Finishes for January

YD or her hubby try to visit at least once a week so their boys, two large dogs, can have a good run on the farm. When she arrived this morning she told me that while they were here we would be bib making for young Odie. Apparently his current bib situation doesn't keep up with his messy food habits and dribbly-ness.
After a quick search through my stash she found a few suitable fabrics.  While she was turning The Palace upside down and inside out I hunted out some towelling and the pattern I'd made by drawing around his bib on Christmas day.
Gandad took the boy for a few minutes and before long we had a bib. 

Modelled and in use —

After they had gone, I made another one. (YD had left a wee pile of suitable fabrics for me to work through!)

My goal for the month was to finish Odie's Lorax quilt, and here it is, ready to gift for his birthday next week —

I do tend to custom quilt my quilts, rather than all-over designs so that does mean a few thread changes. Aurifil #50 is my thread of choice. I like how the thread has a nice sheen but doesn't take over the quilt. As well, the spools are a useful size for the amount of quilting I do. Just as well I've built up a good selection of colours over the years!

I started with a foundation pieced centre. The Lorax came from Fathom in Stitches. A great site for this sort of design. 

I quilted simple circles in the Truffala Trees and then more Truffala Trees in the background.

As a nod to Odie's Ngati Kahunganu heritage I also added some stylised Koru as fillers in the background.

Finding the border fabric really helped me to cement my design as I wasn't sure what I was doing until then, apart from the central Lorax! In it I quilted 'meandering squares' - I'm not sure what the design is called,  if it actually has a name, and is one inspired by what I've seen Suzanne using on her blog in the past. I think it was just right for this border and sewed up really quickly!

The cornerstones in the outer border are probably the most densely quilted areas in the whole quilt, but I believe they work really well!

I left it too late in the day to take my photos and there were too many shadows. In the end I discovered the swing frame was the best place!

And I have one more make to report. Lily's Paw Patrol cap went missing at daycare. It was the only one she would wear. Luckily Ganma happened to have some Paw Patrol fabric in the Palace, so I got to work.
I used the Twig and Tale Sunny Hat pattern; this is a fabulous site for practical and stylish clothes - with great instructions too.

Lined with ladybugs. It can be reversible if she tires of Paw Patrol.

I fussy cut the pink fabric as it would have looked silly with a whole lot of puppies cut in half —

And ended up with a rather impressive crown!!

'til next time,

happy stitches,

Goals - A monthly one at least - and ramblings

Early last year I made lists and plans, joining up with Gail and Cheryll in doing some planning for 2020. It had been a couple of years since I'd done any official planning and I hoped that it would help me to achieve a little more quiltyness. Gail was running PHD in 2020; where we finish UFOs and complete anything we start in 2020. (My list *here*.) Cheryll and her WOOFA challenge encouraged us to work and make progress on a list of projects (My list *here*.). I started both of these with a bit of a hiss and a roar but as the year progressed, I just didn't seem to get to them, nor the monthly link ups. On the whole, my quilty sewing dropped off as other things got in the way. I had made great lists though and I did look at them regularly, and that was really useful in helping me to focus and less likely to start something new. So I didn't start as many projects as I was tempted to, they went on my 'one day' list. For some I bought the patterns or fabric so they are on the 'committed to starting one day list'!

This rather lengthy intro leads me to what I am going to do this year. I'm keeping with those lists. I'm committing to focusing on those projects already out and sorted. I'll probably start some new things but will try not to get too carried away. My December (One Block A Day) challenge shows I can do things if I put my mind to it, so I'll try to capture that energy again!

Last year I got the top of young Odie's Lorax quilt completed. And it even got pin basted. Although I've missed the deadline to sign up to Elm Street Quilt's One Monthly Goal link-up I'm setting this goal anyway.

As Odie turns one near the beginning of February, I think finishing his quilt will be an ideal aim for the month.  I have cleared away some Christmas things (paper and other shambles!) and can now get to my Sweet 16 so that's a start.

The MOML and I just had a couple of nights away, our SIL kindly milking for us and looking after the stock. We went further up north to a little place called Mangonui. We've been there before and like the small town feel with just enough eateries and places of interest and close enough to other attractions to keep us occupied. With kiwis not able to holiday outside NZ, Mangonui was packed to the rafters and we were very lucky to get somewhere to stay.

Mangonui doesn't have swimming beaches, it was once a whaling station and is more well known as a fishing settlement. There are a lot of bays with swimming beaches nearby which everyone was flocking to.

Where we stayed, a remodelled 1861 building. Very nice —

The MOML enjoying an ice cream on a very hot summer's day —

This weekend two of our families are off camping and we are dog minding. It feels like a real circus around here.
Big ones —

(I took the boys plus our dog Emma up the back hill for a good run to wear them out.) We've had a little summer rain this last week and the farm is looking a little greener than it was —

Small ones (took him out for a run as well; he had fun chasing pinecones) —

To add to the complications this guy has sore teeth and is having trouble eating. He's on medication and his teeth will be 'seen to' when his mouth clears up a bit, hopefully in a couple of weeks —

Plus Katems (aka Katie Cat) has come home. Some time in 2012 she moved out of the house down to the old pig sty to live. She's been quite happy down there, initially with Jingle who had also moved out (and passed away 2 years ago) and getting fed twice daily when the chooks are fed. She came inside once about 4 years ago and was quite happy until she saw Timmie cat. They hissed at each other and she took off again. Timmie is no longer with us and so far she has been here for two nights. We'd dearly like her to stay at the house so we're doing the best we can to keep her feeling safe (and away from all the dog visitors)! She's coming up for 18 years old, by the way.
Back to being fully domesticated —

As you can tell from the non sewing photos, there's been little sewing around here but,

'til next time,

happy stitches,

Day 8 of Block a Day December

My day got off to an interesting start this morning when I had to do an emergency dash to Playcentre to go on a Snuggly hunt.

(Snuggly is the precious sleep buddy of 2 year old Lily.)

I searched high and low but poor Snuggly was nowhere to be found.

After a call with ED and some further research on her part, Snuggly was finally found in the horse paddock! Crisis averted - whew!

That was about as exciting as my day got; I did some tidying and sorting and by afternoon was ready for some sewing.

I kept it simple today, sewing up the Scrappy Sprouts I'd prepped the other day —

There are six in this strip now. I think I'll keep it like this.... I have seen some Sprout quilts with flowers at the top of the stem so I'll do some research and gather some ideas.

In other breaking news, I started basting The Lorax quilt today —

I thought, "Right, I've made a start, time to feed the animals and get onto dinner" but he looked so unhappy with just one undignified pin that I gave in and added a few more!

I'll finish basting in the morning and hope to start quilting tomorrow too.

'til next time,
happy stitches,

Friday Night With Friends

...and Day 4 of Block A Day December —

Finally The Lorax has got his eyes!! While it didn't take me too long, this is about all I did for Friday Night with Friends, hosted by Cheryll of stitchingcubbyhole. Thank you Cheryll for having us along :-)

I used my Perfect Circles, they didn't quite come out perfect this time but are very straight forward to do this way and look okay!!

During the day, I sewed up my one block for the day. Actually it was two blocks today —

These are for my Omigosh quilt. They didn't take too long to make as I started with this little pile which just needed assembling —

Because this is a leader-ender project there are always units sitting around at various stages.

Below is what I will be working with next time I pick it up. A bit of this and a bit of that and before I know it, there's a new block :-)

Thanks for your encouragement on my daft challenge of a block a day this month!!

'til next time,
Happy stitches,

Block A Day in December

I'm setting myself a new challenge. Don't ask me why but it seems like a fun thing to try.

A block a day in December.

Sewn and blogged.

Every day.

Given this year's sewing history, it will be a challenge but I like to do these things sometimes.

Today's block —

I'm hoping you can tell that it's a Christmas Gnome block! The free pattern is at sewcanshe, scaled down to 6". {Cutting instructions for that size are found at thecraftyquilter.}

It's just a block I saw once that I wanted to make. And now I have.

It was fun to go through my box of Christmas fabrics, I haven't rummaged through that yet this year!

In other news. Last week (before the onslaught of children) I got the top of my Lorax quilt together. Here's a quick photo of it. I've just realised The Lorax needs some eyes, and not just pins; hopefully I'll get onto that tomorrow.

 Okay, short and sweet.

'til next time (tomorrow hopefully if I can keep this up!),

happy stitches,

More trees and sprouts

There's been more sewing and decision making going on around here lately.

And there are more Truffula Trees for the Brown Bar-ba-loots —

A small forest now, The Lorax will be pleased. Four more added to the two in my last post. 
And now comes the exciting bit; piecing the blocks and somehow making these blocks and The Lorax block work together in a quilt for young Odie :-)

I looked up at my design wall to use and it was covered. A month or so ago when I was still in my calving-funk I put my scrappy sprouts blocks up in the hope that they would inspire me to get working on them. (After all, it was one of the many projects I optimistically wanted to complete this year for my PHD). However they didn't inspire or motivate and have just sat there glaring at me. 

And now I needed the space for The Lorax quilt.

Instead of just packing it away I told myself I had to sew another block. 

The problem I have had with sewing this project together as I go is that I put too much thought into planning the next colour; the transition from one colour to the next. My stumbling block was where to go after the blue/green blocks in the row second from right. 

(The Sprout photos aren't the best colour-wise I'm afraid. I took the photos too early in the day.)

Anyway, after forcing myself to put some thinking power into it, I realised that if I am doing it in rainbow order (as seems to be happening) then blue is the logical next step on that row.

And, what do you know? Sewing flowed —

Four more blocks which equals two more 'sprouts'. 

The blue works well —

After that bit of inspiration I packed it away so I could use the wall for The Lorax quilt. The first rounds of borders have been added —

A little while ago I got a message from Lou of the Manxgirl blog. She and her hubby were going to be 'up north' and wondered if we could meet somewhere. Of course!
As I was still busy with feeding calves I wasn't sure how I would do it, but we started weaning more and more calves and I could see light at the end of the tunnel. One mob (of 20) left on once-a-day meant I could leave them to the MOML for a few days and work in a visit to Mum's as well as a drive to meet Lou and Tony. Mum moved about 6 weeks ago from the farm she'd lived on for 60 years (and about 49 in the same house) and I hadn't been able to get down to visit.

It was so nice to meet Lou; we've been bloggy friends for a while and I knew we'd get on :-)

Lou and I exchanged gifts, as you do. I wasn't organised enough to make her something but made sure she had the materials to make herself something!!
She made me a lovely zipped pouch.....

Tucked inside is something to open closer to Christmas time —

Thank you Lou, I love it, and thoroughly enjoyed meeting you :-)

Time to be off, there's a Lorax quilt waiting for attention,

'til next time,
Happy stitches,