It's a Messy Business.

 So I mentioned in my last post that my Sea Swept quilt was pretty close to being a completed top but it was becoming cumbersome because of the foundation papers. I managed to get it into three large pieces, then made to decision to remove some of the papers. 

What a mess, even though I had a bin on either side of me, I still managed to make a huge mess.

But it was worth it. I took out all of the papers except those in the outer blocks and that made life so much easier when I joined the three pieces together.

Here they are on the bedroom floor.

Waiting to be joined.

It really took no time at all to sew them together and all of a sudden.....

TA  DAAA!

I have a completed top.

I am thrilled!

All those beautiful fabrics play so nicely together.

There is so much movement and so many patterns.

I am very much in love with this quilt and will be very sad to give it away.

But it was made with someone special in mind.

I'll just have to make another one won't I?

When I was researching this one, I saw one done in russets and reds, yellows and golds, beautiful Autumn colours.

Maybe instead of Sea Swept, it could be Wind Swept.......?

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So I'm officially on annual leave. I have 11 whole days with no commitments.

Tony and I have planned a weekend away. We're heading waaaay down to the bottom of the South island, to visit with some friends. There will be new to me craft shops to explore.

We have also planned a couple of shorter trips. Mostly to visit crafty shops.

I have a shopping list...

I need binding fabric for Sea Swept.

A pretty white on white for my Lucy Boston.

And some pretty pink florals to match with the ones I showed right at the bottom of this post in August.

Maybe some Autumnal batiks?

I'm sure I will find something to spend my money on.

And of course there will be time at home. Working in the garden, working on our crafts and just hanging out, together because we can. 

Progress Report....

I have a very exciting progress report today. Having completed my October Christmas ornament, I've been able to get on with my Flower Garden of hexies. Because the flowers were pretty much all sewn, I've been busy adding them, so have had some seemingly very fast growth.

I'm still undecided about how I feel about this one. As I have previously said, I have paid very little attention to fabric choices and at times regret that.

Never mind, I'll plod on with it and see how I feel when it is finished.

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Other very exciting news is that I have finished making blocks for Sea Swept on Thursday and began to make rows. By the time Tony came home for lunch I had all of the snail trail rows completed.

I had even made a start on making up the smaller corner stone rows.

On Friday I finished those and began to put them all together.

Here you see where I left things on Friday.

Just about half way to being a completed top.

The foundation papers are still in there and are beginning to give me problems.

I have moved the sewing machine as far to the right of my desk as I can as the stiff ness and weight of the papers make sewing the rows together rather a challenge. I thought the additional space on the table top might help. It doesn't. I may try taking some of the papers out to see if that makes things more manageable.

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Two more days to go, then my leave starts.

I'm off to play, until it's time to work.

It's the weekend, Tony is home, he is in charge of food today.

This 'n' That.

My studies are keeping me busy, but I'm making sure I get some crafting time in too.

I have finished my October ornament, which means I am able to get on with other hand work. So over the weekend, as it was such beautiful weather I took myself outside to sit and sew.

I popped a blanket over my old rocking chair and settled in with my hexie project.

The neighbours inspector came over for a visit.

He stayed for quite some time, sitting on the deck railing, watching me, and the occasional bee that flew by. He's good company.

I've been spending a little time each morning in my sewing room, having fun with beautiful fabrics and slowly making up the sash blocks for Sea Swept.

The piles are getting bigger.

Only five more blocks to make!

Then the exciting part of putting all the pieces together can start.

Because the blocks were made on paper foundations, there has been a lot of off cuts, but they were mostly small and to me un usable, this final block however has given me some quite large scraps.

And lots of them too.

I've had a few thoughts about how I could use them.

Any suggestions on how to use long skinny triangles?

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Spring has definitely sprung here so it was time for a changing of the guard in our hallway.

I wanted something bright and light.

So out came the Carpenters Star.

Hanging there like that, I really don't mind that you can see the mistake. It works.

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I have an extra shift, so six out of seven days this week will be work days. But that's ok, as you know I don't start until 3pm. That leaves my mornings free for sewing and study.

Two down, four to go. 

Then I have a week and a half off. Yay!

I was supposed to be going to Bathurst, to visit with Janice and of course to see the big race.

Well thanks to the Delta variant that won't be happening, so instead we plan to have a few days out and spend some time at home working on the house, our garden and of course our crafts.

I plan to get some quilting done and hope to get Sea Swept completed.

And of course those days out will include visits to purveyors of fine fabrics!

Prior to writing this blog post I was studying for nearly four hours, so now I'm off to play.

This is my one day off this week, I want to make the most of it. 

Rocking chair watch out, here I come with my box of hexies. 

 

Well, what did he purchase?

So I mentioned last time that Tony was away working, but had taken time to go shopping on my behalf.

I know some of you are almost as keen as I was to see what he purchased for me.

The lovely lady at Cushla's and I talked a lot about blue.

This is the bundle that between them was chosen for me.

Would you like a closer look?

That blue on the left is going into Lucy. Tony selected that one.

The three batiks will go into my batik stash, for 'one day'. 

There are lots of Japanese fabrics in the bundle, they will not be going into Lucy.

They inspired something different.

Initially I was thinking lanterns.

Maybe something similar to Chookyblue's  beautiful project.

But as I hunted around on Pinterest.

I found something else.

A Japanese Jigsaw puzzle quilt.

I found examples of it in many colours and even a scrappy version on Pinterest.

Of course it was a blue version that really got my attention.

Thank you Tony for a lovely thoughtful gift.

And thank you to the lovely lady at Cushlas for selecting a great bundle of fabrics.

I would not have selected these fabrics for myself, so it was inspiring to receive them. 

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Speaking of jigsaws, Tony also brought this one home for me.

If you were with me a good few years ago, you'll know I like to do a puzzle now and again.

It's probably been over 10 years. LOL

But that's ok, I'll give this one a go, when the notion strikes me.

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I have shopping of my own to share too.

A facebook page that I follow recently had a tidy up and put some items on special.

This is the first time I have shopped with Crafty or Wot. But Christine was very helpful and my fabric was with me 30 hours later!

I didn't actually shop on the website. I used the messenger app in facebook, as these specials were only available through their facebook page.

The two fabrics on the left will go into Lucy.

The two on the right might become masks.

For me!

And the dots in the middle will go into my extensive stash of blue.

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And there is more.

A store that I frequent online, The Ribbon Rose, sends out a regular news letter, and the latest edition mentioned a diary. As soon as I saw some of the images I had to have one. (And I added some papers for Lucy)

A couple of years ago my brother and his wife sent me something similar for Christmas. I loved it. I tried to find one to use this year, but ended up with something quite boring to be honest.

This one as you can see has cute characters. 

each week has a positive message for the diarist.

Spaces to record plans.

And a spot for the 'to don't' list.

Like don't follow that damn squirrel.

LOL Not that we crafters take much notice of that one.

There are spots for recording ideas.

And heartfelt thanks.

And a place to plan.

It's a lovely little diary and although there isn't a huge space per day, I'm delighted to have a copy and I'll make it work.

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I have quilty news, but I'll save that for another blog post.

I also have three whole days off work.

No work for me over the weekend, I even left a note on the roster saying I am not available.

I bet you I get at least one phone call anyway!

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I'm off to say good morning to my sewing machine.

Hope you all have a great weekend. 

Making Plans.

I gave myself the weekend off from my studies. And spent quite a lot of time in my wee room, where I made great progress. All of the corner stone blocks are now complete and have been tucked away in the project box with the snail trail blocks.

Don't they look good?

I also got one or two other smaller tasks over the line.

The next set of blocks is 97 sash blocks.

This might take a while. I was thinking about how I could speed the process along, without having to do marathon sessions of one single block which might make the task tedious and decided that I could spend some time each morning making up a few blocks before I start my studies.

Today was day one and I made twelve blocks. I didn't intend to make quite that many, but I was enjoying myself, so kept on going.

I also took some time to sort my coloured fabrics in to groups of four, so it will take less time fiddling about trying to get a good mix.

And I still had time to complete a study module and get three quarters of the written assignment completed, before I had to go into work for CPR training. (Not much of a day off?)

I figure if I put in an hour of sewing each morning I should race through them all pretty quickly.

Then the fun of building the quilt begins.

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I've been sitting in hard chairs nearly all day, so I'm off to sit in my arm chair with my feet up and get on with my ornament.

Hmmmm about the feet up part....

My very expensive pure sheepskin pouffe has been claimed.

She climbed onto it last night, stomped and kneaded it to her liking, turned around three times, then settled in for a snooze.

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