Down In The Garden Block 1

Well just look what I've got here to play with!! A few years ago (2010) I ordered this beautiful BOM from an online quilt shop called Buttonberry - they have sadly closed down, but they did stock the most amazing patterns by  those wonderful Australian designers that I am so fond of! This one is called "Down In The Garden" and is by Leanne Beasley. Each month a parcel arrived wrapped in tissue paper with a lovely letter from Emma and Lisa (I do miss those Buttonberry girls! Emma and Lisa also included a little treat with the letter too - I really used to look forward to these parcels arriving every month!) and inside, tied up with pretty red ribbon was the pattern and fabric and stitchery stabilizer - everything you needed to complete each block.....

.....as well as the patterns and fabric, I had been sent the fabric for the borders and the binding and even all the skeins of DMC embroidery thread. So there was nothing to stop me from making a start! Unfortunately at the time I was really busy stitching my other Leanne Beasley quilt, "Butterfly Garden" so DITG was put away each month. And that was 3 years ago. Well I've been catching up with all my unfinished projects with the "Tour de Fibre" group, and it was about time I started something new. I love stitchery, so this seemed the perfect "new" project!.....

.....some of the fabric in this kit is "Grandmother's Flower Garden" by Rosalie Quinlan for Lecien and you know how much I like Lecien fabrics!! I pieced the main part of the block together, and then traced the stitchery design over the top. I use a Pigma permanent pen for this, and usually use a pale brown colour. 2 strands of embroidery thread will cover this, but you do need a steady hand. Once the stitchery design was traced, I then ironed a soft lightweight fusible stabilizer to the back of the block (this was all included in the kit too!) and then I sorted out the embroidery threads into a small portable case, as I'm going to take this with me to Birmingham. I'm hoping to do a little bit of stitchery in the evenings while I'm in the hotel to pass away the time. I'll show you how much progress was made when I get back!