Waiting In The Wings

Thursday, May 28, 2026

Paris Metro a finished top and the makings of a new project

Another visit from me, it's so frustrating not being able to post regularly as I did in the "old days", hopefully things will be back to normal shortly.

I'm so happy with Paris Metro and definitely will make another one, so the top is finished and simple quilting will be my choice when I come around to it.



You can see I've made mine same length as the pattern but not as wide, there are 11 strips 4" wide finished.

I enjoy seeing how snippets peek out as two fabrics merge

the edge of the KF poppy petal on the LH fabric meets up with the outline of part of the design right next to it.

You might recall these fabrics from my last post


they're so full of colour and detail and suggested to me that a simple block was needed, so the four trial blocks below are the result and no, the straggle threads from the fabric haven't been trimmed yet.

Next step was to try and find the fabric to make 1" finished strips between the blocks and another for a small centre square - the first fabric try out below was a KF - Grandiose as strips with a Tula Pink fabric as the tiny square, perhaps not enough distinction between the strips and the blocks,  


perhaps something lighter, so second mock up


thinking this could be too light!! The blocks will measure 8" when  sewn and probably be 6 across by 8 down - still no decision on that as yet, however I'd be interested to hear your views on which setting fabric would work the best, or if neither fit the bill!

On another different subject - the night sky, moon and stars - when I was a youngster my dad would point out and name all the constellations and the phases of the moon in the night sky, I guess that came about from his time as a gunner on the the shipping convoys during WW2 but as he never mentioned his time in the war I really wouldn't know, like thousands of others he was unable to speak about his experiences. However, I still head out onto the deck at night and check out the moon and stars,  at 10.30pm a few nights ago I sat out  with a hot cup of tea and there was total silence, no cars, no people - perfect for me -  just the chirruping of insects. I can't bear the thought of all the hardware making visits up to the moon.

Speaking about the night sky I digress a little - a book bought quite a number of years ago leapt into my hand from one of my bookshelves, the gardens pictured inside are unbelievable, all photographed in the dark.


Looking at the colour plates I knew I had to have a go, lots of learning to do but I did take a shot of a hibiscus the other night, this flower is an incredibly bright, almost too bright, orange in daylight.


Tomorrow I visit the hospital for a day or so for a cardiac catheterisation - they need to check the state of my bicuspid aortic valve and see whether it could be replaced if it worsens. I'll have to wait until the artery entry point heals fully before sewing or using the computer.

At times like the above I find sunset and sunrise such a relaxing sight, this sunset was two days ago


and that's all from me for the monent, normal service will be resumed as soon as possible!

Enjoy fondling your fabrics

Maureen

"Normality is a paved road. It's comfortable to walk
but no flowers grow on it"
Vincent Van Gogh

Monday, May 11, 2026

Progress with Paris Metro

At last - something on the design wall!!!

This quilt in the making is just picking fabrics from large scraps of older fabrics, newer ones from AMH
and just whatever was handy. I have three more strips to stitch up and it's not quite as wide as the original pattern.


Looks a bit  blocky on the bottom right hand side but there wasn't much planning in this, if the fabric looked happy then it stayed there.

The inertia which was troubling me - due to health - seems to have lifted a little and the feeling of needing to immerse myself in colour and cloth is once again here. So, guess what I thought would be a good idea - a little 'cheering up shopping'. Fabric below to make two pillow covers for great-granddaughter



the fabric pack below I could not resist, so vibrant and full of joy and the quieter ones in the second photo would work well I think.




last is a treat from Kaffe Fassett Archives range



 
My computer has come to the end of its allotted life span so I have a new one ordered and no doubt will be driven totally crazy finding my way around settings and such. Hopefully it will be here perhaps within a week or so as I following a CT angiogram last week I have a short hospital stay in three weeks and would like to be familiar with my new computer by then.

Can you guess the colour of my new computer from the picture of one of my crystal paperweights below?


That's about all from me today, hopefully I can finish up Paris Metro this week and have that on my next post.  Before I  close I have a new friend in my sewing room, she was on display in the local chemist/gift shop along with others of different colours, I bought one for great granddaughter and this one just for me,
family think I've gone crazy but here is Flopsy!


Thats it from me for now, wish I had more projects to show but hopefully I can have something more in a few days. Until then Happy Quilting to all and please excuse any blips in my post!

Maureen




Saturday, April 4, 2026

Hi all - yes, I'm still here!!!

Wishing you all a very belated 2026


  

Things are still 'in the works' here on the health front with more procedures to come but over the past few days I am feeling a little more energy creeping into my body and mind so I'm taking advantage whilst I can.

Hexies have been a blessing to use up scraps, sometimes working on them in the middle of night when I'm  unable to sleep but not sure how I'm going to use them - just sewn together randomly, make  a hexie flower, I need quite a few more before I make a decision.


Maggie Pearl blocks have been sewn together into a top now


here she is  - at least a small part of her -with the fabric for the backing


I need to really have a long, long, housekeeping session with my quilt tops, tops needing to be basted ready for quilting and tops just needing to have the binding put on. Some of my quilt tops I intend to sell because I know I am time limited on the health side of things , prognosis for the CMML (blood cancer) is improved a little with the Melbourne testing and so far I am not needing chemo -yet. Cardiac not too good, definitely need an aortic valve replacement as both ventricles are now being affected by the effects from the valve and energy comes and goes - so I wonder why I bought two more lots of fabric last week??????? I don't think giving up totally will do me any favours so I do try to be positive - at times! Frustration sets in with the need for lots of resting, climbing steps is a struggle and I can no longer walk very far, not as far as I should like, my garden has suffered terribly, there is only just so much my husband is able to take on as he is due to have a hip replacement soon.

So relating to the last few words I've decided to use some of my scrap pieces of fabric along with a few from the AMH Iconic range and pulled a mix of quarters/half metres from stash to make Paris Metro, a pattern from Jo at https://www.theseclevehands.com.au, a very effective but straightforward design. First up a few of the Iconic fabrics




 


 


 

 As you can see cutting is needed for the last three sets of fabrics,  I limit myself to 30 mins at one time. 

That's all from me but I must show you one of my hibiscus flowering for us at the moment


Happy Easter to you all

Maureen