TUSAL.... just a day behind

ok so I'm late again, but just by one day.  Can't seem to get it right, too many things on my mind, too many projects going on.  Need to take stock of what is priority and do a bit more time-management.  So here is my little orty jar.... filling up

The little quilt it is standing on is nearly finished.   Just hand quilting round the flowers and along the borders then binding to do, taken a while to get this far.  The hexies I did by hand while on holiday, so after they were made the blocks and borders went together quicker by machine.  Pattern is from Kathy Tracey's book The Civil War Sewing Circle. I have most of her books and have challenged myself to make all of the quilts in 'Prairie Children and Their Quilts'.  This is my fourth small quilt, they make great table toppers.  Here's a better view of my little Hexagon Flower Doll Quilt

Happy stitching 'til next time

A busy week......... but little achieved!

I seem to have had a busy week but don't feel much has been achieved.    I think I would have felt better if I had started something new, I do like to start projects and finish them ... it seems it's the bit in the middle I'm not good with ..lol

My progress on Mary is slow, Home of a Needleworker is better but still slow......

Mary Wigham sampler

Home of a Needleworker

I did finish a small wallhanging that will be going to our eldest son.  I made him a 'Union Jack' wallhanging a few months ago and promised a 'Stars and Stripes' one too.  I didn't take a photo of the 'Union Jack', but here's the 'Stars and Stripes' with a dish of my tomatoes... they are yummy!!!!

Both hangings have a sleeve on the back ready to hang, but I bet they won't be on his wall until I visit.........


I received a lovely summer biscornu from Christine in  our Summer Sensation exchange on Friendly Stitchers, I know she has received what I sent out so I can now show them both,

made for Christine

received from Christine

it was a great swap and I'm looking forward to joining the next one, a needlebook. 

The highlight of my week ..............  a trip into Cambridge courtesy of the new guided busway.  Here's a link to show the route
 http://www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/transport/around/thebusway/ 

it was quick with brand new buses, very comfy, and I could use my buspass, so no cost......... the longest guided busway in UK.  I don't go to Cambridge very often, because driving in and parking is awful, the main A14 road is so busy at all times and it's often at a standstill, then the parking is expensive, when you find a space.  But with this new busway taking me into the heart of the citycentre I may go every week ... this is a lovely shop I visit  ;)    http://sewcreative.co.uk/camb.htm  great for stash building.



Happy stitching

Off to a good start.....

Yes, my new projects stitching on 32ct linen have started well.   But the  'Home of a Needleworker' started off badly, I stitched the top border along the wrong side of the linen, the short side! so a lot of unpicking was done. After a couple of other miscalculated stitches and re-do's I think I am now on the right track. I do need good light and natural light is best for me, so I stitch mostly early morning or late afternoon sitting in the sunroom.  Not that we have had much sun lately, been very overcast and showery, still the light is good.

Here's the progress so far............

 Now the second new project, the Mary Wigham sampler.........  I am so pleased with myself as it is going really well, no unpicking!  I think it maybe that I am taking it slowly and being extra careful.  But I like to think it's Mary looking over my shoulder and guiding my needle.  I love the colour of this first thread I'm using, I shall just add other colours as I go along... I've no master plan for a colour scheme.  I know it will take me months even years to complete but I'm so enjoying the process.

So here's the progress .....

I've also been working on some patchwork, a little basket quilt.  I made these basket blocks a few weeks ago and then left them in my 'unfinished box'... we all have one of those!..  Well, my sewing machine was feeling a bit neglected with me doing all this hand stitching, so I spent time with it and joined the blocks into a small quilt top.  Then machine quilted a small wall hanging I'm making for my eldest son.  I'll show that photo when it's finished, but here's my baskets.........

I've now got to go thru my stash for fabric for a border, don't think I have any suitable...... I haven't been to my LQS for ages, might be a good idea to have a look what they have!  I'm sure I will find some and more.

Chillies and tomatoes!

I've not done much in the way of stitching this week, but did manage to  finished my exchange biscornu. Just need to post it off next week, but sorry no photo yet, but I will show you this what  I managed to finish off too.............   can you guess what's in here!

        ....something I love!  its so amazing!  and partly to blame for not a lot of stitching getting done!.....

                   
                 can you see it... just peeping out!  yes........ its my new Kindle.  Thought it deserved its own case so I found these charm squares in my stash and they seemed to fit the bill fine.  I love the lime and black together.

The title of this post does mention Chillies, so here's an update of how they are doing

                    and the tomatoes,  but I think I may need a recipe for green tomato chutney!

  and I'll leave you with a gorgeous fuchsia flower that's in one of my hanging baskets.

I'm back!

Oh! I've been very bad at this blogging....... can't believe how long it is since my last post. I promise in this New Year to try harder..lol.. sounds like my old school reports!!

I'm trying to finish a small quilt at the moment, made up from stitchery squares done by members of our prim group. The theme was 'Annie in the Garden' and I must admit it is looking good....... what do you think?

Work in Progress

Just a little peek into what I am working on at present. I haven't done patchwork for a while so am enjoying playing with blocks again. I must decide soon whether to hand quilt or machine ........ think machine will win! I do like to hand quilt but on smaller projects now.

Mini Quilt

Here's a little quilt I finished this week... been 4 years in the making! The 4" log cabin blocks were sewn by hand by foundation piecing. The putting together was by machine and then I tied all layers. Good use of fabric scraps from other projects. Now I won't feel guilty buying more fabric tomorrow at the Stitching Show.

Tote bags

 

a couple of my tote bags, made for swaps and now both in Australia