A quilt and Other things

In spite of my absence from Blogger posting I have not been idle ... several small projects have kept me sewing, and just today No 2 son told me he had given his knitted hat to a friend who was so taken with it two more are ordered.  I hunted through my wool, of which I confess I do have a reasonable supply, and bought a pattern and have casted on.  Hopefully two beanies will be in the post by the end of the week.

 

Recently Jacquelynn Steves offered a free BOM, an offer I took up.  Her Sew Sweet Simplicity quilt is now complete.  What I especially liked about this BOM was it went for four weeks, the last two of which had two blocks on offer.  They were both lovely ... my quilt is a six block quilt!  My stash of fabric catered for this BOM ... but the stash barely seems to have diminished!

 

After a project that takes many hours I like to 'chill out' with something small and quick.  I had a more than reasonable amount of plaid fabrics and had long kept in the back of my mind a magazine pattern for a country Christmas table runner.  Another for the box!

 

After viewing a tutorial for a particular block of an easy pineapple I decided to put my new-found skills into another bag and was pleasantly surprised how quickly the pattern came together.  And how easy it was!

 

 

Now the knitting awaits!

A frog he would a-wooing go

 

A frog he would a-wooing go,
Heigh ho! says Rowley

Many of us learned this poem, or part thereof as it consists of several verses, and many of us have a special place in our heart for the green frog, whether he is Rowley or not.

 

Two senior frogs, Theodore and Raymonde discuss their younger days and assure each other that never, even in their wildest days of youth, did they 'carry on' like young Rowley of the poem.  In fact their discussion runs along similar lines to that of senior family members when discussing the youngsters.

 

Theodore and Raymonde spend their time sitting discussing; putting the world to rights and wishing for rain.  In the heights of summer rain seldom falls from the skies and when it does invariably it occurs in a downpour that doesn't fill ponds for Theodore and Raymonde to dive into.

Theodore in the striped trousers and is on his way, via Australia Post, to my little great grandson who has a second birthday next week, while Raymonde stays at home bringing a smile to our faces.

Pencil case with a difference

Little grandson, yes, the intended recipient of Mr Frog, begins morning Kindergarten this year and knowing how small children like coloured pencils I decided to make a pencil case for his birthday, and filled it with pencils.

 

 

Some time ago I made a pouch with a zipper, found the exercise simple, and after looking at the yacht pencil case thought I could whip it up quickly.  Aha ... wishful thinking ... the pouch had a binding which made the joining the outer and lining easy, this pencil case didn't.  Subsequently the pencil case took more than an hour!  Never-the-less I am pleased with the end result, and yesterday posted the parcel away.

Mr Frog and a cushion

Recently our vehicle had a flat battery, and living some distance out of town, and not having a spare vehicle to take to purchase a new tyre the call went out to the neighbour.  A quick trip into town, a battery purchased, and fitted, and yay ... a vehicle that started.  Not wishing to offer money for the kindness I decided to make a cushion.

 

Later in the month youngest grandson celebrates a birthday ... my other grandchildren were small when I had a busier life; this little one is the recipient of many more creative projects.  Mr Frog was fun to make ... except the stuffing of toes!  The pattern said 'use small pieces'.  It took several hours for those few words to sink in that small meant very small.

Mr Frog sits by himself!!

 

2015

Blogging definitely took second place towards the end of 2014.  I notice many beginning 2015 with interesting blogs ... and have decided [not resolved!] to perhaps add to the miscellany in Blogland.

 

Our new Forum is running a BOM, It takes Two, and as often the case at the beginning of the year I signed up.  My stubborn makeup will insist I complete a block each month, maybe even two as I plan on making a quilt that is 'held together' with one block; the Friendship Star Variation.  The blocks chosen for this endeavour all come from http://www.quilterscache.com/ 

 

January's blocks are Friendship Star Variation, and Snowflake. 

 

Here it is the 4th January and both are made!! 

Small projects

After a week away when I touched neither needle nor sewing machine I was ready to make something.  And as too often happens when enthusiasm runs away with me I am brought back to reality ... my sewing machine foot control began to race under its own violation.  This happened a few years ago and the remedy was to buy another foot control.  An email to a Janome dealer followed by debit card details ensured the control pedal was in my possession within three days ... that is wonderful as Australia Post isn't always as quick as that.

But two days sitting twiddling my thumbs wasn't on.  I began the second last block of Red Brolly's Le Jardin quilt that I will confess has taken a while to stitch; mainly because other projects captured my attention, and because I had to concentrate learning the new stitches involved.  Only one more block to go! 

The background fabric is actually cream ... in hindsight the photo session should have been earlier in the day.

 

The machine decided to go to its own race meeting as I was sewing a quilt for a doll's bed, in readiness for Christmas 2015.  The HGTV Board asks members to make these little quilts as part of a Christmas surprise for children who need extra loving.  Cradles are donated by a band of woodworkers and it is a privilege to be part of this giving.

 

Tonight 'my football team' plays a most important match.  I am not sure I can sit and listen to the game and stitch ... although I have several projects waiting on the sideline.





Stump work

Always in the back of my mind are projects I would like to try, new methods I would love to learn, but too often lack of time, or opportunity pushes those wishes to the end of the queue.  Recently our local news-sheet offered several courses over a weekend.  One immediately caught my eye and imagination ... stump work.  Somewhere, sometime I had gazed at photos of gorgeous stump work and marvelled, and wondered, how the effect was created.  I enrolled!

Last Sunday I paid my dues, found a chair at the stump work table and my lesson began.  Before that I had given thought to looking on-line for tips, but decided that it would be wiser to go with a completely blank mind; hopefully to soak up the lesson.

The tutor was wonderful.  She was organised; had samples of each step along with typed out instructions.  All that was left to the 'students' was to begin stitching.

She had decided we make a butterfly ... so we began.  Moments before the end of the course I completed a butterfly, not perfect, but still a butterfly.  Best of all I have the main method installed in my brain [I hope!]. 

 

Yesterday I found another stump work pattern, and once I have purchased the essentials [that I do not have, such as wire] I will find out just how much did stick in the brain!