Some (sort-of) finishes

The Country Yard held its New Year's Launch on Saturday - I've been sharing lately about trying to get my Show and Tell quilt finished in time for it.

As time went on, with lots of life getting in the way, I realised that the best I could hope for was to get it to a 'presentable state' rather than completely finished.

That was a realistic goal which really took the pressure off me. (And being stubborn, I like to quilt my own quilts even though I don't always have the time or the skills for it!!)

If I could master Edge to Edge designs on my Sweet 16, it would make life easier. One day maybe.

Prior to quilting  - yes it's a big quilt! (The pattern has other size options but of course I went for the largest!) —

Anyway, I've had lots of requests to show the completed top and here it is —

The quilting I did achieve was outlining all the animals and their quilts, quilting the mini quilts, some in-the-ditch quilting to stabilise it, and then basting around the outside. And trimming the outer edges to 1/4".  (All the pins were removed!)

At the shop, we hung it above the door as it has great impact there. The incomplete quilting wasn't very noticeable, and quite a few of the ladies I spoke to on our open day didn't even realise that it wasn't quite finished.

(The twins' family has claimed this quilt when the quilting is done and shop has finished with it.)

I quilted the mini quilts with a variety of techniques - some were meander style quilting, others had a little bit of ruler work and some were cross hatched.

They don't need anything else doing to them, but I would like to quilt some features in the animals and of course come up with a suitable background fill.

I couldn't resist taking a photo of these four ladies discussing it from across the mezzanine floor —

[As encouraged by Andree, I have now linked up to her regular I Quilted This linky party, which celebrates free motion quilting (FMQ), ruler work and walking foot done on a domestic machine or custom quilting on a long-arm. I use a sit-down Sweet 16 for my quilting. You can visit Andree's linky party *here*.]

The launch was a good day; it was great to show off our new projects and ideas.

Another thing I completed for the launch was this bag using the blocks I shared in my last post—

It's a Sewbe pattern and once I'd made the blocks, it came together really nicely.

The pattern asks for sewn fabric ties but I preferred to use the cord - luckily I had the perfect colour at home.

The above blocks also appear in another Sewbe quilt which we are making as a sewalong - more on my version in another post.

I keep coming across things I haven't shared......last year a few online friends and I decided to make a Temperature Tree.

It used the high temperature from each day, each branch is a month and each leaf is a day. It was fun to do it and I actually kept up quite well and finished it not long after this year had started!

I would have liked to have done it with the low temperatures as well as the highs but I'll have to save that for another project....and besides I haven't quilted my 2020 temperature quilt yet!

It was interesting to make this with the Australian ladies whose daily highs were right off MY chart!

I have yet to decide how to finish this - I'm thinking it will probably end up in a frame?

I know I've bombarded you lately with Lily and George's sewing adventures (with school holidays and their mother attending a 2 week training course I've seen rather a lot of them recently) but I have one last make of theirs to show you.

Lily made this little pouch prior to making the cushion of my last post. At the time George was piecing a 'blanket' which I don't have a photo of.

Four squares of fabric and a strip for the flap. Totally designed by her. I suggested sewing Right Sides Together to neaten it, and of course I cut the fabric for her.

She chose the pretty button which I sewed on but it took a while to work out the loop for the button. I was going to use some cord or something but then came across the wee hair tie which worked perfectly!

I think I'll sign off here before I find more things to talk about!

'til next time,

happy stitches,

Raewyn

Old and New

The New - I've had my foot down this last week and have made all 12 blocks needed for my Show and Tell quilt which I am making for The Country Yard's upcoming launch of new projects.

These blocks have been a lot of fun to make, and I'm looking forward to sewing them altogether.

Such rich vibrant colours!—

...and Old - Another set of catch-up photos from sewing I did last year. For Christmas I made Odie a new oilskin vest.

I made his first one for him back in 2021 when he was 18 months old. It has been worn and worn. Every time he helped feed calves last spring, I told myself he needed a new one. I decided that if I made it for Christmas, it would have a deadline and would actually get finished!

(*Here* is the original post I wrote back in 2021.)

Wearing it in 2021 as an 18 month old—

Wearing it in 2025 as a 5½ year old—

Here is the new vest made from one of the girls' old coats. I didn't take any photos when I finished it at Christmas and have had to wait till now to get them —

To make the back long enough I had to do a horizontal seam across the bottom. I'm pleased that, seeing it with fresh eyes, it looks like it is supposed to be there —

Here, I wanted to show that I used existing fastenings for the front, but he insisted I take a photo of the dinosaurs instead —

I'm pleased he finds this version as wearable as the first ♥ Yesterday (when I got the last few photos) he walked over to our place for some eggs. Here he is, walking back home again (the joys of having family living on the farm)—

The pattern is Pathfinder by Twig and Tale. The fabric used is an old oilskin raincoat, lined with winceyette/flannel. (Oilskin being an oiled cotton canvas fabric.)

Here's a wee update on my funny new chickens. I've started integrating them with the older chickens and there haven't been too many dramas. They're growing well and still look as Dr Suess like as they did when I first got them!

The kids have named them Buffalo, Sideways, Hot Chocolate and Zebra 😂

Time to get back to that quilt!

'til next time,

Happy Stitches,

Raewyn

Bears and some Farm Play

I had an uninterrupted sewing day yesterday and pieced together some more bear faces...these are the same (Show and Tell) pattern as the baby quilt (top) I put together last week — 

And some legs as well —

I'll put these aside until I make the small quilts these cuties hold.

Sneak peak of my progress —

Other sewing recently included making a simple purse. Cat-mad Lily happened to see a small square of cat fabric in The Palace last time they visited, and requested a purse with a zip.

I used a tutorial I had come across touted as the most simple purse pattern ever - just 6 seams and it's done!

Yes, nice and simple (and quick) but I don't like the way the zip is at the side seams so I don't think I'll be using this method again. (Sorry I didn't save the link to the tutorial so I can't share it.) I'll go back to a method with a neater finish.

But a 7 year old was happy with it so that is good - she loves anything with a cat on it!

(Warning, it gets a little photo heavy from here on in!)

School has started up again for most of the kids but Lily and George haven't yet gone back so they came to ours on Wednesday while their parents worked. Having them for a whole day at this time of the year is fun as we can get out onto the farm to play and explore.

They have a list of things they like to do —

Swing and eat fruit. Sadly this year's plum crop was a complete flop but fortunately the grapes are just starting —

Forage. The Totara trees are fruiting right now. Tiny little berries that only feed a bird, but fun to find all the same —

Go to the top of the big hill, roll down it and run back up again —

Go to the river (just a quick look this time) —

Go to the stream for a picnic and an explore —

{{As an aside; at first glance the stream doesn't look very inviting with that brown colour - but that's just because of its geological make-up. This photo shows how clear it really is — 

The stream starts as a spring in the hills somewhere above us and runs down through the bush, feeding into the afore mentioned river. It's filtered all the way down by all those stones, and supplies the farm (and our houses) with lovely water. We do UV filter it at the houses and shed but it is such a great asset.}}

Next on their list of things to do was to get the bubble machine going —

and do some sewing —

Mum (ED) came about 4 o'clock and Ganma collapsed into a heap. Haha it wasn't too exhausting but it was a pretty full on day!

'til next time,

happy stitches, 

Raewyn