Beautiful signs of spring & a flower project
March has a reputation of bringing all kinds of crazy weather to the states; but in California, we are having warm temperatures and beautiful signs of spring. Flowers and trees are blooming everywhere and the air is heavy with their lovely scent. As soon as I get comfortable with these warmer days, it will most likely swing back to cold and rainy, but that’s part of nature’s unpredictability.
Spring flowers
On a recent morning walk, I took some photos of the flowers that have started to bloom in our neighborhood. In my own yard, we have daffodils, freesia and nasturtium in the front of the house. I’m happy to see splashes of bright color everywhere I go.
Caterpillars
I found a happy surprise in an untended corner of our backyard – Monarch caterpillars! There were over a dozen in various stages on a tropical milkweed plant. Their survival rate in the wild is less than 5%, so I’ve taken them inside and put them in mesh cages to finish their life cycle into Monarch butterflies. Typically, I like to bring them in as eggs when they are free of parasites and disease. There is some risk of them being infected the larger the caterpillars are. I think this group has slipped under the radar, so I’m hopeful they will flourish. You can see two of the larger caterpillars below.
If you’ve been following me for a while, you’ll know that I raise these caterpillars in the summer to help strengthen the Monarch population. This is the first time I’ve started so early in the year. They tend to take over my dining room sideboard. In the second photo, below, you might be able to spy 5 out of the 7 caterpillars in that cage.
Spring Bunny table runner
Underneath those mesh cages is my adorable Spring Bunny Table Runner. This is a free tutorial from several years ago that you can download and print here.
I love bringing this table runner out in March. The green and gingham are perfect accents for Spring. Fortunately, I took a few photos before the caterpillars took over.
There is some simple appliqué in this project for the bunny and in the two blocks. You can choose hand or machine – mine are machine appliquéd with turned edges (as opposed to raw edges).
If you want to know about this method, check out my roundup of turned edge appliqué techniques here.
Upcoming project with flowers
As we transition to the next season of spring, I’m drawn to working with flowers. I’ve been wanting to do a “flower pounding” tutorial for many years, but I always procrastinate and it becomes maybe next year. Well, now is the time!
In the early 2000’s, I was immersed in this technique of pounding flowers with a hammer onto fabric. It was so much fun, and it’s a great activity for kids! I found my old supplies and test samples in a drawer, and they’ve held up surprisingly well.
The flower imprints can be used in many ways, but there is one caveat – they will fade over time and shouldn’t be washed. I’ll have a detailed tutorial for you in the next week or so.
I hope you are enjoying the weather whatever it may be. If you’re getting spring fever, you’re not alone! The signs of spring should be visiting your neighborhood soon. In the meantime, find a project that makes you happy like my Spring Is For The Birds Wall Hanging. Happy quilting!
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I love your newsletter. Thank you for producing such an interesting communication.
Hi Julie, where do you get the caterpillars?
Off topic. Have you seen the explosion of felt birthday crowns? There is a Facebook group with 2 million followers. Started by a Florida artist. I read your post after reading the group chat and thought of your grand kids. I think you’ll appreciate the creativity.