........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.

Baby Number 4 - A Girl!

I spoke too soon last time.  It was a good job I was ahead of myself and had all my housework up to date and my baby quilts for now, all just about finished.  I had an extremely busy week this week.  Extra chores at Dads, decisions to be made, a lot of juggling and organising and running around.  I think we are all fixed for the moment so fingers crossed for a more leisurely week this week.

Amelia arrived later than her due date so one of the girly quilts will be parcelled up and delivered later in the week.  I hope she likes it - well I know a bit too soon for her to like it but I hope her family do.

Although busy I did manage to start a new project as promised.  sewing is my therapy and makes me switch off and it usually clears my head.  This one has been around for a while.  It is a Jinny Beyer kit called Crystal Star.  Now there is a story behind this kit which was bought four years ago and in fact I bought two kits.  2013 had an unpleasant start for me, you may remember Mum was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and died in June of that year.  It was also the year of the Alberta floods and impacted hugely in the community we visit most years and our good friend's home and possessions were washed away.  As a means to try and recover from these life changing events I bought the two kits while in Canada, leaving one with my good friend M to perhaps help in the healing process and eventually when the time was right it would act as therapy to return to quilting.  I of course brought the other one home which sadly has lain on the shelf for 4 years.  Truth be told when the kit arrived I realised that the kit was beyond my capabilities and probably M's at that time.

Over the years my kit has been moved from shelf to shelf, looked at, and placed back for another time.  Well in the removal upstairs it appeared again and this time it 'spoke' to me or perhaps it shouted.  Last weekend I opened the package, opened out the fabrics, looked and stroked........and finally read the instructions.  Oh oh! just as complicated as it was 4 years ago.  Back it all went into the packaging.  I mentioned to K my trusty quilting friend just what I had done.......she called me a woose!  That was enough to get my dander up - so the kit came out again and this time I made a start.  I am progressing slowly and my fear of foundation piecing is slowly beginning to disappear.  Here are a few photos of where I am to date.

I'ts out the packet

Looks complicated - 150 different fabric pieces in the star

Reminds me of School - dressmaking patterns

Numbering the fabrics

Oh no - one piece not the correct size! Hopefully it will be in the mail soon

Ta Dah!  1st piece of 35 sections

 So Ive started and I will finish............ eventually but it may take me some time.  I will post my progress as I go.  Have a good week folks.

Ahead of the Game

Just at this moment I am ahead of myself, for once.  My house is reasonably tidy the laundry is all up to date, and I have had time this week for some sewing.  I have made further headway with returning my dining room into just that and have moved my computer and printer etc upstairs to join all my other quilting equipment.  All in preparation for the decorator and the new carpet arriving next month.  

I have had a little reprieve and time to breathe with regards to the baby quilts and I may actually do something completely different not involving children's fabrics this weekend.  I will probably spend too much time pondering I won't actually achieve much, we will see.

Zachary's quilt is finished although he hasn't received it yet.  Corner of 5th and Fun is waiting for a photo before being parcelled up and sent off.  I hope he enjoys playing with it for years to come.  You  always wonder if your quilts are used, and I recently heard that one such quilt gifted to Evie four years ago has been well used, played with often and has washed well and now is the floor covering for her teepee tent!  It gives me a huge amount of pleasure knowing that the fun I had making these little gifts are treasured and give others pleasure too.

Corner of 5th and Fun for Zachary

Two more babies are due to arrive this week and I am pleased to say I am ahead of schedule and there are 3 completed quilts and one just to have the binding attached all ready for the new arrivals, whatever sex they may be!  I will give you a sneak peek but of course not of the finished articles.

I have updated my Gallery photos this week too so if you have a minute go have a look.  The photos have mainly been taken indoors as the weather recently has been a bit wet and windy for nice outdoor shots.

Enjoy the weekend ahead and perhaps like me you will embark on a new project.

Lots of Little Ones

Two more little ones have arrived safely last weekend, both boys, Harry and Zachary.  Their quilts are well on their way to completion in fact Harry's will be wrapped up shortly ready for delivery tomorrow.  I will let you see the completed quilt next time, I haven't taken the photo yet.  I need some fabric for the binding for Zachary's so by this time next week It will be complete.  I haven't been idle though another one involving hourglass blocks is on the cutting table!  The half square triangle Darling Little Dickens quilt is awaiting the arrival of a little girl so watch this space.

Its been a lovely few days and some of our time has been spent in the garden enjoying the sunshine.  There are a lot of little ones in our garden too.  We have been watching blackbirds who have been nesting in the ivy on our wall, they have now flown the nest and are enjoying foraging in the garden and making lots of noise.  Unfortunately a little one got stuck in our gate and Grumpa had to come to the rescue.

I am delighted to report the rescue was a success and the youngster was seen later being fed by its Mum!  The second rescue of the weekend was a little coaltit fledgeling who managed to get in to our bathroom.  I rescued this one and it flew off into the trees so seemed to be fully fledged, and managing on its own.

Never a dull moment in our house!

The Kaleidoscope quilt is well and truly finished and I am delighted with the challenges it gave me, there is certainly room for improvement but I think it will be appreciated by someone somewhere.

This week I will be continuing with the baby quilts. I think I will try and get time to load another quilt on to the frame for some more practise.  I hope you all have a lovely week and enjoying whatever you are doing.

Threads, Threads and more Threads

The Kaleidoscope quilt top came down off the design wall and was all stitched together this week.  I decided this was another quilt destined to be quilted on the frame.  

Lots of thoughts about the quilting but as you all know the more you think the harder is is to decide.  I had a plain black cotton backing (another bad choice) and I set to and cut the wadding I loaded it all up on the frame, chose the thread colour (gold) and ...............my mind just blanked!  Now at this stage I should of course have walked away and left it for another day but I didn't and needless to say the session was not successful nor did it have a happy ending.  Just look at all these threads on the floor.  

I spent more time unpicking last night than I did sewing what a disaster!

Never mind today is another day and I have just tried again and for the last hour or so this is what I have achieved.  Feeling much happier meantime.  This quilt may not be seen again when it is removed from the frame but it is a learning curve and we all need to practise our FMQ.

The Quilting is not that noticeable on the busy pattern of the kaleidoscopes but it certainly shows on the back!

The HST baby quilt is progressing  too and should be ready for hand stitching the binding later in the week all being well.

I hope you all have had a productive week and not had as much unpicking to do as I had.  I do not like using a seam ripper.

Whirligigs Finished

I didn't think I had achieved very much since my last post but when I sat down to think about it I have done quite well.

This week we managed a little road trip, its not often we manage a weekday outing but the weather has been so nice this week Thursday was set aside for a trip out.  Normally we head to the borders, Peebles, Melrose and down that way however we decided to go north to Perthshire.  When the boys were small we were lucky enough to have the use of my parents static caravan, which was situated on the side of Loch Tay at Kenmore.  We all loved it, long walks along the beeches - a long avenue of trees by the side of the river, fishing for minnows and as they got older in true fly fishing style the  first fish was caught, climbing Drummond Hill equipped with binoculars, camera and of course the walking sticks.  Great memories were made during those long summer holidays and it was good to remember them last week.  Things of course move on and changes have been made to the area - its still beautiful though!  

An added bonus is Karelia House, situated off the main routes this is a little gem of a quilting and craft shop.  Fabrics and notions, wool and accessories, sewing machines and threads all to encourage you to buy. The ladies are lovely and very attentive chatty and happy to offer advice.  The gentlemen or non crafty travelling companions can enjoy a coffee, read the newspaper or just enjoy the ambience of the cafe, while of course purchases are made by the crafter.  The lunch menu is enjoyable too offering home made soups, sandwiches and cakes.  Of course I bought some fabrics!  It would have been rude not to - just some more pastels for the babies.

I think this little trip encouraged me to get on with my sewing - five projects have been worked on this week, some only a little stitch or a trim but five is the count.

Number one is Whirligigs, now complete other than the label.  This is a first on two counts for me.  I have finally mastered the art of foundation piecing YIPPEE!!  and this was the first 'real' full sized quilt I have successfully freemotion quilted on my frame.

2nd -  crazy patches I am making at class

3rd  - a little baby quilt I FMQ on my frame, again a first as I thought I would see if putting a fleece backing on the frame would work, no real reason why it shouldn't other than perhaps tension issues but - It did!

4th  - the kaleidoscope blocks on the design wall

and 5th some HSTs for another baby quilt

I am surprised with my achievements this week and I am now looking forward to continuing with my ongoing projects.  It is funny what encourages you to sew isn't it? 

Is This Our Summer?

I hope not!  once again I have been a bit negligent in blogging.  Please may I be excused - we have been on holiday to sunnier lands.  Im now back though but playing catch up again.

I did visit the Knitting and Stitching Show last week in Edinburgh and thoroughly enjoyed my day out while hubby was playing golf.  Lots of different traders selling their wares, I didn't buy a lot but it was fun to browse.

Project Linus had a very small stand at the show and hopefully they will have managed to spread the word and more donations of quilts will be made for disadvantaged children in the area.  I took along four more quilts as my contribution.  I hope they will make someone in need of a hug happy.

I have now made a start to the binding on my Whirlygig quilt so hopefully I will manage a proper photo next time.

Enjoy the sunshine while you can.  Lots of gardening to be done at the moment and all the lush new growth is appearing on our acers.  Im off out again with our coffee to enjoy sitting in our newly spring cleaned summerhouse!  Enjoy your week