High Teas and Stitching

I had a change of scenery this week, which was lovely. With our son-in-law taking over my farm duties, I was able to spend two nights away at Mum's. The occasion? Her 85th birthday!

One of my aunties arranged a High Tea in Tauranga. My first experience of one of these...very impressive - and yummy!

Although the weather wasn't very spring like (the whole country experienced an unseasonal Antarctic Polar Blast this week) the setting and outlook was very nice —

Mum in purple and four of her siblings; myself and my sister (on the left) and a couple of cousins. We have an open door 'policy' for our family celebrations...whoever is in town invites themselves and turns up. You never know who you will catch up with! 

Even the two coeliacs were well catered for! —

After the High Tea, we all gate-crashed my sister's for coffee, and then Mum and I stayed a bit longer for (a light) dinner.

Another day in the car and here I am back home again!

All was well with my animals. I'm sure the calves have doubled in size in the time I was away 😀

These guys didn't care who fed them - as long as they were fed on time —

But these ones were a little more sociable and came over for a chat and a nibble while I was gardening!

On the sewing front, my latest evening project is this stitchery —

I am nearing the bottom of it which is a good feeling!

(Santa's Workshop by The Birdhouse)

And I got to my quilting before I went away. I always struggle (ie procrastinate) to start quilting something but once I get started the ideas flow!

Do they look like bear's claws?!

The faces are all done —

And I'm about half way through the fill —

The churn dashes have been neglected so far this month, but I have started cutting out the next batch. Perhaps I'll get those sewn up this afternoon?

'til next time,

happy stitches!

Block-a-day-July Day 7

I often have a small boy to look after on a Thursday but he has a bit of a cold so it was Basting Day instead —

It took a bit of hunting and piecing to form a back for the Bears quilt.....I like to back my baby quilts in brushed cotton...I had a main fabric that was too small so surrounded it with offcuts from other quilts. It will do!

I did get the mending on the MOML's farm overalls done. I thought I just had some stitching on the zip to re-do but I discovered a holey knee as well!  Maybe that's why the job took (more than) several months for me to get to!

Today's block is a star I haven't made before. Another Tilda block for my Memory Lane quilt —

I thought I'd quickly show you a photo Lily wanted sent through to me the other day after she had laid the doll quilts out for her Barbies. These are all the quilts that 'she has made' lately! —

'til next time

happy stitches,

Goals for July

I had a grand plan for July, which was to make a block a day and write a post a day with it; as I have done the other odd time when I wanted to focus on block-making and blogging.

So what happened —

July 1st - YES I finished a block (which only needed a few seams sewn to finish it off) —

(Tilda Memory Lane project which I will talk about another time)

But with kids, work, supermarket and so on, a blog post didn't happen!

July 2nd was surely going to be my catch up day and a chance to get started on my mission.

A block got completed —

Omigosh! block. For the quilt by Sue Garman. It's a while since I've made any of these but now that I have finished making my 36-patch scrappy blocks (see *here*) I have a pile of 1" strips that need attention.

But with kids, the farm and a power cut, a blog post didn't happen!

July 3rd was to be the day to properly start on this mission. We did have kids and more kids during the day but later on, the time was my own so I sewed up my block(s).

(More Tilda Memory Lane blocks)

Then the hills called and I spent the last hour of daylight walking!

Today is the 4th and I am determined today will be the day to properly start this mission.

Today's block(s) —

Some nice straightforward Sawtooth stars.

I'm also signing up to Patty's One Monthly Goal. I haven't joined in for a while but this month I'd really like to get my Bears and Bears Paw quilt finished. I don't believe I have shared a photo of the finished top. Here it is —

This pattern is by Sew Fresh Quilts. I'm excited to get it completed and into the post for its recipient!

I have had a slow start to the month but hopefully it's onwards and upwards now 😀

'til next time,

happy stitches,

Tidying up April

Well here we are into another month and once again I have fallen behind on my reporting.

In my last post I was busy working on blocks for my Bear baby quilt. I've made it this far —

— and I feel like I am on the homeward straight now.

I have, however,  just realised that I need another fabric to use in the border. As my bears and paws blocks are basically just 'odds and sods' fat quarters this may slow me down. Hopefully not too much!

Also slowing me down a little is that I had a DrEAMi moment this past week. Suddenly my overflowing scrap bins started screaming at me. 

Drop Everything and Make It!!!

So I've started another scrap quilt project.

This one uses 2" squares. I hope these will chew more scraps up than my Omigosh blocks which only use 1" squares/strips. 

Anyway I'm making 36-patch blocks, using neutral coloured Moda solids as the alternative patches. I have a lot of these as well - trimmings from bigger stitchery blocks, etc, etc.

AND while I am at it, I'm trying really hard to cut up my scraps using Bonnie Hunter's scrap management ideas. I've always shied away from doing this ("What if I want fabric cut in other sizes!!") but feel ready to do this now. 

This DrEAMi moment has caused me to slow down on my bear blocks but it is extremely satisfying, and just a little bit addictive. I'm hoping that as I settle into this (long-term) sewing-of-my-scraps, it will become my leader-ender project.

Thank you to Sandra of mmm quilts for helping us celebrate these moments of madness when we just have to start something new.

Another wee distraction over the weekend was to sew a pillowcase for young Odie. 

There's a delightful story behind this. When I saw the fabric I just had to buy some for our tractor loving small boy Odie. It was still draped over a chair after I had showed it off to the MOML.

Nek minnit (apologies to the non kiwis) -okay- next minute, young George is visiting and asking if it was for him and can I please make something for him out of it. "Of course" I say, mentally adding another metre of it to my shopping list.

Next day, Odie is visiting, and that fabric is still waiting to be put away. He grabs it and spends quite some time carting it around the house while saying "Gandad tractor","tractor" and so on!

So I made him a pillowcase (he is using the ones I made his sisters long ago) —

I used the Burrito method but added an inside flap. I'm going to change how I do these as, no matter how much I fiddled, there was still a raw edge inside the pillowcase that needed neatening, and sewing down.  I love the burrito method but adding the flap just complicates it! Next time I want one like this I will give myself some time to play to work it out better. 

It's fair to say the pillowcase was a huge success. There was great excitement last night when he received it and he carried it around the house until bedtime exclaiming "Tractor! Tractor!" This morning he was still playing with it —

#whyImakethings

This pillowcase was my one and only finish for April.

I had a brilliant walk this morning, up the hills across the road —

You'd be forgiven for thinking we had another flood event happening! I am enjoying the misty starts to our autumn days.

I walked over 4 kms up these hills so am feeling pretty pleased with myself.

But the day has now turned a bit cooler and wet so I'm going to spend the afternoon sewing sashing and sorting scraps. Fun fun fun.

'til next time,

Happy stitches,

April again -

Who can believe it, here we are in April already?! I spent my first night of April admiring a stunning sky, and joining in with Cheryll (Gone Stitchin') in another Friday Night with Friends. 

I am up to Month 4 of Memory Lane, a BOM/SAL by The Country Yard. It's just finishing so I am quite behind but making some progress all the same.

Last night I completed this block —

Since I last shared this project, I have completed the following blocks —

I started putting these together last year but think I will wait until all the stitching is done - then I can have a decent play with my fabrics.

Since it was Friday Night somewhere in the world today, I did a bit of machine sewing this morning.

I put together one more star block for my Pop Star quilt which I am sewing with a couple of friends —

This brings my tally to 7... I had thought I was way behind with this, but as we are making only 9 blocks, I'm actually not lagging so much after all! (EDIT - it's a 12 lock quilt so I am well behind!!!)

I'm not so happy with the contrast of the middle star but I think it will be fine, really - I'm not re-doing it - and don't they always say you need a few ups and downs in a quilt to keep the eye moving and spark interest?! (Plus the light wasn't so good for these photos.)

This morning I also managed to sew up one more Bear block. (A design by Lorna of Sew Fresh Quilts.)

I had previously cut and sewed all the noses —

And now I have three. I need 6 per quilt and am making two quilts so these will be my main focus from now on.

I have four minutes (approx) until three children arrive so that their mother can do a photo shoot in town. So I'm going to quickly finish this post. I hope to come back later and put in links for the patterns, etc, and fix any spelling mistakes. (They're here!)

For now though, a big thank you to Cheryll for hosting us for FNwFs, 

'til next time,

happy stitches,

FNSI in May

I was happy to join in with Friday Night Sew In last night, spending the night creating and thinking about others crafting away at the same time.

I started by trimming and pressing the two latest stitcheries from my Country at Heart project. And of course taking a photo so I could share them with you.

I was determined to finish off the applique on the bear quilt I started on retreat...simple shapes and stitching really but it always takes me a while to decide on which fabrics to use where... (Leeanne, I could hear you saying "Just decide, just do it!")... I mean how am I supposed to know what colour handbag a bear wants?!

This morning I transferred the face markings onto them and hopefully it won't be long till those are (hand) stitched and the blocks will be ready to sew together :-)

Earlier on, while tea was cooking I had a little practise with my spinning wheel - you may remember last FNSI our neighbour ate with us then surprised me with a quick lesson/demo on spinning. I've yet to get real serious with my spinning (I hope to do that over winter!) but the other day came across a discarded crochet piece. It was supposed to be a cushion cover but got way out of shape and was put in the naughty drawer...so I've been unravelling it using my spinning wheel. It seems a good way to practise my treadling and getting used to the feel of the wheel drawing the yarn out of my hands. Quite pleasureable and a nice thing to do while pots bubble and boil on the stove!

Check out what the other Friday Night Sew In ladies were up to by visiting our wonderful hostess Wendy, *here*.

 I've turned into quite a mother hen lately - a few weeks ago I bought 8 baby chicks... not fluffy Easter ones - but gangly teenage babes. 

 My current chooks have mostly decided they are in retirement and my ONE layer went on strike while moulting. Buying eggs is not my goal in life. I've been very attentive with my new chickens to keep them safe - including being accepted by the other chooks.

Meet Henny, Penny, Jenny, Wendy, Brenda, Milly, Molly and Mandy —

I erected a playpen for them for daytime; made out of bits and pieces from the
nearby shed.
They always like to stand in their fresh bowl of feed!

And late afternoon I've been putting them back into this old guinea-pig cage,
so I don't worry about them all night.

Yesterday I decided they were ok to let out into the chook yard...after we had double checked the fence and sorted out the odd hole that has developed over the years.

Whew, no fighting going on, just a bit of glaring at each other!
I think they are big enough now to withstand a bit of pecking order business!

Hehe couldn't resist this shot of Mr Rooster!

Katie-Cat wanted in on the action!

As all good Mother Hens do, I went down and checked them at bedtime.
They looked hard case all lined up along the top of the guinea-pig cage!

 So that's my Friday night all done and dusted - and most of Saturday as well!  The day is running out for doing the hand stitching on my bear blocks by bedtime but 'll give it a jolly good try :-)

See you next time, 

happy creating,

♥