This week has been a strange and upsetting one in our house with Mollie, the much loved cannine member of the family, backwards and forwards to the vet. Thankfully she seems to be getting back to herself although the cause of her ailments remains a mystery for the current time.
Worry, tiredness and sewing to not mix.
Tonight though I have been able to set my mind to some sewing and have once again caught up on the Bloggers-Block-A-Palooza blocks.
Block #12 by Sugar StitchesThis quilt is really becoming a Friday night quilt, with most of the blocks pieced on a Friday night after work. Now there are only two blocks left I am looking forward to seeing the surprise setting arrangement and sewing the top together and then quilting me a quilt!
Block #13 by
Camp Follower
And Block #14 -
Follow the Leader from I'm Just a Guy Who Quilts
This block almost did me in.
It wasn't particularly difficult. It didn't use any techniques not already used in this quilt. The instructions laid everythig out. And yet at almost every stage I stuffed something up.
On Sunday I swapped the grey check and grey swirls when cutting the fabric (and didn't have extra to fix it). I went with it.
On Monday I pieced the pinwheel, then had to unpick it because I had forgotten to trim the HST units to size (all 20 of them).
On Tuesday I decided it was best to take a break.
On Wednesday I pieced the flying geese units - and realised I sewed the solid grey squares on wrong side to right side..... after I trimmed off the extra. Luckily I could move them to the other side.
You can bet your life I checked everything multiple times when sewing all the units together at the end.
All things considered I think this one turned out alright.
Do you ever find a pattern and a fabric range that have probably never met but couldn't be more perfect for each other?
I bought the Denyse Schmidt Cog and Wheel pattern a few weeks ago and then walked into the sewing room and saw my collection of Cogsmo prints, a 2008 or 2009 collection from Cosmo Cricket.
If I had been in a cartoon a lightbulb would have lit up above my head and I would have stuck a finger up in the air.
I have added the last couple of prints I didn't have to my collection after some careful searching and can't wait to get started after I finish of another couple of almost complete projects.
I have made some progress on the Doll Quilt for the swap.
I finished sewing the applique petals on during the week and am generally happy with their placement. There is one that is a little off but I tried to improve it an actually made it worse so I decided to leave it there.
This morning I pieced the back. I have gone with a background Kona Coal and some of the AMH prints for the strips. I really think the darker colour sets of the lighter prints and adds a contrast to the front.
And then basted the sandwich. Can you tell I really didn't want this to move? When quilted it will be trimmed square to just outside the circles.
And I've made a start on the quilting.
Where is the wierdest place you have ever sewn?
I work in a job that requires me to drive around a lot - and it is a decent drive from my home. That means lots of time stopped at traffic lights.
Why waste the time?
So what about it, were is a strange place you have stitched?
* I promise I don't sew while driving and am always safe about it :)
In the past I have posted about my frustration and dislike of hand sewing.
And for the exception that proves the rule I have done a lot (for me) of it in the last week and am planning a lot more this week. And I have been enjoying it!
The petals on the Doll Quilt are almost all sewn down, and the hand quilting is up next. I had a great time chooseing the thread colours on the weekend.
I also need to sew down the binding on this quilt. I pieced the top in April last year, basted it in September and quilted it a month or so ago. It has been a great couch quilt while it has waitied to have the binding sewn.
I think I have (finally) chosen the final border for the BSPDU quilt so as soon as this is on that will be basted and hand quilted. I got some more perle cotton coulours on the weekend for that purpose as well.
Embroiding the labels for the back is also on the list.
I can see a more social sewing week in my house. Not so much time shut away at the machine and more in the living areas of the house.
The next three blocks up for the Quilt Bloggers Block-a-Palooza hosted by Quilt Dad, John - now I finally have the pictures taken.
Bock 8 Basket of Geese by Angela from Angela Yosten: Moda, Home, Mom featured some applique. Not a worry (remember the Doll Quilt Petals - they are coming along by the way). I was going to needle turn mine (with the recommended fusible web for stability (fiddly with such small pieces). Why would I bother? I wash my quilts in the machine and I just don't like having raw edges on something that gets that punished. In the end though the triangle wouldn't sit flat with such small pieces so I machine blanket stitched them. Hopefully they hold up OK.
Block 9 Lemonade Stand by Scott from Blue Nickel Studios was more Flying Geese.
Did you know before I started this quilt along I had never made a Flying Geese unit? Course not, why would you? Well, when it came to triangles I was all half-square. But I might be adding a new unit to my repertoire. I think I like the version of construction in this block the best. Yes it is easier to join the squares to a rectangle and trim but there is waste, in that method and I don't like waste. And yes it is a little harder to have this unit end up square and the points to be all in a line but I'm usually up for a challenge.
The latest, from Thursday, was designed by Amy from Amy's Creative side. I like this block, I can imagine this being a whole quilt with the blocks turned different ways.
I wonder what is in store for us on Monday (or most likely Tuesday morning here in Australia)?
