Nature's Journey

Spurred on by Michelle Ridgway showing her Nature's Journey blocks I pulled mine back out (let's be honest, it was a reminder that taken I'd it down from where it was hanging and tucked it away when the electrician was working here).  Started in 2015 when Chooky choose it for that year's stitch-a-long, the applique parts were long finished and a frame added to the centre square but I couldn't come at putting it together...when I pulled it back out I realised I had already cut enough 2 1/2" squares to fill in the space between the centre frame border and the applique borders...then looking for something else entirely came across a little pile of half square triangle squares in fabrics which worked just nicely and would make pinwheels to add interest, I have no idea where they came from, maybe a pile of scraps someone had given me at some time, but it didn't matter they were just right...rather than take the squares to the outer borders I decided to add another internal frame.

I've also decided that I don't want another border and will just bind it in the same fabric that I've used on the two frame borders. It's about 6" smaller than the original but that's OK, it's ended up being more or less based on Anni Down's Nature's Journey rather than a faithful reproduction of the original as I've mucked about with quite a few elements.  No idea how to quilt it yet, that will be a decision for another time.

Happy Stitching...

Third...

 Well Chooky, you asked what the third post would be...Ta dah!

Leave me alone I'm comfortable...

Go away, I'm busy sleeping...

She refuses to wake up and write the post herself...guess when you are 14 years and 12 days old you are allowed to do the old dog thing and plan to spend your day sleeping by the heater when it is cold and glum outdoors...

Ha Ha Ha...

Happy Stitching!

A Flannel Finish...

So I'm at the K house a while back, before Lockdown 2.0, and it was so cold (OK so it was end-ish June and Winter but no excuse) and I thought...need a quilt big enough to go on the bed, not one of the myriad of small ones in the press there.  Came back to the house where the sewing room now resides, rummaged through the quilt top tub (the quilt tops outgrew the quilt top cupboard under the cutting table) and found a flannel top...hey that will do the job, not really bothered about aesthetics it's warmth I'm looking for.  Rummage rummage in the flannel tub pulling out all the biggest pieces I could find, not an easy job as mostly fat quarters in there, to piece together a backing and a piece just big enough for the binding I wanted...go to C's and sandwich it on her big table (much easier than me rolling around on the floor trying to do it). The idea was take it back to K, pull out the big machine and use the kitchen table to quilt the thing because it is big (for me anyway, fits exactly on the top of the queen size bed with no overhang ends or sides) and will be easier than using P-faff. When bam, shut out again, Lockdown and the Shire gets lumped in with Melbourne and who knows when I'll be able to go back, have to stay safe where the day job is.  So used P-faff, which was a little tricky, only just fits through, and just did straight lines on the seams to hold it together and straight lines on the borders...P-faff did much better than I expected but anything more complicated wouldn't have been possible, just not enough room...

I sewed the binding when I was back in K a couple of weeks ago (finally able to get back in and catch up on 7 weeks of work) and slept under it even thought it hadn't been washed...it was too wet to wash it there and get it dry before coming back, so bought it back intending to give it a bath here...it's still waiting...it's been far too wet and cold but in the meantime it has done very nicely keeping me warm in bed here.  Quickly hung it on the line tonight after work for a picture while it wasn't raining.

A simple disappearing nine patch from long ago using canine themed fabrics...

Not at all fancy but it is fulfilling the brief of being a quilt brilliantly, it is keeping me nice and cosy warm.

Happy Stitching...

Zoooommmm!!!!!!!!!

Yesterday I had my second-ever Zoom experience and this was one was much more fun than the previous (which was a meeting) as it was a virtual sit and sew in the Chook Shed, organised by Chookyblue of course.

Thanks Chooky for the virtual bloggy meet...it was great to see her "in person" again as it's been ages and I caught up with my friend Jo who I haven't seen for a very long time since we both moved away from where we used to be...not to mention all the other bloggers new and familiar to "meet in person".  A fun relaxing day and I'm very very glad I joined in.

I used it as an opportunity to get some "must do" stitching done for group projects for local quilt group...blocks for two Big Birthday quilts (secret) for which the blocks were provided and just needed to be stitched...and a block for a friendship quilt the recipient knows about, where she nominated a theme "High Tea" and a block size and left the rest up to the individual stitcher.

I started the first Big Birthday block Saturday night, which was blanket stitching applique...I chose to do it by hand as I'm hopeless at the machined variety...I kept on with that Sunday morning listening to the lovely chatter and before I knew it, it was done!...

I then picked up the stitchery for the friendship quilt...it had been languishing for weeks because what was left was the "fiddly bits" and I couldn't decide on floss colours so I'd been studiously avoiding picking it up other than to move it here and there...now was the time...the company of the Zooming ladies meant it was done without fuss...second "must do" finished!...

The design basis is an old Ella & Skysie Designs pattern "Two for Tea".  I added the tablecloth scallops and moved the words about to suit and played with the designs on the teacups - somehow it became a bit hippy dippy but it was fun and that was how it wanted to be so I let if flow...I hope she likes it.

That took care of the handwork and, after everyone signed off Zoom, I looked at the foundation paper pieced blocks, realised they weren't going to take very long at all and fired up P-faff...

Done! All finished, a run over with the iron and packaged up ready to return from whence they came...thanks to the virtual sit & sew...think it is the most productive stitching I've achieved at any sit & sew day (or a weekend retreat for that matter!)...might have had something to do with not flitting about the room checking out what everyone else was doing as it was all there right in front of me without moving and everyone was in on the one conversation...thank you ladies for your company...

Happy Stitching...