Time Out

A quick left handed written  note to say I won't be posting for a few days I've damaged my right forearm and wrist  waiting for xray results and ultrasounds to begin the diagnosis process.

I hd  worked a little more on my squirrel quilt and ihope tovget back into it soon i shall be reading blogs but forgive me for no typing comments,

Maureen

Guess what I found in my studio today

No escaping the fact that a squirrel is around and just

as I'm busy with my Green Diamond quilt!

I'm putting this together in two halves, easier than hauling the whole quilt-in-progress

to the machine and then the ironing table.

Left hand side done, first long strip for the right ready and waiting for tomorrow.

I'm really happy with how this is progressing.

Close up below and hooray, the points seem to be meeting up just fine!

The appearance of the new squirrel means that the Lego blocks will be

on hold until Wednesday, six blocks right now just pinned on the wall.

 I'm loving this project, lucky that I had heaps of strips cut 

because my die cutter with three convenient strip sizes has patches

of rust on the blades. Careful use of a fine nail file seems to have

worked somewhat, I can get a clean cut now but only with

two layers of fabric.

So, moving on from Lego and onto the squirrel.

Today saw the start of the centre of a Medallion quilt, more elements need to be added

before I can stitch these together.

I think I may be hooked on strips because there are more to come,

a few already cut

and more to cut tomorrow

and these will all be going into the Medallion quilt mentioned

early in this post.

You might just guess that my new Sue Ross book  

Patchways

 is the cause of this visit from the squirrel.

I see more squirrels on the horizon.

Maybe I need to slow down a little, I'm on a high right now

and don't want to go down the other side of the hill.

Gardening?? Not at the moment but the weeds are going

crazy with all the rain, but flowering at the moment

are the Japanese Anemone, I think they're also known

as Windflowers.

I had a couple of other mentions but they too will have to wait

until my next post because DH tells me the apple pie and cream

is ready for the eating!! 

Be seeing you.

Stay safe in this upside down world of ours right now.

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

Brain Freeze

I am tearing my hair out right now with the darn computer

and my photo editing system!

New Blogger isn't helping either.

It's taken me ages to put together the simplest of posts

and in the process I've forgotten half of what I had intended to write.

However this was the start of my day

beautiful sunrise with Venus still hovering in the sky.

So on with my intended day dedicated to more stitching on

Green Diamonds

and the colour is still off plus I now see I have the letter j in Quilter,

I am not going to begin the whole process again so it's going to have to stay.

This new system  is far more time consuming loading up photos.

There is now a grand total of four Postage Stamp blocks

picking up these tiny squares plays havoc with arthritic fingers

and I'm now using tweezers  and the process is

much less painful.

I am overwhelmed with my tubs and other containers

of scraps, something has to be done because they're bugging me,

 some will be given away and the remainder will be

assigned to a variety of scrap quilts.

First up I have a number of plastic boxes which hold a mix of 

1.5" strips and now I need to decide what they will be used for.

A Lego quilt is a possibility,  lots of these around right now,

Julie at Quiltdivajulie

has a whole series of Dumpster Diving quilts, the original was based on

a Lego quilt,

 go visit and you'll see some beauties!

So these are my strips below, boxes are 11" x 14"

and,  apart from the third box, they're mostly Kaffe Fassett Collective

fabrics with a few others mixed here and there.

The strips in this last box are a mix of widths

but I'm happy to haul out the Accuquilt and reduce them all to 1.5"

Any ideas for simple strippy projects gladly received.

One camellia and one rose photos before I go and make a much needed cup of tea,

if I was able to drink alcohol  (doesn't mix with my medications) I'd be 

slicing a lemon into a stiff gin and tonic!!

Sadly I can't remember the name of the camellia below

but this rose is

Buff Beauty

and has a delicious perfume.

All from me, hopefully my next post will be written in a much

calmer frame of mind and with computer, photo and blogger

problems all sorted.

Keep safe and well.

Maureen

Slow Saturday

Actually I've had two slow Saturdays since my last post!

I've been fiddling about trying to decide what I want to make a

start on next, twice decided and then twice changed my mind.

I eventually made the decision to start on Green Diamonds  from

 Kaffe Fassett's

'Quilts in Ireland'

pictured here in an earlier post.

Here are the first few diagonal rows

and I don't know what's happened with the colour as it's much brighter than this!

I'm trying the new Blogger set up, maybe it's a problem here.

 You might also pick up that I've begun a little un-stitching

on the LH side where the half diamonds come up to the full ones.

They don't seem to be fitting as they should.

After checking and re-checking it seems that the template in the book

may be slightly out, so I'll draw up another one and try again.

They're all cut on straight of grain so that's not the issue.

Planning Ahead

  A pack of KF stripes bought a while ago  to make up a very simple

quilt for our eldest son, a free pattern from Free Spirit,

I'm not too sure about the lilac/peachy stripe, but it does look good in the

photo of the quilt. 

 Sorting out a heap of fabrics in a basket I pulled out 

the fabrics below giving me ideas for another

quilt.

 I have quite a few on my list of

'would like to make' so there's another decision to be made.

 I'm finding a little time here and there hand quilting

my Paintbox small quilt, only a few more blocks to go now!

Unfortunately I didn't go with my usual brand of thread and the one

I chose pulls quite a lot going through the fabric and quilting is taking longer

than I had hoped.

Once again the colour is showing  darker than my original photo!

Let's hope the photo of the last rose in my garden is true to colour

and yes it is!!

Leaving you now with a quote I came across in one of my books.

Love the beings of the world equally and universally.

The Universe is One.

See you all soon

Maureen

Sunday Summary

Just about falling to sleep in bed last night I suddenly thought of a great

title for this post, I can now no longer remember it, 

note to self - always have the notebook and pen by the bedside!

Do you remember I began a quilt using the Hourglass block,

Hannah's Garden 

in the blog post 

HERE

I have been fiddling around for weeks with these blocks

and once again became unstuck when using

more subdued colour. I cut many more pieces and

still wasn't happy, I was well and truly out of

my comfort zone. I tried using a few stronger colours but still no joy.

One night a week ago after tearing my hair out I couldn't sleep

and decided to go make a cup of tea, it was 2.38am!

The moon was up and I love looking at the moon, it was so very

bright and lighting up the old oak tree next door

I decided life was too short to lose sleep over quilt blocks and next

day pulled the brighter colours and made this cushion for my old

Captain's chair.

 Very simply quilted with two small pieces of very old lace stitched

on the centre block and

found in a box of treasured 'buttons and bows'  (but read lace for bows)

given to me years and years ago by my mother in law, she in turn

was given the box by her grandmother. 

So this little cushion is in memory of my Grandma Hannah whom I never knew and also

John's Mum and his great Grandma.

Now, this is a quilt blog I know and when I read the following lines

after pressing publish I will probably kick

myself for spilling all the information here.  I apologise in advance

but I had a wonderful friend with the same health problems and we

used to talk each week and lift our spirits and have a laugh, she died

in January.

Although I think of all of you as friends please don't worry that I shall be

relating any more of these health missives, I just needed to be able to

do this once right now for my well being.

I made mention earlier in my post of life being too short in relation

to fretting over quilt blocks.

It has been a difficult twelve months for me,  in addition

to my previous years of cardiac problems it was discovered 

that I also had a congenital aortic valve known as a bicuspid valve, 

and although I was informed

that this put me in the position of being one of only

1% of the world population with this condition  I wasn't too happy about future prospects.

The natural electrical system of my heart has packed in so good

job I have a pacemaker which keeps me going.

I have now been told that more symptoms mean my heart is probably not functioning properly,

having worked in a Path Lab and for Doctors I'm not too happy if that is the case.

More tests and appointments coming up and no doubt more medications.

So, no more fretting over quilt blocks, sizes or shapes or whether the points match, no

feeling guilty and miserable because I haven't the time nor energy to

join in all the quilt alongs that seem to crop up lots,  I am just

going to get on with stitching all my bright and beautiful fabrics - 

read Kaffe Fassett here -  and devouring my quilt books all over again and getting back to blogging more often and enjoying reading all your posts every day!! 

I'm ending with a pretty picture

the first bloom this year on my cactus against one of my favourite books

ENDANGERED

you will have guessed  that it's all about feathered, furred or finned members

of the natural world who are at risk.

I'm off to plan my next quilt right now, and I hope and pray you all keep safe and well in
these troubled times with Covid-19 and other horrific tragic happenings.

Maureen