Maggie Pearl colours - see my feathered visitor!

Last post I had three blocks for Maggie Pearl all sewn up, I've since cut another 15 sets, only two more to cut tomorrow.

Having always been impressed by the great organisational skills of quiltdivajulie I decided to follow her example!! Saves time  by clipping the block pieces together and avoids the odd strip or two disappearing onto the floor - thank you Julie.

I mentioned a feathered visitor in my post title - we have these gorgeous birds below visiting our trees outside the lounge and my bedroom windows to open the long seed pods of the China Doll trees, it's a delight to both see and hear the parrots twittering away together in small groups.

You know that I enjoy taking photos of the flowers in my garden, two nights ago I decided to try taking a couple at night - I was pleasantly surprised at the result.

Day Lily

Zinnia

A very brief post I know, my shoulder is still a problem but I'm booked for an ultrasound guided cortisone shot in a few days time, the first one wasn't carried out using ultrasound and may not have quite hit the spot, better luck this time hopefully.

Until next time - take care and enjoy playing with fabrics!

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

Heading towards the end of 2021

Only 13 more days before we reach the last day of 2021,
 I'm hoping that 2022 will be an improvement!

There's nothing exciting to show in this post, frankly I haven't had the energy
nor enthusiasm nor health  this year to enjoy much time in my little sewing haven but I'm hoping
that will change in 2022. My batteries desperately need re-charging, my little studio
needs an overhaul and I'm going to work
on both over the next two weeks.

Two areas I need to address:

the contents above  from one of my four scrap bins.
For many years I just tossed pieces large and small into these bins, no sorting whatsoever,
no neat storage containers for each colour and now I am paying the price!

The mound of fabric you see above actually measures 35" in width,
29" in depth and 18" high - that's a lot of sorting and as I say, I do have four bins of the same size, at least I thought
I had four but it seems I do have two more in a spare closet, I had forgotten about them but DH
found them!

You can see I also have a good collection of strips and strings,
one container of three shown here, 18" x 12" and these also need sorting.
I see a lot of time spent with an iron in my hand remedying the situation!

Before making a start on these chores in the last few days of 2021 my time will be spent, I hope,
relaxing under the maple tree in the garden with a stack of books,  sharing
 lunch on Christmas Day with our family at our eldest son's home, very
handy because  he lives on the opposite side of the road just five houses along.
We are still wearing masks and living lives under what is known as the
Traffic Light System, hopefully it will work with managing Covid cases. 

One good thing right now is that the garden is blooming - good for the soul -
I was able to collect a few flowers to place on Mum's resting place remembering her
birthday on the 9th.

Alstromeria, hydrangeas, lavender, dahlias and one of my much loved
roses Buff Beauty. The yellow and pink dahlia is one from my new collection,
named Pacific Ocean.

Reverse  I placed a sprig of Philadelphus, this has a glorious perfume.

Well, I think I'm going to finish up now and leave you with a photo of
my Pacific Ocean dahlia and wish you all lots of love and happiness
for Christmas and see you in New Year 2022.

Love and God Bless

Maureen