Catch up time

Gosh it seems like I've been trying to write this blog post since whenever - it was supposed to be written in time to link up with Patty's end-of-April OMG line-up - it wasn't. Then I was hoping to link up with the May set-a-gaol for the month link-up and still it didn't happen!

Never mind, today the 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th hopefully, is the day that I will get this post up and return to blogland!!!

(Yes, this is about the 4th intro paragraph I have written for this post, over the last few weeks!).
Last month I had hoped to get a toddler quilt together for my great-nephew. 

While I had made some great progress, two Gruffalos got in the way!

More recently helping some extended family has taken up our time.

This is what I had started with. Blocks left over from another quilt.

I spent several days making the letter blocks.

Give me an M —

Give me an A —

— and so on —

I made the letters using Improvisational piecing, as outlined by Sarah Fielke in a Quilters Companion DVD I received several years ago. It was quite fun but the 'S' was a bit of a challenge!!

And here they are sewn together —

As for the other blocks for the quilt, I added strips around the edges to build the size up a little. I had imagined a lot more scrappiness but soon realised I was happier with single and wider strips on each edge, rather than lots of skinnier ones. There was not a lot of measuring and calculating, I used what I had and what fitted. And then I trimmed the blocks as necessary so that I could join them together.

The trucks and tractor needed wheels. Fusible web and blanket stitch. I had forgotten how slow it is to do the tractor tyres with all that knobbly tread!

A bit more piecing —

and finally a quilt top —

This has ended up approximately single bed size, so is a bit bigger than I thought it was going to be. I'm pleased, however, because the young fellow will be 3 this year so it should be a perfect fit!
(NOTE to self... if you take too long to put together a baby quilt, you have to make it into a much bigger toddler quilt - how about that for motivation for getting them done while the child is still very young!)

I really would like to get this quilted this month and will go for something simple and all over. We have a full house for now and the foreseeable future so I'll just have to see how it goes!

And I do have a little more sewing to report but I won't push my luck too much and will save that for future posts.

As an aside though, I have another batch of wee chickens to rear (they were about a week old when I got them). The kiddies had a nice time meeting them the other day. 

I thought this photo was pretty cute —

'til next time,

happy stitches,

A goal and a finish for April

This time last year I was making Xavier's Tractors and Trucks Buggy Barn quilt which I gifted to him in July —

Because I used a different layout to that given in the book, and because of the method of making the blocks, I had 3 blocks left over.

I had thought that I may use them to make a quilt for my (great) nephew, but in the meantime they were stored away. He recently spent a few nights in Starship (NZ's children's hospital) and the quilt idea came to mind again.

So I've pulled the blocks out and have decided that creating a quilt from them will be my One Monthly Goal for the month. I've started having a play, using a few leftovers for a start —

I was so excited last week when I finished my March goal and wrote about it in my last post, but forgot to link up to Patty's linky list!!! When I realised, it was too late - haha oh well, maybe this month I'll do everything right!
Thank you Patty of Elm Street Quilts for this gentle encouragement to help us achieve our quilty dreams.

Back in February I made a pair of Wayfarer shoes for young Odie. At the time YD and I dreamed up an idea for the next pair. I doublechecked with her recently and yes, she does still want the next pair.

This pair started with an old oilskin —

And some scraps of polar fleece I used to make myself a jacket years ago.

A cute little finish!

Turning the shoes through at the end —

The technique used is similar to that used when making burrito style pillowcases. Which reminded me of one I'd made earlier in the year and not yet shared - an early make for next Christmas! This one will go to the same family as these two, made a couple of years ago.

If I'm going to link up to One Monthly Goal, I'd better sign off now!

'til next time,

happy stitches,

I think it was Thursday today

Tea was an easy choice tonight as we found a decent amount of mushrooms out on the farm. I don't eat mushrooms but the MOML loves them so he was very happy.

I put a column of Foxley Village together today. I didn't realise how big this quilt is going to be, I had trouble finiding somewhere to hang it for a photo!

And Yaay! The Buggy Barn quilt has become a flimsy. I have to do a hunt and see if I have enough of anything suitable for the back.

I waved it from the deck when 'the neighbours' popped over to borrow the buggy for a farm ride, and I think young Xavier approved :-)

I did another hill climb today. It was a lovely day and a nice walk —

I saw, in the bush, that the Lycopodium is nearly ready to flower. (It's also called Creeping Club Moss, I've just discovered. Lycopodium is a lot more fun to say!)

Looking back down the main race towards the sheds and the road.

Did you ever play with Sycamore tree seeds? We have a tree and it still has a few seeds left. 

This plant came from one we had on the farm while growing up. One year I remember Dad offered us 50 cents per plant to grow him a whole lot for planting out on the farm. 

Once again Emma enjoyed a nice swim. It got pretty hot while we were out walking, I wouldn't have minded hopping in with her!

Hope you're all cheery and well,

'til next time,

happy stitches,

Nearly there —

I got this far with the Buggy Barn trucks and tractors today —

All the tyres are appliqued and I'm ready to join them together.

Because each type of block is a slightly different size there is the odd gap in a couple of the rows. I decided the simplest thing to do was to add strips of matching fabrics in. I really only had strips left over but they'll work — 

I considered missing today's walk so I could spend an extra hour getting these blocks together but the walk won out in the end.
Down to the bridge to say hello to the horses —

Catching up with the MOML who was feeding out for tomorrow morning —

It's not ALL hills around here!

If you catch the centre tree at the right angle, it looks like it's dancing...

Can you see it?
Yes, I know, easily amused....

Past the cows —

I've been watching this bunch of bananas, ready to run out and pick them the minute the birds start pecking them. I've been amazed there's been yellow fruit but no birds —

But I didn't realise there was another bunch that was even more ready. A gathering of Silver-eyes gave the game away —

They do a lot of damage!

Midnight tonight marks 4 weeks of strict level 4 lockdown. We're to stay this way till next Monday when we enter level 3. Level 3 is nearly as strict but gives the opportunity for more businesses to go back to work. I'm not sure how it will work as customers are still not allowed to go into shops. I guess there will be a lot of the Click and Collect type shopping or online sales. The MOML is looking forward to getting a new chainsaw chain!

Our bubbles are mostly supposed to stay the same as they are now so socially it won't be much different to how it is at the moment. 

'til next time, 

healthy and happy stitches,

Sunday's happenings

Here we are completing another weekend in lockdown; where one day rolls into another so easily.
I had a minor distraction, making myself a cute wee pincushion —

I joined the Tilda Lovers Facebook group and others were making them this week, so I thought I'd join in too. The link to the free pattern is on the Tilda website.
It's EPP and a nice design to fussy cut; my attempt was fair, but I'm happy enough with it.

I spent time on my truck and tractor Buggy Barn quilt. The pile of vehicles that need their applique finishing is still larger than the pile of done ones, but it won't be long till the scales tip the other way, and then I'll be done. It's all just simple round the circle work now with no big super tread tyres left to do! 

All done pile

To complete pile

It was another pleasant autumn day today; we had a wee bit of rain overnight which was welcome. We've had just about 5-6 mls three nights in a row now and we think that perhaps the farm is greening a little but of course we need a lot more than that to be able to feed the cows over the winter and spring.
I helped the MOML shift the cows along the road this morning - nothing more dramatic than simply making sure they turned into the gateway but it formed the start of today's walk.

I continued along the road to show you the hairpin corner in the road. Contour and water ways dictate so many aspects of our lives!

There's a nice view up a valley at this point too.

I 'jumped' the fence into a paddock, walked cross country and ended up at the other corner of the farm. I wandered along the river bank back to the main bridge so I could walk home up the main race/track.

If you expand the photo you may be able to see both the bridges.

When we came here there was only this small bridge to cross over, the cows mostly forded the river - not very easy when there's been rain and it's up a bit. A flood took out half of the old bridge a few years ago but there's a nice little step for me to climb up onto it (the thrills in my life!!!)

I also like to try and play Pooh Sticks to get rid of the debris
but it's all a bit big and heavy and stuck!
(And the water is deeper than it looks!)

Hello to the girls as I walk on by. Happy now they've got a fresh paddock and some silage.

See, it's looking a little greener!!

'til next time,

happy stitches,