It's been a quiet week here in the stitching department. Just one new block for Irish Circles.
I couldn't resist the fq's when I popped into The Home Patch on Monday. Floral Gatherings and Vin Du Jour.
After some rain last week we had another 55mm on Wednesday. Everything looks fresh and clean, and the lawn has gone crazy.
Happy Friday!
Susan x
Happy, happy, happy. It's a rainy Sunday at home. Decided to spend some of the day having a tidy up in the sewing room.......which led to unearthing some small ufo's. I don't really have too any of them, unless you include quilts in the hand quilting queue (which I don't).
First of all, this Kathy Schmitz stitchery from 2010 (the shame). Not sure I absolutely love the fabric borders I found in my stash, but it's finished except for the stuffing (and who knows how long that will take).
This poor little birdie has been sitting right next to my end of the couch, finished but for his eyes, for a couple of months.
A lone, blue hexie flower with a tiny hanger equals a tiny little quilt, just 4". Another for the wall!
We made scones for afternoon tea and a roast for dinner, so it's been a pretty good day all round.
Happy sewing.
Susan x
Thank you so much everyone for all your comments and suggestions regarding my nine patches. Next chance I get, I'm going to cut some of the blue/grey squares and see how it really looks sewn up. Normally I would go for the "safe" cream option, but I'm going to break out and try the blue!
I decided it was time to lay out my Irish Circles so far.
The top left block won't make the grade. I'm thinking I need two more red framed squares so they can go on the corners, then just circles. A slightly different layout to the pattern, but I really prefer the circles.
Chookyblue was interviewed on the news last night, a great story about the drought in NSW. I did a little online research myself and found that the NSW Farmers Federation is coordinating a really good donation drive. All donations are 100% used to purchase IGA grocery cards and distributed by the Salvation Army to farming families that just need a hand. I made my donation at NSW Farmers Drought Relief Appeal.
Hope you're having a lovely week, and finding a few moments for some stitching.
Susan x
Honestly, I was doing housework, but I have a very large pile of nine patches that keeps catching my eye in the sewing room......making me feel guilty that I haven't done anything with them since the swap finished last year.
I thought I'd start by sorting them into colour groups. The thing about swapping blocks is that you get some amazing colour combinations and some fabrics that you wouldn't even normally pick up. Result.....great variety.....but not every block makes the final cut. Fortunately with this swap there are so many blocks that I think I could make two or three quilts. However, I like a good bit of contrast in my quilts so I've started with the blocks with the greatest contrast. Here are some of them laid out.
I have surprised myself with the setting out. I originally thought I'd try something a bit fancy, at least with the blocks on point, but I've decided to use the simplest setting, just spaced with another 6" block.
With all those colours, choosing a background is HARD, although the carpet colour looks ok in the photo above (but maybe too safe?). I don't have a huge stash of yardage but I did have two particular pieces bought originally for backing which might do the job.
It's hard to capture the colour of the second one......kind of dark teal/grey/olive.......but most importantly, not like any of the fabrics in the blocks. What do you think? Should I give up the ridiculous notion of using what I have and just head straight to the patchwork shop?
Susan x
We had a lovely day of stitching at Cassilis, but would you believe that not a single photo was taken! Take my word for it that we stitched and ate and chatted and laughed, and had a really relaxing day.
So then I went home and did some more sewing for on Irish Circles for FNWF.
It's hot again so I'm hiding inside near the air conditioning.
Susan x
As many of you know, it's been really hot and dry in parts of Australia. The drought conditions are pushing farmers to their limits, financially and emotionally. I am not a farmer but I do live out of town and rely on rainfall to supply our water. I can only imagine the stress of such dry conditions on farmers who love their land and their livestock, people who are just trying to make a living.
Support our farmers.......pop over to Chookyblue to see what it's really like.
Susan x
My 2013 blog book came this week. It seems to get a bit bigger and more expensive every year as I do more posts, but well worth every cent, and a fantastic keepsake of the year.
Some more tea towelling also arrived in the post from Pieces to Treasure........to make matching placemats for my Bordeaux Berries runner. The placemats will just be plain, not sure how the appliqué would hold up to regular use.
The boys went back to school.......three at high school now (how did that happen?).
I've been doing more painting, it's the hallway this time. Not a great deal of sewing happening, just a few more orange peel blocks and an afternoon of prepping Irish Circles blocks.
Happy stitching.
Susan x
