Not Ready to Hang Just Yet

My two wallhangings for imminent grandchild are not finished yet.  I still need to attach prairie point edgings.  Love the Clover thingees (in the photo)!  They make attaching the edging SO much easier!

I managed to find these sweet hangers.  I think they will be just the right size!

Not much patchwork done this week.  I have been painting...up and down steps...on knees...I feel at least 100 years old!  I did get one block made - Boston Star! I LOVE the Dutch chintz in the centre.

Hope you all have a wonderful week!

Things Eventually Turn Up!

Last week I couldn't find the third block for the Di Ford Wedding Sampler quilt that I had started.  This morning, as I was looking for something else, it appeared (right in the middle of my sewing table)!  I have NO idea how I could have missed seeing it, as I tidied the table a few days ago!  The half-sewn block was still sitting in it's baggie labelled Block 3.  Anyway, it is now finished.  I made a mistake - the inner part of the star should be in a different fabric - note to self - READ the pattern properly!  I still need to work on my needleturn points!  There should be arcs between the arms of the star, but this would have covered most of the background fabric, so I gave them a miss.  I did, however a little fussycut hexagon to the centre of the star.  I couldn't resist.

First three blocks now made, so I am on schedule.

 

Unfortunately, I haven't been able to make any progress with my mystery quilt, as I'm still awaiting the fabric pack.

Bits and Bobs

Not much progress to show this week.  I've had some humdinger headaches, so all I've achieved this week is to prepare a few little hexagons for the 2nd part of the Di Ford Mystery Quilt.   I've put a 2p piece amongst them to show how teeny they are.   I'm waiting for the fabric pack to arrive from Holland, so not able to make much progress even if I was able to.

I started making blocks the Wedding Sampler Quilt from Di Ford's 'Primarily Quilts' in January.  The aim is to make one block a month.  There are 24 blocks (I think), so this is a long-term project.

In January, the block below was my very first attempt at needleturn.  The first attempt was awful, so I unpicked it.  The second attempt isn't great either.  I think I will probably end up unpicking it again as my needleturn skills have improved since then.  I will probably replace the broderie perse birds with flowers.  I didn't have any fabric with suitable flowers at the time.  I've now managed to find some lovely Dutch chintz.

I was so disillusioned with my needleturn skills in the first block, I used an invisible machine applique method for my February block.  I used an invisible polyester thread with a very narrow zigzag.   I felt the result was more polished, but now I feel happier with needleturn, I will probably go back to it for future blocks.

You may ask where my March block has got to?  I tidied my workroom last week and now, can't find it! It was nearly finished.  I don't feel inclined to take the room apart searching for it, so it will just have to reappear when it is ready!

I have so enjoyed making the little hexagons, I decided that when I'm 'in the mood', I'll make up some larger hexagons.  Sometimes, it's nice to just get on with some handwork and use up some of my growing collection of scraps.  Somehow, it feels like less pressure...and I don't need pressure at the moment!

Happy sewing all!

Waiting for Baby

 

Finally finished!  I fell in love with the pattern for this quilt (in Quilter's World) some time ago, so was thrilled to discover I was to be a Grandmother for the first time.  I ordered the central panel from the US, bought the material for the outer border and found the rest of the materials in my stash.  I hand quilted the feathers around each circle in the panel and used a machine stipple stitch elsewhere.  It has just been freshly laundered and is awaiting the baby...due in April.

I bought another lovely pattern for a baby quilt called Sunflower Babies by Darcy Ashton a couple of weeks ago.  I thought I would make two blocks into wallhangings.  The pattern called for the embroidered faces to be sewn using embroidery floss.  I didn't have the right colours, but did have a good collection of perle cotton, so used that instead.   I  really enjoyed the embroidery.  I had some nice ombre fabric in pink and yellow for the backgrounds to the blocks.  I used Superior Monofilament to stitch in the ditch and a lovely lavender King Tut thread for the gridwork and the blanket stitch.  I used Sulky on the leaves and stems.I am going to put them aside now until my next Patchwork Group meeting and consider what binding to use.