Block-a-day-July Day 6

Home alone was a fabulous way to be today - it started with a new needle and some oil for my machine and can you guess what I was up to next?

I got to sew!!!

My block for today was to be another Sawtooth Star - but because I had several hours at my fingertips, I managed 7.

That gave me ten stars, which was all I needed for what I've been thinking about lately.

You may remember that I finished my Pop Star quilt top in time for Sandra's  Pop Star parade a few weeks back. Since then I realised that the young lady it is intended for has just turned ONE - I was picturing her as about 6 months old! When I realised that, I decided I wanted to gift a slightly bigger quilt. I remembered that in the link-up parade Stephanie had made her Pop Star longer by adding some more stars top and bottom.

Great idea I thought, and now I've done the same —

Looking at it now, I think I will add 2" strips to the sides as well. So it will have a third finish!!

(Sandra's pattern for the quilt is in her Etsy Shop.)

Next on the sewing list for today will be to mend a pair of the MOML's farm overalls. They've been sitting here for several months and will only take about 5 minutes to fix...not sure why I've put them off so long!

'til next time,

happy stitches,

Block-a-day-July Day 5

I made one block today. These blocks finish at 8" so sew up pretty easily. Perfect to make while dinner is cooking—

I wasn't sure if this level of contrast would work, but it seems to, so I'm pleased.

Last week the MOML and I had a few nights away - our winter 'holiday'. Just a chance to recharge our batteries before we get busy with calving. That will happen all too soon, and keeps the MOML under the pump until at least Christmas time.

We knew the weather wouldn't be nice but the chance of a few sleep-ins and a change of scenery presented itself so off we went.

As is our habit, we headed up north. Often we like to go to a nice beach or bay somewhere but decided on somewhere a little more populated so that there was plenty to do if we couldn't beachcomb!

(A grey day at Waitangi)

We stayed at Waitangi which is where New Zealand's Treaty of Waitangi between the Maori people and The Crown was signed in 1840. 

(A grey day at Russell. Waiting for the ferry to take us back to Paihia/Waitangi.)

It's a short ferry ride to Russell which was an early European settlement - well known in the 1830s for its lawlessness and a place where "whaler, seafarers and merchants mixed with adventurers, deserters and escaped convicts from Australia." As well as bullet holes to be found in the church, and amongst other places of interest, there is Pompallier House. This was once the headquarters to the French Catholic Mission to the Western Pacific. We took a tour around its Printing press and tannery, which we found fascinating. Quite a bit of history and some interesting stories hidden within. 

(The tannery outside. As well as leather being needed to cover the books

(all of which were printed in te reo), it was used for shoes and so on.

The raw hides were imported from Australia in the early days. Not one

bit was wasted - fat scraped off the hide was used for glue, candles.)

(I imagine it would have been a very smelly place!)

I was doubly interested to see how the printing press worked after reading about Jamie's one in the Outlander series.....I can now picture the heavy bit of machinery he transported around the countryside and also the 'types he set' (not to mention the ones Marcelli made from their gold bars!).

A lovely NZ Tree Fuchsia in the grounds. I must try growing one of these; I love their flowers.

We did a bit of shopping one day (I now have a couple more shoe boxes to keep projects in!)

We visited the Waimate mission, another early European settlement.

The trees in the grounds were gi-normous. Goodness knows how old this Totara is —

Not long after the above photos I became violently ill after being fed gluten for breakfast (arrgghhh!!!) so I spent the rest of the day in bed while the MOML strolled around the town and had Eccles cakes for lunch.

The day we left the weather brightened up! —

In spite of the illness it was a lovely few days away :-)

'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,