January 13, 2013

Free Pattern Launch - Apples of Gold


It's time to launch my 2013 free Block of the Month quilt pattern. Last year we made a quilt which had as its theme our "Thoughts".  This year we've gone the logical next step and the focus is on Words.

The new quilt is called 
"Apples of Gold".  

The title is taken from this verse in the Bible:  

The right word at the right time is like apples of gold in settings of silver.  
Proverbs 25:11

Our 2013 quilt has seven embroidered blocks with proverbs about "Words", each embellished with some sweet stitchery.  Then there are just three appliqued blocks, so lots of stitching and just a little bit of applique this year.  It's all tied together with some simple, fun piecing.  The design is ideal for using lots of scrap fabric from your stash.  I had fabric left over from the lovely Butterscotch and Roses fabric by Fig Tree Quilts, so I decided to use that.

So here it is:

Apples of Gold

Our talented daughter, Annette who lives in Japan, did some digital scrapbooking for me and put the photo on some lovely background paper which came from Lesley, the generous Australian lady at Scrappiness Downunder.  This lovely lady designs wonderful scrapbooking kits and then gives them away free!  The apples came from http://freescrapbookingsupplies.blogspot.com.au/. Crafters are such generous people, aren't they!

"Apples of Gold" measures 34 x 36 inches and I have broken the pattern up into ten sections, plus one pattern with the finishing details.  Each month over eleven months, I will give you another block pattern, so if you keep up, you will have a gorgeous Christmas present ready for that special someone.

Today I have made available the Materials list and Block 1. 


As you can see, the applique is a tree.  That comes from a verse in Proverbs 15:4 "Gentle words are a tree of life, but cruel words crush your spirit."  Soothing, gentle words are like a beautiful tree, giving shelter, shade, fruit, refuge, lifting the spirits.

The design is completely free, but I would love it if you would put my "Apples of Gold" button in the sidebar of your blog with a link back to http://val-laird.blogspot.com. (Just right click and "Save Image As" a jpg file onto your computer, then upload it to your blog.)  Or you can advertise it on Facebook, or any other way you can think of.


The pattern for Block 1 can be downloaded here.  The patterns will remain available for the whole year. I hope you like the pattern and that you will join in downloading these blocks each month.

I don't seem to have accomplished very much this week - Doctor's appointment, Ultra-sound, Optometrist appointment, Funeral, Music practice ... but I did go shopping to spend my Christmas money.  You mightn't think much of my present but I am very happy with it - a very large wooden garden box.  We don't have anywhere to dig a vegetable garden, but do have room to have a box.  I already have one which is full of Tomatoes, Capsicum, Lettuce and Silverbeet, and I love growing my own vegetables, so decided that another box would be the perfect gift.  My husband screwed it all together yesterday and half of it is already planted out!

I did manage to preserve eight bottles of peaches and finish a pretty little stitchery, but this post is long enough already so I will show you that another time!

Happy stitching!
Val

24 comments:

Melody said...

Thank you so much foe so generously sharing your creativity

Scrapatches said...

This is beautiful!

I just wandered onto your blog from another blog and now I am a new follower.

Thank you for sharing your pattern. I hope to be sewing along on this one ... :) Pat

Joy McD said...

Sounds like you have been very busy! Thank you for blessing us with another block of the month... lv, Joy xxx

Quiltin' Sandy said...

Thank you Val. I had surgery in December and have been limited in what I can do. Thank you so much for your ongoing generosity to your crafting friends. May God Bless you and yours. Big hugs from Sandy.xxx

Quilt Kitty said...

Thank you val, another beautiful BOM. You are very generous. Tracee xx

barcord said...

Thank you for this lovely free pattern based on one of my favourite bible verses.

Susan said...

This sounds like it will be - as usual from you - a lovely project to work on.

Kate said...

Apples of Gold is delightful - thank you for sharing your creativity again.

sunny said...

It's beautiful! I only hope I can keep up with it each month. Thanks so much for sharing.

BillieBee (billiemick) said...

Looks like a lot accomplished to me. I can't seem to get past the emails and blog....grin.

Another wonderful pattern! Thank you!

Cheryll said...

Oh such a NiCe pattern too. I may have to get to this one a little later...when I see how I'm going with the other BOM's I signed up for! Definitely on my TO DO list though. Thanks Val... :)

Unknown said...

This will end up being a beautiful quilt. The colors will be perfect for anytime of the year. Thank you for sharing. Helen

Barbara said...

Thanks so much. I can go to the download page but it won't download to my computer. I followed your design last year and so wanted to this year and save them to refer to when making it. Thanks for making these wonderful designs available to us. Hugs. Barb

Liz said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Teresa said...

Thank you Val!

Anonymous said...

I want to see your garden box! I love this new BOM, thank you so much! It sounds to me like you did a lot this last week!

Mauren Walker said...

Val..you have accomplished so much and are such a "giver" This verse of scripture ia an old favourite of mine . Thankyou for all you do and are I enjoy looking at all you do. I really need to get motivated again and into creating again.

kreativehaende said...

I am a new follower of your blog and I will participate in your new BOM. The bible verse is the verse of my daughters "Confirmation"- in German, of course ( I don´t know the word "confirmtion" in English).
The previous BOM is lovely, too.
regards from Germany,
Waltraud

Denise :) said...

I *love* this quilt! I found you through Sharon's blog (Vrooman's Quilts) ... I'm *so* glad! For many, many years I was a mentor in Focus on the Family's Apples of Gold Bible study. It was one of the best Bible studies I've ever taught/been a part of ... I grew so much as I taught and mentored! I will really enjoy putting this together. Thank you for offering it! :)

Michelle May-The Raspberry Rabbits said...

So beautiful Val. Of course, so is everything you design. Happy new year my friend! :)
xx

soledad rodriguez said...

Precioso blog!!
Muchas gracias por todas las cosas que comparte!!
http://lascreacionesdemivida.blogspot.com.es/

Liz said...

I do not know what happened to my first comment. Thank you so much for this beautiful BOM.

leonna.rodgers said...

you do beautiful work and I thank you for sharing it with me. I have enjoyed reading about why you name your quilts. And this one is just as great as the other ones. Leonna

Jim said...

Amazing ! This is cool!