No Words

Well only a few to say how pleased I am to have this little beauty at last on my design wall!

The Box Under The Table........

......Is Empty!!!  Hurray - although it is empty I still have some of the fabrics to use up.  I think though I have done well using up the pieces.  As you know the box was almost full

then gradually some of the fabrics were used, 

then I managed to use a smaller basket, the middle one 

 and now I only have the little basket of bits left.  I call that a stash busting success.

I of course also had the wastebasket in which all the smallest of pieces go - its not quite fully so thats another stash busting project in the future.  Do you remember my Toes in The Sand Quilt?

This was the block of the month quilt and when complete I had so much fabric left over I have made these tops which are now waiting in the stack to be quilted.

40 x 35inches

                   

40 x 40 ins

                      

Random nonsense which doesn't take much thought or concentration but is good therapy.  Sometimes its good to sit at your machine and pick up small pieces randomly and stitch them together.  Im pleased with the results and they will go to the care home in due course.

Crystal Star is now coming together nicely after a short break for some scrappy stitching.  I need to jump back on to Gracie to keep the flow going.  Its a wet day here so I might just go and do that now. Enjoy your weekend and week ahead whatever you are doing.  

Freemotion Quilting

Determination and encouragement by others is the answer to any anxieties over free motion - I have decided.  Having good friends to prod and cajole you along sometimes is just what is needed at least it was exactly what I needed to get my rear in gear and get over my hang ups about my Gracie Frame.

Having invited two quilty friends both very good at FMQ to try out Gracie I had no option but to bite the bullet and give it another blast.

What a lovely couple of hours we had. We were all a bit apprehensive but I think it was just what we needed - just look what we managed to do.  Stipples, swirls, waves, bubbles and feathers.  Encouraging each other to try different shapes the time just flew in.  Thank you girls!

                 

Having been given that wee push I loaded another two quilts tops up this week and am reasonably pleased with the results.  As always you learn from your mistakes and there are a couple of things I will change in the future.  Probably not noticeable to anyone else, but I know they are there.  Photos of the completed quilts are on the Gallery Page.

The Crystal Star has been put on the back burner this week but I am ready once again for the next section.  I am enjoying the foundation piecing but it is very easy to get complacent.  The last time I was working on it I almost had a complete disaster.  I was  on automatic and I placed the first piece of the section with the wrong side facing up instead of right side up.  I trimmed it ready for the next piece when I noticed.  Fortunately being thrifty with my fabric I did manage to turn it and slide it into position, I was lucky and managed it by a whisker!  I decided that I should have a break from it at that point as I was getting too smart for my own good.

I've had a good couple of weeks and I'm enjoying having most of my sewing items and computer upstairs.  Today was spent updating said computer, tidying up files and updating photos.  As is usual when I start on this type of clean up things don't go as quickly or as smoothly as I would like, thus taking much longer than I anticipated so no sewing done today.  There is always tomorrow..............

........and Another Little Girl

Yes she was a little late too.  Ellen Isla arrived last weekend and her quilt is ready and waiting to be gifted.  I can't show you the girls quilts just yet but here are the boys quilts.

Finlay's

Harry's

Zachary's

That is the last of the baby quilts for the moment - I have some respite from baby fabrics for a few weeks the next arrival is due in September. 

So whats next?  Crystal Star is coming along nicely and I think I have put to rest my fear of foundation piecing.  I am thoroughly enjoying making ups these panels.  The fabrics are pleasant to work with, the instructions clear and although I have had a couple of oopsies and have had to do a bit of reverse sewing all in all its a fun process.  Here are a couple more of the panels.

The gradual transition upstairs is ongoing - I cant believe its taking me so long.  I think because there is no deadline yet I am just faffing.  My desktop has been cleared and filing trays and stationery moved.  The last bookshelf is almost empty and will be moved this week when Techie is around.

So lastly for now - do you remember this fabric.  Yes you have seen it before and once again I am using up leftovers.  This range of fabric was used for the Farmers Wife Blocks.......... eh no I have not completed them all, and I never will.  I am however happy to say the decision has been made and I have sewn the last of these blocks using up the layer cake of fabric.  Enough is enough.  I will eventually sew the blocks together but meantime they will remain in the basket.  

These squares however were given to me by K, leftovers from her Twister quilt she made from the same fabrics.  I decided there were too many to lie unused so here is what I've come up with

The leftover squares from K

On the design wall - just to see how they looked

All back down again to be trimmed up to size.  There is something quite enjoyable seeing all those trimmed sharp edges and all the little slivers being put in the bin.

So I have had a good weekend, achieved quite a lot both in the home and in my sewing.  I hope you have too.