Sunday 27 March 2022

Making progress on my Metro Tiles Quilt....

This week I was determined to get into my sewing room and start working on my Metro Tiles Quilt again.

This pattern is designed by Gourmet Quilter and I started it in November 2021 and have had it looking at me from one of the tables in my sewing room since I added row 2 and basted the next row of tiles also back in November 2021.

I did start work on finishing the edges of the next row of tiles earlier this month but haven't shown you the progress that I have made since then.


I have now finished and added the next row of tiles and as I was originally only going to make 18 of the 50 tiles from the pattern and make a smallish rectangular quilt, I had added a corner triangle to the end of the row.

However, while planning the following row of tiles, I discovered that I had two spare setting triangles and that, if I made a square quilt instead of a rectangular one, I could add another row of tiles (which will make 25 of the 50 tiles from the pattern) without having to add more than those two extra setting triangles.

I then had the job of swapping the corner triangle that I had added to the finished row with a setting triangle instead. Not an easy job as the 'grouting' had to be unpicked and unstuck and the blocks unpicked but, I managed it.

This weekend I have fused the appliqué for the extra seven blocks that will make up the middle row of the quilt.  They are layered and basted but will need to have the appliqué edges finished.







I am really pleased with them and I can't wait to get started on finishing the edges and slowly building up the next row.  As this is a QAYG quilt you can add each block as it is finished as shown below. (The third row of the quilt)

Hope you all get some creative time this week.  Until next time..... 😊 xx

 

Monday 21 March 2022

News this week....

It has been a busy week here this week visiting with family which has been lovely, especially as the weather has been beautiful the last couple of days.  I haven't spent much time in the sewing room as I might have liked but I did manage to frame my 'Sea Hollies' embroidery.  This was a kit designed by Amy Butcher of Beaks and Bobbins and I thoroughly enjoyed stitching it. 

It was very difficult to get a good photograph of the embroidery in it's new frame as I was getting reflection from the glass but, you get the general idea.  I am very pleased with it.

Apart from that not much else has happened on the sewing front apart from I may just have signed up to a sew-a-long being run by Alison Glass.  It is a kantha sew-a-long and, as this is a technique I have wanted to try for some while, I am very excited to give it a try.  I'll post about my progress once we get started which I think is in April.

That's all for now, so until next time..... 😊 xx

Sunday 13 March 2022

A finished project!

This week I spent a fair amount of time with Dexter after his operation as I had to make sure he didn't jump up or down and upset his wound.  It gave me the perfect excuse to finish the final details of my Sea Hollies Embroidery Kit designed by Amy Butcher of Beaks and Bobbins.

Since the last time I showed it to you, there were a number of details which needed to be added including some beading on the heads of the sea hollies themselves.

They do look really lovely now they are completed (even if I do say so myself) but they were quite time-consuming, so it was lucky that I had the time.

There were also the little flowers along the bottom edge to embroider and add some beads to as well.

I am looking forward to getting it trimmed up and framed now.  I thought I may already have a frame to hand but, it looks like I may need to buy one.

Hopefully I will be able to get one soon!

 Until next time 😊 xx



Sunday 6 March 2022

Bit of a rollercoaster week.....

It really has been a bit of a rollercoaster this week.  I have had some really high moments, for example when my eldest daughter passed the viva of her PhD after four years of hard work.  Her friends at University made her a lovely cake to celebrate.  Her research has been environmental and concerns the foraging margins of pollinators on farms.  Hence the cake has depicted her in a field full of wild flowers and lots of bees!

Then we took our two dear little granddaughters out for a day at the farm (their Mum and Dad came too).  This was a belated birthday trip for the youngest of the two girls who celebrated her second birthday in February.  We had a marvellous time even though the weather wasn't at it's best!

But I have also had some very low moments when at a routine visit to the vet one of my dear little dogs was diagnosed with a tumour.  After further examination it was revealed that the tumour was attached to his spleen and a decision had to be made whether to operate and have his spleen removed.  We decided that we would go ahead with the surgery.  He needs plenty of careful attention now but, he is making good progress.  We will know when the analysis of the tumour comes back whether it is malignant or not.

On the sewing front, I have re-started work on my Metro Tiles quilt (pattern designed by The Gourmet Quilter) and I am hoping to make some more progress over the next few days too.

I have also added a few more details to my Sea Hollies embroidery. (This is a kit designed by Amy Butcher of Beaks and Bobbins.) I am hoping to be able to get this finished this week.

Until next time..... 😊 xx