Sunday, July 30, 2017

Re-stitching

I hope to be out enjoying a beautiful Summer's day today.

My garden has been sadly neglected, so I'll try to get some fussing done with that and start re-thinking what the future of this perennial  bed will be in the coming years. 

As always though, I started my day with a bit of slow-stitching. 

Last week I had to rip out four blocks and correct a mistake...luckily it didn't take long at all....I've gotten three done now, and one to go...



It was easier to applique them the second time as the pieces held their "needle-turn" from the first time :)


We've had a few clues that Minnie is getting closer to her time. By this time next week she shall be a momma!

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We prepared her bed yesterday with some newspapers and she jumped right in and started to get comfy. Yes, the time is near!


This week I managed to get my fabrics organised for the upcoming mystery offered at Meadow Mist Designs called Magnolia Mystery. I'm looking forward to starting as Cheryl's last mystery quilt was so well done.


I couldn't resist the fabric second from the left....remember the "fortune" tellers we played with as children? I can't remember if we had a name for them???? I wonder, if I got out a piece of paper could I make one again?...I think I could!

My background fabric is yardage I've had for over ten years...I'm actually going to use the "other" side of the fabric since I like it better.

I think I'll make it my goal today to actually take some slow stitching outside and do some stitching in the fresh air!

I am linking up with Kathy at Kathy's Quilts for Slow Sunday Stitching (if you leave a comment on her blogpost today, you are in for a chance to win a giveaway!), and with Cynthia at Quilting is More Fun Than Housework for Oh,Scrap!.

Have a good one!




Sunday, July 23, 2017

(Un)Stitching on a Sunday

On Friday I was feeling sorry for my progress on my Dutch Treat quilt....you can read about it here and even a few days earlier here.

I was definitely ready to call it quits, especially after I'd had a few messages from others who have started and not finished this quilt!

I don't know why I thought to try one more block....but give it a hit of spray starch first.

Right away things were going better...



Wow, a nice smooth curve with none of the dreaded fraying that I've had problems with!

I'm quite impressed so far, especially after having so many frustrations!....



I guess I'll keep at it for a bit, but next block I'll be sure to pick one that has some inner corners. Those are what give me the most aggravation, so we'll see if the starch helps with those.

I know people say that starch attracts silverfish. Is that only in certain parts of the world??? I know my husband starches his shirts and we haven't had a problem here.

Here is the finished block, I'm quite happy with it!....



As for the un-stitching on this Sunday morning.....

A couple of weeks ago I'd finished the four of these blocks needed for my Down the Rabbit Hole...





They've been up on the design wall as I've been constructing the houses for this round...


It was only yesterday that I realised that I used the wrong background fabric for these four blocks. Maybe I could have left them, but it really won't take much to make it right.

So, bring on the seam ripper...



Hopefully, if I'm careful, I can re-use the applique pieces.



On Saturday I started getting things organised for the Guild Retreat Day that's to be held on Tuesday.

I've decided to get back to the Freefall Sew-along that was offered by Sandra at Musings of a Menopausal Melon back in the early Spring...



I'm looking forward to seeing how this one turns out!


Our little Minnie is only a couple of weeks from expecting her puppies. She's been acting a bit odd lately, so I thought maybe we should make up her nesting box to see if that would help. She jumped right in before we'd even finished and made herself at home...



I wonder if I have her dates wrong...I don't think so, but we'll see. I figure around the first of August. 

A friend of mine makes little beds for dogs using her smallest snippets of fabric as stuffing. I've been saving mine, but have nowhere nearly enough to make beds for the new puppies to take to their forever homes. 

Maybe some of my more local friends could save their bits and pieces in the next month and give them to me at the September guild meetings to recycle? It would be greatly appreciated!

I am linking up with Kathy for Slow Sunday Stitching, then I think I'll go take a little while longer to do some stitching...and un-stitching. I am also liking with Cynthia for Oh, Scrap!.



Friday, July 21, 2017

This is supposed to be fun!

I'm still moaning about my Dutch Treat applique project.....so sorry!

This morning I finished up this block...


I realised as I was trying so hard to take some nice stitches without the fraying that seems to happen that I was gritting my teeth. 

That's when the thought struck me.....this is what I do for fun and because I enjoy it!!!! I gave myself permission to call this one done.

So out of the 196 or so blocks needed, I have nine :(

Then I stuck the nine up on the design wall to take a picture....


Darn it all, don't they look pretty???

Maybe I'll compromise and do a block occasionally when the mood strikes.

I hope you are having a more satisfying time with your stitching this week than I am.

Today I am linking up with Busy Hands Quilts for Finished or Not Friday.




Wednesday, July 19, 2017

Hello, hello!

It feels like quite a while since I've sat and written a post.....so sorry!

For the first bit of July I had nothing quilty to talk about, then we booked an impromptu trip to Cuba!

Since being back I've been ill, along with having an infection in my ear, on my eyelid and in a gland in my armpit....not a happy camper the last few days!!! I'm starting to feel a bit more human today even if I don't look it.

We went to Toronto the day before our trip as we had a very early flight the next day. I'd never been to Yorkdale Mall, so we ventured in. I have to say, none of these stores show up in the malls that I usually frequent!

I did have fun in the Christian Louboutin shop...




As a shoe lover, I have to say I may have been drooling just a tad.

Cuba was wonderful....the best holiday we've had. I absolutely love looking up at all the varieties of palm trees...


This was our third trip to Cuba, but the first time we've spent a day in Havana. As a quilter I was in sensory overload with all the colour. I wish more countries would be so decorated in colour. I will have to visit Canada's east coast as I think the people there love to have colourful houses, as well.

For some strange reason, all the photos I took on my phone in Havana are not showing up in my Gallery, but here are a couple...




The food was great, but the pastries were over-the-top delicious! I don't usually eat much refined sugar, but this was vacation-time, right???

And, because we like to watch The Great British Baking Show, I knew that one of these pastries was a vol-au-vent and actually got to use "vol-au-vent" in a conversation! 


Entertainment in Cuba is always fun and well-done. One day this woman came around to the pool to invite everyone to the evenings festivities...


I'm not going to share the photo I took with her....some sights are better off not seen!

Here are some of the entertainers from that evening...


I did take some stitching with me to Cuba. 

I planned to do some sewing on my wee houses on the plane. 

Luckily, I remembered that I should trim the pieces ahead of time as I didn't want to risk taking scissors on the plane and have them taken from me by security. So, I trimmed them in the car on the way to Toronto....which was a good way to pass the time as I'm not a good highway passenger!


Those blue scissors are always at the spot where I applique in my house. Yesterday I couldn't find them anywhere, which was driving me nuts.....then I came across this picture and remembered they were in the car. If I hadn't taken the picture it probably would have been months until looking in the glove box of the car!!

So I did do a bit of airplane sewing...


.....and in Cuba I would sit with my morning coffee on the verandah and do a bit of work on my Dutch Treat blocks. I have to admit that sometimes I find these blocks frustrating. I actually thought long and hard whether or not to continue with this project. 

When new quilters come to me feeling frustrated, I tell them to allow themselves to be a beginner. Those words came back to haunt me, so I will continue and hope to see some improvement.



I hesitated to enlarge those two pictures, but what the heck, you may as well see them, warts and all!

One more thing to pass along. I've come across a blog put on by the PEI Modern Quilt Guild. In September they are hosting a Mystery Quilt-along and I'm going to join in. I've not done much in the way of Modern quilt-making, so this should be fun. You can find out more about it and see the fabric requirements HERE.

Today I am linking up with Lorna at Sew Fresh Quilts for Let's Bee Social, with Mama Spark's World for WIP's with Friends, and with Susan at Quilt Fabrication for Mid-week Makers.

Have a wonderful hot, humid Summer's day!