Saturday sewing.

 I have had a great sewing marathon session today. I was hoping to get the next four pieced blocks for the Simple Sampler sewn up. All the pieces were prepped ready to go and that saved a lot of time.

They aren't the most perfect of blocks but they will do. There was definitely some fudging taking place to get things to fit but it's amazing what a good press can do. The imperfections I see just confirm to me that piecing is not my first love. (I must admit that the photo does improve the look of them)

I have four pieced blocks to go and then I can tackle the appliqued borders. Now that's something I am looking forward to.  Only three weeks to school holidays so those last four blocks will hopefully get done then.

I am also hoping to start my Ginger jars!

This is how the pieced blocks look so far, with their appliqued neighbouring blocks.

Nice to put them together to give some encouragement.

This is the original design for the Simple Sampler. I have made the applique blocks without a border as I felt it was too much for my eye and the applique was switched from felted wool to cottons. 

I do love the original but I knew it was not going to get done with all that extra piecing.

I'll save my patience for the applique.

Two sunny days for us in Melbourne. Spring is letting us know that it is just around the corner.

hope the sun is shining where you are

Happy sewing!

Marina

Something blue....

Last Thursday my Christmas snow globe top was dropped off at Jemima's for quilting. A pretty Lori Holt backing with holly and a teal colour theme to match the front was selected and a great all over quilting design of baubles on a string. They both will work perfectly.

While there I thought I'd pick Veronica's brain for some advise on backgrounds for the ginger jars. She has a great eye for fabric and I've been going there so long she knows my style and she always is such a pro at quilt maths. 

I wanted something a little more in my zone even though I love the Tilda background fabrics in the pattern.  I ended up with a lovely light cream fabric with a stripe, tone on tone. I love it and can't wait to start. while working out the freezer paper for the applique I realised I don't think I want my quilt to be as big as the pattern and it just seems like I am working with giant pieces so I thought I'd shrink it a little to 80%. I feel much happier with the pieces this size.  It's like when you knit most things in 8ply and you then decide to knit in a 14ply. It may not sit right so I've made another adjustment.

Adjustments so far:

• applique jars instead of piecing
• possibly use a variety of ginger jar shapes in the blocks
• reduce size to 80%
• use a different background style.

Saturday afternoon we were invited to dinner at No2 son's house so not needing to cook dinner it was a great opportunity to have a sew. My Kim Diehl project has stalled a little with the pieced blocks but I had two cut out ready so off I went. Well after some sewing, unsewing, recutting due to directional fabric I finally managed one block. I was confident I'd manage the two but it wasn't to be. Managed the last of these blocks on Sunday. Of course it wasn't without drama. The next set of four blocks is just as challenging as far as I'm concerned. All the pieces are sorted for when I feel like taking them on.

thought it might be a good time to revisit my Works in Progress list....

 Works progressed:

• Simple Sampler- pieced blocks to be done. 4 down 9 to go an extra one done!
• Snow globes/stitcheries- 1 block done, two more stitcheries completed and blocks ready to prep.  Top done and at quilters 

Ready to start.

Tilda Ginger jars

Slow works in progress

Tilda cushion applique designs- free patterns to be made into small quilts. Two done, two more to do - no progress

Mini hearts- two new rows done, one needs to be added to the main body.

Here is my latest Hellebore. this is the third year without seeing flowers ... I swore if I didn't get a flower this year it was see ya later. Well she must have been listening. One stem of flowers and it will be enough to  save it's skin.

Happy sewing!

Marina

holiday time

 For those with children or school based jobs you will know it is school holidays.

I must say I have been finding lots of sewing time and also inspiration since I suspended one of my social media outlets. Amazing really.

As I promised I will share some of my Kim Diehl applique blocks. Last week I managed to complete two of the pieced blocks and am hoping to get stuck in to them this week and tick a few more off.

After working on the Joy of Life quilt the pieces in this project seem so tiny but it was still very enjoyable to make. I wanted the same background fabric as was in the original pattern and the only place I could find it was in the USA. The store only had a limited amount and when it arrived about half a metre was discoloured and not fit for purpose. I did receive a refund which didn't really help the fact that I was now short on fabric. I have decided to do the outer borders in a different fabric. Tilda's new range has a lovely fabric that compliments the unusal colour of the applique backgrounds nicely.

(I have just placed some of the red fabrics to have an idea of how the colours will go together)

These are the first four blocks I will share with you. The original pattern had used felted wool for most of the applique with some cottons thrown in, in places. I thought I'd just go cottons for the applique.

(this one looks a little wonky but I am hoping it's just the photo, it is what it is now!)

Recently I felt the urge to do some stitchery. I spotted a pre printed linen from the Birdhouse that looked very cute and had lots of elves to stitch. I had a sewing catch up with friends Friday and thought I'd make a start.

Then it got me thinking how would I put them together?

I thought they'd make very cute snow globes, of which I am very fond of. Years ago I had downloaded a pattern by Sindy Rodenmayer of Fat Cat quilts who generously offered many free patterns.  I searched the computer and found the download. After some tweaking of the patterns and some retail therapy for the backgrounds I was off and running. (oops did I mention that the sashing and border fabrics followed me home too?).

Thanks to Jemima's.

first block done. Base is a little wonky and I don't think I can live with it so it will need redoing!

Looking back through my blog I tried to find a past to do list and happily I don't have any outstanding projects from that list- They have been completed, gotten to flimsy stage or rehomed so I can enjoy making a new list of current works to keep me motivated.

Works in progress.

Mini hearts- no 3 is in the process of being pieced by hand, a lovely slow project with no deadline

Simple Sampler- pieced blocks to be done. 3 down 9 to go

Snow globes/stitcheries- 1 block done, two more stitcheries completed and blocks ready to prep.

Tilda cushion applique designs- free patterns to be made into small quilts. Two done, two more to do

So that is that for my to do list. Not bad I think. Nowhere as large as it used to be but there you go.

Sun is shining here but who knows for how long. I'm off to prep those globe blocks for appliqueing.

Have a great day!

Marina

Been awhile.....

 Well it's been two years since I last blogged a post and life has been flying by.

Time has been spent and wasted on other social media and as I have deactivated one I will see if I can channel some time back to my neglected blog.

A quick life catch up -There has been a big birthday, a big anniversary, a new grand baby girl, some quick getaways, parent caring, new job and that's just to name a few.

I hope there are still some people interested so this will be a test run!

Of course there have been quilting projects. Some tops finished, some quilted, some gifted and some put away and of course some new projects started.

I will start with  a project I had in my last post. My dresden and stitchery top. I ended up going with a lovely little peeper and plain border to frame it and give it a little extra size. I am very happy with the result.

This Joy of life quilt was completed and gifted to my work bestie. The patterns were given to me by the lovely Rosalie complete with bom fabrics but it was from the early 2000's so I felt the fabrics were quite dated. I did a complete revamp and this is it.

Another Favourite things top has been made. I just love making these blocks and was contemplating rehoming them as I didn't have the oomph to sew them up but inspiration hit and I followed the kiss principle and it got done. Just needs to wait to be quilted....perhaps later this year as I have two at the quilters already

This was a distraction project. I love hexie flowers but don't have it in me to sew a full on hexagon quilt so this was a lovely compromise. Some lovely Tilda fabrics and some add ins make this top look very vintage. Onto the to be quilted pile.

This was my big passion project for the year. So far I have made all the applique blocks, which I will share in upcoming posts. Now onto the pieced blocks, my least favourite part of the process. I am altering some aspects of the quilt, of course, to make it suit me. I can't wait to get to those applique borders!!

Lastly, this little baby quilt for our new little princess born in January this year. She is a gorgeous little doll. I hand quilted it and quilted a wreath in the plain blocks. Little hard to see but I forgot to take a photo when it was finished to had to rely on my son to snap it for me.

Well that's it for this post. We'll see if there is anyone out there still looking I hope you are.

Have a great day!

Marina