When Pigs Fly

A wee while ago I thought it would be a fun idea to sign up with Joan's When Pigs Fly bloghop challenge. I say 'challenge' because it's always a challenge for me to sign up for something and see it through.

When it's months away we have heaps of time to prepare but of course we know, that like Pigs, Time sure does Fly (and I had some last minute sewing to do)!

Many will realise that a PIG, in the quilt world, stands for Project In Grocery Sack. Here in New Zealand we don't call them Grocery sacks. Project in Supermarket Bag (PISB) doesn't have much of a ring to it, and neither does Project in Cardboard Box (PICB) ...... and that is what my chosen UFO is; a project in a cardboard box.

As the box was getting quite battered, a result of being pulled out and put away numerous times, not to mention a perfect cat sleeping spot (which is why the lid is bent and no longer functional), it was a logical project to pull out, try to finish, and re-pack in a new container.

The project being Foxley Village by Natalie Bird, which was a 2016 BOM through the Australian Homespun magazine. I think I started mine in 2017 so it's bordering on a long-term UFO.

I thought it was going to be a quick finish and that I just had some columns to join, then decide on borders and it would be progressed to the needs quilting pile.

Oh yes, here's part of it-

But my memory had failed me - this block is definitely not a column!

And it doesn't fit - yet!

Some Flying Geese were made - 

Plus a 'Hovering Hawkks Variation block' - 

A little more sewing and this section is assembled - 

and finally I have complete columns which are joined -

Part of me wants to call it a day here. The pattern has an outer border that I'd rather not do. It's just not my favourite.

Jenny changed her border and I admire it every time I see it behind her when we're on zoom (Chookshed Chatterers).

(Most of the fabrics used are from various Tilda ranges.)

So while I decide what to do with my borders, this will be put back into a (new) box or bag. Thank you Joan of MooseStash Quilting for encouraging me to pull it out to work on.

Apologies for being slow to post today, I wasn't happy with my initial photos of the top so had to wait for daylight to take some more. Other bloggers who are also posting about their Flying Pigs today (and possibly have made more progress than I have!) are - 

Tuesday June 20

Quilted Delights

Ms P Designs USA

Selena Quilts

Just Because Quilts

Stitching Farm Girl (That's me)

Bumbleberry Stitches

There is a full list of the whole bloghop on Joan's blog.

'til next time,

happy stitches,

Old-ish things

I think I'm not the only one who has trouble coming up for titles for a blog post? 

Sometimes a title is obvious, other times it's a boring repeat (e.g. 'Time for a Catch up" - I've used that several times!)

Today's title stretches the imagination a bit with this grouping of subjects with a very loose connection!

An 'older' project pulled out recently was Foxley Village. I started this a few years ago. Last year (or before?) I diligently worked through all the (hand) applique blocks and then put it away. I realised though that I had missed a couple of applique blocks. They needed some piecing to get them started.

I thought of them, and pulled them out recently when I was wondering what to do in my evening stitching chair.

I joined these to the sheep block I had completed previously —

And then thought -hold this blogpost- I may as well finish the section! 

This apparently is called a Flock of Geese block —

And this completes Part 6 from the July 2016 edition of the Australian Homespun magazine!!

Memory Lane is an 'old-ish' project because the stitcheries in it are all from designs done over the years in The Country Yard's mystery stitchery projects. A bit of this one and a bit of that one. It's been nice to make as I didn't do all of these BOMs, although I was involved with cutting fabrics, layouts or mailouts of many of them!

It was my UFO project for the recent bloghop. Finally here it is all together, with all its borders on —

A little more detail; top —

and bottom —

So onto the quilting pile it goes!

I came across this very old little cutie the other day. Made by ED many moons ago. All completely by hand... I insisted my girls did their first bit of sewing by hand as Mum had insisted that I do my first bit of sewing by hand!

You can't really see the 'button holes' - just loops of thread for the buttons to slip into😀

This wasn't her first piece but definitely one of her earlier ones! I suspect I may have been at work at the time. There was a period when I would arrive home and my girls had made amazing bits and pieces - Harry Potter capes included, all by themselves with just my stash cupboard and their imagination at hand!

Another 'old' thing is this finish from last month - George's jersey. 

He was really excited about it, and ED recently reported that this, and Lily's cardi from last winter, were extremely cosy on their recent holiday to Mount Ruapehu, where it was a lot colder than it is here.

We don't need a lot of this sort of clothing here, but the odd item comes in handy!

'Old' plums found at the bottom of the freezer the other day became some yummy jam.

YD visited the next day and insisted on scones and cream to celebrate the new jam! 

(GF scones are never that flash but were well disguised with the jam and cream.)

Fuelled by his lunch, Odie had a great time out n the paddock with a bike and his dogs —

And there are plenty of photos to share about all my calves who are keeping me busy but I'll just share these two today. The two 7 year olds led their pet calves over for a walk the other day...a reasonable distance and they were all still smiling by the time they got here!

The adults chatted and the calves waited while the kids played —

Off home again —

One last photo; freesias courtesy of YD. Just lovely!

'til next time,

happy stitches,

Some February sewing

My One Monthly Goal in February was to complete another column for my Foxley Village quilt.  (This pattern was originally in The Homespun magazine, and is now available *here*.)
It shouldn't have taken me too long to complete but with two weeks jury duty and other general busy-ness I nearly had to report a fail. 
Luckily I'd sorted my fabrics early on, and another time, I did the cutting, so this afternoon when I had a spare hour or so, I got busy on the machine.

Two friendship stars, some trimming of the applique blocks, a bit more piecing and this part of the column was done —

and joined to the first half —

Small progress but some progress. Thank you Patty of Elm Street Quilts for hosting the One Monthly Goal linkup, I doubt I would have completed this if I hadn't joined in this month!

I have (belatedly) rejoined Cheryll and her WOOFA challenge this year. Foxley Village is on my WOOFA list so I'm pleased to report the progress on it for that too ☺

Something else I achieved this month was whipping up a pair of shoes for wee Odie. I've been eyeing up this pattern for Wayfarer Shoes by Twig and Tale for a while. 

It looks like lots of pieces, but it's not complicated. I used cotton on the outer, fleece on the inner and a ridged denim for the sole.

The pattern has multiple sizes so I am thinking some of the other kiddies might like some to use as winter slippers.

I knew I saved my Moda tapes from fabric bundles for a reason! —

Here they are being modelled —

And in action at playcentre. Great for walking on the pumice —

This was an experimental pair and YD and I have some cool ideas for the next pair!

I did do some other sewing in February but I'll save that for another post.

'til next time,

happy stitches,

Block count and a goal

This month I am joining Patty of Elm Street Quilts and her One Monthly Goal link up.

I made very comprehensive lists last year and because I didn't make much headway on them, I'm working off the same lists for this year's projects.
Foxley Village was something I did pretty well with last year. I completed all the applique blocks. And I even made some of the pieced blocks.
There are four columns. Here's the first two completed columns —

And here's part of column four —

This month I aim to get column four completed!!!

Please visit Patty *here* to either sign up yourself or to have a good little look at other bloggers' goals.

I completed Block Three of The Santa, The Tree, The Turkey and Me (by Anni Downs) recently —

And have made three more Omigosh! blocks —

And another two Scrappy Christmas blocks —

Although I was focused on getting The Lorax quilt finished in January, I squeezed in a little block sewing time!

With the temperature quilt blocks and other bits and pieces, these latest ones took my block tally for January to 24. I've signed up with Shelly of Prairie Moon Quilts to do the 350 block challenge - January's goal was 31 so I'm a bit short but oh well.

I thought I'd finish with sharing a photo of Lily wearing the hat I made her, shown in my last post.

It's passed the test - she loves it!

'til next time,

happy stitches,