081 - A Free Block Of The Month

Hi everyone

How are we all doing?

I spent my day watching more of Westworld, and doing my tapestry.  It's so much easier in daylight and I'm amazed at how quickly it's getting done.  It's weird really, that some things take much less time than others.

I am a facebook follower of the lovely Toni on the Red Boot Quilt Co, and she is currently two blocks in on the most wonderful block of the month.

Have a look:

https://theredbootquiltcompany.com/paper-doll-sew-a-long/




I haven't started it (yet) but it cheers me to see it.

Have a lovely day.

Suzie

080 - stitching along

Australia is still business as usual when it comes to every day life.  The kids are still at school, small businesses are still open, there is still food in the supermarkets.  It's surreal really, and I've learned to steer clear of social media, especially when the rest of the family is out and about and I am at home alone.  Takes a lot of tough talking to my inner voices to tell them to turn off the 'crazy'.

Thankfully, I have loads of spare time on my hand right now (everything was cancelled!  No sports day!  No canteen!).  For one brief, shining moment, even all my ironing was done.  That's changed of course, but for one small time, the ironing basket was empty.

I'm still fairly sure they will shut us down soon enough.  And then the whole family will be in the same space.  Which is lovely, but it'll be a different challenge for us than we are used to.

So, somewhat guiltily, I binged watched television today while the house was empty, and I dragged out an ancient UFO:

My mother in law works at a second hand shop and this lovely tapestry came in half done.  She offered it to me, and because I don't have enough UFO's of my own making, I took it. 

It's been 20 years since I've done tapestry.  And it's just perfect for this place in time.  The only problem is the light - it's best to do it during the day.  So of course, that means sitting down on my butt during the day which feels sooooo bad!

I've bingewatched both previous series of Westworld and am almost ready to start series three (NO SPOILERS!!).  There are some pluses to being stuck at home!

Have a lovely day!

079 - Scrap Block Instructions

To answer the clamouring call for a tutorial on the block I posted a few days ago (actually one person asked me the block's name and I'm looking for diversion....) please find below a tutorial!  

As far as tutorials go, it's pathetic.  But you should be able to get the block made okay.

From cream fabric, cut five 3.5" squares and four 3.5" x 6.5" rectangles.

From coloured fabric, cut twelve 2" squares, and eight 3.5" squares.

Stitch the two inch squares into two units of two squares, and two units of four squares.

Stitch the two unit block to top and bottom of one of the cream squares and press.

Stitch the four unit block to either side of cream square and press.  Block should now measure 6.5" 

Make flying geese using the stitch and flip method and the cream rectangles and 3.5" squares of coloured fabric.

I have kept the trimmed away triangles, to make yet another UFO.

I've assumed a basic knowledge of this step, but let me know if you want help.

On two of the flying geese, stitch a 3.5" cream square at each end.

Stitch a flying geese block to either side of larger block previously made (forgot to take a photo of that!).

Stitch a the remaining units to top and bottom of block and press.

Bob's your uncle!  Block should measure 12.5" when complete.  Don't be a dolt and use too light a fabric (as I have done in the bottom right - that yellow print isn't showy enough).  Choose medium to dark fabrics for your coloured blocks.

And that's it!  Enjoy!  See you soon!

078 - Photo Roundup

It's a shame the kids' sports day was cancelled because today is a glorious one.

This time of year is awesome.  It's got crisp mornings, sunny days, not too hot and not too cold.  The Goldilocks zone.

I spent some time out in the garden this morning.  We have loads of leaves falling from trees (it is autumn I guess) and my husband has a very dodgy sciatica which doesn't let him rake.  So I've been raking and making piles of leaves and enjoying being outdoors, among all the colours autumn leaves bring.

I took some photos around the garden, to make sure I remember it's not all doom and gloom.

 

It's hard to find colour in there at the moment.  Everything is quite washed out of colour and grey, mostly because the summer smashed it with the high temperatures we had and the complete lack of rain.  

But there are always roses.  Our roses never fail to impress.  I'm supposed to be deadheading them but I'm hanging on because of the colour they provide.

Other than that, things are fine here.  We are still waiting and seeing what the government plans on doing from a nationwide persepective, but I'm just trying to keep my head down and my bum up, as they say.  

It's a good chance to get some of those old jobs done, at least!

See you soon!

077 Let's talk quilting, shall we?

So.  

How are we all going?

Bit of a shit storm, really.  Excuse my language.  We aren't in shutdown (yet) but the schools have cancelled all non essential events and I'm fairly confident before the week is out our government will make us all stay home.

Which is actually completely fine for me.  I was saying to someone yesterday, if Australia doesn't come out of this year with PTSD, I'd be amazed.  What a crappy, horrid start.  I've always been a bit of an ostrich (head in the sand) and bunkering down and avoiding any sort of news sounds perfect.

So.  My cupboards are filled, I have toilet paper enough, and there's one thing for sure, I'm not going to run out of the essentials (fabric and wine) any time soon.  So I figure let's just get on with it.

Our patchwork group is doing a monthly block event - someone decides on a block, we all make one or two of those blocks, and at the end of the month we should have enough blocks to make one or two charity quilts.  This month was a star:

I've made mine, but I plan on making a few more, but completely random in colour.  Then it'll be a lovely scrap quilt.

And that's how I'm going to spend my Coronavirus.

Please keep sewing.  And smiling.

Suzie

076 Something different to look at.

Something different for you to have a look at today.  

Mum's very arty (way more than me) and she's been icedying up a storm.  

She's very clever, my mum.  They are all done differently due to the way she's pleated or tied them.  She did try and explain but it's not my cup of tea.

I do find it difficult to use up these sorts of fabrics.  But she's got a million ideas so if she does make something out of it, I'll be sure to post it for you!

Happy Quilting!

075 Lucy Boston Update

Back to old Lucy.  I'll miss her.

074 Show and Tell - not mine (!!)

As a quilting group, we often are the recipient of quilting goods that someone wishes to get rid of, either because they have gone off the idea of quilting, or more often (and sadly) because they have passed away and their family doesn't know what to do with those things half done.

This was a top that was given to us but a quilter who no longer does quilting.  Lucky us to have our own resident Long Armer (mum) who quilted it up so that we can either raffle it, or donate it.

It was beautifully made and beautifully quilted, and I hope it brings someone joy.

It's always sobering to consider what to do with all our "stuff" when we no longer are able to enjoy it.  I find it quite a difficult thought process to go through.  I have so much stuff, and I worry that my family will be left with it.  I know I'm not alone in that.  I have become (slightly, very slightly) better at not buying things but I could do a lot better.  But it is a worry.  And being the youngest of our group, where the average age is about 75 years, I know the girls at quilting worry about it also. 

I don't know that there is an easy solution.  I guess to buy less is the only answer.  But I do love the look of shiny new fabric.

So that's today's 'thought bubble' as my husband calls it.  

Hope you're all well today!  Don't run out of toilet paper!

073 Show And Tell - Nancy Halverson Calendar

Whilst I was in the shop, Nancy Halverson was my favourite designer.  

She probably would still be if I saw her new designs as often as I did back when I was working.  But I'm out of the loop, so to speak.

A long time ago I made this calendar which hung on our wall for the whole year of 2007.

It's lovely, and I adore all the little pictures in it.  It's still sitting in the cupboard, but I'll never get rid of it.

2007 was the year I was pregnant with my second child, and I took a photo every week in front of this quilt showing my growing baby bump.

Those photos are obviously private (you don't want to see my baby bump!) but this quilt features in every one.  So it's precious.

Happy quilting!