Garden Weather

Means less time for crafting.

But I am still finding time to sit with M'Lady and stitch in the evenings, and I managed to make a start on a new crochet project. Just something to fiddle with if I'm not in stitching mode.

 We have made a start on getting the garden into order. It was a dark wet winter here so not much tidying up happened over the cooler months, which means it all has to happen now.

You can see the freshly prepared beds in the background of this first photo.

 Next weekend, if the weather permits the plants you see above will all go into those beds. I have two each of Cauliflower, broccoli and cabbage. A punnet of spring onions and two sorry looking window sill parsley plants that will do just fine outside.

The local supermarket is once again giving away seedling kits with grocery purchases.

This year they have included flowers as well as veg and herbs.

 I had a few left over from last year too and have been busy planting my Little garden.

I haven't planted any flowers yet, I've been concentrating on food!!

We have once again planted our own tomato seeds which are still too small to go into the green house, but they are coming along nicely and will go out soon.

Already in the green house I have two chilli plants and two capsicum plants. 

I plan to squeeze in a watermelon!

That is one of the seedlings in my little garden. Looking forward to any fruit it produces.

Work has also begun on the flower beds, with a sea of weeds already pulled out and a whole lot more to be removed. We have some new plants to put in when that work is complete and some ideas for a problem area at the back of the house, more about that another time, when I actually have something to show.

I have a staff meeting at work today, which is always a PITA, as  once the domestics are done, I often have time to achieve quite a lot, but can't settle properly and find myself just pottering while I'm waiting for the time to leave.

I do wish these things didn't always fall on my day off!

So I'm off to finish the domestics then potter for a while, maybe make a start on some baking which I can pop into the oven once I'm home.

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What ever you're doing today, I hope you have some fun time too. 

A finish

I don't have a huge amount to show today, after my recent flurry of quilty activity and my sewing lesson at the weekend I've pottered on with other projects.

My finish is a crochet project I've been working on for some time, just using up yarn in my stash.

It's not a huge piece. Just big enough for a pram or bassinet. 

 Big stripes in two shades of oatmeal, and a pretty shell edging.

It just needs a Loulee label and it is done.

I've made a start on another smaller and probably slow crochet project, they are easy to take along.

I just grab my basket and go.

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I've also been picking away at M'Lady, adding a few stitches each day, and hopefully quite a few more later today.

It was nice to work with the pink threads for a while after all those yellows and mustards.

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Time to do the domestics, meet a pal for a cuppa then sit and stitch the afternoon away.

What ever your plans, enjoy your day. 

Sewing Lessons

Yes, for me.

A long time ago, I used to do a wee bit of dress making, nothing too fancy, a few maternity items for myself, some pretty dresses for my daughter and even a wedding dress! 

Yesterday, with advice and support from both Debbie and Claire I got stuck in and made myself a shirt. It is the first time I have worked with knitted fabrics and also the first time I have used an over locker. 

I'm rather pleased with the outcome!

Might have to get my hands on my own over locker. Might be the first of many.

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Today is most definitely a stay at home and sew type of day. It's rather wet out there!

As you know I have many projects to chose from, but didn't decide yet, what to do?

Two more finishes

My bitty rows quilt is just about done, I quilted it on my frame on Wednesday with a lose meander and included a few hearts in there too. The back does show some tension issues, but on the whole I'm really happy with it.

 

It just needs a hanging sleeve or tabs and it can take it's turn hanging in the hallway of our home.

Many of those bitty little scraps have memories of previous quilts.

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Do you remember a couple of posts ago I showed this piece? It wasn't square, but I couldn't find another piece of chocolate fabric.  Well eventually another piece came to the surface in the scrap bin and I was able to get a slightly too skinny wedge to add to the end.

 It is still not square! The above image in an illusion. LOL

But I'm happy with it. It makes a great mat for my sewing machine, which I push away and pull toward me all the time. 

My old machine was quite light and easy to move. The skyline is a bigger girl and takes a bit more effort to move, so a wee mat is just perfect. Now she slides easily back and forward.

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What to do next?

Watch this space.

Ready for quilting.

My bitty rows quilt is ready for quilting!

The pattern does actually call for two more rows, one of pinwheels and one of friendship stars, but I have opted not to make them. I like it just the way it is.

I did make a few changes. When I made up the heart row I could also see butterflies and angels wings made using the same blocks. So they were added. 

I love the way this one has turned out, the blue sashing unified it beautifully and the second wider border finishes it off perfectly.

I did purchase enough fabric to add another border, but I don't think it needs it. 

I just need to sort out a backing and this one will go onto my frame for quilting.

Sew, what am I sewing now?

I have a new start, but I'll save that for another day.

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My Spring Queen, or M'Lady, as I have taken to calling her, is progressing slowly.

 Here you see the folds in her gown. It will eventually become obvious that she is seated, with her knees to the right of this image and the differing shades are the folds in her gown.

I'm still working on page one of the chart, and  have a looooooong way to go.

This design is much larger than some of my more recent cross stitch pieces.

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My day off today. I have loads to do before I can play.

What ever you're doing today....

Have fun and sew.

Ta, Daaaaa!

Spring Sprouts.

Designed by Edyta Sitar for Laundry Basket Quilts.

And sewn by me!!

All finished and hanging in my hallway. 

I love, love, love this quilt.

Santa bought me the kit a few years ago and last year I finally made a start on it.

It went on hold while I procrastinated over a huge quilt for DS Joe and is now finally finished, quilted and hanging. 

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The bitty row quilt is coming along close behind.

Here is where it is up to.

I hope to get border rounds done today.

We'll see how that goes.

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House work is pretty much done so nearly play time.

You better grab a cuppa!

I hope you are sitting comfortably, with your cuppa. I have loads to show and tell this week.

But first, something I didn't do. After vowing to make one Christmas ornament a week, I didn't make one this week! I'll get onto that later today. I haven't been idle though.

I finished another of my bitty rows. I had been calling the bitty houses row Coronation Street.

 But now that they are done, they look more like British beach huts.

 I love em!

 I went out last week with Claire and bought fabrics for sash, borders and binding for the bitty quilt. 

After I had finished with the beach huts, I couldn't resist starting to put it all together.

You can see the colours I chose for the borders and binding to the right in the photo below.

I'm tempted to call time on this one. There are two more rows to make if I follow the pattern, but I've already made changes so I'll see how it looks with the current rows all joined.

 Also in the above image, my batik Irish chain top. I started that way back on the Isle of Man in 2013

I did fiddle with it in 2014 but put it all away again. Well out it came last week and I had another little play. I had and still do have issues with getting all of those little pieces to line up nicely. I've been contemplating it a lot recently. Sometimes I think I should just get it all together as best I can and get it onto my frame, other times I think maybe I should quilt as I go for each block. More thinking required I think. That's a lot of thinks! 

I couldn't settle to anything yesterday and spent some time just pottering.  Recently Maria and I exchanged emails discussing all those tiny pieces that get cut off when we sew 45 degree seams. She suggested that we find a way to use them up. I have two little bundles of said triangles, the first bundle is of batiks. Yesterday while pottering I came across four packs of coffee and cream charm squares, that I purchased many years ago and I really cannot remember what I was going to do with them. You know how it is right?

 Well out they came and two ideas came together. Obviously not a single stitch was made yet and, I'm not making any promises, or stating any facts here you understand, but this just might be how some of them come together. LOL

And when I had finished dreaming about stars, I came across some leftovers from another project and decided to put them together, with a piece of red that was lurking in the strips bin. 

Yes, I know it is an odd shape, sadly  I couldn't find a scrap of chocolaty fabric quite big enough to make another triangle and there is just not quite enough red to square it up. I'll have a look about today and see if I can come up with something for another border and square it up that way, or I may just leave it as it is. 

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On Saturday I pulled my Spring Sprouts top out, along with it's backing and batting. I finished the top in May of this year and  I have been dithering ever since. I really want to get it finished. I love it and can't wait to display it. The reason I dither is because I'm afraid that I may ruin it, especially if I try to quilt it on the frame. I talked with Claire on Saturday evening and she had the simple solution, don't put it on the frame!! Stitch in the ditch! Simple. Why didn't I think of that?

 Well I have this huge quilting frame, I made a fuss and begged and pleaded with Santa, after waiting for a few years I eventually got my wish and now, I feel guilty as I have barely used it. 

I had a talk with Santa on Sunday morning and he told me he understood my dilemma, He is so very good and very supportive. He even kept Belle occupied while I pinned the layers. Little rascal was fascinated by the shiny wee objects. I need a trip to the shop today to find just the right thread, then I'll dig out my walking foot, or maybe accept Claires offer to borrow her ditch foot. 

Time to quilt.

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Away from all of that drama!

I've been very slowly pecking away at my latest crochet project. I keep saying I will add an image of it, so here it is. Not terribly exciting.

I've a few more bands of the two shades to add, then I'll do a simple border and call it done.

And the cross stitch time that should have been spent on a Christmas ornament was spent on Spring Queen. There still really isn't much to see.

This one may take a while.

Right, you should have finished your cuppa by now, and I've blathered enough for one day, time I move myself and get on with my day. It's going to be busy.

Thanks for sticking with me to the end, enjoy your day.