Stitching Madness and Groundhog Day

Remember the appliqué block I showed in my last post ?  Well, while yet again rummaging through my box of treasures, otherwise known as UFO’s I found one of the other blocks that was supposed to go into the same quilt, this time it shows the Pet Shop and Flower Shop.  Yet again I added my own little touches, for example, the flower box above the sign is made up of goodness knows how many French knots in different colours and heaped on top of one another, then the flowers to the side of the shop I did with yo yo’s and used six strand thread just tied through the middle and cut ‘long’ for the stamens.

 

 

 

 

 

On the Pet Shop side I didn’t go without adding a little extra too, firstly I found a clear button then using orange thread created some gold fish, if you squint real hard they kind of look like fish.  remember I did say squint really hard.  above the door I added a cobweb, well, it is a pet shop!

So, once I’ve bought another pillow insert this one will be yet another pillow in the shop.

Then… I got stuck into finishing the top of the Churn Dash quilt I have been working on.  It really has been a lovely block to sew and the entire top churns used just one layer cake – bonus, I didn’t have to go hunting (or shopping) for coordinating fabrics they were already sorted – yeah. This is just a utilitarian quilt for the house (as if we need more).  I have chosen a grey based green for sashing and will probably bind it in that too.

Then…while watching a movie I sat and stitched another mini pillow.  I have already done a number of these this year, and they are so quick to make up that my addiction is really taking a hold.  I have been told that they are called ‘Tuffets’ but I really think they are too small for Miss Muffet to sit on, and way too small for yours truly! Despite the fact that I have been going hard out on the exercycle!

Little Miss Faith brought her parents here for dinner last night and while we were just sitting nattering she decided to clamber all over the bike.  That didn’t bother me at all, but knowing I had only 2 1/2 kms to go to crank up my first 100km I couldn’t wait to get on and take a photo of this milestone.

Now if you know me you would know that exercise and I are not friends, so this really was a big deal. Once the kids had left I climbed on board and just went for it, camera in hand ready to witness the event. So I started peddling, after just a short while I looked at the speed 96.4km, how could this be? There was more on the clock before, so as I carried on peddling in horror I watched as the jolly thing was decreasing in distance.  I was crushed, no photo evidence of the ‘tonne’ no flashing lights – nothing. Groundhog day!  Little Miss Faith had obviously pressed a button that I didn’t know worked backwards.  So, tonight the next 100 starts – away from Faith.

I hope your days don’t start going backwards.  Have a great one anyway.

hugs

Applique with William Morris

We have just had such a busy few days, little miss Faith came to stay with Grad-dad and Grandma for a couple of days.  Oh my goodness what a great wee mite she is but oh my when she's not asleep it's non stop and my age is starting to be felt.  For a couple of days I didn't even pick up a sewing needle, I can't remember when that last happened!  What this forced time out from sewing did do though was to make me sit and flick through books, on patchwork and quilting of course.

Recently a friend went overseas for a holiday and prior to her leaving she asked if any of us wanted anything picked up while in the US or UK.  Yeah I thought there is an applique book by Michele Hill based on the textile artist William Morris that I have had a hankering for for a while.  Books in NZ are expensive so any saving would be great.  Well, Barbara arrived home and so did my new book! Flicking through it I discovered a delightful wee wall hanging, as I have been enjoying the handwork of stitcheries I thought this project done with fusable applique would be great to sit and do in an evening. For now I'll just show you the picture of how it is supposed to look - I think it's really sweet, what do you think?

Now that the little one is back with Mum and Dad I guess I had better get on with fabric choices, mmmm, the best bit.
Have a lovely day
Miche'le

Letting go and licenced to thrill

I have just finished reading a few of my favourite blogs and for those of us that either run quilt shops and/or create quilts for sale we all tend to have one thing in common, every now and then we have created a quilt that became special to us yet despite that we know that we can't keep the quilt and add it to the other pile of quilts that we have around our homes, it just has to be one of those that we let go.  I had this problem recently.  A friend and I challenged each other to complete a chosen pattern using a selection of charms sqaures identicle to each other and then developing the quilt beyond them.  Being rather competative I pulled out fabrics, auditioned them then got on with the quilt top once pleased with my selection.  The applique was done by hand and I quilted the finished product with a dense amount of stipple.
This 'Silver Eye' quilt became an absolute favourite of mine. So when a customer said she just had to have it, and that it would fit neatly into her 120 year old renovated cottage I knew that it was going to be treated with pride that was equal to the pride I had in creating it.  After all, that sale has given me licence to start another - as if I haven't got enough to finish in the UFO pile!