If you're a blogger, you probably recognize the scenario. You're working along on several projects, life gets busy for a few weeks and when you finally start thinking about writing a post, nothing seems like *enough* after your longer-than-expected absence. You keep putting it off until you have something good to share and the longer you put it off, the bigger the task grows in your imagination.
Or maybe that's just me. Ha.
So where was I?
The peonies. And before I continue, may I ask, how do you pronounce 'peony'? We had a big discussion about this at my quilt group when I pulled out one of my blocks, referenced its name and everyone did a double-take. I'm guessing my version, pee-O-nee, is a New England variation (having grown up there) while my Ohioan friends seem to favor PEE-a-nee. (Not to be confused by our elderly neighbor in upstate New York when we were first married. She'd often refer to her PIE-nees which baffled us because she didn't have a pine tree anywhere on her property. Finally I asked, 'What's a PIE-nee?' and she paused, looked at me in that 'what a poor, ignorant young thing' way and pointed to her pee-O-nee.) I did just look up the Merriam-Webster pronunciation and although they seem to side with Ohio (hmmm), the comments are interesting, with someone surprised that an Antiques Roadshow expert on Chinese pottery used pee-O-nee. But I digress.
If you recall (and if you don't, who could blame you?), I was auditioning solid backgrounds for these blocks when I did that comparison of soft whites. My first block (above, center) used Moda Bella Snow, which I deemed too yellowish, and my second (above, left) used RJR's Cotton Supreme French Vanilla, which looked like a nice soft white against my white flannel design wall. But something bothered me about the blocks, in their assembly. While I like appliquéing onto these solids, they are a little bit heavier than the base cloth of printed fabrics. I didn't really like handstitching them together where a print piece met a solid. A little ripple resulted along the seam which was difficult to press out. (I know, Princess and the Pea...-O-nee?)
*Sigh* You know, I'm a print girl at heart. I dug around, found this subtle pindot and made a test block. While it looks slightly yellowish in the top photo, it actually falls somewhere between the two solids. I'd like this to be a wall piece, so I taped it up on one of my many Dover White walls and bingo, just what I was looking for.
So now that that's settled, I've cut out a bunch of blocks and am chipping away at these when I have a few minutes here and there. The block is unexpectedly complicated, more of an enhanced peony, with those extra 5 points that need to be appliquéed to the background before the block can be pieced together. This necessitates marking the background pieces on the backside, with a window template, for handpiecing, and then flipping them over onto a light box and marking them on the front side for appliqué. Block by block, they're tedious to prep, but doing a few at a time is more efficient.
As you can see here, I have a couple ready to piece together with a few more in the appliqué queue. Because I'm juggling several projects, for now, this is a 'sewing room' hand project, reserved for anytime I have a few available minutes during the day. I always leave a needle threaded for quick pick-up.
While I dart among my ongoing projects, there are new things percolating. Everything seems to be handwork at this time ~ bad planning! ~ but my calendar looks pretty open until the holidays so I have high hopes for steady progress. Head down, nose to the grindstone!
I'd like to mention that between posts, I've been adding photos to my new-ish Instagram account. I know that some of you had sent requests in the last year or so to follow my first account, for which I unthinkingly used my blog name although I had intended all along to keep it private, more for family use. Sorry for the confusion. There's a small link in my sidebar, as well, for the newer account, which I'm sure you'll find more interesting. Quilts, flowers, seasonal shots ~ pretty pictures! ~ vs. my husband at a church carnival. See what I mean?
Great to have you back! Love the pindot, great choice. I look forward to seeing you on Instagram.
Cheers,
Barb
Posted by: Barb Robson | October 20, 2014 at 09:23 PM
I think your peony blocks look wonderful and I love the pin dot background. It's going to be amazing!! All the quilts I want to make involve handwork too... :0)
Posted by: Janet | October 21, 2014 at 12:01 AM
My mother had Pee-ny roses in her garden. They are such beautiful flowers no matter how you call them. I do like the newest background.
Posted by: Dorothy | October 21, 2014 at 12:20 AM
We Washingtonians always pronounced it pee-O-nee as did my grandmother who lived in California. And they are a gorgeous flower too, although your fabric ones are looking pretty special too. The print background fabric is definitely my favorite as well. Love the subtle bit of texture it adds to your block.:) BTW, I often end up with a pile of handwork myself--it always panics me a bit until I get it under control!
Posted by: audrey | October 21, 2014 at 03:06 AM
love the pin dot background! oh my they are called pee o nee's you are correct! LOL don't be fooled by those Ohioan's!
Applique takes a while , enjoy the process this is one quilt I look forward to being finished! say 2016?
Kathie
Posted by: kathie | October 21, 2014 at 05:20 AM
I know what you mean about the blogging, but I am glad you are back!
Those blocks are beautiful and so worth all the trouble. It's going to be a pretty red quilt!
Posted by: Kelly | October 21, 2014 at 07:10 AM
I had pee-O-nee plants when I lived in Washington. Love them! I have missed you and your first paragraph sums it up for every long break i take from blogging. I like solids and prints both for the backgrounds. In the past I have switched many backgrounds for a pattern until I was completely satisfied. Love your new choice of print.
Posted by: Sujata Shah | October 21, 2014 at 07:17 AM
The pindot is perfect! Is that the Riley Blake pindot? That's what I'm using for my Aunts' Quilt and it looks somewhat similar.
Oh, and Pee-O-nee here. I always assumed it was my western upbringing -- it looks like maybe both sides of the country are in unison but the middle has gone rogue. It was a big surprise to me when I moved here and everyone made fun of me LOL.
Good to see you back -- how's that TAW coming along? Mine has hit a bump in the road -- I knew it would when it was trip-interrupted!
Posted by: Thimbleanna | October 21, 2014 at 08:58 AM
Those are pretty blocks and they are pe-O-nees where I come from in Virginia.
Posted by: Vicki W | October 21, 2014 at 09:05 AM
Great first paragraph! I'm so there! I just joined instagram and it really ticks the box in terms of getting a little idea out there, getting some feedback and moving on with out having to sit and write a big post. I'm still going to blog, but I can see it being less frequent....sign of the times...
Posted by: Sew Create It - Jane | October 21, 2014 at 03:43 PM
A peony by any other pronunciation is still a peony - or something like that.... However you want to pronounce it (I grew up in Oregon with PEE-uh-nees galore), your flower quilt will be stunning, worth all the futzy piecing and appliqueing and searching for the "just right" background.
Posted by: Linda in NC | October 21, 2014 at 05:48 PM
I've seen that peony debate elsewhere... My answer, I don't know. (I don't even really see a big difference.)
I don't think that they were around in the areas where I grew up - so I wasn't exposed to one pronunciation.
Posted by: Amy | October 22, 2014 at 08:50 AM
Love your peony blocks - the reds are rich and the piecing is point-perfect!! Also love the toMAto/toMAHto discussion.
This Massachusetts girl didn't become a gardener until I hit New Hampshire so never heard it pronounced when young. I've only heard one senior neighbor refer to them as peeOnies (maybe you have an old gardening neighbor in your past). And how about CLEMatis and cleMAHtis? That one seems to trip people up around here.
Happy quilting!
Posted by: Cindy | October 23, 2014 at 11:54 AM
I say Pee A Nees, but I know some call them Pee O Nees too. I wonder if my Aussie accent would make them sound different again? Your blocks are blossoming beautifully! I love the threaded needle trick, it's amazing how much you can get done in those spare moments here and there.
Posted by: Rachaeldaisy | October 23, 2014 at 02:28 PM
What a great flower!
What a great quilt block!
Posted by: jessica | October 24, 2014 at 01:44 AM
Love that background and the PEE-onies are beautiful. Well worth the effort.
Posted by: Meredithe | October 24, 2014 at 02:02 AM
And down in the South, I've heard many people say, "Pay-OH-nee", but I don't! Love yours.
Posted by: Shari | October 24, 2014 at 07:29 PM
However you say it, your blocks are amazing and also love the pindot background. I was not reading your blog back in 2006 and so when I went to the Dover White link I was laughing at the article about your former home. Oh my, too funny.
Posted by: Roxanne | October 29, 2014 at 10:34 AM
Love your fabric choices - you will have a gorgeous quilt! My Mom has a gorgeous pee-O-nee garden here in California, and we have always used that pronunciation. Our ancestors emigrated from Maine/Massachussets to California, so maybe we carried on with the East coast tradition? The first time I heard PEE-a-nee was while I was watching a Martha Stewart episode, and it really took me by surprise. Love Instagram for its quick fun snapshots and hashtags. Always enjoy your posts.
Posted by: Dixie | October 29, 2014 at 11:08 AM
Glad to see a post from you - I always enjoy them. I grew up in CT and now live in MA and I've always heard them called PEE-a-nees. But my folks were from the south and out west. Your peonies however you pronounce the word, are great. I just joined Instagram and will look you up!
Posted by: Cynthia | October 31, 2014 at 08:26 PM
Just have to add - sorry, Doh! What was I thinking - I already see you on Instagram!
Posted by: Cynthia | October 31, 2014 at 08:28 PM
Hi, it's Karen. Thanks for helping out, like I said, your wedding quilt is awesome! My soon to be daughter in law is an old soul who loves vintage...I think she will love this quilt.
Posted by: Karen Hurst | November 01, 2014 at 12:19 AM
Hahaha, try having a blog then not having one , then having one , then not and on and on and on !!! I have many reasons why it has not worked out, Im running out of names for my quilt blog, so now I have none again.. Just my email addy [email protected]
Thank you for sending me the instructions to the little trip around the world by the way.
As always your quilt blocks are just clean and beautiful . I like the "pea a knee" as Martha Stewart says it , she is an avid Gardner so I think she would know how it is pronounced..Sometimes i have heard a slight twist in the A to an O..Anywho, gorgeous reds and greens , I have that fabric from Old Fashioned Calicoes .
Posted by: Izzy | November 02, 2014 at 12:36 PM
Interestingly, I never heard of a Pee -O-ny until I had someone working in my yard in Memphis. In NY, it is Pee-a-knee.
But love the pindot. Or should I say pin- DOTE?
Posted by: Loretta | November 02, 2014 at 10:05 PM
If it helps, the Chinese woman who taught my flower arranging class in Shanghai pronounced it PEE-ah-nee. Though I grew up hearing Mom talking about her pee-OH-nees. Of course, in the south we also had PEE-CAN pie and waRshed our hands :-)
Posted by: Heather | November 05, 2014 at 02:20 AM
Oh you aren't the only one. Thank goodness I have cats for filler!!! Great to see you post again. Projects are beautiful as usual!!
Posted by: Lynn | November 28, 2014 at 07:29 PM