A little something

I'm trying to force myself to have a go at blocks I haven't really either tried or mastered in an effort to become a better quilter.

I really want to have a go at the Farmer's Wife - I bought the book almost 2 years ago and have looked at the pages many, many times.  That's as far as I have gone.  I keep seeing blogs that showcase these awesome selections of Farmer's Wife blocks and quilts.

I'm almost ready to jump in...

So I decided to make just one of the blocks in the book.  I thought one, just one, would be manageable.  I decided to Google and found an easier version of this block.

In the Farmer's Wife the red pieces of fabric are made up of smaller triangles stitched together.  This version has only 8 pieces and was easy-peasy. 

So what are your thoughts on fudging with the Farmer's Wife?  Is it OK to make the blocks simpler if you still get the same shape?  Should you stick to the book and do it all as instructed?  Me, well I'm the original lazy-give me a short-cut quilter and will cheat paper piecing and pointed seams if I can.

Civil War Legacies

Thank you Spotlight for 30% off all quilting fabrics.

Alexander's Bean Pot, here I come!

Ok, maybe it will be next weekend...

Ahhh...

A kid-free Saturday. 

Shopping is done, house cleaning is done. 

Guess what I'm doing? 

Yep making small blocks to use up scraps and try new things, refine skills and force myself to have something finished before the end of the month, not to mention proove the baby bear #2 that I REALLY do need her machine.

Solution

12 years ago I traded in the sewing machine I had been given for my 21st birthday.  It was an Elnita which was made by Elna but more of a budget brand I think.

That machine had done some serious sewing I can tell you.

I upgraded to a Janome - Decor Excel Pro 5124

A couple of years later I upgraded again to the latest whizz-bang model Janome had, the Memory Craft 6500P and that is still my machine today, nine years on, hundreds of projects completed including kids clothes, my clothes, quilts, hand bags, dolls and bears...

Thankfully a couple of years ago I got my DE back - I had loaned it to a lady who needed a machine but wasn't in a position to buy one at that time.  She had it for quite some time and when baby bear #2 expressed an interest in sewing I asked for it back.  There was no way I was going to teach her to sew on the MC, it's just too much machine.

Anyway I have reclaimed ownership of the DE temporarily, much to baby bear #2's disgust.  Too bad, I'm the mum.



Disaster!

My machine no longer has a light that works :(

I can't replace it myself as it is wired in.

I took it to my local sewing machine shop only to find the original owner has retired and there is no one locally who services and repairs machines.  They are sent and hour and a half away...

ONCE A WEEK!!!

My machine is going to sit in the shop until the weekend and then be transported to the man who will replace thei light bulb and give it a service.

It could take up to 2 weeks to be fixed.

WHAT???

How am I going to survive THAT long without my beloved machine?

List

I am making a list of all the quilts I would like to make and as I make them, I can cross them off (I L.O.V.E) crossing things off lists.  I will come back from time to time and add new things or remove things as my tastes and interests change.

So today my bucket list of quilts is:

1. Modern Log Cabin

2. Alexander's Bean Pot (Civil War Legacies)

3. Granny Squares

4. The Farmer's Wife sampler quilt

5. Dear Jane

6. Elm Creek Quilt

7. A traditionally hand pieced Baltimore Album (yeah, I know I'm dreaming)



More fabric

I think I may have a slight problem...

You see, the postie is making frequent trips to my place of work and my home...

I think I may just have to buy him a Christmas present for all the deliveries he has been doing.  He is very sweet and now just leaves things on the front porch for me - letters as well as parcels.

I keep buying books from this place - I justify it by buying some for work - that is ok, right? And the rest of the stuff he delivers looks like this:

Sorry really bad iPhone photo...

This was necessary to complete the Chrstmas aprons I have to make as gifts for certain special people.

Have been looking for THIS everywhere and finally found a fat quarter bundle (yay me).

And this lot.  I love it...and I also purchased and additional few metres to make a really super cute dress for summer for baby bear 2.

So does anyone else out there have a problem like mine?

Shopping

Oh how I love on-line shopping!  I am so thankful that there are great fabrics and places that are willing to ship both locally and internationally.

Evergreen Andalucia 2 fat quarter bundle - not sure exactly what this will become, but it is beautiful fabric.  I think I might have been having a 'green moment' when I purchased this.

I also bought this Jenni Baker's Blogger's Choice fat quarter bundle.

Now if only the house would clean itself, the washing clean and iron itself and the baby bears would feed themselves and clean up afterwards, this old bear could get some sewing done!

New one

I have often marvelled at the cleverness, skill and precision of people who create Lone Star quilts.  As much as I have wanted to make one, I have avoided it like the plague because of all the points to match.

That is until now...

This printed interfacing is the most amazing stuff!  I could not believe how easy it was to create all the pieces to make the star.  Within a matter of a couple of afternoons I had all the piecing for the star done.

Now all I have to do is piece the triangles, cut the corner squares and actually sew it all together (not plonk it together like I have in this photo).

Hopefully it will be finished really soon.  I love it!

She's done!

Yay!  Hip hip hooray!

Finally after months of waiting, sometimes working, more waiting...

She is finished.

And she is finally on my bed, where she belongs (now collecting silver tabby cat fur like all my other quilts - why won't she sleep on her own things???)

Just before I took this photo baby bear #3 (the one with Autism) decided to mess up the quilt because he had been waiting to use it.  Hhhhmmm, wasn't this the same kid who so kindly told me earlier this year that this house had too many quilts and I was to stop making them?  Go figure.

I ended up stippling all over in sections - she was just so big and I didn't think I was capable of tackling such a beast with an unfamiliar free motion stitch.  I did give in to the urge to try something and did pebbles in the centre of each othe the coloured blocks.  I was happy enough with the result - for a first attempt.

Dear Stella, I love you, but never again.

Rulers

I love the tutorials made by the Missouri Star Quilt Company and can't but help to want to try everything they show.  They make it all looks so easy.

Well, I was taken by the Wacky Web template for the spider web quilt - I bought one, in fact I actually bought the starter kit pictured here with the papers and lapel stick.




I also bought the 5" and 10" half hexagon templates.

I have to say, I love the Missouri Star Quilt Company - great tutorials, great notions, fast service and good prices.

Now, if only the world would slow down long enough for me to use them...

Dear Stella Update

Remember this?

Well for a long time she has sat and waited.  Patiently.  Understanding.  Forgiving.

Now she looks like this;

It wont be long now Dear Stella before you are finished and on my bed, keeping  me warm.