Eclectic Pastimes

Crazy Quilt Journal Project 2

2012-02-01T03:48:00.000-08:00

Not my favourit but I wanted a fairy and didn't have on a light background

The corner blocks to be done through the year

Babushka Wednesday 9

2012-01-18T04:42:00.000-08:00

Babushka Wednesday 8

2012-01-11T04:36:00.000-08:00

This really is very best favourite of them. Well I still haven't got that last one done so its one more till then.

Babushka Wednesday 7

2012-01-04T04:30:00.000-08:00

Well 2 more to go before I need to get that last one made and do the borders. I'm wondering if I should sew them together as in the pattern or add some sashing between them. hmm, if I do that I will have to decide what colour. Any ideas would be welcome.

Crazy Quilt Journal Project - January

2012-01-02T23:18:00.000-08:00

January

It was harder then I thought trying to stick to a bottom of the garden theme. I wrote down an insect or animal on each of the pieces of paper that represent each month, this one was caterpillar. Well we can't just have the butterfly.

Crazy Quilt Journal Project 1

2011-12-29T20:36:00.000-08:00

Well you know that saying about the best laid plans. I made the block last month so I would be be ready to start embellishing when the New year arrived, then it had an accident. There was a bit of a gap on the seam so I decided to place a cat on it but the iron was to hot.

Of course it had to be a piece I got in a swap.

It came from here.

Oh well will just have to be a plain piece

The Offending cat

Put together again. Cat is much better there then where it was going to go before to cover the gap. So now its ready for the New Year

Babushka Wednesday 6

2011-12-28T23:24:00.000-08:00

The centre block. The lace trim is hand made bobbin lace made by my daughter, the one who the quilt is being made for should I ever finish it.

Hexagons of Scraps

2011-12-26T15:56:00.000-08:00

hexagons of scraps

I made my first hexagon quilt when I was 6 yrs. old. Well it never got to be a quilt but it did become a cushion cover that was used until it disintegrated. I have probably made several million hexagons in many sizes but really like the 2 ½ cm (1"), as it fits nicely into the scrap that doesn't quite make it to a 6 cm (2 ½") square. Well the scraps were starting to mount up so I started on another ~~UFO~~ project, these really are scraps and I don't want to make the usual grannies garden so for now will just make hexagons until I have enough to sort into colour groups, will see were it will go then. A self propelling mystery.

Babushka Wednesday 5

2011-12-21T23:18:00.000-08:00

This is my second favourite, I love the little one.

Babushka Wednesday 4

2011-12-14T04:13:00.000-08:00

These four small blocks have to be put together, its not my favourite set but maybe it will look better when its sewn together.

Babushka Wednesday 3

2011-12-07T04:06:00.000-08:00

This is one of my favourites, it was my first except it didn't play nice. I love the colours, It was the second one I made as the first one printed out to small but I didn't realise until I had finished it. This one had an accident when I dropped the pen so has a beauty spot.

Snowmen Tuesday 49

2011-12-06T04:39:00.000-08:00

Well Christmas is here once more, all the snowmen are out of there box once more, naturally there has to be a snowman rug around, this one was made about 5 years ago. I just can't resist those panels of blocks, then can't think of what to do with them. this was easy as they were all square so snowball blocks for snowmen seemed just right. I do have several other snowman prints that are not quite as easy to use, hmmm maybe next year.

Snowman knee rug

Crazy Quilt Journal Project - 2012, (Starting point)

2011-12-03T04:48:00.000-08:00

Rough sketch of what I want to do, no guarantee as even when there my own inspirations I seldom follow through on them, the blocks are shaped in such a way that they can be made into purses or needlecases if they don't get put together.

Each block has been drawn out on paper so that I'll have a bit of a chance of getting my fabric colour reasonably in the right place. Each month I'll pick out a sheet randomly then when the blocks embellished use the sheet to finish of the blocks ( as in English patchwork) When I have two or more joining blocks I'll sew together and embellish the seam.

I've marked each backing square in the same way as when I make the hearts for the Chains of Hearts group. I draw the seam line one one side, turn it over and redraw exactly over marking.

I find if I used white or light coloured backing that I only have to place the block on a light surface (cloth, paper) to be able to see the first outline through the fabric so I don't need to use a light box or window to trace it.

I place and sew on the fabrics making sure I place well over the pencil line

I turn it over and machine stitch about ½ inch from seam line. Tack in a nice bright thread on the penciled seam line so I don't stitch past that point as sometimes I get carried away and forget to stop. I always tack the seam line as I know from hearts I have received that sometimes its damn hard to remove machine stitch and just because thats suppose to be the seam line it doesn't mean it will be in the same place after embellishing. I know some people like to leave at least an inch of seam allowance for that very reason but I find for me it limits the fabric I have as it needs to be so much larger and I also lose the concept of the finished item as I tend to look at the block as a whole rather then just looking at the work area even though I use bright seam line thread.

Surplice trimmed off and its ready to start stitching, As you can see I'll need to fudge, but a bit of lace will soon hide that mistake. Oh the joys of crazy quilting, you don't have to follow a pattern. That block is ready to start in the New Year. Now if I can piece one block ahead of time each month then I should keep on schedule. This is the last bit of stitching for this year so I can start getting prepared for Christmas.

Christmas postcard

2011-12-01T03:53:00.001-08:00

My Christmas Postcard Swap that we have done on Chains of Hearts this year is going to Jeni in England. I hope she likes it. Making postcards is not my favourite past time as I always have problems with the edge, even worse is the chance of making a mistake when writing on the back. I still have that to do so hope all goes well.

Babushka Wednesday 2

2011-11-30T04:35:00.001-08:00

I may add some lace to this one at a later date or maybe some loopy embroidery around the scarf.

Snowmen Tuesday 48

2011-11-29T04:37:00.000-08:00

Babushka Wednesday 1

2011-11-23T21:26:00.000-08:00

I started well but like quite a few things its become a UFO. All but one block is finished but then DD who collects Babushka and who its being made for said she wasn't keen on the border that was to go round it. Its not that I'm blaming her for encouraging another UFO as I really didn't like it myself but I was all geared up for that border so each week you will see a block and by the time I get to number 10 it may be made and you never know I may even of started the border. I just have to plan it. This was a BOM from Angies Bits and Pieces in 2010

Snowmen Tuesday 47

2011-11-22T04:36:00.000-08:00

Scrap flowers to be quilted

2011-11-20T04:29:00.001-08:00

Scrap flowers

Flowers were paper pieced then appliqued onto the machine pieced background. Not sure when it will get quilted, maybe next year.

Poor blog

2011-11-19T21:16:00.001-08:00

Its so sadly neglected, I don't seem to of learned any shortcuts except how to schedule, as you have seen by the snowmen and I would much prefer to sew then write about what I've done. But I've just signed up for the Crazy Quilt Journal Project - 2012 so it may become a little more interesting then snowmen, though I do love my snowmen and it was a wonderful way to see them through the year while they lay in there box waiting for Xmas to be unpacked again, but they are coming to an end except for one I found in an op shop and another my DD bought me so its just as well there are new happenings on the horizon.

Snowmen Tuesday 46

2011-11-15T04:34:00.000-08:00

Snowmen Tuesday 45

2011-11-08T04:32:00.000-08:00

Snowmen Tuesday 44

2011-11-01T04:29:00.000-07:00

Getting to the end of the year so have to double up.

Snowmen Tuesday 43

2011-10-25T04:24:00.000-07:00

He used to have perfumed oil in him, now he's just an ornament until I can get new reeds and oil.

Snowmen Tuesday 42

2011-10-18T04:22:00.000-07:00

Snowmen Tuesday 41

2011-10-11T04:19:00.000-07:00

Snowmen Tuesday 40

2011-10-04T04:17:00.000-07:00

Snowmen Tuesday 39

2011-09-27T04:14:00.000-07:00

Plays jingle bells.

Kitchen window

2011-09-22T01:15:00.000-07:00

View from the kitchen window

Snowmen Tuesday 38

2011-09-20T04:13:00.000-07:00

A glass bauble from my daughter

Spring has Sprung

2011-09-19T23:53:00.000-07:00

So far we haven't had much Spring and the bulbs are not coming out all together but this heart planted about 4 yrs ago is still welcoming Spring each year.

Snowmen Tuesday 37

2011-09-13T04:10:00.000-07:00

One of my tallest Snowmen, he's made so that he can have a teas light put in him.

Snowmen Tuesday 36

2011-09-06T04:08:00.000-07:00

Snowmen Tuesday 35

2011-08-30T04:06:00.000-07:00

Davids I spy quilt

2011-08-23T06:43:00.000-07:00

Poor snowmen have been visiting each week but I haven't got a lot of sewing done at all lately and as for the garden, the weather just hasn't been very nice. But
a UFO completed. I made the blocks for this quilt a few years ago when I started to make a quilt for our daughter, it took it on a life of its own as the blocks multiplied when Son wanted one too. A great deal of time was taken finding novelty fabrics for adults. Once enough blocks were made they were spread over the floor and they each picked out a block in turn. Daughters was made a few years ago, spare blocks were made into a cat quilt for sons cats but this one, sort of lingered, anything that could go wrong did, a block upside down., a tuck in the backing, an ink blot on the back when I place it on top of a pen. But its finished complete with bag so it could be carried as hand luggage by son moving interstate as it didn't quite get finished quick enough to go with the furniture.

Snowmen Tuesday 34

2011-08-23T04:04:00.000-07:00

Snowmen Tuesday 33

2011-08-16T03:59:00.000-07:00

The "flame" changes colour but is bit to bright and changes to fast so we don't use the light. I think he has a cute face though.

Snowmen Tuesday 32

2011-08-09T03:54:00.000-07:00

Music box, the little skaters go round the snowman.

Snowmen Tuesday 31

2011-08-02T03:52:00.000-07:00

Snowmen Tuesday 30

2011-07-26T03:51:00.000-07:00

Snowmen Tuesday 29

2011-07-19T03:49:00.000-07:00

Snowmen Tuesday 28

2011-07-12T20:25:00.000-07:00

Snowmen Tuesday 27

2011-07-05T04:39:00.000-07:00

Snowmen Tuesday 26

2011-06-28T04:37:00.000-07:00

Snowmen Tuesday 25

2011-06-21T01:35:00.000-07:00

Snowmen Tuesday 24

2011-06-14T04:32:00.000-07:00

Snowmen Tuesday 23

2011-06-07T04:30:00.000-07:00

Blocking the Hearts from around the World 9

2011-06-02T06:20:00.000-07:00

This lovely lady came from Linda F of New York

Snowmen Tuesday 22

2011-05-31T04:27:00.000-07:00

Blocking the Hearts from around the World 8

2011-05-26T06:12:00.000-07:00

This lovely heart is for all of us who have a shoe fetish. It was made by Renea A from Washington.

Snowmen Tuesday 21

2011-05-24T04:23:00.000-07:00

Blocking the Hearts from around the World 7

2011-05-19T06:08:00.000-07:00

I love the ribbon roses and the lovely rose braid on this, it was made by Lorenza from Italy

Snowmen Tuesday 20

2011-05-17T04:17:00.000-07:00

Blocking the Hearts from around the World 6

2011-05-12T06:02:00.000-07:00

Another beautiful fairy, this one was made by Zandra P of Arkansas, it truly is the prettiest thing.

Blocking the hearts from around the World 5

2011-05-05T05:53:00.000-07:00

This gorgeous heart was made by Margaret P of Sunny Queensland, she will know the meaning of the daffodils. Sorry I left a couple of pins in.

Snowmen Tuesday 18

2011-05-03T04:13:00.000-07:00

Blocking the hearts from around the World 4

2011-04-28T01:02:00.000-07:00

So many people have looked at the album I have kept all the hearts in over the years that some of the notes have been mixed up but having a fairy on it does make it one of my favorites so even though the note is lost I'm sure this is made by Lindy W of NSW

Snowmen Tuesday 17

2011-04-26T01:10:00.000-07:00

Two new additions to my collection, found at the City Mission shop last week.

One of my tallest snowmen

Blocking the Hearts from around the World 3

2011-04-21T05:57:00.000-07:00

Heart From Maureen B

One of the lovely hearts I have from Maureen B in Victoria,

Snowmen Tuesday 16

2011-04-19T04:07:00.000-07:00

Blocking the Hearts from Around the World 2

2011-04-13T22:37:00.000-07:00

This heart came to me from Hideko in Sendai, Japan.

This was one of the first hearts made by Hideko on Chains of Hearts a few years ago. I was so pleased to hear she was safe after the tsunami. I had the heart were I could see it each time I went into my craft room, it was then that I got the idea of how I would put some of them together. I was hoping to get one heart blocked a week but have already fallen behind. . I made the frame to surround each block so as to hide the raw edges, when I sew them together I'm going to use the same fabric to sash them.

Snowmen Tuesday 15

2011-04-12T04:04:00.000-07:00

Snowmen Tuesday 14

2011-04-05T04:02:00.000-07:00

Blocking the Hearts from around the World 1

2011-04-03T22:20:00.000-07:00

One of my hearts from Margreet of the Netherlands

During the wait to hear about Hideko I had her block and heart on the table, it was laying on a small wall hanging I had made for a project I didn't follow through on, what it did do was give me an idea. AS some of you know, I have a LOt of hearts, I keep them in a folder so they don't get tatty from being handled to much but I really felt I shouldn't swap any more until I had done something with the ones I had since I really couldn't fit any more pages into the folder and was reluctant to start another one. So for my own DYOB block I have made strips that are going to be made into a frame for a block that will hold a "blocked heart" I will aim to block and quilt a heart each month but try to do one weekly or I will still be blocking in 7 or more yrs time. It will then go into the frame until the next one is finished, once I have a few they will be sewn together as a quilt, size will depend on weight. I have so far blocked two. Margreets is the first one. I don't want to add to much to the block as I don't want to crowd the heart. . When time allows I will place the progress on the blog, it will make a change from the poor snowmen collection quietly visiting alone each week.

The backing.

I'm on a 'use what I have' pledge this year. I have about 5 pieces of fabric that is the same colour but different patterns so have decided to use them for the backing.


The hanging that started it off

Each month there was a small hanging to be made to place on this background, the centre was suppose to be plain but when I was making it I thought that as it would probably be a stand alone hanging that it may as well mean something. I have so many things just to finish I decided not to re-subscribe to the site it was on. I'm having withdrawel symptoms so may rejoin at a later date, it was from Angies Bits n Pieces

Snowmen Tuesday 13

2011-03-29T16:14:00.000-07:00

One of my hanging snowmen.

My Collection

2011-03-28T05:25:00.000-07:00

I'm a collector of things, if its colourful, whimsical, ceramics, hearts, bears, snowmen, dolls, animals, fairies, plates, teapots, musical, buttons, well you get the idea, its a certainty, it will appeal to me. I've tried getting it under control but then I realised they all had something in common, it wasn't value or size but Cuteness factor. I realised I only collected things, Cute. Among my collection of cute are various categories that branch out into individual groups but some of the groups overlap because they are really just "cute" and thats what I collect, right!!!, Well thats what I'm telling myself so it must be true. Theres also the linking affect, take crazy patchwork, made up of fabric, buttons, lace, charms, threads, in that group alone theres buttons = flowers, hearts, cute. Then theres Fabric, silk, satin, texture, Cute. so I'm not going to worry any more about my addiction collection, its just one thing. CUTE.

My Cute button, charm and bead heart collection. Some of these have been used on projects but more have been added.

Snowmen Tuesday 12

2011-03-22T16:06:00.000-07:00

Snowmen Tuesday 11

2011-03-15T16:04:00.000-07:00

Just 7cm high, 2009

Snowmen Tuesday 10

2011-03-08T16:02:00.000-08:00

Snowmen Tuesday 9

2011-03-01T16:00:00.000-08:00

Snowmen Tuesday 8

2011-02-22T15:58:00.000-08:00

Snowmen Tuesday 7

2011-02-15T15:54:00.000-08:00

Snowmen Tuesday 6

2011-02-08T15:50:00.000-08:00

Snowmen Tuesday 5

2011-02-01T01:00:00.000-08:00

Some are softies, this one was found at the Mission shop

Snowmen Tuesday 4

2011-01-25T01:00:00.000-08:00

Snowmen Tuesday 3

2011-01-18T01:00:00.000-08:00

Lifes a hoot (bom 2010)

2011-01-17T04:54:00.000-08:00

I love owls so on seeing this BOM at Angie's Bits and Pieces I was hooked. the quilt was a bit big for a wall hanging as I don't have much wall space left but would of been a litttle small for a cuddle rug so I enlarged the pattern by 20% then when my computer died my scanner wasn't compatible with the new one so I had no way of printing the patterns the right size, Got a new scanner for Christmas but have delayed the making of owls to long so need the incentive to get back to them, with luck I should get some more owls finished soon. I havn't yet decided how I'm going to finish it but may add some mushrooms or rocks to the bottom of the tree. Well you'll see the tree when its finished

Snowman Tuesday 2

2011-01-10T18:28:00.000-08:00

One of the smaller ones. It looks more like a snowgirl. Its about 3"high.

White Woman Lost

2011-01-05T03:41:00.000-08:00

,Sydney May 2008, wandering around Paddies Market, we found some Aboriginal style fabric, most was packaged in skinny ¼, 3 to a pack so I bought 2 and a separate strip. Brought it home and there it sat waiting for inspiration with no future project in mind other then I liked the difference of it to the rest of my stash.

Even though my stash is not huge being by nature a bit frugal its more then I feel comfortable with, so 2009 my aim was to resist the purchase of fat quarters as they don't fit my category of scraps and are not big enough to be really useful

September 2009 it got my attention again, the time had arrived to decide what I was going to do with it. Placing them all together I decided I wasn't so keen after all and that damn cream stood out like a sore tooth but it all had to be used. I got out pen and paper and did some sketching, decided on large blocks so I could keep the pattern of each, interspaced with smaller pieced blocks. None of the strips were cut straight and I had already realised that the very thing I liked about the fabric was the tone of the colours. I was having difficulty finding fabrics that blended in with it, so I went to the quilt shop in case they had any, but no, plenty there but being on a minimal buy year if it didn't match any better then what I already had, well maybe a bali pop will do.

But no, once together they clashed dreadfully, using what I had I cut the small squares, placed them out on the bed and decided I liked them better on point. I needed more squares, large and small ones. I got the last of my strips, some were only narrow, other bits were smaller squares

Well this is patchwork and doing match the pattern at my age is good brain gain training. They still weren't quite big enough but a glance into my stash cupboard and I spotted some orange, just the right shade, by trimming a fraction off the largest squares and putting a strip around each block I didn't have to change the size of the 12 square blocks. This quilt seems to have a mind of its own, after another search of all my pre cut squares and my scrap bin and fat quarters I managed to find enough for all the 12 sq. blocks, and most of the outside triangles that putting it on point had materialised.

Next step was the edge. That orange strip!!. it was a ½ meter wrapped around a larger piece but once opened up it was different dye lot and it showed. MY slow brain remembered the quilt it was bought for and the reason it wasn't used and why its been in there for so many years, now if I had used the larger piece I would of had enough. So now I had the dilemma of what to put around the edge. I tried black but it was to heavy. I liked the brown but the pattern design was just wrong. going for a good contrast rather then a bad match I tried the green and blue. Blue won out. Well the blocks are made up, a project all its own as it was such a dilemma trying to keep the woman's and mens corobaries separate as I'm sure they shouldn't be side by side, then there was that cream.

Now they need to be squared up and placed together but Christmas arrived and other things have taken priority so it could be some time before it sees the light of day again. with better planning I suppose I could of thought up a better pattern, maybe bought more of the fabric in the first place, some witchery grubs wandering out of the block or maybe some footprints would finish it off, maybe when its finished I will hate it but so far its actually got to be fun.

Missy Ted

2011-01-05T03:11:00.000-08:00

As sugar plum fairy, I've been hanging around the Christmas tree. I had to stop playing in it as its gone back outside till the end of the year again, thats if it doesn't get planted. Its been in a pot for 23 years so its getting a bit big to get through the door.

Snowman Tuesday

2011-01-04T03:05:00.000-08:00

Once more its time for my Snowmen to go into there box for another year. I love snow and snowmen and Christmas just isn't quite the same without snow then a friend gave me a small snowball ornament one Christmas so the following year I bought a snowman to go with it and so the collection grew.

Some years its very hard to find even one, theres always plenty of Santas but very few snowmen, my daughter is always on the look out so this year we added 3 and a card.

This years additions.

Oh dear, the box is full, does this mean a new box or do I have to stop collecting them

I'm always a bit sad day when I put them away, there always the first to be put out usually a couple of weeks before decorations and the last to be put away, this year I've figured a way to enjoy them for all the year, as I placed them in there box I took a photo and each week I'll put one of them on the blog.

Some of them together.

Missy Ted

2010-12-31T04:47:00.000-08:00

MY name in Missy, I have a brother called Adventure Ted (AT) who lives with my Mums human kid (skinkid) he's done a lot of traveling in his life so Skinkid was feeling a bits sorry for me since I just lived at home apparently doing nothing, but life's not so bad so here I am and every so often I will come and visit so hope to see adventures from some other stay at home teddies.

A little bit about me. I'm 7cm (2 3/4") tall, we were a pair of connection bears, like worry dolls for skinkids first big travels on her own. We came in little boxes that said

Sometimes I get put back in my box as Mum has a lot of teddies so I might get lost but most times I sits in one of my chairs or ride my bike. Anyway I hope to pop in here again one day. bye for now. Missy

Christmas Heart Pouch and Stocking

2010-12-27T19:51:00.000-08:00

On the Chains of hearts group this year we had a "Christmas heart block" stocking and a postcard swap, this was the heart I got from Margaret P. I didn't want it to just hang around for to long waiting to be made into something and as I badly needed a way to keep small Christmas treasures together so they were easy to find and didn't get lost among the rest of the decorations each year, the pouch was created. It will serve two purposes, a means of not losing my silver plum pudding coins and cake decorations for most of the year and as a lolly bag during Christmas. I'm really pleased as to how it turned out. Most of our Christmas decorations and ornaments have sentimental memories. I like things to have a reason, they represent a year so each new item has the date placed on it, knowing the year is a link to what has happened in that year whether it be good or bad. The beads on the bottom of the bag were from a past its best decoration so its now a continuum of past years, I used the same fabric fotr the top of the stocking as I used on the pouch. the stocking was sent to me by Margreet from The Netherlands.

Blue and White UFO

2010-10-11T21:27:00.000-07:00

This started out as a calendar BOM from the Magic Patch, half way through the magazine became unavailable, at the time I didn't have a clue how it was to be put together or what the other cottages were like. I decided to make crazy blocks to place between them but I still have more to make if I'm going to square it off. Or I could cut the crazies in half put one block on the back and make it into a knee rug. Or I could make more of both the cottages and the crazy and make a throw. I'm not sure if I like the stark whiteness of the house blocks. You can see now why its a UFO. Any ideas would be welcome.

Past projects and UFOs

2010-10-04T21:56:00.000-07:00

I haven't always taken a photo of quilts I've made, its a case of I'll do it later and as most of you know later never actually comes. lol. When I started this blog I was working on a calendar quilt that was in a magazine called Magic Patch. I had been getting it from its first issue but for whatever reason the newsagent could no longer obtain it as it wasn't being supplied to Australia, I made some crazy blocks to place between each block but need to be imaginative and design blocks to replace the ones I missed out on. Magic Patch did eventually come back into the shop but was a different format and simply no longer appealed to me. you can see the blocks I made in you scroll down. Tomorrow I'll photo the crazy blocks then you can tell me if they are going to be to over powering.

Wall hanging made from hand dyes and tone on tones that wasn't quite what I'd intended it to look like so I put dolphins swimming on it to make it just right, it keeps getting fishy things added to it by others. It was made a few years ago from a book about hand dying, I no longer have it so can't give you the name.

Once upon a time.

2010-10-01T23:43:00.001-07:00

I had this blog, its taken me a couple of hours to actually get into it since I couldn't remember the email or the password. . Well it all started well, but as the name applies I have so many interests that doing the blog sort of fell by the wayside, its not that I have a lot of time to blog as I haven't actully worked out how to sew and blog at the same time. I have so many projects I want to finish and so many more still in my head, but now another problem has arrived. It started when I found this wonderful site last year, probably about the time I stopped blogging here LOL, result is two more quilts on the go. Now she has this web hopping thingy on, what can I say. now I just need to do some cleaning up and some deleting on here, renew the templates, get rid of stuff not working any more and with luck you should see some new stuff here before the start of next year. Hmmm, sounds like what I need to do in my sewing room.

First fall of Snow

2009-07-07T06:27:00.001-07:00

We went up the road for a drive on Sunday to see the first fall of the winter, a bit early so hope its not a sign of things to come.

Do Your Own Block 2

2009-07-06T05:53:00.000-07:00

These are my two naked blocks for the Do Your Own Block on the Chains of Hearts group. Each week we will do a different seam treatment with a stitch given to us by one of the group members, this month the stitches are being called by Faye Dianne

Wishing Well

2009-06-25T06:30:00.000-07:00

Our new addition to the garden, this part of the garden was started 20 years ago, it was looking a bit messy so has been under going a change, starting with the wishing well. DH has planted grasses around the gravel/cement base.

This is was wedding anniversary present my dh has been wanting, eventually it will be sitting in a small pond somewhere about that spot. Not sure whats his mind but I think its the next project.

DYOB swaps

2009-06-25T06:06:00.000-07:00

So much for keeping a blog. I really do have to much to do and not enough time. Well the do your own block is finished and the swapping block has gone to its new home. I have received mine. It was a lovely challenge and I am looking forward to the next one.

My finished block that went to Faye Dianne.

The lovely block I received from Helina.

First heart

2009-05-26T06:40:00.000-07:00

I've decided to put a heart on all 3 blocks, they will all be different. This is block 2.

Week 4 Chevron Stitch

2009-05-26T06:05:00.000-07:00

Not many more to go.
Block 1
Block 2

Block 3

Block 3 redone seam

Week 3 Paisleys

2009-05-26T05:55:00.000-07:00

These are the Paisleys from week three.
Block 1
Block 2

Block 3

Third seam and Paisley's

2009-05-26T00:23:00.000-07:00

The weeks are flying past the stitch this time was feather stitch and a paisley motive. I tend to use feather stitch mainly for plants, bushes and seaweed so it made a change to use it just as a seam. Paisley's are not a favourite of mine but I did quite enjoy doing them. Margreet used the print on the fabric as a base so on one block I placed a scrap of fabric onto the patch and stitched around it. Scan of those tonight.

Second DYOB seams

2009-05-20T05:56:00.000-07:00

The second row is chain stitch. One has since been changed as I didn't like it but I will have to scan it again so you can see the change when I put the next lot up.

Waved chain stitch with chain stitch flowers and french knots.

Not sure what you call this, I saw it in a book and now can't find the book to tell you its name. it was fun to do and when I have more time I really want to play with it, maybe a bit of ribbon under the stitches or a little bead or french knot in the chain.

Open chain stitch with bead and twisted chain. the twisted chain makes a lovely filler or outline. I love it but not on this row.

First DYOB seams

2009-05-16T21:20:00.000-07:00

First stitch is herringbone, theres so much you can do to expand and dress it up.

Chains of Hearts DYOB

2009-05-16T06:50:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago I started a DYOB with the Chains of Hearts group, these are my blocks, two I will keep for myself the other will be swapped, we are on our fourth seam, blocks are 20cm (8")

And Two More

2009-04-26T07:08:00.000-07:00

Cream pastel

Ginger cat

New Hearts

2009-04-26T06:39:00.000-07:00

Have worked all week on "things" most will end up as more UFOs. I finished the last of the blocks for a star quilt I'm making all 49 hand sewn using English paper piecing, while trimming I sliced one of the blocks so its now in the "to disgusted to do any more pile till I find a piece of the same fabric to replace the patch otherwise I will have to remake the whole block.

I've done my first seam on my DYOBs at Do Your Own Block and have just got six new hearts made for Chains of hearts At least they are not UFOs.

More of the Calender Quilt

2009-03-30T06:01:00.000-07:00

Spring showers
Only block that I have so far managed to follow, well except for the flowers. every Spring garden has to have flowers, can't help feeling it needs something behind the fence or maybe a little blue bird sitting on it.