Don't bleed on the quilt!

The other day I started quilting my Cross and Crown quilt top (featured in my Crazy post last month). I really thought it would be done by now, but that's just how it is :-)

I decided to use my Westelee circles template. I used this for my Friday's Village quilt. It's been on our bed this winter and every time I look at it, I am pleased with how the quilting turned out. This was finished in 2018 and I haven't used the template since so I determined it was time to play with it again.

This has a pin/large thumb tack inserted into the quilt which the template spins from (remembering I am at a sit-down machine so the fabric moves, not the machine).

It's quite straight forward and has lovely results but you do have to mind where you put your hands - particularly when you are in the groove - 

I had a warning stab the other day - and then one that drew blood....so it was time to Stand Up and Walk Away.

Since then I've made some blood free progress - maybe I was just getting tired and careless and needed a break anyway!

I've quilted on most of the blocks - 

I will do more circles in the gaps - hopefully that won't take too long.

I found this photo the other day. I think I made the block in July. A kiwi quilter put a call out for Gumboot blocks which she could sew into a quilt (or two) to raise funds for Gumboot Friday. Gumboot Friday raises funds to provide counselling for young New Zealanders. It's an effective and worthwhile cause so of course I was happy to add my stitches to it.

My block was a foundation pieced one; part of a set of patterns called The Potting Shed by Jo Westfoot of The Crafty Nomad. Slightly fiddly in places but I was really happy with how the boots turned out!

I took some photos while out feeding calves the other morning. I now have three mobs out on the farm, getting a fresh paddock every second day. These are the younger ones, about 3-4 weeks old -

This paddock floods fairly regularly but you can see in the below photo, how high the house and sheds are in comparison, and why we always say we're safe and high and dry in a flood!

Next onto this mob, in another area of the farm; these ones are about 5 or 6 weeks old. They're in front of the calving mob of cows. New calves are coming very slowly - two one day, then none the next, maybe four the next then none!

And lastly, the oldest calves. Sometimes I squeeze these in before breakfast; sometimes they have to wait till after I've had my breakfast before I get to them! These ones are nearly ready for weaning - most of them about 8 weeks old. They're in a paddock I've not put calves in before - it's over the brow of the 'back hill', surrounded by bush and very little flat ground to park the feeder. However they've had a ball in there - it's very sheltered and has a good feed of grass which they've enjoyed. The top of the paddock is pretty high up - as you can see - 

Happy calves with full tummies!

As you may be able to tell, I quite enjoy getting out on the farm with the animals!

Ok, I think that's about me done for the night. Congratulations if you've got to the end.

'til next time,

happy stitches,

Raewyn

A finish!

I don't seem to have many these days so it's exciting to be sitting here announcing a QUILT finish!

Back in February I shared a wee peek of some blocks I was making and I haven't talked about them since. The blocks are from a Sampler Quilt by Pen + Paper Patterns.

The fabrics I used are from various Poppie Cotton ranges, and the sewing was for the New Year's Launch at The Country Yard (discussed *here*) .

The block numbers multiplied and by March I finally had a top; basting time —

Firstly I quilted in all the blocks —

Then I started on the background fill —

It was a silly idea to do such a busy fill, but once I'd started I had to keep going - unless I wanted to unpick it all!!

By the time the New Year's Launch came around I wasn't finished. However, I sewed a bit of binding on and tidied it up. It looked reasonably presentable - and I'd done enough for people to see - it was/is a Block of the Month for the shop.

However I brought it home and have now finished the quilting.
Serious shot —

Close - up —

Fun shot —

Orchard shot (with no chickens) —

Corner showing how I did the binding. I used a tutorial by Karen of Karen's Quilts, Crows and Cardinals. I love this technique/finish and have used it many times over the years. It is a nice way to machine sew on a binding.

And because I couldn't decide which orchard/over the gate shot to use, here's another one!

'til next time,

happy stitches,

What next?

After a flurry of wee finishes recently, and being away three times in the last 5 weeks, I was at a bit of a loss as to where to start next in The Palace.

Yes, I wanted to carry on with my Churndashes but I wanted to work on something else as well.

I used the ever-helpful and very scientific method of standing in the middle of the room with my eyes shut, turning around three times, then picking up whatever I saw first.....

My Boxer floor cushion (details *here*) won the day!

He was already basted so I chose threads and started quilting straight away.

I stitched in the ditch of the dog using black, which gave me time to think about what to do on his body. A few lines here and there —

A lot easier to see on the back! —

Now I'm onto the hourglass blocks which are around the outside. I won't stitch in the coloured triangles of these blocks and that will save me time by not having to change threads.

So far so good —

I'm linking up to Andree of Quilting & Learning- What a combo! for Free Motion Mavericks. A fun and motivating way to get some quilting done :-)

I've done a wee bit of stitching at nights, and have completed this piece. It is to be made into something secret so this is all I will share for now —

This is the first time I have done a bullion stitch (the lilac petals below) - a bit scary, but as they say, a blind man would be happy to see them —

It's a while since I've done an update on my calves. My job as chief calf-rearer is at the point of redundancy and I will become on-call farm hand and also She who Needs to Catch up on all the Bookwork.

I have reared 122, and 107 of them are now weaned and happily grazing out the back of the farm. 

The last 15 will be fed for a while longer; their mums dragged the chain a bit with calving - always the way - so these calves have a bit of catching up to do.

I took this photo the other day after all the heavy rain we had overnight, which I mentioned briefly in my last blogpost. You can see that the river came 'well up' but we were pleased it didn't flood at all. These calves had higher ground in their paddock so there were no worries about their safety  —

This morning the cows went into the paddock next to the calves. While they did stare wistfully through the fence for a bit, they soon remembered that me and my feeder gave them a much better bellyful —

These four are supposedly weaned. While we sold all the beef heifers (girl calves) at 4-10 days old, we kept 4 back to raise for the MOML's father. To keep them happy they get half a bucket of the milking machine rinsings (mostly water!) every morning. Tomorrow they go to their new home so are going to have to do without!

Actually I tell a lie, I didn't raise 122. The older twins reared a calf each for their school Ag day.

They were nice and big by Ag day and led reasonably well. It was a fun day and I think the girls were proud to have their calves there.

Kaliah and Bella —

Saydee and Penny —

Weather-wise it wasn't the most pleasant of days, especially on the exposed 'top field' of the school but we all coped.

Here the girls are resting and eating lunch while chatting to their great-grandparents.

Anyway, enough of my ramblings for now,

'til next time,

happy stitching,

Binding time

Once again I can't believe how quickly the days have gone by since my last post! It feels like not a lot has been happening in The Palace, BUT something has happened, and that something is some quilting!

I recently came across a linky party for Free Motion Mavericks and WOW! that is exactly how I feel about the quilting I have done on the Bears quilt for my great-niece. Very maverick-ic, if that is a word!

When I was piecing the quilt I told myself (continually so that I would get the message) that I was going to do an all-over quilting design.

"Quicker and all that is necessary on a child's quilt."

When I was basting the quilt I told myself (continually so that I would get the message) that I was going to do an all-over quilting design.

However once I sat down, the bears told me they needed proper faces —

The Bear Paw blocks told me they wanted a bit of fanciness and to look like claws —

And then I decided a feather fill would be perfect for this quilt.

I think I've broken every feather rule in the quilting world. I have small feathers, large feathers, long feathers, short feathers, wonky feathers, beautiful feathers, all side-by-side.

And to add insult to injury, I have small spirals, large spirals, spikey spirals, loopy spirals —

And because the border fabric is busy, I just did a diagonal checkerboard there  - I did try to measure to get it all even but didn't get it quite right; however it's barely visible and a wee lass won't be bothered by it!

Binding will happen over the next few days and then I will have a long awaited finish!

Thank you to Andree at Quilting and Learning -What a combo! for encouraging me to join the linky. If you want to see other Maverick Free Motion Quilting, or join in just go *here*.

And binding of a different type. Over the weekend we attended the wedding of one of ED's best friends. ED was in the bridal party, and YD and  I travelled down south (to the Waikato) together for it.

It was a great 36 hours away; the wedding was held at an Alpaca Farm which added an extra bit of fun and personality to the proceedings! 

We were told by one official-type person that we were allowed in with the Alpacas, but were quickly shooed out by another!

The bride's family and ours (well, me and my girls) spent a lot of time together when they were teenagers. The girls attended a lot of horse competitions so we travelled together, camped together and the girls rode together. Here are the girls with their 'other mummies' —

(YD in the red and ED on the right.) (The bride in her Dancing Dress!)

Such a fun night. I'm slowly catching up on my sleep (!)

'til next time,

happy stitches,