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

Sunday, January 23, 2022

Summer catch up #1

I started writing a post, hoping to do a catch up and counted over 20 photos to share!!!
So, here will be half of my catch up, in a few days I'll finish the catch up, and then I'll try to stay caught up...hopefully!!
Summer's in full force here, we've had some hot days and the farm has burned to a crisp. On the really hot days, a great place to visit is the stream partway down the farm. It feeds into the main river after starting as a spring somewhere up in the bush and winding its way up down.
It's a fabulously cool place to be, and very peaceful and relaxing. I took some friends who visited earlier in the month up there. They had their four dogs with them, and they really appreciated the spot —
A few days later, while childminding, I took the kiddies there as well. we walked up quite a way. When there are deeper pools we skirt around through the trees but I do admit to ferrying children along one particularly long deeper patch - I was in water up to my knees but the kids all stayed dry!!
Here are Kaliah, Saydee and Xavier having a picnic lunch on the 'old bridge' afterwards —
When it's too hot for much action outside it's nice to sew, of course.
I've picked up my Wings and Pretty Things project. I haven't worked on this for a long time as my evenings got busy with other projects last year.
Two more applique blocks complete —

And Miss Lily requested some clothes for her Barbie — 
This pattern is a free t-shirt pattern from Pixie Faire which I adapted to form a dress. I used a Barbie ED used to play with to check the sizing and halfway through sewing I had a sudden fear that the Barbies of 20 years ago might be a slightly different shape/size than today's ones. The dress was a perfect fit for the old Barbie —
And luckily was perfect for a 2021s one too. So perfect that a second dress *exactly the same pwease Ganma* was requested for her Barbie #2! 
I'd been happy to find a scrap of fabric in the cupboard for the dress (I made tights from it for ED when she was about 8!!) - luckily I squeezed the second dress out of the leftovers this afternoon and there's definitely only scraps left now - very satisfying to finally use up that bit of fabric that's been sitting there for so long!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Some of my favourites in the garden at this time of the year are the swan plants and monarchs. I have some really decent sized plants which provide a lot of food.
And lots of seedlings come up which soon get stripped bare. Look how many are feeding off these stalks! —

'til next time,
happy stitches,

20 comments:

  1. The stream does look pretty....... OMG the barbie dress is amazing...... Never would I make something so tiny

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  2. You have more patience than I do to make Barbie doll clothes! What a lovely day with the grands. They'll remember these special days the rest of their lives. Happy stitching!

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  3. I would not have patience for Barbie clothes but I do love your creek with all the lovely ferns and greenery - I would love walking through that area - is the water good for walking in - by that I mean nothing that will bite you lol or like leaches etc? It looks so pretty.

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  4. The sera looks like a nice cool place to visit. You’re such a good grandma to make Barbie clothes. Your appliqué is beautiful.

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  5. As I enjoy looking at your summer photos I look out my window at 3" of snow. I would love going for a walk. I love your applique blocks. Hugs

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  6. So interesting to see all those monarchs on the swan plants. Here in western New York they eat milkweed. Wonderful progress on your applique blocks.

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  7. And in looking up swan plants I learned they are a species of milkweed! Though ours look nothing like your photos.

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  8. Oh yes--memories--growing up we had a nice little stream that we played in and up on one bank was a nice wood table and some seats that someone had made and we often had a picnic lunch there!!! Nice Barbie doll clothes--I don't remember playing with Barbies--but my younger sister, Barbara--had a nice collection of them and she kept them and often bought the new one they introduced each Christmas in the fancy gown--believe her daughter now has that collection!
    Have fun stitching and keep cool--
    hugs, di

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  9. How lovely to have the plants and monarchs to watch. A bit of magic at your doorstep. Well done on those weeny barbie dresses. fiddly diddly. The stream looks such a beautiful spot..
    Hugz

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  10. How nice to go to the stream on hot days, I bet the little ones enjoyed their picnic. Well done with the Barbie dresses, they look small and fiddly. Your applique blocks look great Raewyn. The caterpillars certainly eat a lot of food! Good you have the big plants. I used to like watching their progress at Mum and Dads place.

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  11. I am glad I could virtually go with you to such a beautiful spot. It is so lovely.
    Barbie dresses are nuts to make - so small.

    I love the caterpillars!

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  12. Your stream looks very inviting, as does the sunshine! Gorgeous butterflies. Your Winds blocks are lovely. I have just unpacked my bias strip presser thing so I can crack on with mine now. xx

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  13. Nice to get back to your appliqué stitching the Wings project…
    The stream looks the perfect spot to be when it’s hot…
    How can you refuse such a gorgeous request to make some Barbie doll clothes .
    Must say you do have more patience than me.

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  14. Your stream looks like a fun place to visit and for the kids to explore. The doll dress is too cute...that is one lucky Barbie!

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  15. I feel cool just looking at uour beautiful stream! Great to see Wings there...so pretty too! Well done on the Barbie sewing! My pretty pink Pentas has been decimated by caterpillars too. I should have realised planting for butterflies actually meant food for caterpillars lol!

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  16. That stream looks like the perfect place to be on a hot day.
    Your Wings and Things blocks are really well done. Have an elegant, yet whimsical feel to them.
    Good job on getting two Barbie dresses from your scraps. I remember sewing bunches of Barbie clothes when my girls were small. I don't think either of my granddaughters ever owned a Barbie. :)
    Love the Monarchs. I can't believe how many of the caterpillars are on the plant. They used to feed heavily on the milkweed plants along our ditch banks, but we haven't seen any on them in over 2 decades! Just this past summer I saw a couple of monarchs in the yard. Hubby and I were having dinner on the deck and when I saw the butterflies flitting around I shrieked! Hubby thought I'd been stung or something, but I was just so shocked to see Monarchs in our yard again. But still no sign of the caterpillars on the milkweed.

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  17. You are the best Ganma ever!!! Supercute dress and a very happy granddaughter. Win Win Win!!!

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  18. The stream does look perfect for the hot days. I can imagine the little ones would love to go exploring. Such a pretty spot.
    Glad you have managed some stitching time too. I do make doll clothes but gosh they can be fiddly.
    The caterpillars do love your swan plant. Stunning.

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