At last a little progress

Last post I was about to make a start on a waistcoat for great-granddaughter using Tula Pink new fabrics, 
the back and two fronts cut out and quilted ready for the next step.

Pretty certain of the fabric for the lining but yet to decide on the binding.

Next on the list was Sailing the Seven Seas or Sea Glass as the pattern is named. Not much progress here but the 6" flying geese strip is all done and sewn

I've deliberately created a stronger definition between the lights and darks here compared to the 8"geese, I like the effect, they stand out rather than merge in with all the other fabrics, the 4" geese will have the same treatment.

In an ideal world I should have liked to show this top complete, I've been faffing around sorting fabric storage and trying to create order down here in my sewing studio - a never ending task it seems.

On the subject of fabric sorting I unpacked all the pieces in a kit I'd bought some time ago - Good Gracious is the name of the quilt  - very colourful fabrics. Photo below but not a good one unfortunately, certainly doesn't show the correct colouration,  I should have photographed in the morning!!

,

I posted two photos of  four of the main fabrics a while back

and you can see the richness of colour, there are more fabrics in the kit of course but these were my main reason for buying. I probably should have studied the pattern more closely, in the pattern photo you may be able to see there are four small squares containing a large swan and four with a small one.The pack contains a quarter yard of each of both large and small swans (excuse creases, only just unpacked), seems like I'm going to be having an awful lot of swans around in my stash!

 It's always a gamble I guess and usually any left overs are easily used but I can't imagine where I will use these. Actually, I'm already thinking that I just might use all these fabrics for an alternative pattern on my list of projects, time will tell.

I'm off for a quiet relax, leaving you with the ideal pose for relaxation as shown by Leila who heads for the  sunniest chair first thing in the morning.

We're half way through the year now and normally we have New Year resolutions, this year I'm going with June resolutions - to come back in to spending more time quilting and blogging as before on a much more regular basis and with more projects. Also my poor blog needs a real shake up with layout and so on.

All for now from me, for those in the Northern Hemisphere I hope you're enjoying a wonderful Summer.

See you soon

Maureen

Flying Geese, Fabric and Flowers

Good afternoon -  at last I have the makings of a small post, thank goodness!! Photo heavy I'm afraid.

In my last post I was missing six Flying Geese blocks to complete that particular strip of Sailing the
Seven Seas, hooray  - now have that strip completed. Seems a long time to make up just six small blocks but you know the situation I find myself in so I'm thankful for whatever I can accomplish.

Blocks still need to be sewn into a long strip, that's planned for Wednesday, taking a little at one time.

My regular companion when I venture into my sewing room is Leila, here positioned perfectly for the camera!

So how have I been spending my time?? Buying a new book ready for when my arm is more manageable.

I LOVE the fabrics designed by Anna Maria Parry and this book is so well written, her new fabrics set for the coming year are colourful in the extreme. There are at least two designs I could work with in the pages of Blueprint without stressing my shoulder too much, at least in a few weeks hopefully.

Of course you know how I love KF Collective fabrics but had decided to not buy any of his new ranges coming out early this year. AMP ones will be winning out for me, however, the nearest stockist of all things quilting and more notified me that the new KF/Morris range was in, food for thought here. Kind husband felt I needed a pick me up so drove me over.  Beautiful colours, beautiful patterns but huge in size. I bit the bullet and bought a few pieces

The first fabric in the photo above is Wandle, stunning scarlets and green but huge just see the photos below, first just one flower

here it is with my hand on top of the actual flower, giving you a better idea of the size

I just know I wouldn't be making any quilt to show of this flower in its entirety however when the fabric is cut into a 2 and 1/2" strip - perfect! I love strip quilts.

A few more designs

After showing all my new purchases I have to tell you I'm having a huge, huge sale at Guild early March, I reason that given my health, prognosis and age I know I have way, way too much fabric which I will never use. Bit the bullet and all my KF stripes are going, all my old Hoffmans and I have too many solids, in  some cases too many of one colour in the KF ranges and lots of other fabrics including Tilda and Tula.I have a major three weeks or so ahead. Books also have been severely culled, I have 60 books presently in the sales basket. Spending two half days each week should have me ready for March 1st. as long as I keep up the pain meds!

I'll sign off with a grouping of some of my Zinnias under the orange tree

 and here is one of my favourites

you can see how very dry the soil is presently even though watering is carried out diligently every morning, by late afternoon this is what you see above!

Back soon, spending the rest of the afternoon catching up on all your blog posts, at least the latest two from everyone I follow, any more and it would take me days leaving me be back to no useful left arm/hand to try and work with.

Happy quilting

Maureen

Feeling the need for something relaxing

 Let me make a start on this post by showing a photo of a lovely cloud formation a few nights ago

the last rays of the sun were catching the edge of the cloud, I made out onto the drive to take a photograph
 and love looking at this,  it will be printed out and pinned  above my cutting table, perhaps it will cause the frustration I'm feeling presently to dissipate!

Maggie Pearl has been frustrating me no end. I have seen quite a few of these quilts and they were beautifully restrained with soft colours, yes, why not try passing on my usual colour choices and go restrained, I wish I hadn't followed that particular path. Blocks were made and up on the design wall they went, more blocks were made and even more blocks, I still wasn't too happy at all. 

Layout two days ago and excuse the uneven photograph, I was perched on a set of drawers all set up with a bed for Leila, also the blocks are just 'thrown' up there leading to some higher than others

I didn't feel this was a 'me' quilt in progress. What would happen if I changed things around and added bold and bright blocks in the style of the middle block third row down, here they are again

and together below with a few more blocks added into the design

The bottom row needs a change and  the middle block second row down needs to be lighter.

I would really appreciate your advice and feedback on these two settings please free to be brutally honest!! At this stage I dearly wish I had never started the darned thing. We all need to try something different now and again in our quilting whether it be choice of pattern or colour, just seems that I'm having difficulty with this.

I needed a break and Leila entertained me with a game of hide and seek, I suspect she is counting to ten trying to cover her eyes.

I'm off now to re-watch an episode of Broadchurch, then back here to check out for edits needed before publishing.

Maureen

Lost for words .....

Most of my time over the past week has been taken up with listening to the updates, media updates from the Prime Minister and others following the horrific visit from Cyclone Gabrielle. I could write pages for a post on the devastation and loss, not for myself but for others throughout this country whose lives have changed forever. My post title  "Lost for words" is just that, I can't begin to put into words the happenings of the three days and more when Gabrielle caught up with us, suffice to say it still feels quite unbelievable.

This post will be about my achievements on the quilting side of life over the past week, which really are not much at all, but over the past two days I realised I needed to get back in my studio playing with colour and fabric and creating. I also haven't read any blogs in the past week, back to normal tomorrow.

So, the Maggie Pearl quilt with a few blocks sewn and shown in my last post. I wrote that I was finding it difficult working with the particular fabrics and it was a few words from Wanda that I could cut strips from my own fabrics  to add to the jelly roll that set in motion a new take on this quilt.

Thanks to my granddaughter tidying up my scraps I found treasured, long forgotten fabrics and an old Kaffe caught my eye so paired this with a fabric from the existing strips. I repeated the process and was pretty happy with the results. My habit of changing things up then came into play, out came more of my treasures and the softer coloured Maggie Pearl is morphing into something different, I have a few more blocks to sew and they'll be in my next post - hopefully.

My Slashed Squares quilt for eldest grandson came back from being quilted by Leeanne from Northland, I opted to go with the binding being attached also.

The backing showing the quilting design Mod Circles

and the binding - look at that super mitred corner

Oh, I bought three new fabrics and they aren't KF, quite the opposite in fact, these are by Morris & Co and are really brighter than shown here.

I found yesterday that cats are obviously pretty happy if they can find a $120 pure wool ironing mat on  cutting table, just waiting to be slept on! She was quite happy to cope with the old wooden top which is being replaced.

My garden was pretty wiped out in places but a potted hibiscus moved under the deck had a flower open, I love the scarlet feathered looking centre.

I'm off to sit and read a while but back on to Maggie Pearl tomorrow morning, back soon and Happy Quilting!

Maureen

Progress!!

Although it's slow going I have another round of Fractured 2 on the wall, some pieces sewn, some just pinned.  The original pattern uses many fabrics for the individual blocks but of course I decided to try something different, in doing so it's taking me some time to work things out.

Progress also with my fractured wrist, I am now able to use my hand much more for my sewing but have to be very careful, it will be 12 months before we can be sure of whether I have full use or not. Ultrasound shows that I definitely do have a full thickness rotator cuff tear in a tendon  left shoulder, this has unfortunately come away from the bone! It's the tendon attached to one of the four muscles  so very little use of my arm but a lot of pain, and again there will be a long  road ahead. Thank goodness for Accuquilt.

I celebrated my  progress by buying two pieces of fabric, the first one I'm thinking of using in the Judy Newman pattern mentioned in my last post.

The second is for a pattern seen a few weeks ago - Verandah - a very simple straightforward quilt which will be ideal. I think this is a Heather Ross fabric.

I also received yesterday my order of Kaffe Collective fabrics rom Glorious Color, most definitely a glorious collection, I'll post photos next time. 

Gathering fabrics for a few quilts I have in mind, not too complicated and which can be cut with my electric cutter. Something new is that I'm looking at a new range coming out from Alison Glass,  very bright and lots of possibilites.

That's all from me, time limit for arm use is up but here's a photo of how to take things easy after a very busy day!!!

Oh,  just remembered there may be a squirrel about to make an appearance shortly!

Notice I've changed the format for text, decision taken after reading about left justification being easier to read, I know a few other bloggers have changed also.

Happy Quilting until next time

Maureen

Back in my Happy Place!!

Computer issues sorted and new blogger working OK for me,

so yes, here I am in my happy place

ready to look through my Kaffe books and re-visit quilts flagged

as possibles to make some time ago, my patchwork notebook from my husband for jotting

ideas, a Laurel Burch mug gifted to me from a local

patchwork shop many years ago, packed with pens and pencils and last,

but not least  my beautiful bright mug rug gifted from 

Wanda at Exuberant Color

a little while ago. She said she thought I would like the colours and she was so right!!

I have all the books by Kaffe apart from two, my first love when I came to quilting 

were Amish quilts, then I discovered KF fabrics and books and my fate was sealed!

However, I'm also a fan of other designer fabrics and above a few new ones

 from

Kathy Doughty

and the top three from

Heather Ross

I'm still making progress with Green Diamonds and my Postage Stamp squares

and also using up some of the strips shown in my last post I've made a start
on a Lego quilt, three blocks only right now.

In the planning stage is a quilt from this book

by Kathy Doughty

this particular quilt has the title 'Madness'

and you can see why

there is no pattern but ideas for

materials, preparation, elements to include and assembly.

On the subject of books I made a purchase last week of the book below

by Sue Ross

first glance at a review had me thinking it was going to be totally focused on
applique/broderie perse

but looking at the few photos shown there I was wrong. 

I have now added four more quilts to my waiting list.

It's an expensive purchase  published by Quiltmania but I''m sure

it may be possible to check with your local library, they may have it on their shelves soon.

Apologies for this long post, I think my mojo is back again and you are all

suffering the consequences in this post.

Following a a medical appointment on Monday at the surgery

 husband and I called in the delicious book shop in the main street,

we are regular visitors and customers but our intention that day was to just browse,

plans are sometimes made to be broken, mine were because heading back to the exit 

I came upon the most beautiful book I think I have ever seen.

Adriana is a botanical artist and each page not only

has a particular flower but the opposite page is given over to a wealth

of information about the plant.

The cover just gives you a tiny hint of what you find inside the book.

I think I had better disappear now but I have two more photos, one of a camellia 

and one of a naughty tuxedo kitty who is very curious and decided to

spend a little time in the laundry room

and this is what I found!

Don't worry, she wasn't in any danger,  no power connected

and I am always very aware of checking out the dryer and washing machine doors

before using. This is the first time I have ever seen her do this.

Last photo, the first Camellia Japonica to flower in my garden this Winter

and goes by the name of Dr Clifford Parks.

To those of you who have managed to make your way to this point without

falling asleep enjoy the rest of your week.

Keep safe and well.

Maureen

A little progress

All I really have to show from the past 12 days

are a few more blocks for Wintersweet.

Before I load the blocks I realised that

 I never posted anything from our

grand-daughter's wedding in January, here's an informal photo from the 

reception,  Beatrice minus her beautiful long veil,

waving to me - not saying no to a photo!

I'll try and post one next time showing a full photo of her dress,

made by her mum, our daughter. The panel on the front was glorious.

If you double click the photo will enlarge.

Here are the blocks

I'm aiming for the fabrics to blend together in some blocks

and one fabric to stand out in the remainder, still quite

a few to go and then onto the 9 patch blocks.

The one below won't be making it into the quilt

you can see why, it's so different from the others.

It can go into my parts box. This is what happens when taking a

lucky dip into the fabrics.

Fabric sorting and tidying is down for one day this week, I still have

my last order of KF Collectives to stash away. Room is needed for 

yardage of the new Anna Maria Horner new fabric range - Hindsight -

the four echinacea colour ways are stunning.

On the subject of colour the

hibiscus are still flowering for us and we've been lucky enough

to have some rain, at last.

Signing off with Leila

'til next time 

"be brave, be strong, be steadfast"

and stay home.

Maureen