My quilting thoughts and inspirations sprinkled with a glimpse of life down on the farm

Friday, July 31, 2020

July round up

After trying all week, here is a last minute attempt to squeeze another blogpost into July! Funny how sometimes I can blog every day and then other times I can barely get here!
Never to mind. In spite of trouble getting to my sewing, I have a couple of bits of progress to share - yaay!
On the machine sewing front, I wanted to make a pouch to gift some sewing bits in for my DIL. She'd borrowed my second best (but family heirloom-type) sewing scissors back in lockdown, and when I started missing them, I decided she needed a pair of her own and a few bits and pieces to go with them.
I was working with a nice scrap of linen I found in my cupboard and true to my style, it was a very scrappy affair; making sure the elephants were the right way up on both sides took the pouch from a simple sew-in-a-zip-and-line-it affair to something more complicated. I think I made this a lot more hard work than I needed to - even though I was going to line it, I decided to do the bottom strip burrito style as in the popular pillowcase method. It meant I could add some pellon and put an extra layers, since the linen was heavier than the cotton I was using.
I did do some crosshatching on the base but you can't see it here!
Anyway, I got there, the scissors fitted in it (I almost forgot to measure!!) and I was able to gift it 😀

Continuing on with the sewing theme, I finally finished the last applique block for Foxley Village! I nearly had to do a deep clean of my sewing room (aka The Palace) as I'd misplaced my precious Perfect Circles (Karen Kay Buckley) which I now find essential for circle-making. However I only had to go one layer deep in my cleaning before I found them!
So one completed block —
Here is the first half of the quilt, photo shared some time ago —
...and here are the last applique blocks. Progress!

Baby Odie decided he needed an Arigirumi Gir-Affe and YD passed on his request. I found a cute pattern but spent ages hunting down some yarn - 4 ply in anything but pastel baby colours was hard to find but I was finally able to make a start.
And a finish.
I haven't done Arigirumi before but it was kinda fun. (As in kinda). Although I see my crocheting isn't dense enough (you can see the stuffing!) I'm still happy with the result. And apparently Odie loves it too!!!

I splashed out on some fancy yarn and made myself a warm hat during July as well. I try to buy only New Zealand yarn - this was made in New Zealand and was 80% NZ Polwarth and 20% Camel. I'm pretty certain the camel was not made in NZ (!) but it knitted up really nicely and is lovely and cosy to wear!
The pattern was Everglade by Woolly Wormhead and was a delight to knit.
OK, the end of the month deadline is approaching so I'll sign off now, I hope you're all doing well and keeping safe and happy,

'til next time,
happy stitches,

21 comments:

  1. that burrito base is new to me ... looks great and I'm sure DIL is very pleased with it and her very own scissors.... well done with foxley village progress... I love the perfect circles too. Your giraffe is gorgeous as is it's owner... lovely. and I do think your hat looks great too... you have done heaps even if you haven't managed to blog too often...
    Hugz

    ReplyDelete
  2. The extra work you put in the bag for your DIL make it more special. I love Foxley Village, so bright and cheerful. Happy stitching!

    ReplyDelete
  3. I've never heard of the burrito base method but it looks great and I'm pleased the scissors did fit. Perfect gift for DIL. Did you get your heirloom scissors back ?
    Foxley Village is just such a cute quilt with all the appliqué blocks.
    Oldie is so cute and s is his new giraffe ...
    Nice warm cosy hat....

    ReplyDelete
  4. Love all your cute projects--and the photos are great--
    and isn't it fun to make yourself something nice once in awhile --
    like that cute red hat--!!!
    The baby picture of course is the bestest!!!
    luv, di
    Who is waiting on a hurricane to hit this coast of Florida on Sunday!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Another lovely post Raewyn....wish I could say I have made such progress, however, hand quilting a king size appliqué quilt is my excuse.. i am off to Auckland on a bus trip today - 16 of us are hitting the patchwork and embroidery shops. Should be fun.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I haven't hear to a burrito base method either, the bag looks fantastic though and it is just as well the scissors fit after all that work!! I hope yours came home. Love your beanie , wool sounds good, those NZ camels must be hard to find 🤣🤣.
    Odie looks very happy with his giraffe and your Foxley Village is coming along well, I use the perfect circles too, most important to use!! It will be hard for you to get sewing time now you bare busy with the calves.

    ReplyDelete
  7. The bag looks awesome. Love the Giraffe and Foxley Village is developing. Fabulous hat.

    ReplyDelete
  8. LOvely post, baby with giraffe, elephant pouch, pretty applique and a woolly hat too. It's always busy at your place!

    ReplyDelete
  9. The sewing pouch is gorgeous, especially with those elephants.
    Great to see the progress of Foxley Village, too.
    I think the giraffe is a delight.
    And your hat is lovely. You do have a lot of wonderful knitting yarns in NZ. I wish we saw more of them here.

    ReplyDelete
  10. The elephant fabric is just delightful! Sometimes it is worth doing the tricky stuff when the fabric demands it 😂. I am super impressed with your crochet skills... those little animals always look so complicated.

    ReplyDelete
  11. That looks like a nice cosy hat. After my one encounter with arigurimi? I swiftly gave the book away! Lovely pouch - nice work and nice work too on Foxley. xx

    ReplyDelete
  12. Love the post. It made me smile. Everything so cute, fresh, and fun. Plus a sweet baby to boot.

    ReplyDelete
  13. The cute elephant pouch with her own scissors was a very thoughtful gift.
    Those circles are perfect--and the large flower is a masterful fussy-cut!
    I don't even know the meaning of Arigirumi, but the giraffe and the baby are each very cute.
    Looks like a very cozy woolly cap. I admire your versatility with so many fiber arts!

    ReplyDelete
  14. Wow how you manage to get so much done is beyond me! Especially in the knitting and crocheting (never heard of Arigirumi but am going to google it right away) departments! I love that case; I’ve never heard of making it the burrito pillowcase style so now you’ve got me doubly intrigued!

    ReplyDelete
  15. I've not heard of the burrito base either, but it is such a cute bag. Your Arigirumi is ever so sweet and I love your hat. The applique is going to be stunning on your quilt.

    ReplyDelete
  16. I love those elephants, and that giraffe is adorable! :0)

    ReplyDelete
  17. Love the elephants and a good reason to get your scissors back lol! Odies giraffe is too cute! So is Odie! Foxley is looking great....love your fabrics.
    Your hat is so pretty....well done!

    ReplyDelete
  18. For someone who was struggling to find time to stitch, you achieved so much. I love all the projects.

    ReplyDelete
  19. That giraffe is so cute, and I love the hat! Can't crochet but I can knit and I'm looking forward to cooler temps to pick it back up. Hope I can make the time this year.

    ReplyDelete
  20. Raewyn - what a talented lady you are - applique, quilting, crochet, knitting, sewing. Impressive! My Mom makes Amigurumi giraffes for her great-grandchildren (and I twisted her arm to give me one!) Enjoy the rest of your week!

    ReplyDelete
  21. You certainly have achieved a lot, some great projects there, and no wonder you might find it hard to blog.

    ReplyDelete

Thank you for visiting and taking the time to leave a comment. I read and appreciate them all and try my best to reply. Have a great day!!
(If you are a no-reply or anonymous blogger and would like a response, please leave an email address.)