Just a quick post today......

Since the squirrel left, things have been a little quieter here in Loulee land. I've been busy with my studies and the end of stage one is in sight. 

YAY!

But it's not all about books. Winter has arrived and we finally had a frost, so it was time to give up and harvest the chillis from the green house. Not a very good crop this year. 

Lots of wild fires, they are the longer thin green and red chilli, which are really not that hot.

Our Scotch bonnet only yielded two ripe chilli and a few green fruit.

The Carolina reaper, did a little better with two good sized fruit and lots of smaller fruit as well as plenty of greens. Those last two are pretty hot. We grow them especially to put in this.

Evil Chilli Chutney. 

It's a recipe I discovered on Pinterest a few years ago and has become a must each year.

This year I got only one batch, in the past I've had 7-8 batches. So you can see that this years harvest really is poor.

A friend of Tony's grows chilli commercially and he says everyone had a bad year, the weather just was not right for growing chilli this year.

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In crafting news, I made the first of my scrappy floral blocks, just to see how it would look.

Yep! I'm happy with that.

I have all of the blocks half made now, but need to cut more smaller pieces and then figure out what to use as sashing strips. The cream coloured end of bolt I found will not be enough.  

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And last but certainly most important, the fabrics for Chookys Churn Dash along have arrived.

The plan was

Scrappy blues with the white for the blocks.

Paler yellow for sashing

and darker yellow for corner triangles....

But I'm beginning to re think my choices and that I might swap one of the yellows out.

I'm going shopping tomorrow, I might need to buy some blue.....

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That is all of my news.

Today I plan to sew some more florals and make a start on cutting blue scraps for my Churn dashes.

If you are interested in a churn dash sew along, go along to Chookys blog and let her know. 

 

Squirrel Number Three!

So on Tuesday I set about putting together all of those rejected pieces from my Fairy quilt..

They were very well behaved and it really did not take much time at all. Then I pulled out a bunch of bits and pieces and started auditions for borders. I hummed and hawed for a while, then asked Chookys advice. Well, that put a spanner in the works!

There was me thinking single border, and she suggests a peeper.....

Well out came a whole bunch more fabric, they were laid this way and that, there were what ifs and maybe this ways.......?

Then I walked away leaving the whole mess on the table.

Then yesterday morning I walked back in to my room, put away all but two fabrics and did exactly what Chooky had suggested.  🤣🤣

TADA!!!

The top of Squirrel project number three is complete. 

Thank you Chooky. Great advice.

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Then after all of that drama, I got on and cut a whole bunch more pieces for my latest scrappy Floral quilt top. 

I'll probably need to cut more of these. How many? I'm really not sure, there was no counting happening, just cutting. LOL

I just might start putting these together today, just to see how they look.

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And Finally.

Are you joining in with Chookys Churn Dash along?

During a recent zoom session some of us were admiring a churn dash quilt that Chooky recently completed, as a part of her marathon binding effort. She mentioned that she might make another, and how did we feel about a sew along?

If you're interested, go along to this post on her blog and see what it's all about. 

I was keen right away and already have my fabric, the postie delivered it yesterday. 

The dangers of procrastination

I was fiddling about in my room on Sunday, not really doing much. I should have been cutting my floral scraps, but instead I was procrastinating, poking about in this drawer and that. I noticed that my collection of batik scraps is getting a little out of control and making the drawer look untidy.

So I hauled them all out and dumped them on the cutting table. Then had a tidy up in the drawer and before I knew it, it was time to go to work.

Over night an idea was born and this morning I scooted in to town and purchased yet another set of plastic drawers. My collection of batik scraps in all their little containers were all tucked neatly away, and there was still plenty of room for my collection of fabric crumbs, so in they went.

I really wasn't sure what to do with this little collection though. They are rejects from this quilt top and are only partially batiks. 

Hmmmmm, I left them out and vowed to have a think about what I could do with them.

While I was in town, I called in to the sewing centre, hoping to find a blue binding for the OP Shop Top.

No perfect blues, but I did find the perfect burgundy.

And I found an end of bolt, just under a half meter of a cream grunge, with spots.

I thought it might work with my floral scraps. I'm pleased to say that I was right.

So pleased in fact that I started cutting soon after I put together my drawers and cleared all the batiks off the cutting table. . But first I made leek and potato soup for lunch, I left it simmering while I played with fabrics. I got a whole bunch of 5 inch squares cut.

Then soon after lunch, the squirrel hopped in through the open window!

Full of ideas about what to do with that wee box of rejects and before I knew what was going on, I was playing with those instead of cutting florals.

My first efforts met Jack the ripper!

But the second idea worked out much better.

I got as far as putting a column together before deciding to stop and sit down for a while. 

I'll need to find something to use as border and binding, but I'm sure that won't be too hard.

Thank you Mr Squirrel, you can be on your way to help someone else for a while.

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So you see the danger of procrastination and pottering about doing not very much really, is that it becomes an open invitation for the squirrel to visit.

 

Zooming With Chooky

So Saturday was one of Chookys zoom sessions, she promised a marathon, and that is what we got.

Well some of us did. I had to go off to work at 3pm (NZ) and returned again at 10.30, when I found a few ladies still chatting. 

Before work I was busy with Lucy and made a little progress. First I set about topping up my supply of one inch blue squares and also prepared a bunch of white honey combs, for the border treatments.

Yes, it's getting that close.

My supervisor spent most of the day curled up asleep on the sofa next to my chair, although she did make time for some personal grooming.

Once I was done with the prep work I got on to the task of adding blocks to the top, after I had added some blue inchies to the blocks I wrestled them on to the top one at a time. I only had time to add two and prep a third before I had to prepare for work.

I have almost completed the penultimate row of crosses. Just one more block required.

As you can see, Belle had to take the opportunity to inspect progress while Tony held it up this morning.

I really do need to work out how I want the edge of the quilt to look and get papers prepped for the final rounds.

Poor pictures I'm afraid as it is very overcast here today, so we had an indoor photoshoot with artificial lighting.

I'm really pleased with how this one is turning out and must confess that although I am excited to be so close to finishing the planned 5x6 layout I am tempted to add more blocks.....

I know I have plenty of blue fabrics left, I wonder if I can find more of that white?

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Time to go and complete the chores I should have done yesterday. LOL

 

It's pretty quiet here in Loulee land....

There are two reasons for the quiet time, firstly I am back to my studies and spend most mornings swotting away. 

And secondly I've hurt my arm. I'm not sure how, but it is rather inconvenient. Holding my knitting needles, sorting puzzle pieces, holding and using my roller cutter, typing on the laptop or the desk top at work, even brushing my teeth all hurt.

So I've been trying to rest it as well as getting my chiropractor to work on it.

There has been a little retail therapy, nothing terribly exciting, but I found some bargains.

On the NZ puzzle exchange I found a local lady was thinning out her stash and scored four 1000 piece puzzles for only $20 NZ.

A little taste of the UK.

This African Animal one is what drew my eye, what a lovely design.

The lovely blue sea of the Aegean sea.

And I couldn't resist these lovely hot air balloons over the Opera house.

And Tony spotted and purchased another puzzle for me...

He knows I like a challenge!

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I was excited to see that my Christmas/Easter cactus was preparing to flower.

This little plant was a cutting from one at work.

It's done rather well and it is good to see flowers on it.

Finally, just so you know my life is not all about jigsaws and studies, I called in to the Sallie's store on my trip home from grocery shopping today, the first time in months.

There wasn't a huge selection of fabrics available,

 

but I dug about in a plastic bin and found a bundle or two.

This beige piece is a brand new fat quarter.

And last but not least, this oddly shaped yellow piece.

All for four dollars.

I'll tidy them up and pop them away, for use one day.

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I'm looking forward to zooming with Chooky on the weekend, even though I have to work.

I'll join in until it is time to go. Then I'll join in again when I get home, she has promised a marathon  session and I'm sure someone will still be chatting. 

I had better make sure I have plenty of Lucy pieces prepped, or be ready to sit and prep, while we chat.