Country Charmer~It's Not All About The Birdies!

Spring is creeping up on us...slowly.  My daffy-dills are up but not quite blooming yet.  The Forsythia twig we planted last spring has popped a few little yellow specks of sunshine open & I found a little carpet of purple violets in the grass by the ditch this morning.
March has been as disruptive to my sewing schedule as February was all about sewing!  I've been filling in at work a lot this month, during which we've had the countdown to our bosses retirement.  Boy did that countdown go fast!!!  I've had some girls days out with a couple of my girls...new haircuts and new clothes & planning our wardrobes for the wedding in June.  Then there was that all important time spent with our Grandson last weekend.  We got to keep him for 2 nights and it was a great opportunity for PaPa to experience a trip to the Zoo!  It's interesting keeping up with a busy 3 year old, definately a marathon in seeing who can wear who out first!  You win some, you lose some!
Oh Yeah!  I also took my eyeballs (both of 'em) in for an appointment finally and have spent this weekend becoming accustomed to new glasses.  We'll see how they do at work tomorrow morning!

Soooooo...besides having the top and back to our bosses retirement quilt completely set together and ready to go to the quilter, I have made some progress on Country Charmer...and that's the only sewing that's happened this month!

My pizza box is still in use, as prescribed, I completed all the corner blocks in March which keeps me on target with the goal of completing Step 2, Section B.  Thank you, Lesley, The Cuddle Quilter for creating this schedule that has helped to keep me on track. 

 

But now I've gotten a bit ahead of myself.  Not nearly as advanced as some of you other Country Charmer Compatriots though!  I started constructing blocks and couldn't stop...kinda like eating potato chips or Reeses Peanut Butter Easter Eggs!

So here's what's hopped up on the design wall so far!

I can hear you..."So Far????? I'm counting 20 blocks...20's what the pattern calls for...right???"

Yep...I got a little carried away and cut out not 20...but 25 blocks...so...I'm either going to have a little bit larger quilt...or a quilt and a wallhanging...or pillows...or...who knows...at least I have options if somethings really not working when I get to the final layout stage.

I guess we'll all be surprised at the end!

There are a few in need of a bit of reverse sewing that I'll go back to fix later.

Here are some selected close-ups from the group...

I have the little birdie print in both cream & green backgrounds and used some of each.

There wasn't enough of the black leaf swirl left in my stash to get all the little squares from so I interjected the star print in the center of each corner block.

 

I love this viney heart and daisy print.  I bought it at a little Northern Idaho shop while visiting our daughter at Wazoo & returned the next trip and bought more...yes it was on purpose...not one of my memory lapses.

 

This little crow print has been in my stash for an eternity.  I love it and it was fun to do the fussy cutting.

 

I think the varying movement, or lack thereof, in these prints makes this block fun...and notice that little birdie has an adorable checkerboard wing to go with the green and black checkerboard star.

Yep...I planned that...it was all me!

(Hmm...my shoulder is starting to ache...gotta quit that back patting thing!)

 

And here is a little plaidy-checkery thing I chose cuz it's cute and I was afraid our fearless leader, Lynn would put her hands on her hips and start tapping her foot at me if I didn't include something in the plaidish family somewhere!  And yes...I was fussy cutting flowers again! 

Now ya'll know why it took me so long to cut these blocks out!

Now finally...as I stated in my header...its not all about the birdies!

It's also about the Punkin's!  I love my Punkin's!

I'm really fond of this block...the black just makes this one POP!!!

 

This one isn't popping so much...due to the center star...but I still like it and I'm not really sure it's worth it to rip it out and replace the pale rust. 

I think I'll call this one "Public Speaking"...

'cuz it's all about "teaching the butterflies in your stomach to fly in formation".

 

Thanks so much to our Lynn, at Sew'n Wild Oaks for inviting me to play along with you all on this Quilt Along!

I'm enjoying it immensely and look forward to seeing everyones progress each month and reading your comments and emails!  (And leaving goofy notes for some of you here & there!)

 

So There Ya Go!  I'm gonna flit on outta here and see what the rest of you have posted!

 

Wishing You All A Happy Easter!!!

  

Nancie Anne