatly appreciated....I am looking at mostly bushes with some perennials.

Janet said...

Your hexie quilt looks fantastic! I love your nickname for it :0) my kids loved your critter pictures this morning - they thought Mr. Mantis was very cool. I spy a few quilts by your cozy fire - I sure would like to see the one in the hoop again :0)

Deb @ Frugal Little Bungalow said...

Love the quilt and all the fun variety in the post...especially that praying mantis...what a great capture! :)

Lane said...

Hey, Barb. Love the Hexie quilt. And, the label is perfect. My secret to starting a garden is buy plants all during the year so the bloom is extended. Too many people plant in spring and then next year, only get flowers in spring. We had a snake in the garden this year, too. He gave me several jumps as he flew past me unexpectedly in the flowerbed. Fortunately, he's found somewhere else to live. Lane

Judy in Michigan said...

Love the impatiens idea!! Tsk, tsk, not done with your 9-patches? You have 9 hours left until Oct. 1!!!!! Great post!!

Rachaeldaisy said...

Your hexagon quilt is a beauty!!! Your use of black makes the coloured parts looks as though they are floating. Your garden photos always make me think I should get out and attack our garden. I would have been running around screaming if I saw a snake! Your new couch cover looks so comfy, cosy and inviting. Have fun getting your 9 patches done. :)

Carla A Few Of My Favorite Things said...

I love the way you used the black in your flower garden! Very different! I wish I could put out a flat of impatients like that. It gets so hot hear I would have stand over them with a hose everyday! Great idea though!

Frog Quilter said...

Love the pictures in your garden and home. Lovely!

Beth said...

Wow the Asian hexie quilt is amazing! You are so talented. Such lovely pics of your yard. That firpit will be fun during the fall too. Enjoy

christine said...

Barb: I'm new to the hexie craze and brought it with me as hand project here in S. Africa. Yesterday I saw a diagram for a quilt from 1800s with the center all hexes. I took a pic and am debating creating the quilt. Why stick to my plan? Maybe this was meant to be!

QuiltSue said...

Your hexie quilt is amazing. It must have taken many hours of work.

I'm going to try and remember not to plant my summer plants next year, just to leave them in their trays, that'll save me hours of time.

Maureen said...

More like you were ahead of the hexie craze than missed it. This is a beautiful quilt! I don't think I've seen hexies done in asian prints. I've been thinking about how I want to quilt my hexie projects. Outlining each hexie doesn't sound like much fun. Did you go round and round or do a straight line by traveling through the seams? I'm amazed at how many quilts you pull out to share that you made years ago. Seems you have been quite prolific for many years.

Aunt 'Reen said...

Your hexi quilt is just Gorgeous! I love that wonderful label you added to the back as well.
So fun to see your garden evolving. Enjoy that new fire pit!

Rose Marie said...

Love your hexie quilt! Your hand quilting is beautiful .... wonderful quilt.

pandchintz said...

That hexagon quilt is AMAZING!!

OPQuilt said...

Asian Torture is perfect. I don't think I would have been a happy camper making a quilt of a bazillion hexes. And we old-time quilters are ahead of the game in lots of ways, and in my case, makes me not want to "do that same thing again." So I miss out on it twice.

Love the gardening stories. We just finished a major re-do (California drought--ripped out our front lawn) and everyone says, "oh, rocks and cactus, right?" Wrong. Never rocks, except maybe river rocks around the fountain. We love the new look. I'm going to have to try your impatiens trick, but put it in a place where my drip sprinklers will get to it. Great story!

And of course, your quilt is beautiful!

Elizabeth
opquilt.com

OPQuilt said...

P.S. I laughed when I saw your new blog header--perfect!

Ruth said...

I don't think 6 years is very long for your GFG quilt! I started one about 10 years ago and it's not finished yet. I'm not sure when it will get finished as I rarely work on it. I do want to finish it, so I guess I better put it near the couch to work on when I watch TV. Yours is gorgeous! I really like the black to set off the colors!