I’ve been a little negligent with my blog as of late, but I have a good reason. It’s berry picking time here in North Central Saskatchewan
I have an absolutely amazing orchard on my property (thanks to the previous owners) and I can hardly keep up when berry time comes around. I have a huge raspberry patch, and 23 Saskatoon Berry bushes. I’ve been calling in friends and neighbours to come get berries, as there is no way I can use them all.
Never in my life have I seen a berry that big! It can get overwhelming, but I remind myself that whatever I don’t freeze, bake with, or make into jam will go to feed the assorted critters we have in the yard.
I have been trying to fit in some sewing time when I can, but there hasn’t been time to write a blog post. Even though i’m a few weeks behind, late is better than not at all, so, here we go….
This GLORIOUS Dresden Plate belongs to Opal. She got in touch with me last year, right before my honey broke both of his wrists. When she was younger a very special Aunt hand stitched these Dresden Plate blocks from her scraps. Opal has had them for years and finally decided it was time to get them made into a quilt. She chose a black background and the trusted me to put them together for her. It took me way too long to get working on it, but she was so patient and didn’t give me grief. I finally started on it in March, a full year after she had given me the blocks and background fabric.
I had a blast stitching the plates down. The fabrics were absolutely amazing!! If you look closely you can see where the maker pieced scraps together to make a piece large enough to cut a wedge out, or where she used a different fabric for some of the wedges because she had run out of the original.
There were 20 – 18 1/2″ plates on 20″ background blocks, so the finished quilt was queen size without the need for sashing or borders. I was thrilled because i wanted the Dresdens to be the star of the show, and they truly are! They pop so beautifully against the black background.
I machine quilted it with charcoal thread using two layers of polyester batting to keep Opal extra warm as she battles some health issues. The quilt was FINALLY delivered a couple of weeks ago, and she loved it. She’s so happy to have a quilt she can use and love, especially after her Aunt spent so much time hand stitching each and every block.
Linking up with crazy mom quilts for Finish It Up Friday and with Confessions of a Fabric Addict for Whoop Whoop Friday
Wonderful finish! Makes me a bit sad though as my aunt gave me a bunch of dresden plate blocks she and her mother had done, not the greatest of fabrics, and I ended up giving them away…Also wonderful is to see and hear about Saskatoon berries again, one of my all-time favourites and drat! my husband is on his way back from central Alberta as I type, and I didn’t even think to get him to bring me some back!!! We moved to southwestern Ontario 4 years ago. I had loads of wild Saskatoon bushes in my yard (acreage) just outside Edmonton, Alberta and made many a pie and froze many a berry and oh yes, there were years where they were as plump as blueberries. My dad said if it was dry the bush would make more berries and also that more berries indicated a harsh winter; I don’t wish that upon you, one of the big reasons that brought us back to southwestern Ontario! Lovely to find another Canadian blogger 🙂
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Hi Sandra!! How unfortunate that you gave the blocks away. I know that I regret giving a number of my first quilts to the thrift store. Och well. I’ve learned not to do that again.
Funnily enough, Edmonton is my hometown. My honey and I moved to rural Saskatchewan 8 years ago and we’ve never regretted it! Winters can be very harsh (even more so than E-town) but its so beautiful here I’d put up with any weather just to stay. I’m so glad you stopped in and said hi. i hope you’ll be back again
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All that lovely fruit- oh my!!
And you have done a lovely job with those dresden plate blocks, congratulations!
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Thank you, Jenny!!! Dresden Plates are always gorgeous. I love them so much I’ve started working on one for myself!
You wouldn’t even believe the fruit I have here! In addition to the saskatoons and raspberries, I have red currants, black currants, gooseberries, strawberries, apples, crabapples, and chokecherries. The previous owners were crazy for gardening!!!
Thank you so much for taking the time to read my blog and leave a comment! i really do appreciate it!
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I have no idea what a Saskatoon berry is, but your jars look delicious. The Dresden quilt is beautiful, and your treatment of the blocks really highlights them. I love their scrappy, resourcefulness.
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Hi quiltingmod! Saskatoons are WONDERFUL berries! They grow wild here, but many people have domestic shrubs in their gardens.
Here’s a link to Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amelanchier_alnifolia
Thank you for your kind words! I’m so glad you stopped in
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Hi Sherry!!! I’m thrilled that you stopped in! The quilt is one of my favourites! I didn’t want to give it back. hahahaha!!!
Thank you so much for following my blog. I’m looking forward to hearing from you again
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Fabulous quilt. Wonderful job you both did. I love your photography and how you displayed it.
I’ll be following you. It was nice to meet you. I came over from Crazy Mom.
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Gosh, that’s a gorgeous quilt! I’m sure Opal is thrilled with it 🙂 You’re right, the black background really makes those Dresden pop up and steal the show. It’s really quite modern feeling, even though it’s a traditional block. Timeless and beautiful!
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Hi Louise! Isn’t it beautiful? I adored sewing the plates down and checking out all of the amazing fabric. As I stitched I imagined what she had used each piece for…a little girl’s dress, a shirt for her husband, a skirt for herself. It was a lovely journey! Thanks bunches for stopping in to say hi! i do hope you’ll come back
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These Dresdens are gorgeous! I love that you put them on a black background. They really do shine! I have no idea what Saskatoon berries taste like, but I’m betting I’d enjoy them. I haven’t found a berry that I didn’t like, especially in pie.
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We too have Saskatoons (wild) on our property and they are just insane this year! Big, fat, juicy clumps like mini-grapes. Our freezer is full & I had to tell my husband no more picking!
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How wonderful! We had to stop picking raspberries or we wouldn’t have had room for anything else!
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