Gypsy Wife Quilt Along 2016

Section 1 completed!!

I am writing this post at almost 1.00am here inNew Zealand, I've been flat out all day re-arranging

my small sewing studio, spring cleaning  even thought we're going into Autumn. I have

fabrics, books etc to take to my sale at Guild in two months.

Whilst all this has been extremely therapeutic and I now have a clutter free area

with the computer and printer being re-located tomorrow, every pat of me is aching

like crazy.

 After my two usual bedtime medications I have added codeine and panadol to try and

get to sleep - no luck, so waiting for the pain meds to kick in I

thought I may as well quietly write this post now instead of

in the morning.

So

One thing I found out the hard way - check and double check these measurements!

I came to fit the third piece , the two blocks on the left, and was

horrified to find it was too long to match up the other part, After much playing around I

scrapped the two blocks re-read all instructions and remade.

Same problem!! Found then that I was out with the middle section strips

and the rh section strips by around 1/4", I could not bear the idea of remaking

so you may see that the top LH blocks is 1/8th narrower

in the top and bottom outside border - now fits. I will have to adjust
as I go along now and see what happens.

A lesson learned anyway and also to wear my stronger specs to read the measurements!

Loving this project and we've had amazing help from the girls

who are organising this Quilt Along -  hydeeannsews and
Megan at jaffaquilts.
I'm of now to join the link party and then back to bed.

Maureen

A taste of Autumn

Third week of brown for RSC 2016 and all I have

to show are two small stars!

I have fabrics gathered together for four and

the other two I'll sew this week  ready to post next Saturday.

 My collection of brown fabrics is minimal, as I have mentioned before,
but after having a scrounge around I found bits here and there.

Didn't get as much sewing done this week as I would have liked, the
front bed in the garden needed a little attention but arthritis limits
the time spent, one hour is the maximum and you don't get
a heck of lot done in that time. I'm going to head out there after this post
and put in another hour then back in to read the blogs for
this morning.

Check in HERE to see what's going on
over at RSC 2016.

See you during the week.

Maureen

And so it begins …...

All the strips are cut for Gypsy Wife and two boxes of scraps for the blocks

organised and waiting!

I'm half way through Section 1 and enjoying working with

lots of different fabrics, I think spray starch may be in order

for some of my Kaffe Collective fabrics as they are

quite fine and some of the blocks are quite

small.

I can see that GW is going to be pretty addictive but I'm

also quilting High Flyer and trying to ration

out my time. There are two more projects I would like

to get organised but they can wait until next week, and tomorrow

is reserved for more GW and starts for RSC 2016.

Maureen

Sewing in a Sauna …...

The title of my post says it all - once again an extremely

hot and humid day and trying to sew with hand and arms

sticking to fabric and machine table, in fact any surface, is not fun!!

I managed a few more Kaleidoscope blocks

and I'm thinking of five across and five down

so it  will end up around 60" square.

I'm hoping to cover this squared flannel design wall with

plain coloured flannelette same as my smaller

portable wall, difficult to get these squares squared, if you know

what I mean.

Gypsy Wife - not as far on as I had hoped, but all fabrics were chosen
HERE
a few more added now and a few taken away. This morning
I've been straightening up the fabrics and cutting strips.

The towel/quilt stand is ideal for keeping strips organised, main fabrics back rail,
extra brights will be on the middle and the very lights at the front, so easy to
 locate each strip and they're kept nice tidy, in theory anyway.

After straightening I have plenty more clean up cuts to add
to one of my designated bins, this one still has room left in there but
the other two are packed solid!

Back to my stripping - fabric wise - and
 Section 1 of Gypsy Wife will be all done ready for the link-up,
possibly even Section 2.

Home Sweet Home - RSC 2016 and Oh Scrap!

Two more houses in brown, not a colour I am at all fond of!

One of these needs some adjustment, I'm just not happy with it.

The first one is especially for
Sally T
who thought it would a good idea if Kaffe Fassett produced
fabrics with cats on then I could fussy cut them
for the windows. Didn't think that was going to happen
but I did have a little fabric tucked away

enough to cut two windows and one door!

Second house

How I am going to make four brown stars I do not know!!

I should have begun cutting  Gypsy Wife over this weekend
but can't find my pattern book anywhere, I have taken my sewing studio apart,
well more or less and no luck. Another pattern is on the
way from up North and should be with me on Tuesday.

No flowers today but I'm going to link with

Angela at RSC 2016 today

 Cynthia and Oh Scrap!


Enjoy the weekend

Maureen

Kaleidoscope and Butterflies

This is the first link up with
Ann at Fret Not Yourself
and
Cathy at Sane, Crazy, Crumbly Quilting
for
Kaleidoscopes and/or Butterflies

I've used four strips (cut 2") in this kaleidoscope, others I have made
have either used two strips or were similar to the one on my banner.
You can see I'm going with just one fabric for the corners in the current one
and the finished size of the block will be just under 12" - no thoughts
yet on how I will quilt this one.

current blocks on the design wall

favourite block so far

The one above is my present favourite, but you won't
find any butterfly fabric in any of these blocks although
 I'm using a piece as a backing for another quilt currently
under my machine for quilting

and I have another length exactly the same pattern
in a much brighter colour so you may see that particular fabric in
my next kaleidoscope.

No lovely photos of butterflies to show sadly but the monarchs are
already flitting around the plants in the garden so
hopefully I'll get a photo soon. In lieu of the butterflies here is
 one of my dinner plate sized dahlias blooming right now.

Heading over to the link now, please do go and visit !

Maureen