Only four more rockets...

... and then this baby will be ready to sew together.

This one turned out a little more funky than I imagined.  The print is a bit large for all those little pieces that make up the face... but there is no way I'm making another one!

And I included a somewhat pinkish star even though the quilt is more of a boyish design... hopefully not too much?

Isn't this one pretty?

And just to show that you can make an ugly wonky star.  There's only a few letters difference between wonky and wrong

My evening hand sewing is still struggling along, even though I had a wonderful project chosen to work on.

3 1/2 pieces sewn down

Which helps to fill up this lower section!  Only about 30 more pieces to go.  I get the feeling this is going to be very colourful, if nothing else :0)

I did focus a bit more on my little Tillies Lane blocks (which are perfect leader/ender sewing), and completed the desired 6 this week.  Next week I have more binding to sew down... as my secret project gets that much closer to completion.  Whew!

Oh Crap It's Wednesday Already!

Just where exactly did Monday and Tuesday go to?

My handwork focus last week was Flower Pots by Kim McLean.  I got bored with stitching the stem, and switched to something with a little bit more colour.  I'm appreciating that the pieces are pretty large (and colourful) - but there are still 36 odd pieces in this panel (not counting the pot pieces) - which means I've really only just stitched on pieces one to three.  But it is exciting!

I also got the chance to finish the last block for the week for Tula's Modern Sampler.  I really like this block for some reason.  And I've done the hard part for this weeks blocks - chosen the fabric :0)  This is the week of the teeny tiny half square triangles - wish me luck!

However, this week my primary focus is going to be machine quilting - (not on Janet, normal old freemotion quilting on my Brother) Lola's Medallion.  I finished the backing on Sunday (using Elizabeth Hartmans technique for pattern matching) and basted on Monday.  On a roll, yesterday I had a bit of a whirl with some McTavish style background filling.  While I don't think this is my Go-To style - it does look impressive once it's finished. 

So far, half of the applique centre is finished!  I'm using 100% polyester 100wt thread (Invisifill).  Although there has been a bit of breakage, it's going pretty well.  I upped the needle size and though the holes are a bit bigger than I would prefer - it does mean the thread behaves a bit better.  After all, it's nothing that won't disappear once it's been washed.  White fabrics can be notorious for being a pain in the butt to quilt.  At this rate, I'll have the centre quilted by the end of the week - then I need to decide what I'm going to do on the rest of it.

Although I have thought about my handwork focus for this week - I am yet to actually do any of it.  Hand stitching the binding on Hometown Wagon Wheels.  I can do it.  I have the technology.  I am on the home stretch with this one - I could get it finished this week (my first major finish this year), but I need to pull finger.

Linking up with Lee at Freshly Pieced and Lyn at What a Hoot (if I remember).

Sunday afternoon... the first day of spring

The week has been one of those parenting nightmares from hell.  Kids... can't kill them... certainly can't live with them!  However, we have survived - the dangling carrot of a trip to The Country Yard on Saturday (kidless) for a Stitch and Chat day helped combat the extra grey hairs and frown lines.

I did indeed finish the blanket stitch on this little Tweet:

And Block 39 of the modern sampler is a little odd... but perfectly formed! That makes me caught up for the week.

Tokyo Subway blocks 21 & 22 did finally get finished, just in time for the end of the month.  September is PINK month... and Blocks 13 & 14 are under the microscope.

I also plugged away at the binding on Hometown Wagon Wheels quilt and made some good progress.
So my goals for the week were met - hooray.

What's up for this coming week?

Hand Work: time for a new project.  Well, technically not new - one of the projects from Taupo Symposium, that I've just tucked away in the too hard basket, because it needed some serious preparation.

OK, in retrospect - it wasn't that bad and I don't know why I've put it off for the last month...

We have Panel One from Flower Pots by Kim Mclean.

Not the most inspiring or interesting photo - but it does prove it is real!  I've used the bias tape maker for the stem - which needs to be hand stitched down.  I've also basted on the first two sections of the pot.  I decided to prep just enough to keep me going for the week.  This is going to be a long term project - I'm either going to get real good at hand basting and hand applique... or this thing just won't get done.

Machine Applique: I think Taupo Tiles needs another airing... do we all remember what it looks like?

Piecing: and in the piecing department... hmmm, maybe some more of Camille Roskelley's Playground Blocks using Sweetwater's Reunion line.

Janet has been a bit naughty and has been giving me tension problems.  Not all the time - sometimes she's really good - but other times, she grabs hold of the thread and just doesn't let go.  Does anyone else have problems with free motion quilting tension that is intermittent? 

A few more blocks, and a bit of pondering

These are addictive!

Block 7

Block 8

Block 9

I've been doing other sewing too... promise.  I chose this quilt as my ALYoF goal this month, and I want all these individual blocks to become one by the end of the month.  First off, I needed to complete the blocks, and deciding on a four x four layout meant I was that much closer to finishing.  But I'm not too sure about the circle block (which still needs a background btw), and I don't really want to do any of the other blocks from the BOM programme.  I could always throw in a friendship star to fill in that empty space couldn't I?

Other than that, I'm still undecided about the final layout.  Here I tried to alternate predominantly green blocks with predominantly blue blocks.  But there are always the curly ones that want to fit into both categories.  I also need to share the grey and red accents around - and have a good balance between heavier blocks and lighter blocks... not sure if I've completely succeeded yet or not.  Will try some more layouts and come back to you on this one.

Onto a completely different project - pulling fabrics for the Kim McLean workshop at Taupo Symposium.  Remember, this is a needleturn applique class which I have chosen to use the Flower Pots Pattern:

I'm going to concentrate on one of the large vertical panels. Kim's original designs use a lot of Kaffe Fasset fabric (something that is not in my stash at all) and have a rather wild/anything goes sort of flamboyance about them.

Somehow the fabric I've pulled just seems a bit flat and nondescript.  I chose fabrics that had interesting shapes on them, suitable for various parts of flowers and leaves.  Unfortunately the course instructions don't give any idea of what sorts of fabric to bring.  Again, not sure if I've hit the mark with this selection (although it looks better than the ugly pile I pulled yesterday).  Looks like this participant is going to be hitting the merchant stalls come symposium time! 

How exactly did it get to be June already??

Winter seems to have started and I am finding it increasingly difficult to make my way into the sewing shed... even with it's promise of peace, quiet and heater, it's struggling to complete with the fireplace and mountains of housework/laundry that lurk in every corner.

We had a special photo session over the weekend as a surprise for a special lady, my mother in law.  Most of her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren were there, although with such a big family - there is always someone who is missing.  It was great to catch up with all the relatives, even if it was a bit crazy at times.

My husband and his mum

Upon returning home, it was time to put something new on the bed... so this is my "what's on the bed" shot:

And then while it was so tidy decided to unwrap the pattern for my Kim McLean project in preparation for July's symposium.  Wow, it has huge pattern pieces... this is just one panel.  I ran out of freezer paper, but got a good start on my homework.

I've also caught up on Month Two of my C-Y mystery stitchery...

And started on Month Three:

I've printed out the instructions for a few more Craftsy BOM blocks...

but thought I should concentrate on putting together the second of the May blocks for my Tokyo Subway quilt.  We've chosen some easy blocks for June - no additional colours needing to be cut - so it'll be  Blocks 11 and 20 this month.

I've still got fabric sorting out to do... and have found a whole new project to try to combat my scraps... but I really need to get some things finished, and think about a new goal for ALYoF for June. Hmmm.