Chookshed challenge complete.

 Yep! Here we are on the third day of the month and my April Chookshed Challenge is complete. I know, I know, I was swapping it out for number 5 which is going to Scrub Stitchin' with me, but yesterday I got all caught up in it and POOF! Now I have a finished quilt top. LOL

I don't think I'll add borders, I auditioned quite a few bits and pieces, but nothing felt right. I did find the perfect backing for it though.

Quilting and backing were not included in the challenge and they will have to wait anyway.

April Chookshed challenge complete.

Thanks for getting us organised Deanna.

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In other news, I've also been making progress on the latest EPP squirrel. The pile of hexie flowers is growing.

Tony has almost completed his last day of work for a while and tomorrow we pack our cases and head for the big city.

Two more sleeps until we get onto the big airplane.

I might go sew some more hexies.

I'll be back in a couple of weeks with lots of news. 

Chookshed Challenge April.

I mentioned a post or two ago that I had found some orphan blocks that would be used for the Community quilt to be made at Baradine, but another look at Raewyn's instructions this morning changed my mind. I went digging into the tub of brights and pulled out something completely different, and in no time I had my two blocks made.

While I was digging about looking for just the right whiteish fabrics for the borders of block A, I came across the fabrics that were intended for my Chookshed challenge #4. And off I went! Yes I know I said I was swapping out as #5 is due to go to Baradine with me for Scrub Stoitchin', but the fabrics were there and they spoke to me. In no time I had a bunch of 5 inch squares cut then set about looking for some brighter fabrics for yet more borders. I had hoped to find them in the strips drawer.

Plenty of fabric here, but not what I need, so I pulled out my character fabrics tub and hit Gold.

I sewed and sewed until lunch time.

Shuffling the blocks about on the design floor,

Trying to find just the right layout.

I'm not sure I found it yet, but I have plenty of time to play. 

I'm settled in my armchair now and plan to play with Hexies all afternoon, but I might make some more blocks tomorrow. And who knows, I might even remember what it was that I saw and wanted to copy with these blocks. LOL

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3 more sleeps until I get on the big airplane. 

The March Roundup.

 I feel like I did do quite a bit in March, but a lot of it can't be shown until after I have been to Scrub Stitchin'. I guess I'm not the only one with that issue. Here goes with what I can show.

I went on an Heirloom Adventure, completing a tablecloth that my lovely Mum started to embroider 70 years ago. I'm happy to say it is now completed.

The other items in that bundle will get their turn one day.

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My Chookshed Challenge for the month was to work on and hopefully quilt the Papaver quilt top. Well I added a border then had issues when I set off quilting it on my domestic machine. So I put it onto the frame and started working on it there, I got about half way down then hit a wall, I've been procrastinating ever since. I need to get it completed and move it though as I have several other items that need to be quilted. 

Did I complete at least one Christmas Ornament?

No, I didn't, but I'm not stressing about it. This years ornament is quicker to make than recent years and I'm already ahead of the game.

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Did I sew or crochet for 15 minutes every day?

Nope!

Didn't do that either.

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Did I walk every day?

Nope!

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Did I start Pretty Little Pots?

Nope!

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Did I share a new recipe?

YES!

Just when you thought I was on a roll of No's in pops a yes. LOL

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As I mentioned above I did do a bunch of secret stuff and right in at the last minute I sat with Chooky and girls on Zoom on Saturday and played with Hexagons. That was fun, thanks Chooky.

Deanna has given us next months number for the Chookshed challenge. 

It's #4, which would be a new start, but I'm swapping it for my #5 which is all ready to go to Baradine with me.

Speaking of Baradine....

5 more sleeps until we get on the big airplane and meet up with Janice and Mick.

But only one more shift at work.

I went in today, thinking that I was all better after whatever bug caught up with me last week.

I don't think I'm quite there yet. Gotta get rid of it before Saturday!

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I'm off to tweak my monthly goals. They are just not working for me this year. 

Well today Zoomed by!

 After an awful night, I slept in this morning and when I awoke a zoom session was already in progress. So what's a girl to do? I sat down and joined in of course.

I had some EPP prep at hand so picked it up and set off sewing.

By the time we said goodbye I had made eight more flowers and had also basted some more hexies to add to the collection.

I continued to glue baste and add more throughout the remainder of the day. It's nearly bedtime again now and I've had enough for today. The collection has grown nicely though.

I have used adopted hexies and scraps as well as some of my own leftovers so there is a good mix. Some of the fabrics had me wondering....?

Why this particular fussy cut? What was she going to do? This fabric features three groups of fussy cut pieces. 

There were also some pre basted hexies.

Some beautifully executed with perfect stitches, and some not so much. I ripped out that 'seam' between the brown and cream, and re stitched it. Was she a beginner? Was she teaching someone? What were the dreams for these fabrics? Are these orphans or leftovers? Where is the lady, or ladies who first owned and worked with these pieces? 

I've had various ideas about what I'll do with them once I get some more made, I might start off by appliqueing some onto this flimsey that I made earlier this year.

I think I want to quilt it first, then add them. And, I want to use the brightest and prettiest flowers. One in each fabric block? Or maybe on the seams?

I'll have a play.

I also have one or two other ideas, I'll keep you informed. LOL

Chooky, thank you for another great zoom session. It was good to sew along and chat.

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We have grand children visiting tomorrow, so I doubt I'll do much sewing.

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Six more sleeps until our holiday starts.

Eleven more sleeps until we get to Baradine and Scrub Stitchin'.

I'm excited, can you tell?

Bits of this and that and my Chookshed report.

 I'm off work sick yesterday and today. Aches and pains and a snuffly nose or 'flu like symptoms' mean I am not welcome at work at the moment.  I really don't feel up to doing anything but sit in my chair. I have been playing with fabrics though. Basting EPP papers is good mindless fun when concentration won't come. So I've made up a bunch of mini kits for my Celestial Stars project.

I have all of the larger coloured stars kitted and packed in a bag ready to go into my case, along with a colourful collection of threads so that I'm sure to have just the right one.

I've also spent some time with another EPP project box.

I ran out of papers, so Tony has been tasked with a visit to the Sewing Centre during his lunch break today to get some more. The beginnings of this collection is one of my adoptions and the papers are 1.5 inches, not a size I have used before so none in stock here at home. As well as the beginnings or left overs of someone else's project I have added three bundles of adopted precut fabrics. I have no idea where this is going, so I'll just make a bunch of 'flowers' and figure out how to use them later.

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My art folder dilemma mentioned in my last post, was solved the very next day. The A2 size I had purchased for my 'Down in the Garden' project was too big for my case, but the next day another one in A3 size  popped up as a give away on a local facebook page.

The new one is half the size and not quite wide enough, but I made it work.

My blocks, the pattern book and a few other items will fit in there nicely.

And the whole thing will fit into the bottom of my suitcase very easily.

Once I get home from our trip I will put the larger folder on to the same pay it forward page.  

Problem solved.

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I promised a Chookshed challenge report.

This month we were to work on #2.

For me that is my Papaver Pazazz quilt. I pulled it out at the start of the month and added a border to it,

 then set about quilting it.

Twice.

 I also unquilted it twice. Hmm. Luckily I didn't do much so the unquilting didn't take long.

Then I put it onto the frame. Plan, D?, E?, F? was born.....

And stalled.

It's still there on the frame, about a third done.

Have I achieved Chookshed Challenge success? (Try saying that very fast. LOL).

Yes I have. I didn't promise to complete the quilt, only to work on it and I have done that. 

Hopefully it will be completed soon.

Regardless of what number Deanna pulls out for next month, I'll be working on #5 as it is going with me to Baradine. It's that 'Down in the Garden' project that needed a special case. 

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While I was hunting for EPP papers yesterday I came across a box of orphan blocks and have the beginnings of my blocks for the community quilt we are making at Baradine. 

Blogger, why have you turned my image upside down?

I just need to find two fabrics to make the borders then sew them together. Then they can be added to the growing bundle that is to go into my suitcase next week.

A week today we will be leaving home, we'll stay overnight in Christchurch as we are on the red eye flight on Saturday morning. Seven more sleeps! Thirteen until we all meet up in Baradine for our Scrub Stitchin' retreat.