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

Sunday sewing with Hannah

Almost finished up sewing block seams, more tomorrow and then, hopefully, a completed top on Tuesday

and then a full photo without the addition of my chair back and small ironing surface. Just click to enlarge the photo. Oh for a larger design wall. This was such an easy quilt to make, perfect for using up already cut 2 and1/2 "strips or a jelly roll.

Here I've used strips left over from other projects and also I cut into odd shaped large scraps, a few I also cut from favourite yardage. Two strips I particularly wanted to use were short of a 13" length but by scratching around in my very small scraps I found tiny pieces and stitched together, it is after all a scrappy quilt, here's a joined up strip, tiny piece LH side. 

I began with neat stacks of 13" strips, two of which are below, lots more not in the photo. The throw size is 60" x 72" and I gaily kept on going hunting strips, I only needed 120 but when counting up found that I had stacked 260, perhaps there will be a second Hannah quilt in the future.

Here's how they ended up after random pulling out of pieces

and there are more of these covering the cutting table. Guess what I'm going to be doing come Tuesday!

For a break last week kind husband drove me to the new premises of The Ribbon Rose, a well established store for many, many years here in Auckland. Recently they moved and what a treasure filled three storey building they now occupy. The fabric floor is amazing and it goes without saying that I found a few KF fabrics on sale, just a few quarters came home with me. Large bins had simply rolled up metre lengths of fabrics at good prices, I took a chance and bought this one

delighted when I came back home and unrolled, below is a small section of the full piece.

I just love this!!

Books are a passion of mine, all my life I have been a voracious reader but over the past few years this pleasure, for various reasons, seemed to have been left behind a little. I'm now back on board with books and there are quite a few on my bookshelves which I have never read, some have been read many times over  because they were so exciting, moving and so very interesting.

Two below, the cover of the first one is self-explanatory, having worked in a Pathology Lab for a number of years in long ago days, and also spent time in General Practice surgeries as receptionist, I was excited to find this book a little while ago. 

These Precious Days is a collection of essays  by Ann Patchett, each essay stands alone. I see myself keeping this one to read during quiet time in the evening, perhaps even when settled in bed with a nice hot drink!

Perhaps I could write a little about my thoughts on a particular essay after reading here on the blog.

Silly mistake made by me in my last post.  I spoke about making a quilt for our "soon to be grand-daughter" - the quilt will actually be for our great grand-daughter!

That's all from me for now, a rest day today after a family lunch here at home yesterday on my husband's 80th birthday, we had such a happy time but I was shattered by early evening and my bed called to me earlier than usual.

Maureen

I'm back - with Bluetooth technology!!

At last I have my new pacemaker, or as they are described by the medical professionals,  a pacing generator! With Bluetooth no less. Technology these days is amazing. I'm feeling good, which is exciting, my pacemaker "talks" to the special app on my iPhone and in turn if the app spots anything of note information goes straight through to the Cardiac Unit. It's rather like a Big Brother is Watching you scenario but I'm tremendously grateful.

So, what have I been doing since my last little post, nothing much, reading, sleeping and watching a few good TV programmes, oh and my usual moon gazing and catching sunrise and sunrise when possible, this was sunrise the other day

the cloud formations always fascinate me, especially when the rising sun catches the underside of the cloud.

You might recall I was making a start on Fonthill quilt, Wanda was also working on the same project, she had come up with the idea a few months that we could both work around the same time frame, she made tremendous headway whilst I was stalled! I hoped to continue on after my hospital visit, I had found beforehand  that I wasn't coping with the many small HSTS involved - hands not good. Sadly I'm not going forward right now but hope to perhaps think again in the New Year. So what now,  well I have three boxes with projects ready to go and from now on I'm working on patterns with good size pieces and also strips, I'm keeping things simple.

The boxed projects below were put together quite some time ago 

the bottom quilt project - Japanese Brocades - is quite a change from my usual fabric choice, I just felt like making something a little softer

I had made a start on fabric for The Hannah Quilt a little while ago, I've had the pattern from when it first was released, and was inspired to make a start after seeing the quilt  Koselig made by Julie using this pattern. Appealing to me was the fact that Julie had not used a light solid colour as the "background" strips shown in the pattern but had used a beautiful Tula Pink fabric, macaws on a pink background. I have yardage of the same design but in the turquoise colourway. Two day ago I found two fabrics to choose from as my background. Choice not yet made.

A few days ago I was told by a friend that she was having a 'mental health day' just doing something she really enjoyed, and had missed out on in recent times, she might read or paint, two things she really enjoyed but found she couldn't find the time any more to enjoy them. This had me thinking seriously about the past two years I have had, the result of which has affected my wellbeing enormously, both physically and mentally, to this end I have decided I shall have not one mental health day but a 5 month Mental Health break!!! Blogging often as I used to, spending more time in my little studio enjoying my fabrics and the view of camellias outside of the window, sitting outside in the sunshine with hand sewing and listening to the birds, moon gazing, catching sunrise and sunset, reading, going for walks now that I have the new pacemaker, reading blog posts daily again,  seeing family more often - we're going to be great grandparents soon which is thrilling.  

Reading -two books below have been sitting on my bedside table for around three months, the cover of the first book - Phosphorescence - drew me in straight away, as did the title of the book. I hasten to say it is not a book about depression but the beauty around us. I used to love the streams of phosphorescence in the wake of the boat at night, also by the bow, when we sailed to New Zealand in 1962 and back to the UK in 1963, the glow is stunning.

Next in line is Miss Dior - A Wartime Story of Courage and Couture. The title says it all, Christian Dior and his beloved younger sister, Catherine who inspired his famous perfume. I am so looking forward to reading this biography.

I think I have exhausted my news here now, apart from apologies for having, once again, missed your posts over the past 10 days, I had to take things easy.

Oh, making a start on my 5 months mentioned above here is a photo of one of the most beautiful camellias in our garden, can't recall the name unfortunately!

Before I sign off we have been reading and hearing of the horrific weather in the USA, in fact all over the world I think, but reading our news this morning I was horrified. Hoping that you re all safe and well, along with all your family members.

Keep safe

Maureen

Sunday - catching up

There are quite a few photos in this post, warning you ahead of time, my intended post one week ago never happened so I'm making up for that here. Towards the end of the post I make mention of the story of a quilt back in 2015, hope you can make it that far!

Fabric: I bought a pack of Tula Pink Tiny Beast range packed with little critters and some not so little.
She also brought out a collection of tiny dots and thin stripes in bright colours, these were added to my stash.

Current Project Progress: I'm plodding along slowly with my 16 patch in yellow/orange, the collection is growing nicely, here are the latest ones and this quilt could fit with the latest prompt from AdHoc Improvisational Quilters apart from the fact that it's definitely not improv! I do have a few other ideas for something quite different though.

   

Of course I'm also working on Slashed Squares using the tutorial by

Lynne at The Patchery Menagerie. Check out the Tutorials heading top of her blog page to be directed to purchase details, you'll also see a heading for Slashed Squares Quilts giving photos of quilts Lynne has made. 

The blocks for this quilt are going together so quickly, I can't wait until I reach the 'slashing' stage.  My latest batch are below

you can find the first seven sewn  in my last post HERE. I'm going with 25 blocks in all, at least at this stage I am but I'll review that when I'm nearing the finish line.

I've been so, so lax with machine quilting tops over the past few years and at last count I gave myself a huge shock - 24!!!! Some were more wall quilt size and truly it wouldn't take long to work through basting and machine quilting although there are a few which will be hand quilted. Here's a photo of the first one up for the machine, basted now.

The Northern Lights

  This quilt was made in 2015 - yes folks it's been languishing in line all that time.  Long time readers here   will have seen it before, I first posted at the time I took part in a Quilt Along with  Cultural Fusion Quilts, this was my take on Rail Fence. I wrote the back story behind     this quilt  you can find it HERE, hope you can find time to read,  our stories behind the quilts 

 we make can be every bit as important as the quilt itself.

Books: do I need more books I ask myself, I love books as much as fabric and two new ones arrived at the door

Congratulations if you've made it to the end of this post!!!

I have an appointment next week for the cortisone shot into the torn tendon in my shoulder so

it may be another couple of weeks before I get around to posting - see you then.

Keep safe and well and happy quilting.

Maureen

Slow, slow stitching

More or less four weeks since I wrote anything here,
I think that's a first!

Definitely slow progress on all fronts, but progress all the same.

March is officially the beginning of Autumn here in New Zealand 

already the leaves are turning on our Japanese Maple and the huge oak tree
in the garden next door.

I'm now in a heavy duty splint with permission to enjoy my stitching and
quilting in small chunks of time, there are only small chunks of time
because I have so many physio exercises to work on!

So, what have I been spending time on in the past week of cast freedom,

creating order in my blue quarter/half yard drawer,
sorting through scraps a little at a time and cutting hexagons
out of suitable sized small pieces

and to save time I decided to try one of the glue sticks made
for that purpose, it would also
put less pressure on my hands, never done this before and did wonder about the
removal of papers, after one hour I decided to see if I had success with a tidy removal - 
no, I did not!! I shall be back to basting with needle and thread.

I have a new book

and I don't truly know why I did this when Judy Newman quilts
are pretty detailed and I had limited myself to easy, peasy projects making
use of squares, decent sized triangles and so on.
However, there is one particular quilt in the book which I had seen earlier
Hedgerow
is deliciously scrappy and medallion style.
Just the name of the quilt took me back to my early years back home in
Lancashire living by the moors, farm fields with old stone walls
and also rambles through woodland with mixed hedgerows, collecting
bluebells to take back home to Mum, making daisy chains with friends.
I realised I was once again becoming excited about my quilting after the
past few months.

Hedgerow is definitely going to be started pretty soon, yes, I know have a few
projects on the go right now but I like to work that way. I love making a start on new 
new quilts.

So, guess what arrived in my little studio as I was feeling more energised

another squirrel!

Here is the beginning of my appropriately named quilt

FRACTURED 2

This is a pattern by Kathy Doughty and I made a quilt using this quite a few
years ago,  check out the Fractured QAL label below, given the circumstances I find myself in I just had to do another one!
The pieces are just placed on the design wall, a little stitching planned for the weekend
along with placing an order for the new Kaffe Collective fabric range.

Time to close, my fractured wrist is telling me enough  right now and
as it seems I have something by the name of a rotator cuff tear in my right
shoulder which is quite frankly extremely painful, even down the whole arm,
I really have to keep to my limits.

Happy Quilting

Maureen

Progress with Dolly Mixtures, Spring blooms and a good book!

 I don't have much to write about in this post I'm afraid, update on
Dolly Mixtures and flower photos!!

Let's start off with beautiful magenta pink roses

the name escapes me at the moment but the bush is blooming
prolifically and scents the air wonderfully!

My last post had Dolly Mixtures as a top but minus the border,
that's now been remedied, I've carried on with a 2 and 1/2" finished
border of Guinea Flower - a favourite pattern of mine in all colours of the
range.

Photographed in the garden below on a sunny morning yesterday

and here on the design wall whilst I played with choices for binding.

 

I'm really happy with the extra width of Guinea Flower, I feel it holds
the multitude of colours in this quilt together nicely.

Binding ideas, just playing with scrappy pieces, on the left
is green GF  - I placed this so that I  could see how that shade of green
fitted in given all the colour in the top,  I do like the
medium depth in this one. In contrast the strippy scrap on the right is
really very dark, in fact I think it's too dark, it's one of the new PJ fabrics below.

I could try a few more tomorrow but looking at the LH side again

I think the green version of GF could work - any thoughts here?

 Emptying out my three very large scrap bins has been keeping me occupied and the

the volume is overwhelming!! Starting to sort into large/small pieces and

iron. I've been guilty of just tossing pieces gaily into these bins when I should

have put them away after completing a project.

There are lots of nice surprises for me in the sorting process, a piece of

one of my favourites from years ago, KFC of course. Pity it's only
a 10" square but I shall find a nice home for it!

Here are a couple of flower

photos for you all.

Alstromeria with a David Austin rose - Tranquility - and we all need a little

of that right now.

Outside the living room window

the first epiphyllum bloom of the year.

The next few days will be spent making a decision/decisions  on which project/projects to

make next on my list, my too long a list, which needs culling and to make a start

on reading a new book bought this morning.

Lynda is a well known gardening celebrity in NZ and lives with her family

on a farm -  Foggydale Farm - with a magnificent garden  in the

Hunua Ranges here in Auckland.

Perhaps the scrap sorting and project list could wait!!!

Maureen