February Update

Being away from home means not a great deal has been done on the sewing side of life.

Quilting the Pineapple top has taken a great deal longer than I thought it would, not only because of my wanderings, but it also because it has become a battle of wills between me and the quilt top!!  Until now I seem to have been the loser, but finally I can see an end to it all!  The sheer size of the quilt has made it almost impossible to feed through the throat of my machine as most of the quilting has been on the diagonal, and all the pulling and tugging causes the arthritis in my hands to flare up, so it's been a very slow process!

I think that perhaps 'straight lines' was not the most intellegent choice of quilting for something this size as I've ended up with quite a lot of  rather wonky lines , but they are my wonky lines and.......they are all finished ! Just the borders left to do so hopefully it'll be done in next couple of days and then there'll only be a trillion or so threads to bury and the binding to get on with!

All things considered, my target of one finish a month was disappearing fast,so I took some time out and finished another  UFO -  small yes, but at least I have a finish for February :-)

My mini quilt version of  Kelly's Flower Garden Pillow.

You can find the tutorial on Kelly's blog if you're interested.Can't remember how long this one has been hiding in the cupboard, but the date on the tute will give you some idea:-)

I'm also adding a couple more items to Myra's PhD Challenge as I need to tackle something smaller and easier to finish in March after  all the push and shove lately, so, remember this post ?  Well, not long after, DGD decided that the bedroom was not to her liking and it changed it to pink!  D9P really did  disappear into the cupboard and there it has stayed. I'm hoping to finish it in the next couple of weeks as its on a promise to Project Linus! 

Next it's to do something with these - Soot & Ashes by Cheri

I did finish all 15 blocks, put them together as per the instructions, didn't like it, so I took them apart - as one does!  Time they went back together again I think!!

Been A-wanderin'

But I'm back now!

I'm afraid I've had a touch of February-itis and enough of the grey, dismal weather that's the main cause of it, so we've been across to the UK to annoy as many of our children as we possibly could :-)

Seeing the grandchildren is always a pleasure as is spending lots of money ,until the bank statement arrives that is, but, as always, its good to be back in our own home.

The grey dismal weather is still lurking unfortunately, but Spring is trying hard to take charge.  Temperatures seem a lot milder, even the rain feels warmer (!) and look what is hapening in the garden!

Beautiful 'Lambs Tails' catkins dancing around on the Knarled Hazel bush

A few shy Camellias peeping through, and, just in time for St David's Day

Miniature daffodils nestling among the new Geranium leaves  - better days must be on the way don't you think?

Mug Rug Swap

Yesterday my Mug Rugs arrived from my partner Tessa Mc Ardle (no Blog) in South Australia - didn't I do well? 

I have to show you the backs as well, as they are just as pretty as the fronts

Tessa sent other goodies too

A lovely sewing themed card , a notepad, bookmark and even a 'cup' of coffee - how good is that !  Thank you Tessa,I love the mug rugs -  you have been very generous!

Thanks also to Michele for organising the swap!

Another PhD!

One more flimsy to add to the list, and for me a complete change of colour choices :-)

Totally out of my comfort zone, but I thought it was time I tried my hand at a Black and White quilt, and this is the result.  I've been piecing it quietly over the last few weeks, fitting it in as and when between other projects and now it's ready for backing and quilting.

I haven't changed my allegiance to Reproduction fabrics though , how could I after seeing what Kathie has been making! I am a great fan of Kathie's work, and she has been very kind and helpful to me in the past.  It's thanks to Kathie that my Tumbler quilts (here)  were made and she was also a great help when I made my Civil War Diary blocks , which are still waiting to be sashed :-)

I just love this new quilt and have watched it coming together for days, so what else to do but make a few blocks to try

I think I'll carry on with the Courthouse Steps quilt  and keep the Barbara Brackman Civil War blocks for another time.  The blocks are getting more complicated as the weeks go on and really need to be paper pieced for complete accuracy, and as PP and I do not get along at all, it's best to admit this now rather than end up with more orphan blocks - maybe a bit later I'll feel differently.

Another reason is that, having seen the old post about my CWD blocks, guilt has reared its ugly head so maybe I should do something about these instead of  starting yet another new quilt :-)

Flying Start

I'm off to a flying start for February with 3 finishes already!

Number 1 - Tessellation doll quilt  quilted and binding done

In case you're wondering, the chair was made for DH when he was 2,  and ,  like him, it's  getting on a bit now :-)

Number 2 - DGD got herself a   RED  'beginner's sewing machine' for her  8th birthday on Christmas Eve ,  and is all ready to make her dollies some new clothes.We are due to see her and her new sewing machine on Sunday, so as well as a parcel of  goodies for her to play with, I made this mini Charmer tote bag  (Penny Sturgess pattern) to pack them in and maybe double as a work basket too.

Number 3 is another mug rug, which I can't show you yet, but I can show you this one which is the one that stayed at home!  I wasn't too happy with it in the end so decided to make an alternative to swap and keep the reject for myself :-)

Don't know why Blogger has turned the photo again!

Quilting on the Pineapples is on stop for the moment as my wrists have been aching so badly, but  I have finished all the white 'stars' and  5 of the coloured ones too, so another 7 to go plus the borders. If  I get the quilt totally finished by the end of the month I'll be more than  happy as we've a couple of busy weeks ahead and can't see much more getting done :-)

OPAM 2011

This year I'm joining in One Project A Month, hopefully to try and get a few more finishes this year!  I'd  really like to spend a little more time making something other than quilts, large or small, and maybe this challenge will encourage me to branch out a little.  I have a whole list of small projects I'd like to tackle but keeping putting off so now is the time to get started.

I'm well on the way with Myra's PhD Challenge with the second of my listed quilts being quilted at the moment and maybe - just maybe - I can squeeze in a couple more before the deadline in June, so between both challenges, I hope to be be sewing up a storm :-)