May....thinking December

Hi everyone. The title of my post might have a little to do with the weather.  Though it is sunny from time to time, it is still cold here.  It also might have a little to do with my planning ahead thoughts.  My girls all admire my Christmas throw each year, so my little brain cells told me, 'make them each one of their own'.  Here I am then burrowing down into my box of Christmas fabrics and patterns and coming up with some ideas. A square in square block sounds simple.  Think I'll start with that. 

I also have some light fabrics I could use as centres and team up with red or green.  Yes, that sounds like the beginning of something.  As you can see I am not big on planning at all, but making it up as it goes along.  Well, watch this space....

Our church group made this banner to remember a dear friend who lost her battle with cancer a few years ago.

 

It will be on show this weekend for the first time.

xxx

Sunshine on my shoulder makes me happy

I couldnt believe when I checked, that my last blog was wishing everyone a Happy Christmas.
Where have those 4 or 5 months gone.  I was a bit out of sorts for a couple of them, dealing with a viral infection which robbed me of my energy.  When I started to recover I really wanted to make something, but didnt have the 'get up and go' to measure and cut carefully.  I spotted this style of block made from scrap strips, so pulled out my scraps and just sewed and flipped.......so theraputic. I called it liquorice alsorts, as the fabric in the centre of each block was just that...liquorice allsorts sweets on a pink background.

Sorry the photography was not so good.  This went to the local branch of Linus Project along with this little quilt which I had started, and found the energy to finish.  I was on the way to recovery.

 My mum had her 90th birthday, and requested no gifts, but her birthday tea was on Mothering Sunday, so I made her this cushion.

You can also see the corner of a little tray cloth in the same fabric.  My Aunt and Uncle are expecting the arrival of thier first great-grandchild soon.  I had a suitable boy quilt, so I made a girl one so I have all options covered...unless they have two of the same kind.

                                                             

None of these were very taxing on my energy, so I gained such satisfaction from making them.
Then Easter came around and I sent these little fabric nests to my neighbour's children.

                    The adults got a little bit of spring, which was taking it's time to arrive this year.

The weather has at last a feel of summer about it.  Warm, and everything is green and growing. This mini mum produced a lovely colt, and they are enjoying the good weather too.

We enjoyed a trip to Lough Erne and Castle Coole yesterday, and I spotted these lovely primroses everywhere.  They remind me of my childhood days at my grandmother's house.

I have had another go at finishing my Pond House by Lynette Anderson.  I think I may get it finished this year.  In between however I made a couple of wall hangings for my special friends who feed me gorgeous suppers once a month.

Whew!...that was a marathon blog.  I plan to keep up ......well, I hope to keep up from now on. xx

Christmas Blessings

May God Bless all my stitching friends at this special time of Celebration and thanksgiving.  For those who are sad I pray for God's comfort.  love Barbara xx

How far...QAL,cushion, ALQS7

Hi everyone.  I have been busy lately, with a little home decorating.  Well, my very able daughter No 1 did the work, and I was her lovely assistant :)   I have however done some sewing.  I made Grandaughter a trick or treat bag, but forgot to take a pic.  I will try to put that right this week.  I am trying very hard to keep up with the How far will you go QAL.  It rained all afternoon today, soooo.....I got to sew.  Here is block 9 Dutch Rose.  Not as good as I would like, but with a little lot of reverse stitching I reached a point where I had to be satisfied with less than perfect. Dont look too close.

I also made a little cushion for a friend who will be 80 tomorrow.  I made my variation of a pattern of Jenny of Elephantz.  It is from her free Promises and Borders BOM.  Thank you Jenny for your inspirational designs.

I also removed the beads from this small quilt and re-applied them so they all lie the same way.  It is ready to wing its way to a new home soon.   I am looking forward to making my final list of favourites from ALQS7.  Although I dont know how I will choose.  They are all so beautiful. Good night  Bx

caught up

I have been busy trying to catch up with my blocks for How far will you go QAL.  I have been enjoying it so much, even, and especially when I get it all wrong and still like the results.  Dont know if I am breaking all the rules here, but I am having fun doing it. Roll on Friday when I get the next block pattern.

This is the one where I went wrong........

...it should look like this.   Do you see what is different.  The wrong un is going anticlockwise because I made my 'diamond' the wrong way.  I do like it tho, so am going to keep it in my quilt.

We got new floor covering in the kitchen because of damage from a leaking water pipe, so we felt that the pets water bowl needed something more posh than yesterday's newspaper to sit on.  The reason for the paper was Amber's habit of pulling the bowl with her paw so she could watch the water move (and slop over the side).  Sooooo.....I cut a towel in half and made a couple of mats with doggie fabric I had just hanging around.  Amber doesnt seem to mind that there are no cats on view.  She thinks she is human anyway.  She always comes to the kitchen when the kettle is turned on.  Do you think she would like a cup of tea.

Amber cat and Penny Dachsie .......there's that camera again....cant she just sit down with a cuppa...Good Idea.  x x

A rescue and QAL

Hello Ladies (and gents if any)

Now where do I start.  First of all. I finally got aroung to trying to rescue my little quilt.  Remember the small tragedy of the melted ric rac?  I unpicked the melty ric rac, washed the quilt and dried it.  The smear of red melted ric rac is still there, if you look closely.  I havent added any more trim, as I am still deciding what to do. 

goodbye melty ric rac

Also, I am taking part in How far will you go QAL by Jess of Scrappy-n-happy and Jess of the elven garden .  It is an eye opener for me.  I have done so much ripping out  reverse stitching, and still not happy with some blocks.  I realise paper piecing and I have a long way to go.....but we're getting there slowly.

Here's my tale of block 4. The St Louis Star.

I havent done much in the way of paper piecing, so it took a while to get my head around where to place the fabric ( Jess, I didnt follow your method.....bad quilter)

I kept going, and behold I made something that looked really good (in my eyes)

I think I could get to like this :) :)

THE NEXT STAGE I DIDNT PHOTOGRAPH.  I couldnt get all those centre points to meet nicely. Boo Hoo :(

So out came the seam ripper....or to be exact my fine embroidery scissors.

Stitched once more I could  hardly bear to peep after ironing it

It's still not great.   Such a lovely block deserves better than this.

I'm not ripping again though.  Thankfully I need only one of these, sooooo upward and onward. I have one of block five to make and three of block six to catch up. 

I am enjoying this QAL so much though.  Thank you Jess and Jess.

ALQS7

I made this little quilt for A Little Quilt Swop 7.  It is a dresden plate machined to a cinnamon background. Some random straight line quilting and hand stitched stars. Also little red beads on the points, which I may remove and restitch so the hole in the bead is not looking straight at you :(