Hi Quilting Friends, yes, I'm back for a visit!!!

Two months now since my last post and thank you all for your kind comments - apologies to anyone who didn't receive a reply from me I was having  a difficult time!!

I'll bring you up to date with progress on my Seven Seas quilt, not touched until yesterday for two months. you'll see that I've deviated from the pattern. There should be two long strips of small Flying Geese in this quilt but things were such that I had no energy or patience to fiddle with those. So, strips here and there separated the blocks, it doesn't sit well with me but the best I can do right now.

Hand quilting I'm finding extremely relaxing and still working on Northern Lights

difficult to see the stitches unfortunately, only the solids will be quilted.

I've been trying to come to terms with the results of my tests after it was found my platelets were a problem - last post. Without writing a medical dictionary here the result was that it became necessary to have bone marrow biopsy. So Bone marrow duly carried out  mid October going into the back of the pelvis into through the bone to take a liquid marrow sample and a piece of bone, these were sent off to the research people in Melbourne. Boy, they do complicated testing, it's amazing.

 Confirmed now  that I have a rare form of Leukaemia - CMML - Chronic MyeloMonocytic Leukaemia
which is cancer of the blood forming cells of the bone marrow. I have a score of 2 (intermediate risk) and a median survival of 26 months! This could drop when the last bone result arrives back. It could also transform towards the end of that time into Acute Myeloid Leukaemia.  Chemo is going to be in place asap. Difficult to get a hold on all this - so making the effort in the midst of this rotten news and fatigue to head into my sewing room. - and I've bought a few new fabrics!!!!! Got to try and stay positive. Although somehow in the midst of this they have to find a way and time to fix my aortic valve! We need a magic wand.

Cutting going on with AMH fabric Iconic, the pattern is Paris Metro from These Clever Hands

and my 2 and 1/2" strips are all hung neatly on the back of my door in the sewing room

these will morph into a Wallpaper quilt courtesy of a KF pattern. The reverse side will be used in lots of these fabrics.

A collection of new KF/William Morris fabrics below

these will mix with solids for a 16 patch quilt - notice I'm going with simple and easy piecing.

Change of tack now by showing a book I first saw on Instagram @itsalovedayfor - this is the account of  Lindsey Dickson Creative. She had been sent a book - surprise - Soulful Stitch - Finding Creativity in Crisis by Cas Holmes and Deena Beverley and shared a few photographs along with her thoughts after looking through the book. My copy arrived yesterday and this book couldn't have arrived at a better time for me - see last photograph!

here's a closeup of the book below rather than the quilt top! - Sailing through Suez!

I can 't wait to be turning the pages!

That's all from me for now but will truly try and show some progress in my next post.

Take good care of yourselves and your loved ones.

Maureen 

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

Back at the machine at last!!

 Yes, a number of the medium size Flying Geese blocks sewn up and on the wall, left hand side.

Still needing to stitch them into a row when I've sewn the remainder on Monday. I'm enjoying making this quilt but have to admit I'm dreading the smaller size Geese. 

I had a very successful sale at the Guild meeting Saturday last, I was surprised to see that the large baskets of Tilda and Tula Pink were totally emptied (still have my reduced stash, certainly not intended clearing all these fabrics), whilst the KF Collective fabrics I had culled were barely touched. Remarks were made by the quilters that the patterns had become too large, especially the new range coming out around now. I have to admit that I am in agreement, I haven't ordered any.

Sorting through fabrics stacked in boxes on a high shelf whilst tidying the mess of my sewing room I found  the strips below

which I bought some time ago, I loved the bright zingy colour mix. Also came across

this mix of orange strips, could /should I look at making these two finds into a simple strippy something!

On the other hand I found I had two boxes of 9 and 1/2" strips, 2 and 1/2" wide

one box has lots of different pinks, the other mixed colours.

Two patterns in Sunday Morning Quilts by Amanda Jean Nyberg and Cheryl Arkinson have always appealed to me, the first quilt is Candy Coated but needs strips between 11" and 8" long, the second one is Sunday Morning which again requires a few strips to be 11" but I think I can just play around with the sizing. I haven't noted their blog titles as they are listed as Not Secure but you could do easily find them.

Another book by Jane Brocket - The Gentle Art of Quiltmaking - has two quilts, different colourways of her Beach Hut design, made using four strips sewn unto a square block and placed horizontally, the next one vertically, I think a mix of the strips in the two containers above would work well with this design. Jane doesn't seem to have a blog currently.

I could go really simple and  just sew the strips together in long panels with a long fabric strip separating the rows, that 's if Julie at https://quiltdivajulie.blogspot.com) doesn't mind as she is currently making a beautiful quilt - Shirts and Such -using strips. I'll ask her.

All from me for now, leaving you with possibly the last photo of a bloom from one of my hibiscus

Happy Quilting

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

Lots of colour

A large package was delivered during the week - two quilts, long arm quilted by Leeanne at quiltmekiwi.blogspot.com they need binding now, hopefully next week so just little taste of colour from front and backing.

First up is Mollies' quilt - quilting design Blooming Feathers - she was an Irish Setter and they are beautifully feathered, below is the back and not a brightly coloured choice from me, the colour on the quilt top was my focus.

Second quilt was Tussie Mussie with a quilting design New Growth C, because of the rich colour the quilting design is not quite so easy to see

and backing - quilting design clearer

both were edge to edge quilted.

Progress with Seven Seas, the strips are all completed, well apart from the last narrow plus adjoining wider strip yet to be sewn together, I decided to just quickly try and place them on the wall and happy with how they're looking. Doubt began to creep in regarding the Flying Geese blocks, you'll see from the photo below the spaces left for the Geese, I was unsure about the larger size block required (8") and my initial thought was also to add different colours for the Geese - trial proved not a good idea - decision made to keep with the fabrics used already but adding a few more for interest. Excuse the crummy photo, I desperately need more room in my sewing area.

Fabrics covered my cutting table and I needed to corral the pieces I was definitely going to use, hit on the idea of a trug used for cut flowers from the garden - this has worked perfectly

Two designs I would love to use, the first will work ok - this is Sunrise, I fell for Sunset but not a good choice I think.

and here's Sunset

both are AnnaMaria fabrics.

To close, two beauties presently flowering in the garden

Rugosa Single with a heavenly scent

and a peachy day lily

and that's it for me at the moment. 

I hope folks suffering the horrific damage from Helene are receiving any help available, from the news coverage here in NZ it looks like it's going to be truly long and hard road for them all.

Maureen

Now Boarding

I made a start on Sailing The Seven Seas, three strips sewn with a little empty strip, which will be wider for the Flying Geese. Five more long strips needed and I'm really enjoying putting these together.

If you double click the photo you see more detail in the fabrics.  The turtles below are a good example of not being seen clearly in the photo above.

I love seahorses so this is a favourite

A few of the new Kaffe fabrics arrived a few days ago,  the middle one is a Philip Jacobs design - Ammonites,  just how much more vibrant can fabrics be - even for me!

Most of the prints this release are large scale, in fact one of them is the largest I've ever seen - Jungle - it comes in four colourways. Just a fraction of the design is shown below

I don't know how many of you reading this post are followers or readers on any platform of Victoria Findlay Wolfe, or have seen some of the amazing quilts that she makes in books or magazines. The first I knew about Victoria was around 10 or 11 years ago when I found her blog, she had a group of quilters, a large group, called Bumble Beans, a lot of us were online and I was able to take part in one or two swap projects, from that moment I was hooked. She wrote her first book 15 Minutes of Play -  Improvisational Quilts back in 2012 and her fifth book has just been released, mine arrived a week ago. - almost 300 pages!

It is glorious and exciting.  Thus far I've only read the foreword by Meg Cox and can't wait to set aside time each day to sit and read without any interruptions, a good plan at my place would be very, very early in the morning around 5.30am - dawn breaking, birds singing, a cup of tea and perfect quiet within the house - heaven! 

My words below could possibly be considered by many to not be relevant to posting on a quilting blog but I'm sure there would be many who share the sentiments,  forgive me if you find it unacceptable.

Given the state of the world right now, both natural and man made, politics, the horrors of war and suffering being endured by millions around the world I am so, so grateful that I am fortunate enough to have a wonderful family, enjoy my passion for colour, fabrics, quilting and reading, to have the pleasure of connecting with all of you quilters, to have time in my life for a little quiet and peace and find solace in my stitching.

Maureen

One top finished with another ready to cut

 Just stitching needed around the outside edges of Roundabout and then off into the 'to be quilted' drawer!

Next up is a quilt to be based on the Sea Glass pattern by Emma Di Stefano at Treehouse Textiles. 

Sailing The Seven Seas will be my take, especially with colours used. Inspiration comes from the oceans and seas which I had the good fortune to sail on in 1962/3. I had a great love of colour as a youngster but the colours seen on those two sea voyages around the world just drew me deeper into this love. It was quite unbelievable.

More on the story later when I actually have the quilt finished.

My fabric pulls are below

A few wild cards below which may pop up

not forgetting the odd possibility of stormy weather or brilliant sunrise and sunset

Hours have been spent in my little studio since my last post dealing with long needed fabric folding and placing in correct colour baskets, sorting through scraps and strips and making decisions on a proposed de-stash. I suspect as fast as I place a piece of fabric for de-stash I will have second thoughts - oh yes, now that could just work with?????

All from me for the moment, I'm desperately trying to come back into my blog posting as often as before, I seen to come across road blocks now and again, as we all do from time to time but fingers crossed I shall get there soon.

Maureen