A New Start.

Well my days off are all gone, and I'm back to work this afternoon.

But that time has been very productive. I don't seem to have a picture to show, but on Friday after the necessary domestics I took the slow and restful option and added some flowers to Edyta's garden before pulling out a pattern and some fabric that have been waiting for about a year. (So not terribly mature, but ready, I think). I thought I might have a read through the pattern and cutting instructions.

As you saw in my last post, Saturday was all about Floral Delights. Once I was finished with that, I worked some more on Edyta's garden. Still no picture. LOL

And did a little more reading up on my next project.

Sunday was a little different. I spent all morning making a start on the cutting for the new project. Cutting up a large piece of white fabric.

There is a lot more cutting to do on this new start, but after 3 hours, I was over it and just wanted to sit down for a while.

So after lunch I spent the afternoon and some of the evening creating more flowers for Edyta's garden.

Finally, a picture.

Today I plan to do some more cutting and create some more little bags of fabric pieces.

Look at all these beautiful batiks I get to play with.

Just cutting up white was quite boring yesterday, I think today will be a lot more interesting. It's a shame I have to go to work really. 

I'm off, to make the most of my me time today.

I hope your weekend was as productive as mine. 

 

Found My Steam Again...

A while ago I saw a quilt on the WWW. It might have been on a blog, on Pinterest or on a quilt shopping page. Lets face it, it could have been anywhere. 

Where ever it was, it caught my eye. It was pretty I quite liked it, I admired it for a while, then moved on. So many quilts, so little time.

But the seed was sewn and my muse began to put ideas into my head. Or maybe it was that damn squirrel again! Who ever it was, she wasn't letting go of this one

Of course, I hadn't bookmarked the page or pinned the image. I couldn't remember what it was called or where I'd seen it.

But that little voice kept on chittering away at me.

I'm not even sure I remember exactly what it looked like.

I looked at blogs and Pinterest and on my facebook groups. I checked all my usual places and just couldn't find it. But that little voice kept on at me.

So today I decided to go it alone. With a vague memory in mind I pulled fabrics and began auditions.

Then started to play with the winners.

Nothing was yelling I don't belong.

So then I started pressing and cutting.

By lunch time I had shuffled the deck on to the sitting room floor.

After a very tasty mushroom omelette I started to put all the pieces together.

And by mid afternoon I had the prettiest of Floral Delights.

This was such an easy top to make. Many of the fabrics were already cut to a convenient size. They came that way, when I adopted them from somewhere. I just added a few more, cutting them to the same size. There were no fancy blocks or seams to match, just good old mindless straight line sewing.

As my pal Janice said, it could almost have been a quilt in a day. I have batting and backing, but alas not enough of what I'd like for binding. So I stopped here at the flimsy stage. Maybe it will be layered and quilted tomorrow. Or maybe it will hang around for a while.

Who knows?

And where was my minder during all of this?

Fast asleep. Tucked up under a cosy quilt, snug against my pillow.

That seems like a good idea, I might have a nap, before I make dinner.

I hope your Saturday is as much fun as mine. 

 

I ran out of steam...

But first, a finish.

On Wednesday I finished closing the binding on the batik hexies. This one has been quite difficult to photograph, but I think I finally managed to get an image showing its true colours.

As you can see, it fits beautifully over the back of this two seater sofa.

Though not shown here, Belle has made it her own. 

Of Course.

While I was doing that, a brownie was cooling in the kitchen.

This is what I found on my return.

It wasn't even cool and almost half had disappeared.

Tony is working from home.

LOL. 

*

After working six of seven shifts without a day off I hit a wall yesterday, (Thursday) I ran out of steam, my get up an go, got up a cleared off! I spent most of the time before going to work just resting.

The one thing I did do was to sew on a pretty patch. Some of you will remember that Tony was made redundant last year. His entire department was let go from this company.

Well, they didn't want their corporate wear back. Tony was all set to throw it into the bin, but it's good quality stuff, and some items have plenty of life left in them. I already put patches onto three other garments. Tony refuses, (Understandably) to wear them, so I made sure they were patches I like. LOL

This shirt is the last one. It's been awaiting treatment for a while and yesterday I finally got to it. I had fussy cut this cute wee Scotty dog a couple of days ago and yesterday I sat and sewed him into place, covering the Alpine logo.

That looks much better.

And...

The courier called to deliver this.

The paper and template set required to make the quilt on the lid of the box.

The full pattern and instructions are in this book, that I purchased back in July.

If I want to start this one, I'll need to go shopping and not just online, I want to stand in the store, templates in hand and play with fabrics.

So not today then, while we are locked down and hiding from COVID.

*

So yesterday I worked shift seven of seven. My boss has put a note on the roster saying I am not available over the weekend if anyone calls in sick.

So I should have three uninterrupted days off.

What do I plan to do?

Aside from a grocery shop, no plans.

I'll rest up and see what calls to me.

With three whole days to rest and play I'm sure something will happen.

 

Are you ready for another update yet?

 Today will be day 5 of 7 shifts. I am filling in for an absent colleague, so yesterday and today are only the shorter 5 - 9 shifts, which in no way impacts on my fun time.

As I have mentioned before, I had started to quilt my batik hexie quilt.

I got on yesterday and completed that.

I had only the border left to do and quilted more wavy lines.

I think they are much better than the quilting in the main body of the top.

I also attached the binding and got about half of it sewn down before heading off to work.

Speaking of fleece, here is a better look at not only the back, but also my quilting.

As I mentioned, no batting layer in this one, just the batik and the fleece. It has a lovely soft feel and drapes beautifully. Hopefully I can finish closing the binding today, before work.

This morning after completing some home chores I set to and made more masks. The top one for a colleague, and the rose for me.

It sure does not hurt to have a few masks, plenty of time to get them washed and dried, especially when you're on a seven shift stint! LOL

And finally Edyta's garden. I've added some more flowers.

It is starting to take shape, maybe I'll have time to do a little more of that before work today too.

I'm learning a lot about paper piecing as I put this together

OK, time to go and whip up some poached eggs on toast, then I might sit in the sun to sew my binding.

Oh My Goodness!

 It's been ten days since my last blog post. And there I was worrying I was posting too often. LOL

So what has been happening since Friday 13th of August. Well I did nothing that day.

Zip.

Nada.

Nowt.

I rested pretty much all day.

Which was very nice I have to say. Just to put my feet up, snuggle under a blanket and watch movies.

Well, except for when I had to produce food. 

I've not been quite so lazy since then. I've been doing some crochet on my latest use this stuff up project. I've also been sewing and adding flowers to my Edyta's Garden top. More on that later. 

I have finally completed my August Christmas ornament and made a bunch more crumb blocks.

A while ago I decided to subscribe to Quilters Companion magazine as getting hold of it here can be sporadic. The first one arrived on Tuesday. At midnight on Tuesday New Zealand went into our second level 4 lock down.

The whole country is closed. The only things open and functioning are the supermarkets and pharmacies. and one or two other essential services. No take out food, or delivery, no coffee shops, or hair cuts, no craft supplies (I just bought the last card of elastic at the supermarket).

New Zealand is closed in the hope of stopping the Delta outbreak.

Sew what's a girl to do?

Sit and sew of course.

Luckily for me, I had already purchased the backing for my Batik hexies quilt a couple of weeks ago.

Rather than batting and backing I found a lovely soft fleece blanket. Not quite the best colour match, but I love it.  So that was all pinned.

While my minder did some sun bathing.

Then I set off doing some wavy organic quilting.

I must confess I lost my way and waved a little too far at times. So it ended up a little more organic than I first pictured. LOL

At this time I have only quilted the hexie part of the top and the borders still need some attention.

I'm thinking more of the same to be honest.

Meanwhile, as I said I have been working away slowly at my hexie garden. Some flowers have been joined to the diamonds, and more are ready. 

I had to leave this one here on Friday, to go to work.

On Saturday, Chookyblue had one of her zoom parties. I had to go to work at 3 ish, but joined in for as long as I could.

I thought I might finish the flower I had started.

😲😲

Well, what a mistake! Chooky was determined to see me working on my Lucy Blue quilt. LOL

But I stood my ground.

(Well, sat comfortably in my chair!)

And completed this flower.

Before going to collect my Lucy project box.

I was able to sew not one...

But two Lucy blocks together,

And off camera I was also able to whip up four masks for some colleagues. 

Chooky asked me to share the mask pattern I use.

It's the Victory Patterns mask.

I like it, it fits nicely and has a pocket that you can slip an extra filter into, or even one of those paper masks. 

My lovely, lovely Tony looked after me while we zoomed making cuppas, toast and even cooked Kung Po chicken for lunch. 

Yummy!

All too soon it was time to get out of my PJs and ready for work. (I was not the only one in PJs, they really are come as you are parties.)

As I left the house I noticed a package in my mail box.

Yay! The posties are still working and ours had delivered a late birthday gift from my brother.

A cross stitch kit.

Of his regiment badge.

Hmm, I think he may be hoping that I re gift it!

LOL

There were other items in the package too, but this was the only craft one.

When I got home from work some of the ladies were still in the zoom, chatting away and some were even still sewing.

I poured myself a glass of wine and joined in the conversation for a while.

What a great way to spend the day.

If you haven't done so yet, visit Chookyblues's blog and watch out for the next zoom announcement, then be brave and ask to join in. You have to have a blog account be crafty and make a post about it now and then, but that's really the only requirement. 

You'll meet like minded people, have fun and get loads done on what ever project you are working on and we will enable and influence you into taking on even more beautiful projects and different crafts and help you spend money in some of the amazing online stores we discover together along the way. 

*

My turn to cook today, then off to work again at 3 ish.

I might have time to put some hexies together before running out of the door today. 

OH Crumbs!

Another squirrel!

 So yesterday I was going to get on and make some good progress on my Christmas ornament. But first I told myself, do something with the snippets of paint splat fabric.

I was good and got most of them used up in not one, but two small projects.

I went to put the remainder into the crumbs basket.

And up popped another squirrel!

I was not going to start these just yet!!

I have way too much happening and need to get some things finished!

I need to get on with my Ornies

But oh no!

I found myself reaching for a bunch of old shirt backs that I had cut onto 4 inch squares a few years ago. They make great foundations for these crumbs.

Of all the things I could have done, why oh why did I start another project?

*

Sigh.

*

I'm off to do chores, then I WILL work on my Ornament.

*

Oh by the way, if you didn't notice, I have tried adding a follow it gadget. If you are not already following me in another way, please give it a go and let me know how you get on. 

Thank you Raewyn for sharing the link on your blog. 

If you would like to add it to your blog. 

Go Here.

It was very quick and easy to set up. 

What's Been Happening Here?

 Well I had a birthday since my last blog post.

Tony had asked for ideas, so I sent him a link to something I have heard about and wanted to try out..

Probably not the best fabric for this demonstration.

But it serves well enough to show off my new fussy cutting mirror and Lucy Boston template.

I haven't used it properly yet, but it is all tucked away with the Lucy fabrics awaiting my attention.

Tony's parents visited on the day. His mum knows I love a good cook book so they delivered this beauty. 

It is a huge book and there are several recipes I want to try out.

Debbie and I saw each other at work the following day, (On her birthday) and we exchanged gifts.

I gave her some quilters gloves and look at this cute Chook she made for me.

There is a matching scissor case too. 

Such a lovely gift.

As it was my birthday, and my day off work, I got to spend pretty much the whole day doing what ever I wanted.

So I sewed a Lucy block.

That is three Lucy blocks made now.

*

The other day I noticed that it was getting very cluttered here around my armchair. My wee table has three drawers and two have projects in, the top is full of tools and useful items to have handy. Around the table there is my crochet basket, (I must take a picture of that) Grans tray for cutting and gluing. Two project boxes and assorted boxes filled with fabrics waiting to be cut, useable off cuts and a scrap bin. So I had a big tidy up. The Lucy boxes have been put away for now and that really helped a lot.

Today I have sat cutting and gluing the final few flower blocks, so that got rid of another box and things are looking a lot tidier.

Just one project box, one small box full of neutral fabrics, one scrap catcher and my crochet basket left.

I'll get the flower garden finished before I get Lucy out again. 

*

It is the nature of my work that people come and go.  And sadly one of the patients in the hospital wing passed away last week. She was a very crafty lady and brought a lot of her stash with her. The family wanted to donate some of it to the activity group so our activity co-ordinator was helping them to sort everything out. It was mostly papercrafts but, they did come across a bag of hexies and Liza said she instantly thought of me. There are just over 60 hexies here in four different fabrics.

Some had been stitch basted onto papers already. I will probably add one or two more fabrics, just to add some extra colour and variety then, I'm not sure what, but I will do something with them and donate that something back to work, probably as a raffle prize. We hold regular raffles throughout the year to raise funds for things like flowers and get well cards for staff members. The raffles are very well supported by staff and family members of the residents. 

One of my quilts was already used as a first prize in the mid winter warmer raffle. 

Scroll down to see Lottie Da!

Other prizes included a bottle of red wine and a pair of glasses.

 A box of hot chocolate, a mug and some marshmallows.

 A bottle of bath bubbles, a candle and a back scrubber. 

Lovely thoughtful prizes all beautifully wrapped and presented.

*

So that's all of my news.

I'm off to sew a flower, or maybe I'll add one to the garden.

What's been happening?

A stinker of a headache saw me cry off work on Tuesday and slowed me down a little.

Speaking of work, a colleagues son has been busy making bird cakes. He spent some of his precious savings to buy ingredients and then sold them all at a profit to his mums friends and colleagues. 

Speculate, to accumulate! The kid is going to be rich.

I'm not sure what his secret recipe is, but the birds love it.

Can you see all the tiny little wax/white eyes picking away it it?

*

I mentioned in my last post that I needed to have a tidy up in my room. While putting some bits and pieces away I came across these animal charms. I've had them for some time. Mum purchased them during one of our trips to the big quilt show in Birmingham UK. Mum wanted me to make 'something' with them for her. Once I got them home I discovered that they had not been cut very nicely.

I must have had a go at trying to do something with them as they have clear signs of being un picked!

I really don't remember what though.

They have lain in the drawer un touched ever since. 

Until Monday.

My recent crush on all things EPP has brought a plan to mind. Which sent me digging through my stash of batik fabrics and trying different sized hexie templates over the charms.

I found one batik that will work. But need to shop for the other and source a new size of paper template.

I have tucked them away in a box for now, along with some notes about my idea. 

I hope to do two 'somethings' with them soon.

But first I need to get some other projects over the line.

Edyta's garden is progressing. I have many more flowers all cut and glued, waiting to be sewn together. and I only need to prepare about 10 more and about another 300 neutral hexies for in between the flowers. LOL

I've also been sewing some of the flowers together. This one uses off cuts from a Lucy fabric. They were too small to be used for Lucy, so went into the flower garden box.

I have not taken photos of all of my flowers

But I did want to show images to prove progress. LOL

Each block is very different to the others.

Some have the odd fussy cut pieces, while others are truly scrappy.

As I have previously said, I do want to make another quilt like or similar to this one, but paying more attention to what goes where.

*

No work for me today. It's a very grey, overcast and drear looking day outside. A good day to stay indoors and play with fabric and thread, but sadly I have chores to do in town so must go out and get damp. 

When I return I plan to play though.

Shall I invite Lucy or Edyta to play along??

Or should I go into my room, where I have 10 quilt tops, (I counted) waiting to be layered and quilted.

 Some even have their backing fabric neatly stored with them.

 Not to mention all the other things that are going on in there.

And there is the Christmas Ornament to work on, I got about a third of that done yesterday.

Decisions, decisions.

 

Lucy (Boston) Blue

I feel like I'm making a lot of blog posts at the moment, am I posting too often?

But I have a lot to say it seems, or maybe it's a lot to show?

Which ever it is, I'm having fun.

As I mentioned in my last post, Debbie and I had our get together on Friday. We sat here at my place. Debbie brought some knitting, she finished making a wash cloth, but I forgot to take a photo. Then she moved on to completing one of her Gail Pan stitcheries from last year. Again, bad blogger, I took no photos. 

While Debbie was busy with her thing, I was busy cutting, trimming and gluing honeycombs for Lucy Boston Blue. Maybe because we were chatting and stopping often to look at things on Pinterest, but I didn't get as much done as I thought I might. Making up only four little baggies of prepared honeycombs. I did have some fun trying out my template over some of the fabrics and looking at possible fussy cutting.

We took a break and went out for lunch, we visited the local sewing shop, where I found another fat quarter of the right kind of blue, but I forgot to take a photo, before I started to cut it up. LOL I really didn't do very well did I?

I do however have pictures of my first two Lucy blocks.  

This first one was made on Friday afternoon, after we got back from lunch. Those middle honey combs were sort of fussy cut, the linear nature of the pattern on the fabric made it quite easy to do.

Sorry the pic is so bright, I finished it late in the day and had to put it under the lamp for a photo.

*

My second block was stitched together today. it is one of the blocks I prepared on Friday. Debbie and I were both in awe when I quickly pushed the pieces together to reveal the lovely centre piece for the block. Again it was a relatively easy piece to fussy cut, ensuring that I lined up the points of the honeycomb with the top of the flowers

I'm in love with this block and after playing about with it on Friday, I wanted to make more fussy blocks, which I did today. Pictures will come as I sew them together.

*

Life wasn't all about Lucy though, I've made a couple more hexie flowers too and will share pics of those another time. Like Lucy, I'm learning as I sew, and plan to make another hexie flower garden, paying a little more attention to the fabrics I use and how they are cut and placed. LOL

*

It's the first of the month, so Happy Birthday to Grand daughter Una. Who remembers waiting for her arrival during Zoom last year? She kept us all waiting for a long, long time. 

Here she is, Happy Birthday little lady.

And here is a pic of big brother Floki.

He is such a photogenic boy.

The family have recently moved into a new home and are getting settled in. 

*

Let me see, what else is new?

Gail Pan released her BOM Bring me Flowers today. I have not been keeping up with that BOM this year. I keep telling myself I'll get back to it... Anyway, I have printed the pattern and went to put it away in my room. What a mess!

😲

Considering how little time I have spent in my room recently (All my EPP stuff is in the sitting room) it sure is a very messy space. I might try to do something about that tomorrow, before work.

I also need to get onto starting my latest Christmas ornament, after going all out to get myself caught up it would be a shame if I fell behind again. 

*

The oven is beeping, my roast beef must be ready.

Till next time.