Esther's Garden

The first AQS show I ever attended was in Grand Rapids, Michigan several years ago. My friends and I enjoyed our day very much, such beautiful quilts and the vendors were pretty good too.

The vendor I liked the best was From My Heart to Your Hands which sold Lori Smith original designs. I bought two kits from her that day.

Since I've finished the applique projects I had been working on earlier this year, I pulled Esther's Garden kit as the next handwork project. I think the button flowers are so cute.

Before I left for Utah, I took the time to mark the embroidery on the flannel background fabric and took it along with me to work on when I had time. That embroidery was completed and looks like this.

The next step was to buttonhole embroider the wool baskets and leaves onto the background.

And the other way.

After the leaves and baskets were appliqued, I cut the blocks apart and added the flannel sashing.

Now I was ready for the quilting. The directions said to use a lightweight batting. I used flannel.

For quilting I used #12 weight cream Perle cotton thread for very simple long stitch quilting.

I had planned to take a picture before I attached the buttons but I forgot.

She measures 15-1/4" x 19-1/4". 

For the back I used this green toile that came in the fat quarter bundle of Dear Jane fabrics I bought from the resale table at a Jane Stickle Retreat.

Another picture because I think she looks so nice with the black eyed Susans.

Linking to Kathy's Slow Sunday Stitching, Small Quilts, Show & Tell Monday With Bambi, Em's Scrapbag, Love Laugh Quilt, BOM's Away, Esther's Wednesday WOW!