All behind as usual...

It has been one of those weeks, chasing my tail as usual and now another week has almost gone by.

At the Quilting Bee on Wednesday we celebrated the lovely Jenny's significant birthday.

Alison had made a beautiful cake, even the cotton reel and buttons were edible. Jenny treated us to fish & chips and we had a rather nice pavlova for dessert.

 As you might guess, not a lot of sewing was done, though a lot of eating and laughing was done.

This is a quick round up of what the "girls" were doing.

 Ann was working on her churn dash quilt, big stitch hand quilting around each block.

 Liz was embroidering one of the mystery blocks.

 Annie was blanket stitching her hearts for her daughters quilt.

 I was big stitch quilting one of my "Siblings together" charity blocks.

Some of the others were knitting, and this is a Tapestry that Fiona had bought many years ago, and thought it was high time she finished it. 

The March BOM's have arrived, and I have finished the machine pieced Alphabet one, as it was very easy this month. I've cut out all the appliqué pieces ready to start this months Sunflower Heart. 

Alfabet BOM

Last, but not least, a few more sprigs of "cow parsley" have been added to the Parsley Quilt, so it's been a busy week in all.

Lot's more to tell you about, but this post is long enough already.

Keep safe and keep stitching.......Doti...

Well, I am Sewing.

Indeed I am. Lot's and Lot's, 'cos the Kitchen is finished !!

All blocks for various charities are done and now for some me time.

You remember that lovely bundle of fabrics I bartered for from the lovely sewing shop, 

Sew and so's of Bungay. After much stroking and fondling and just looking at, I cut two 5" squares from each of 32 of the fat quarters. and with some neutral background from my stash another 32, 5" squares plus some 1" x 5" strips of background. Now it looks like this. The idea came from a free pattern on Craftsy called  "Daisy Baby", though I made a lot more blocks.

I did try to take a photo outside as it was not raining for once, but the wind was blowing a hooly so it's an indoor shot on the spare bed.

I have got all sorts of ideas for lots of borders around it. As I want to put stitchery in the plain blocks, I thought now was the  time to do that, as it would be easer to work with.

My idea is to cover it with Cow Parsley or to give it it's proper name "Queen Ann's Lace."

This is the centre block, I am freehand drawing them on the blocks (so that each one will be a bit different) and backing with a little stabiliser. Using Cosmos thread this one is a greyish blue, which goes well with the subtle fabrics.

This could take a long time, but it's fun, and what's time when you are having fun..

I did finish the 12" block for the community group quilt "the fish shop" and I am quite pleased.

It was fun to make and a lot easier than the last one.

This was it with photo before I stitched everything down

And the finished Block.

I need to get back to my stitchery on the Parsley Quilt before next months BOM's arrive in my sewing room.

Keep safe and keep stitching............Doti.....

Not much Sewing Done.

Painting, decorating and sewing does not mix very well, and our kitchen was in need of a makeover, so most of my time has been taken up wielding a roller while Mr M does the fiddly bits of glossing the woodwork.

I did however manage to get two blocks done for Alison of Little Island Quilting

Orphan blocks for Soy Amando

This is what Alison says on her flicker site.

Little Island Quilting says: I'm trying to get around 70 quilts made for a home in Mexico City that I visited on Christmas Day 2013. The home is for former street children who had the worst start imaginable in life. While they are all now clothed and fed they don't really have anything special that belongs just to them. I took a baby quilt when I visited and they completely 'got' how special a quilt can be. In an ideal world we' d all make whole quilts (single bed size) but I know that time and cost are barriers so to make it as accessible as possible to everyone who wants to help, I am asking for quilted 12 /1/2" unfinished quilt blocks so I can assemble whole quilts from the blocks I receive. I really don't mind what you send me. I'm sure we've all got orphan blocks tucked away that we're just never going to use. If they are too small just add a border, too big cut them down. Add batting and backing, quilt and then send to me. On each quilt I am free motion applique Soy Amado - Spanish for 'I am loved'. Please Flickrmail me for my address or leave a reply to this post if you have any questions. Thanks very much Alison

Now I bet every one has at least one orphan block tucked away somewhere, and my goodness, it's for such a good cause. So lets help Alison to get to her target of 70 quilts, so that each child in that home has something special to call their own.

Keep safe and keep stitching..........Doti...

Applique Block Finished.

Yes indeed, the February BOM's are done for this month, so I have the rest of the month to play.

Februarys Block.

This one was by far the most difficult to stitch and it has been difficult to photograph as well, either too light or too bright. This is a little on the bright side.

Now talking of playing, have I got something lovely to play with.

 A great big bundle of the most scrumptious Lecien fabrics. I know what you are going to say,
 "thought she was on a fabric fast"

Well I was and in a way I still am. These Beautiful fabrics are from Sew & Sos of Bungay one of the nicest quilt shops in the whole of Suffolk, a dream place for quilters.                                                                                                      
The lovely Verona who owns the shop with her husband Rob, did a bit of bartering with me. She is going to write a pattern for some of my red work designs and I get to play with these lovely fabrics. So watch this space...

Yesterday we were all at the Bee, lots of fun and laughter and too much cake, as usual..

Ann, (to much applause) FINISHED hand quilting her Chinese lanterns Quilt, her first UFO of the year. It really is a fun quilt..

I ought to be finishing some of my UFO's, but I do really want to play.  So for a few days I am going to do just that and then maybe look at all my UFO's and see which one shouts the loudest.. :0))

Keep safe and keep stitching.......Doti...

Plodding along

The last thing I said on my last post was that I was going to sit in front of the fire and finish my socks.

Well here they are, not had their first wash yet but very toasty. They look very pink in this photo, in fact the wool was bought for Mr M, as he only wears red socks, but when it arrived from the 

Natural Dye Studio it did indeed tend to lean towards the pink side of red, if you know what I mean. So they are now mine.. I could have been a little influenced  by the name of this wool. It was called "Combe Martin"and as you in the family know we used to live there..

My Alphabet piecing block for February is done, just the buttonhole stitching to do around the letters. I have to get my trusty old Bernina out to do that.

 All the quilting is done on the Mystery Quilt, but no photo as yet. I do need to take that in the daylight, when it finally stops raining.

All the appliqué shapes are cut out for my hand turned BOM, stems done, and now on the leaves and it is looking OK..

 I am sorry, I forgot to give you the last two drawings for the Elfin Way Quilt. So here they are.

I did however embroider "Elfin Way" between these little terraces of houses.

Back to the appliqué BOM, then to cast on another pair of socks to start this evening all cosy beside the fire..

Keep safe and keep stitching....Doti...

It's going to be busy in February..

I thought I would get a post in before the 1st of February, when the two BOM's I am doing will land on my sewing table and the OMG's begin again, or more politely what have I let myself in for..

Well the lovely Deborah Kemball has done it to me already and it's a case of OBH.

This is February's 12" block.

You must agree it was a case of just a little swear word, sorry Deborah, but this is the hardest one yet..

If I make it through this one I shall have conquered my fear of hand appliqué .

The fabric for this BOM is from Oakshott fabric, We are using the Impressions range.

I have been very busy as it's all those Birthdays again in February. Six of the "girls" in our Bee group are all born in February, so I have been making little see-through zip pouches. You will be pleased to hear its all from my stash. I did wonder when that roll of vinyl would come in handy.

I finished hand quilting the top half of the Mystery quilt and added the binding and hanging lugs.

My friend Jenny is to blame for the next project, she roped me in.  It's a community project with

 St Felix School, and local ladies that do craft work.

It will become one huge quilt, all about Southwold and surrounding area.

This is a house on Southwold High Street (see small picture ) and my attempt to recreate it in fabric. All from my stash and would you believe it from my ugly drawer, you know the fabrics you think why ever did I buy that. I did say in a post the other day things always come in handy one day...

The next Block is the Fish and Chip Shop, watch this space..

Now to sort the fabrics for that pesky BOM. Put my feet up and finish the pair of socks I am making for ME... 

February starts tomorrow.Ha!

Keep safe and keep stitching.....Doti...

A little secret.

I do indeed want to let you into a little secret.

When I started the Mystery BOM off I used my trusty Bernina. Half way through, about block six I think, I bought my self a new machine (a Janome) and the rest of the blocks were done on my new machine. On the 9th block I could not make out WHY my oblong blocks did not fit as in block 5. It was altogether smaller, yes indeed a lot smaller, so that is why I am having to make my wall hanging into two separate little wall hangings.

This is it all together as one long Wall hanging.

As our ceilings are very low in our little cottage, two smaller hangings are better for us. Now it is time to start the quilting. I have chosen to hand quilt mine. I started yesterday, it was such a grotty day(weatherwise) but just the kind of day to sit in front of the fire and hand quilt.

Hand quilting in progress.

Having told you my little secret, you might want to do yours as two separate little wall hangings...

The Elfin Way Quilt is now finished, though it does still need a label. So here are the next two stitchery blocks as promised.

and last but not least the finished quilt, with strange sun light shining through.

Back to the quilting..

Keep safe and keep stitching......... Doti... 

A Day at the Bee

Things have all changed this year. Wednesday Club is no longer, sad but things move on.

We are now at the Bee Hive every Wednesday which is fun. This is a little round up of what some of the girls were doing yesterday.

Alison was putting the binding on this quilt of Sue's, who was going to bin it as she did not want to finish it. 

 After it was finished,  Sue decided she liked it after all and gave some money to charity to have it back.

"much merriment."

Sandra's UFO

Sandra had resurrected an old UFO and was hand embroidering around the elements.

Ann was doing similar quilting around her Chinese lanterns.

Ann's UFO.

 And Sue (who had bought her own quilt back from Alison) was embroidering her fairy quilt blocks.Much more fun than her old UFO... 

Sue's fairy blocks

I was putting the binding on my Elfin Way quilt, which reminded me I had forgotten to put up any drawings on my last blog as promised .

So here are the next two.

 

Several of the others were knitting or sewing things up like Liz who was sewing up a knitted Dog.

I wanted to take a photo of my finished quilt, but the weather was not very kind today so it will have to wait for another day.

Keep safe and keep stitching……..Doti...

I might just need that sometime !

Now how many times have we said that?

As quilters, we are all hoarders. Fabric scraps, orphan blocks, the list is endless and I am probably one of the worst. 

Well today it paid off. Quite a long time ago I was in a half square triangle swap with The Quilt Show, where you swapped HST's with other quilters all over the world. It was great fun and I made a lovely quilt with all the HST's I received.

"

 The pattern was by Edyta Sitar of Laundry Basket Quilts and I think it was called Tree of Life, which I thought very appropriate. 

This is the back(designed by me) two little birds bringing all the HST's from all over the world.

Well I digress as usual, I was on a HST's roll and was going to make another quilt so I made a ton more, and then put them away in a tub, as you do,where they stayed till yesterday.

The February block for the Siblings Together 2 was put up, and yes you guessed it HST's were needed, 24 for each block, and two blocks were required.!!!! (Happy Dance) not only that but I have a tub full of 

2 1/2" squares as well.

All sorted and done in no time at all.

This is actually to fess up to the other girls in my siblings group as to how I did them so quickly..

so keep hoarding girls, it's true you never know when you might need just that scrap etc..

Keep safe and keep stitching….. Doti...

Elfin Way Quilt .

The red work quilt "Elfin Way" has been quilted, just straight line cross hatching, and yes after much deliberation it was done on the machine. Now just the binding to do, and as you know that is the part I like the best, when the bindings are done and apart from the label it's finished.

 This was a very easy quilt to make, just 96 X 4" inch squares of different red print fabrics, made into 4 patch blocks, 7 1/2" finished size. The small neutral blocks for the Red work were 7 1/2" square, and the larger ones 14" x 7 1/2". Here are the first two red work pattern blocks if you wish to make it.

The Elfin Church, middle of the top row.

First block of second row.

I am happy for you to download these designs for your personal use. (add them to your downloads before you print them). I would love to see what you make with them. A friend asked me why I don't sell these patterns. Well I have hundreds still in my head and many, many more in sketch books and at 70 I will probably not have enough time to get them all down on paper and made into quilts.

There are 8 red work blocks in all in this quilt so I will put up two new ones each time I post my blog.

The Siblings together blocks are beginning to come in, as I am the Mama this month to our group of 12.

 I have been quilting them "as you go", with a big stitch circle design, as I intend to to sash them at the end with a fabric that ties them all together,

"Hopefully".

It is lovely receiving blocks made by someone else. It's like receiving a present. The blocks so far are lovely and bright and are going to make a very happy quilt.

Talking of presents, these are two pictures I have received as presents, Mr M has just put them up above my computer. Now don't they make you smile…

They are by Sam Toft, and we have many more hung around out little cottage..

I do hope Sam Toft makes you smile as well..

Keep safe and keep stitching….. Doti...

January BOM's Finished..

This year I have decided not to take on too much, so I am doing just one hand sewing BOM and one machine sewing BOM. That way hopefully, I shall be able to keep up to date with things. I am also in a  sewing group Siblings Together 2…

and as you may know if you are a regular reader of this blog, I am apt to go off (frequently) on a tangent at the drop of a hat.

 I have however finished Januarys BOM's.Firstly the hand appliqué Floral Impressions block,

designed by the lovely Deborah Kemball, using fabrics by Oakshott and they are absolutly gorgeous fabrics to use.

Januarys BOM.

 Secondly the 2014 TQS BOM designed by Janet Stone called A to Z for Ewe and Me using only fabrics from my stash, (some of which aren't so gorgeous).

No resolutions have been made for 2014, just a few hopes i.e. I just might be able to finish just one of my UFO's, and I shop out of my stash if I possibly can.

So far so good. 

 The Elfin Way quilt is residing on the dining room table. It is basted and all ready for quilting lines to be drawn. At the moment, there is a little indecision going on, hand or machine quilting? I will have to decide soon as the dining room table is out of commission at the moment. 

We are having a lovely sunny day here in this part of the UK, so I might just go and do a little tidying up in the garden..

Keep safe and keep stitching…..Doti...

Back to Normal..

It's Epiphany, or as some say Twelfth Night and all the Christmas decorations are due to come down. I love it when we put them up but it is oh! so good when they come down.

For me, I have all that space back in my sewing room..though I have been busy busy since I got my mojo back. I finished the red/beige quilt top (all from my stash}, but was appalled at all the red/ beige fabric I still had left, including half a jelly roll. I do not think of red, though be it sludge red, as being much in my colour spectrum, I thought I was more a taupe, blue, green person. Just goes to show you.

red /beige fabric left

Here is the finished Elfin Way top. Wadding/ batting I have but I just might have to piece a backing together to finish it off.

Now do I put all that fabric back again in the drawers, or make another quilt. Well, the answer is make another quilt. I was very pleased with the colour combo, but fancied something different.

I am a member of  The Quilt Show and every year they do a BOM and it is free to members. I have done several and this year it is an Alphabet Quilt. Now it so happens I have always wanted to do an alphabet quilt and this one appealed to me as it's quite quirky. Now what was it going to look like in my stash fabrics. the Red/ Beige.

The original colour combo.

 Januarys block is A, F & G and I have had a little go at A & F and I do think it is going to work.

Sorry about the F block photo. It was taken in the evening and I have the stitching still to do around the lettering.

 Having  a lot of hand sewing on the go at the moment, I reckon this might be done on the machine.

Progress has been made on my Floral Impressions Appliqué BOM

All the stems and leaves are done. Now for the asters (60 petals in all,) and they are weeny. Thats my job for this evening, to start them.

As you know I am on a fabric fast, using fabric from my stash and I am starting quilt No 3. 

Well, I am on a yarn fast too and have started the first pair of socks for 2014 from my yarn stash. This pair is from 3 scrap balls, my sock buddy looks most amused.

The Quilt Show is worth looking at as there are quilting videos twice a month by well known quilt artists, and the hosts Alex Anderson and Ricky Timms are great fun..

Off to sort out those pesky petals…

Keep safe and keep stitching……. Doti...