My crazy quilt No. 2

I’m in the mood to embellish a crazy quilt again. So out came a project pieced long ago, actually at the time I pieced my first. First plan was to merge these two and create a huge quilt wall hanging. But I was done embellishing after finishing first part so it was bound and hanged at that time. Now I’m embellishing it and loving it. This is it with little embellishing done.  I’m going to record the progress of this one.

This is it in afternoon light, I love the colors.

Next step of my plant collection

One day my parents appeared at my door step as a surprise visit. I was thrilled to have them. They had another surprise for me; it was a bunch of plants from their home. That is how purple ground orchid, pink Hoya, red and orange Anthurium, pink rain lilies, An epiphytic cacti are in my little garden.

Purple ground orchid and it is flowering now

Pink Hoya - Hoya tends to take very long time to flower when propagated but it is very well growing.

Red and orange Anthurium - All of them are flowering now.

Pink rain lilies - It is flowering after heavy rains.

Epiphytic cacti

My younger sister and a friend of her were staying at my home for last three months to participate to a training program. The friend got to know my addiction to plants while living with us and volunteered to give some plants from her home garden. I am very happy to receive some rare native plants from her.  She was kind enough to give me Rock Tassel Fern, a kind of lily, White fragrant anthurium, A reddish begonia and a native fern I failed to identify correctly yet.

Rock Tassel Fern

 

lily and it is flowering after a month from planting

White fragrant anthurium

Easy method to convert old denims into overalls.

First wash and dry the denim. Decide what length you want your overalls to be for example knee length or mid thigh. I made three in three lengths and three patterns.

Put on your denim and mark the length you want your overall to be and fold the denim and cut it like this.

Then turn wrong side out of one cut off denim leg and cut off the bottom seam and side seam.

Then mark and cut front part of the overall using following measurements. You can change these to your preference.  These are with seam allowances. 

Then cut back part as follows. height: 8", upper width:8" and lower width: 15" with seam alowanses.

Then cut two 2”*20” strips for belts.

Take the front part and fold it in half. Then make a 5.5” cut from bottom like this.

Sew the seams around all front, back and strips parts. I used zig zag stitch for strength.

Pin the front part in to denim like following. This is why I made a cut; to use existing button and zipper of the denim. Then sew them down. 

Take the back part and sew two belts to it like following.

Pin the back part to the middle of back of the denim and sew it down.

Now put on the overall take the belts right side up over your shoulders and pin the belts to front. Putting on help to measure length of belts fit in to your body.

Sew belts down to front part or use button in each belt and button holes in front part to finish. then decorate it to your taste. I didn't because i am not in to much decorated cloths. But you can use broaches, flowers, beads, any kind. :) You can fold or seam the ends of denim legs. I prefer them just frayed.

The finished product:

Front:

Back:

The other two I made.

Trying to propagate African violets…

I brought 2 African violets from a flower exhibition, one purple and the other maroon. I took some leaf cuttings to try my hand in propagating them. And I’m thrilled it is succeeding even though it is a slow process. I stuck some cuttings in water and they are rooted in 2 to 3 weeks (Use little containers of water since they emit a rooting hormone themselves to help the rooting process) and ready to put in soil. 

Others I stuck in soil directly and kept moist at an east facing windowsill. 

And viola some of them putting out little leaves. I’m moving them out doors for some time until big enough to flower. First time I noticed the tiny leaf I did a little happy dance since it was past time they should be leafing according to internet experts. In my experience it may take time but it will work.