Cutting on Day 15

Day 15 of my August blogpost a day challenge

Years ago, my girls painted up a sewing room sign for mum. It hung on her door for a long time and became another homely feature of the family home. It came back with me when we were sorting out her place - I'd taken it not knowing quite what to do with it - but recently realised there was really only one place for it....under the sign YD made for me —

So I smile every time I enter the room ♥

With the finishing of my leader-ender project *back here*, my sewing time has become disrupted as I don't always have something to lead or end with (!). I've started making these blocks for a project that is slowly percolating in the background (more on it another day).

The trouble is that it uses squares that are nearly 4" for the half square triangles and I don't have many already cut to that size - nor triangle offcuts hanging out in my scrap bins, so I do last minute cutting when wanting to use a leader-ender 😕.

I decided to solve my problem by having a good cutting session today and pulled out my Accuquilt Go! cutter to help me with the job.

Now I bought this second hand a couple of years ago and have barely used it. It came with some basic shaped dies but I've bought the odd fancier one when they've been on special -  Curved 9-patch and Drunkards Path.

One I ordered and had sent to Sue's place in Australia, to bring home after Scrub Stitching. I didn't realise how big it was and had fun and games trying to get it into my suitcase!!

Anyway, I pulled out the cutter this morning and had a merry old time - I'd forgotten how quick it is to cut a pile of pieces using that gadget.

I cut the fabrics just a little bigger than needed, piled them up and rolled them through. 

Not too much wastage —

Then I got busy with scrappier pieces, carefully overlapping them before rolling them through too —

Wow - in no time at all I had a decent pile of triangles to use for my blocks. They should keep me in leader-ender heaven for a little while.

I have another silly animal photo to share - the Silly Chook Photo of the day —

'til next time,

happy stiches,

Raewyn

This and that

Day 14 of my August blogpost a day challenge 

It feels like there is nothing much to report today - I haven't had a chance to think about a blogpost!! Fridays are my busy day, when I work off the farm at the quilt shop.

That involves getting all my wee beasties fed and happy first thing and then racing home afterwards to do it all over again.

Happily for me today, there were no new calves to teach to feed, and I'd done a bit of mob amalgamation yesterday which streamlined my feeding and made the job a bit easier.

ED and her two kiddoes popped into work after school to collect some eggs. They live near to the shop so I often see them there. Cat-mad Lily swarmed in on a pattern that had not long arrived, teamed it with some fabric and subsequently put in a Christmas request!

It was another wet day so I spent most of the day hoping that my older outside calves were looking after themselves. It was very warm so they were well and happy and none the worse for wear —

but ready for their dinner —

I tried to entice them into the dry shed but only a few were interested (including someone with high spirits!) —

After an easy dinner it was time to settle into some stitching —

— and entertainment from McGeorgeous who thought it might be time for daylight saving to start?!

'til next time,

happy stitches,

Raewyn

More LeMoyne Stars

Day 13 of my blogpost a day August challenge.

I have finished the last two stars for the Plains and Pine One Block Five Ways sewalong.

To recap, five different techniques were shared to make the LeMoyne star; each by a different designer.

(My first post about these was *here*.)

Needleturn applique was the fourth technique —

While I've done a lot of needleturn in the past, I didn't enjoy this as much as the previous ones - all 8 points of the star were cut separately and sewed back together again....haha...sounds just like patchwork doesn't it?

 If I'd used different coloured fabrics, it might have been a little more interesting!

And the final technique was - apparently - English Paper Piecing - but using special printed stickers and machine sewing so I was a bit intrigued as to how it was done.

Because I didn't have access to the stick-on templates, I used the suggested Freezer Paper. My freezer paper was recycled (that was all I had) and didn't stick very well (!!). I ended up drawing lines on the fabric instead of using my falling off freezer paper. It was a little like the Y-seam technique in the end.

It sewed together ok though and here it is.

It was interesting to explore the different techniques and I'm pleased with all the blocks. I think I enjoyed the first three stars the best - Y-seams, FPP and Curved Piecing, but all the techniques had their place.

Of course, 5 blocks don't make a quilt, so I will be making a few more LeMoyne stars at some stage to complete the set!

'til next time,

happy stitches,

Raewyn

Running in the Rain

Day 12 of my blogpost a day August challenge

Every year about this time the local primary schools kids take part in the Taniwha Challenge. This combined schools cross-country event is hosted by one of the country schools further west from here, (Te Horo at Pipiwai) and kids from at least 8 of the nearby rural schools attend. 

It's a great community event where locals gather and catch up.

And cheer the kids on of course!

We had five grandies running so it was a full on family affair.

To save time and hopefully beat the rain, the girls and boys races were combined.

Blonde Kaliah and Saydee neck in neck the whole way until Kaliah had an extra burst of speed at the end!

George in the green and red — 

— and Xavier, blonde in the blue, were in the same race, and not too far apart —

Odie, running his first race, ran in the pouring rain, but had a good run too.

We were so proud of them all, not because they all finished within the top 8 (!) but because they all tried so hard, and ran their very best.

Being winter/early spring it's usually wet for this event and today was no exception! Not cold though.

With the exception of 2 grandies (one in Hawaii so a good excuse) and YD at work, our whole family was there - running or supporting. So in spite of the rain and the mud, it was a fun day (we were home by 1pm).

'til next time,

happy stitches,

Raewyn

Mum's thread books

(Day 11 of my blogpost a day challenge in August)

I'm still working my way through the bits and pieces from Mum's that ended up here at our place.

When she first got into embroidery many years ago, she started making thread books for her DMC threads.

They were one thing I wanted to keep (and use!) as they'd been her constant companion. There was always one or another out on the side table next to her lounge chair.

I finally decided where to put them, emptying out a drawer for them.

And I thought I'd photograph them before I put them away.

I think that this was the first one she made. I understand that she got the chart from an Embroiderers Conference in the 'Wonderful Wairarapa'.  

Full of threads —

For there is no friend like a sister to calm to strengthen to cheer to lift and to love.

(It's interesting, Mum wasn't known as being overly sentimental but she was not adverse to stitching sentimental prose.)

Three smaller ones - here she used the linen rather than upholstery fabric for the cover. Forever practical, my Mum.

Tied together with shoelaces!

And tucked into their new storage space - they fit perfectly.

(Now to find somewhere to put all the papers I pulled out of the drawer!!!!)

We're not sure what caused last night's power cut - it was off for a couple of hours. We recently bought a battery back up for our internet connection - usually when the power goes off, everything goes off. That was great last night but we decided to have an early night.

Today I had a hemming job to do for ED. I took a big breath and got them done and out of the way —

In the end, it wasn't too hard a job - the fabric was a little slinky and I wasn't sure how easy it would be to sew - not too bad - whew.

'til next time

happy stitches,

Raewyn

whoops

Tonight's blogpost has just been thwarted by a power outage!!!

Here's a photo I took first thing this morning-

'til next time,

happy stitches,

Raewyn

A splash of yellow —

— on a wet day.

From frosts to rain. We had a soggy day today, so once the animals were all fed and happy, I spent a day in The Palace. 

On a Sunday I ignore the bookwork/office duties so I had some of extra sewing time.

First of all I tackled a wee job that has been waiting...converting several of Olive's bassinet sheets into a cot sheet!

I'd cut up a length of poplin to make the bassinet sheets, and now it is one piece again!!

Then, under the supervision of two cats —

I made the August Rainbow Scrap Challenge block. 

(Whoops, swapped out the sunflower print)

I was amazed at how long it took me to find enough yellows for the block!

It was still raining this afternoon when the afternoon calf feeding marathon began again. Yesterday I (and Odie) started feeding the oldest 20 with the bike feeder out in the paddock —

They spent all day in their shed but braved the weather to wait for their dinner —

And once fed, they all disappeared back into the shed!

'til next time,

happy stitches,

Raewyn