Monday, March 6, 2017

Yellow and red.............

I think it is time to make another mostly yellow quilt.  I pulled a couple oranges and some golds too.  They are all batik fabrics.






I stacked them to carry to the basement.  I couldn't resist measuring how tall the pile is.  Most pieces are about 1/2 yard and a few are a full yard.  Now I need to decide on a pattern.


My project while watching TV last night was making strip pieced blocks with red and pink.  I don't use a foundation.  I just pieces strips together, press well and then trim to 6.5" square.








My plan is to use them with my 8" crazy pieced blocks from last year.  This is the first layout.






I think the second layout looks better.  I need to make a lot more blocks if this ends up being my final plan.





I bought an Amaryllis bulb on sale after Christmas for $2.72.  It had a bud when I planted it but it didn't start growing for almost 3 weeks.  I was about to give up when it started shooting up.  The photo on the package was a single petal style so I was surprised when it bloomed and it is double petals.  There is one more bloom behind it. 

I save the bulbs and put them in their pots outside in the summer and fertilize them.  Then in November I bring them in to a dark cool place for about 12 weeks and then expose them to light to see if I will get any buds.  I had one last year and there is one this year.  It is about 12" tall right now and the bud is fairly small.  The pots are sitting next to each other so you can see the bud just below the bottom bloom.

13 comments:

Judy H said...

When I was in NC I saved my bulb and planted it in the ground in the spring. It came up that summer and the next. Then we moved, but I think it's probably still growing unless the new owners dug it up.

patty a. said...

The red and pink quilt is amazing! I do like the second piano key style border better too! It is the same color as you amaryllis!

patty a. said...

Oh and those yellow/gold/orange batiks - fabulous! I have a couple orangey batiks and they are some of my favorites. These will make a fun quilt.

Quiltdivajulie said...

I like the second layout for the red blocks, too. Oh, those yellows and their friends -- luscious and inspiring!!

melinda hirsch said...

Can't wait to see the yellow quilt developing!

Kristin said...

I love all those yellow batiks. So cheery!

I've had amaryllis bulbs in the past and know about the dark and cold treatment. I didn't have a suitable place to do that where we lived in SC. I'm in VA now, and have space to do that. I bought a bulb, which was just starting to sprout leaves, and I watered it. It never formed a stalk or flower buds, so I'm thinking I should not have watered it until it formed a flower stalk. Oh well...live and learn!

Chris said...

We had a similar experience. We got a FREE amaryllis bulbs at the end of the season from a local store. I also had some paperwhites that I got for Christmas. I planted both in pots and put in my kitchen window. Both had the slowest progress EVER, I almost gave up on them and threw them out! But - it was during that time when we had no sun for several weeks, remember? Then the sun came out, and BAM! Both plants started shooting up like crazy! Ended up with some nice paperwhites, and a super tall amaryllis with four gorgeous red blossoms.

Needled Mom said...

Your red and pink looks great, but those yellows are going to be incredible!

The double bloom is quite striking. I hope it continues to bloom next year.

Tami Von Zalez said...

Rookie question - what does mean if you use a foundation?

tvonzalez at gmail.com

Linda Swanekamp said...

Beautiful batik strips! I need to sew mine together. I can never decide whether to sew them parallel or crazy cabin style.
Love the amaryllis bloom. The colors are outstanding.

JJM said...

YELLOWS AND GOLDS takes my breath away Wanda ~ Love those fabrics.... Great post, and will keep checking on what you will design with them. And your red crazy quilt in progress, I too like design number 2. It always surprises me what a different placement of blocks do to a quilt.

Only you are magic with your plants and blossoms. Amaryllis is a glorious blooming plant. All your plants seem to pick up on your "exuberant" magic vibes in your house.

JJM

Charlotta said...

OMG! This is all too much! This is a great layout for the red blocks, all red is going to make such a luscious quilt! How large will the final top be? And I cannot wait to see what you do with the yellow/orange batiks! They look amazing. I've never yet been able to collect enough really great yellows to make an all yellow quilt. I haven't tried really hard, my eyes don't tend to go to the yellows when I shop so it's an afterthought occasionally! Instead I keep buying oranges, greens, and black & white, none of which I need at all. But I know I'll love your yellow quilt.

Elaine/Muddling Through said...

Wanda, you make me smile - you even color coordinate the flower to match the quilt blocks! I'm really liking that red layout! I'm interested to see what you do with the yellow, too!