Orca Orca Orca

Yes, I sold out and I started making the quilt.  This one at http://quiltville.blogspot.com/2011/11/mystery-monday-link-up-part-2.html

I wasn't going to.

I totally caved.

I have no will power.

So on the weekend I made 2303948 of these little buggars.

 (not that many, but it sure seemed like it.   Now I have to trim them all back).

And then, under much sufferance, I made these:

Now, I must admit I almost didn't make them.  I almost cut 3.5" squares of blue instead.  But I'm totally happy I did, because they are the cutest little things I've seen in a long time.  I didn't cut any strips more than about one inch, and gee whiz, they come up good!

So I only have to finish them in the next day or so and wait for the next step.  How do you Americans do it, with Thanksgiving thrown in too?  When do you get time?

Anyways.....I'm off to relive my youth tonight and go to a real, live music concert!  With grown ups!  Maybe with wine!

I'm not sure I'll survive the excitement.

Talk to you soon.

Suzie

Housekeeping all done!

Sorry - me again!

I've been very industrious and have now made a PDF link to all the Block Of The Month segments thus far.  I've tested each link and I think (I hope) I've linked them all properly. 

So now all you need to do for each month is click on the Free BOM tab up top, and by clicking on whichever month you need, a new window should open in googledocs and show you what you're after.  You don't need to log into googledocs to access and print them, but you do need to be a member if you want to save them.  If you don't want to become a member of Google, then feel free to email me and I will send you the file myself.

Sigh.  Been a big day and I feel very, very clever.  Best way to learn a new computer skill is to write your own blog.  Go on.  I recommend it!

Suzie

Housekeeping - pdf files.

I've been tinkering with uploading PDF's for you to use rather than messing about with fussy printing styles.

Blogger won't let you upload a PDF file directly, so you must use a file hosting place.  I've chosen to use Google Docs using my Silly Goose Account.

This is the link to the fabric choices.  I'd be forever grateful if someone could test run it for me and let me know how user friendly it is....do you need to have a google+ account or can any old quilter do it?  I'm trying to make it all as easy as I can for you.

PDF Link

Any comments are most welcome as to ease of use etc.  I'd be happy to convert all the other ones there if it works!

**edited to add, that seemed to work ridiculously well, the only problem that I can see is that whilst it will let anyone print the document, you must log into google to download and save it.  But that doesn't seem too big a deal to me**
Suzie

Sunday Update

I don't have much to show you sewing wise this weekend.  The little people have been particularly wanting my attention these past few days.  I'm not convinced kids have a temperature gauge - it's been well past 35 degrees every day and all they both want to do is sit on Mummy's lap.  Which is lovely, but it makes us all hot and sticky and is not conducive to sewing.

I'm in a bit of a funk in regards to my sewing lately, for a number of reasons I'm still trying to work through. 

I've been stuck with my Bonnie Hunter mystery quilt.   I don't have much in the way of her choice of colours (red, blue, black and cream) and I can't make anything else fit.  And she's already warned us there will be string blocks, and I have done more string blocks this year than I care to count.  So I'm not really sure that I want to start this.  I loved doing her last mystery and I know that I will regret not doing it if I don't start now.  I don't enjoy doing mysteries once they are revealed, so I kinda have to make my decisions NOW.  TODAY.  Before any more steps are released and before I get too far behind.

I'm sure I'm going to do it.  The last one is quilted, bound and looks so lovely, despite all the string blocks I really didn't enjoy and really don't love the look of. 

And then there is the overwhelming pile of UFO's.  I know, I know.  How can I think about starting something else when there is just so much more to finish in the depths of my craft room?  I need an intervention.

And today is a day when I look at my craft room and think 'it's all RUBBISH!!  I'm RUBBISH at sewing!!.  Throw it all in the bin and start again!'.  I'm not sure where that comes from today - I do think blog surfing is a double edged sword - I get exposed to so much lovely work that of course I'm gong to want to try and emulate it, only to be disappointed when my stuff doesn't work out as good as their stuff.    Perhaps it's time to Get. Off. The. Computer. And. Do. Something!!

And then there's the never ending, hopelessly growing, mindnumbingly boring list of chores I must do before everyone goes back to school and work tomorrow.  I wish I was rich enough to have someone else do it.  A full time maid?  Doesn't that make your mouth water?

Anyway.  I'm sure once my chores are done, and my colours are picked for Bonnie's Quilt, I'll feel a little bit more sparky. 

So what about you?  Are you all well?  Keeping busy on this weekend?  I'd love to see your colour choices if you're doing Bonnie's quilt.  I'd be happy to link to your blogs from this one if you like.

Must dash now.  Tomorrow hopefully will be a post full of delicious quilt candy for you.  I know you do like the pictures.

Suzie

Housekeeping

So I added a link to Bonnie Hunter's Orca Bay Mystery there on the right.  See it?

Whilst I was doing that I thought I would change my background colour.

Didn't totally work, managed to stuff up a few things that wouldn't be outwardly noticeable to too many people but to an editing freak like me, and it's driving me bananas.  Things aren't justified, they don't line up - it's all tooooo harrrrdddddddddddddddd.

And I've spent too long on it already.  So this battle to learn computing via the blog is hard.  Whine moan pout.

I wish things like this come easily.  Technology sucks.  I had to ring a man to come and set up my television/DVD/cable set up because I can't do that either.

Thank god for needle and thread.  Hasn't changed in a thousand years.  Still works as good as it did then.

All the best for now,

Suzie

p.s.  hopefully I'll be back with my colour choices for the mystery quilt today, if technology decides to let me.

Something new

Back in the olden days, when I used to work/own a quilt shop, we were always trying to develop new patterns for our customers.  The Block Of The Month that I've offered as a freebie was one of them.  The patterns that always sold well, for the least requirement of work by me (as time was such a drama) were stitcheries. 

I did a lot of different ones that just didn't work.  You know it's not going to work, but rather than chuck it out and try something new, I would put it in the UFO pile to be finished at a time when my free time was not so limited.

(Ha. Ha. Ha. she laughs to herself, as she realises she hasn't had free time since 2004)

This was one of them:

Once again, not the best picture.  But here is some closeups:

Blogger is being a little bit of a pill so I can't do the rest of the piccies for you but that can be tomorrow's job.

I was going to use a particular matching panel with this quilt that was covered in delicious sewing themed stuff, but I just could not make the darn thing work!  Panels are very difficult to use sometimes.  This was a difficult quilt to do.

So in the end, I stitched them all and sewed them into a wall hanging like this.  I don't mind it toooo much but really, I could live quite happily without it. 

On another note, I must thankyou for your comments that you send me.  I do try to reply to you all, and if I haven't, I WILL!  I promise.

Till tomorrow,

Suzie

A couple of flimsies for you

Today was/is a gloriously sunny day, and I was childless this morning (one in childcare, one in school) so I took the opportunity to try some outside photography of my quilts.

You'll remember the apple core quilt?

It's a flimsy now.  I can't decide if I want to take the quick way out and slice the edges straight to make the quilt rectangular or if I want to scallop the edge with the binding.  My nan was here today and she suggested that I float it onto a background border by applique.  I'm not sure how that would work with my skill level, though I think it's the idea I like the most. 

I will chew it over.

This is another flimsy recently finished....it's in my lovely 30's fabrics...

Just another flimsy for now.  I'd never made a tumbler quilt and I liked the idea.  I've got a tumbler dye for the Go quilter now so I might make more.  I'm thinking a truly scrap one, from the overwhelming pile of five inch squares I have right now.

I'm in the process of picking out my Orca Bay fabrics for Bonnie Hunter's latest mystery quilt, starting soon.  She's doing red/black and cream.  I'm thinking maybe, but then I saw someone who was doing teal, purple and cream.  And I really liked that.  I've already sorted all my fabrics in my sewing room into their colour groups, so when she posts the cutting instructions, all I will have to do is just pick a box!  I'm very clever, I do think. 

What does worry me about my fabric boxes is that they never, ever seem to be depleted.  It's like they are breeding in there.

Are you doing the Bonnie Hunter quilt?  I'd love to see your fabric choices.  And I'd love to see your blogs too!  Now that I have so many more new friends, I don't know how to find your blogs - so if you would like me (and any other readers) to visit, please email me at sillygoosequilts@hotmail.com or leave me a message after this post and I'll happily come visit you too!

Anyway.  Must fly.  Children to pick up.  The day went so quickly.  Sigh.

Talk tomorrow.

Suzie

I reckon I should just give up.

I found a new quilt blog today. 

http://www.kathykwylie.com/index.php

Believe it or not, I've never heard of this woman's quilts before.  I am totally gobsmacked and I feel as if I should pack my bat and ball and go home. 

I have the world's worst case of quilter's envy right now.

I can't be the only one out there who aspires to make such quilts.   Where do their ideas come from?  How do they find the exactly perfect fabric?  How can they needleturn so delicately their fabric so that you can't even see the stitches?  Not even one?

Do yourself a favour and go and visit this clever, clever lady.  Read in detail how she made her 'Flourish On The Vine' Quilt.

Till tomorrow,

Suzie

Keep Calm

As I am Very. Very. Sick (I have a cough and I'm miserable) there is no quilting to show you.  But I found something else.  The internet is an enormous place, don't you think?  I've been surfing a lot of places I wouldn't necessarily go and then I went to Pinterest.  I may never leave there again.  It's like being stuck in a maze, a really pretty maze filled with beautiful things you just want to look at all day long!

So I found this:

We've all seen that, right?  From the war?  Not the best quality of picture but you get the idea.

Then I found a million more!  This one is good for mummies who didn't do their pelvic floor exercises like they should.

This is for all of us....who doesn't get excited at starting a new project??

This one just speaks for itself.  My yarn cupboard is worse than my fabric cupboard.

I started to get into the funny ones then.  

 There were sooooo many rude ones that were hilarious, but I decided to leave them where they were, just in case some of you may be offended.  I have a slighly warped sense of humour but I would hate to upset even one person.

Instead I shall leave you with this.

x

x

x

x

x

See you tomorrow!

Suzie

Achoo!

I have a head cold.

I'm sneezing and my head feels like it is stuffed with cotton wool.  I'm always amazed at how quickly one can take to feel completely awful.  And I'm the mummy, and it doesn't stop for the mummy.  Did you know the world falls apart if the mummy is sick?  I didn't know that, but I sure do now!

So because I'm a whiny, unfriendly Gert today and a great big baby, I thought I'd just share some pictures with you. 

I didn't make them.  My mother did.  She's the clever one.  They are designs by McKenna Ryan and her stuff is just delicious.  I wish I was half or even a quarter the artist she is.  Back in the olden days, when we ran a quilt shop, we sold these two designs as a block of the month.  We charged less than other shops, for a variety of reasons, and consequently they were always very popular. 

They are heavily free hand machine appliqued and quilted, which is totally my mother's thing and not mine.  I'd much rather hand quilt, and make delicious traditional quilts.  I don't get to hand quilt as much as I'd like but one day....one day.  When little people are both at school and I can have more than five minutes to myself, I'll hand quilt again. 

Till tomorow, hopefully in a more sparky mood,

Suzie

Trying to keep up

I lead a busy life, and I overly complicate it by starting too many things, buying too much stuff, saying yes too often instead of no sometimes, not finishing what I start.  I don't think I'm alone in that.  I'm one step away from being shown on Hoarders.

We've had a few medical upheavals of late and it always reminds me that we leave behind all our stuff if we disappear for others to deal with.  If I were to suddenly not be here, I'd leave such a mess for my family to deal with.  It's something that really does trouble me and I'm trying to take baby steps to rectify the situation.

I've surfed a lot lately about being organised and I really think that my year for that will be 2012.  It sure has heck hasn't been 2011!  One of my organising ideas is to make a plan for this blog and stick to it.  We'll see how that goes.

I've been blessed with visitors this week that entertained the little people a lot, and so I spent a bit more time in the sewing room than I usually do.  

Part of my problem is that I see a technique, I decide I absolutely must do it, and then when I get a little into it, it bores me rigid and I don't want to finish.  Or it's too hard or it's not working or a million other reasons.  This box of hexagons is one of those techniques.

They do look quite nice put together, but not one single one turned out the same size and the whole thing was a lot harder than I thought it would be.  I guess I could unpick them and start over, but doing that would require more work than just finishing the jolly things, so that is what I will do.  Finish it and see how it looks then.

I've also added a couple of rows to my apple core quilt.  Needs a good press, it does.  I've got about four rows to go.

And my lovely Joseph's Coat will look a lot like this when finished.  I think I have my head around how it's done, the finishing I mean.  

I'm finding making my points difficult.  Some I ace:

Some, I don't. 

But whilst I'm trying my very best to do it beautifully, I'm also remembering the mantra 'Finished is better than perfect!'.

So that's what I've been up to the last couple of days.  Hope you've had a productive time of it.

All the best, 

Suzie

Friday already??

I hate to say it, but it's Friday, and it's November, and last week it was January and I'm no closer to having my life in order than I was back then.  It's my perpetual battle - I'm doomed to feel out of control.  I'm a control freak with two little messy people and I don't think there will be much control until they are a little more under control. 

But they are little and I do love that they are little and loving and this messiness will pass, and I will miss it.  And you can only control two little independent minds so far. 

So here's something from the depths of the UFO cupboard:

It's the one solo Joseph's Coat block that I've basted, but not appliqued.

I've done loads of the preparation work, I've cut about a million petals, but haven't trimmed them yet.  It's a real multistep thing and I am enjoying it, but I have to admit that I'm so far out of my comfort zone it isn't funny.  The design came from Kelly of Don't Look Now, though I suspect she's put her version into her UFO cupboard because nothing has been mentioned of this quilt along for months. 

It's a long winded process, but I really do enjoy the preparation work.  First of all, you trace 2904847 petals onto Floriana Stitch and Fuse.

Then you iron them onto your fabrics.  Mine are on my delicious 30's fabrics.

Once they are nicely ironed on, you trim around each one.

Yes, my ironing board cover is hideously dirty.  Thanks for noticing!

(it shows it is much, much used).

Then, you get a little glue stick, and stick each side down.  This is an art.  The first few I did I made such a mess of, but once you get into the rhythm of it, it gets easier.

Not easy, mind you.  Just easier.  Oh that ironing board.

Eventually, you have lots of these little stuck thingies ready to be basted.

And when you lay them on your design board, they look smashing.

Now I just have to baste them, and hand stitch them, and then stitch each block together in a terrifically complicated way.  But I shall battle through!  I don't know why I start such challenging things, I really don't.

If you would like to see Kellie of Don't Look Now version, you can find her website here:

http://dontlooknow.typepad.com/dont_look_now/josephs-coat-quilt-along-.html

That's all for now. I'm off to visit first child's sports day.  Talk to you soon!

Suzie

Bountiful Bouquet Free Block Of The Month - Month Two

Click here for a print friendly PDF

Hi everyone!

I was overwhelmed with the amount of followers I have received following my first month of Bountiful Bouquet.  Thankyou all so much.  I do hope you enjoyed our first month, intense though it was.

This month is an easy one.  I promise!  You'll have loads of time to finish this month's efforts and leftover time to keep stitching on that pesky month one. 

Before we begin, please note that I have amended the fabric requirements for the creams. 

I've told you previously that you need three different half yard pieces for the rows of floral applique. 

However I think it would be better to have two half yard pieces and a couple of fat quarters of different ones so that we can jazz things up a bit.  There is no difference in the actual measurements but a little bit more to play around with in terms of colour choices. 

If you have already purchased a half yard, don't worry - it'll be fine to use.  This just gives us a little more options to play with.

I've decided rather than risk running short of the correct size of backgrounds, we're going to cut the bigger ones off and put them away for later on.

Background Cutting Instructions

You should already have a two yard piece of background fabric.  This is for the Outer Border.

From one of your half yard background pieces, cut a ten inch strip by the width of the fabric, and put aside. This is for the Lower Appliqued Strip

From your assorted remaining backgrounds cut (7) eight inch squares.  This is for the Single Flower Applique Row. 

Now from remaining, cut (6) 8 1/2" squares.  These are for your Large Floral Wreath Row.

Put these fabrics away for now.  I'll let you know when it's time to use them.  All our other bits are smaller and scrappy.

Flying Geese Construction

So, to begin with you will need some of the remaining cream background pieces, plus some of your colours.

From the background fabric, cut 42 pairs of 2 1/2" squares.  Keep the pairs together.  It's just easier.

From the assorted colours you have collected, cut (42) 2 1/2" x 4 1/2" rectangles.

We will be making forty two flying geese in this step.

Draw a light pencil line across the diagonal on the WRONG side of each cream square.

Lay a cream square over the corner of a coloured rectangle with right sides together and pin if necessary.

Stitch on pencil line.

You may choose this next step to give you some freebie half square triangles if you wish. 

Draw another line half an inch away from your stitched line.

Pin if necessary.

Stitch on this pencil line.

Cut in the middle as shown.

Press first square back to form a triangle.

Repeat this step with another cream square, being sure that you use the same fabric as the one you have just stitched.

If you need to, trim your block to 2 1/2" x 4 1/2".

Repeat this step with remaining squares and rectangles until you have a total of forty two flying geese blocks.

Stitch together into two rows of twenty one blocks that when completed, should measure 4 1/2" x 42 1/2".  Set aside for now.

So stay tuned for month three!