It's all in the planning

I haven't achieved a great deal in the past two weeks, cut all the HSTs for Tussie Mussie, the amount of these differed, a number were cut from one wof, more from two wof strips, then three strips wof.

Here I made use of the plate system for keeping things in order, used by quiltdivajulie, a great idea Julie!
The cutting took quite some time,  no die cutter used.

Just a few pieces on the wall  (not stitched) at the moment, other things seemed to hold me up!

I'm making an effort to tidy fabric, using large containers to hold the fabrics assigned to a few quilts on my list for this year and next. Cutting odd size scraps into 2 and1/2" and 1 and 1/2" squares for two projects and preparing strips for another two quilts I have in mind, all now neatly stacked and labelled. Tussie Mussie needs to be worked on quickly now, I had my pacemaker check last week and a referral was sent off three weeks ago for me to be called in for a replacement, probably within the next few weeks. As this procedure involves using a temporary pacing wire threaded in (I have no underlying rhythmn and rely totally on my pacemaker)  it's a little more complex, I may be taking it easy for a couple of weeks afterwards, no heavy lifting or reaching for fabrics and boxes.

You may remember my Dolly Mixtures quilt from a little while back

there were lots of sets  unused, they re-appeared during "the great tidy up" in one of the drawers and I probably have enough to make another small quilt.

 

I've been photographing in the garden, now suffering from the high winds and rain which do a great job of spreading rust spores throughout the plants. I planted three new canna lillies a little while ago, the seed pods of these plants have always fascinated me, I picked a few and photographed them on an old patterned saucer

just look at that lime green popping out.

We've been concerned for our daughter whilst she had four weeks in the UK and a week in Italy, she had missed one of her Covid booster shots. Arrived back on Wednesday, down with a sore throat and feeling pretty ill on Thursday, tested positive for Covid on Friday! She may have picked it up right before travelling home, but sitting on a 'plane for two 10 hour flights and an 8 hour lay-over in HongKong probably didn't help matters!

Dinner is calling me and then more sorting, hoping for quite a few more blocks of Tussie Mussie in the next post.

Maureen

One top finished, a new one started

Okay, I finished sewing up the Maggie Pearl top - hooray! A boo-boo with the blue block, second row down and second block in, this I  moved to a different position in the top and the more subdued blue took it's place, DH asked could he see how it was placed originally, yes he could but then I forgot to move it back again. After a tricky day I headed for the machine and stitched - only at the last strip did I realise what I had done. I wasn't about to begin unpicking all those seams so it's staying as is.

On to my next project, one I had marked in a Kaffe Fassett book just after Quilts in Italy became available in 2016. The colour in this quilt had me hooked, ideal to bring a breath of Spring into the bedroom when Autumn and Winter hits us, as we're now in Autumn  I had better get busy with Tussie Mussie.

Isn't she (looks like a she) a beauty! Apart from the required two Mad Plaid fabrics (one will have to be a substitute) the remainder are from stash, I love this one so much I have just gone totally with KF listed fabrics. Measures 80" x 80" and required 8 and 7/8" strips as the first step, I couldn't be fussed with this measurement so mine are cut just 8 and 1/2", it's not going to make much difference at all.

Some fabrics require just one strip cut, some two strips and a couple need three strips. 

One strip of each fabric:

Two strips:

Three strips:

I shall definitely be starching before cutting, they would stretch too easily without this. A special project is coming up end April beginning of May so TM needs to under the machine within a few days. Doesn't have to be all complete before my next quilt, I like to have two or three projects on the go (understatement here, it's usually more than that).

More re-arranging and tidying of my little studio has been keeping me busy, don't know why such a small room needs so much arranging to have a better working set up. It does have to be tidy though or everything quickly unravels.

Signing off with my favourite hibiscus and an almost matching sunrise yesterday

and the hibiscus

Before I do sign off,  am I the only quilter who has noticed a heck of a lot of bloggers that I've followed for some years are no longer around, they all seem to be on Instagram, or have just totally stopped writing a blog, such a shame.

Happy Easter to everyone.

Maureen