Me Time

It was my turn today for a few hours to myself at a local shop for social sewing group.

I took two things to work on, depending on my mood: maybe I will just want to stitch and relax enjoying working on the Diamond Hill block 3. Nope. (Although, I can report it is now about 20% stitched down from stitching in the evenings.)

I felt like trying out fabrics for Secret Garden block 3. I found some leaf fabric, tried it, and loved it.

Then I tried out the tiger face as the Cheshire cat's face. It needs a big cheesy cartoon-ish smile appliqued over the mouth. This is going to look good. The face is going to take the place of one of the flowers. There is no room for both.

Auditioning fabrics is fun!

Now that the cat face, leaf fabric, urn and stem fabrics are chosen, I can see a few changes need to be made.

The protea looking flower is far too pale and washed out. I bought a grunge hot pink to try for the outermost petals, and will audition other fabrics for the flower after that.

And, looking at the Queen head flower, I would like to change the lime green sepals into another colour. Maybe a warm apricot blush kind of colour. I will know when the protea flowers are made.

I love the way choosing fabrics and colours evolves as the block forms.

The new Diamond Hill block comes out on the 15th. It would be great to have all the Secret Garden fabrics chosen by then, ready to make DH4. After the fourth block, I suspect we will be piecing the centre of the quilt with the blocks we have made. I would like to have the first four blocks stitched for the release of the 5th month instructions so that I can move along with the next instructions straight away.

I only have enough background fabric for the first 4 applique blocks so far, so I'll have to buy more. Twist my arm!

My friend Sarah at 9658 Textiles has written a superb tutorial on dyeing wool fabric for rug hooking when you want just the right shade. Dyeing and rug hooking are definitely on my "to do"/"to drool" list.  I can only say go read the post and check out Sarah's work. Totally droolworthy.

Linking up with Esther's WIPs on Wednesdays.

Slow stitching and fast painting

On Sunday I read Kathy's post about a suddenly deceased quilter whose friends and family were cleaning out her sewing stash. The woman had passed away with a  huge pile of kits and BOMs put away for later, without even the enjoyment of taking the first stitch.

I was prompted to start the slow stitching of Diamond Hill block 3, which is almost all prepared to stitch with seams turned under, but I had put it away for later. I worked on one large leaf on Sunday night.

reminder to self: insert progress photo here

It's just as well I had it all prepared, because the children are home for school holidays and I've suddenly found myself EXHAUSTED making their holidays the best yet... with no creative energy leftover for my own projects!

birds nests from noodles, chocolate and little eggs

Monday we had a pancake breafkast, went shopping to buy baking ingredients, then we made birds nest Easter cupcakes. First we made mini chocolate cupcakes, then we made nests from Chang's fried noodles, chocolate melts and little chocolate eggs. After that it was kids at karate, then we watched the movie Trolls. Ooh! What a big day!

nests atop mini chocolate cupcakes

I was so tired Monday night. What to do? Just sit and stitch in the evening to wind down. Another large leaf stitched.

Today we've been to the museum to see the interactive moving dinosaur exhibit, met up with friends in a wonderful chance meeting, then enjoyed lunch out at the Cowboys club bistro. The children are napping, and have declared it the "best day ever" (well, for these holidays at least).

Last Saturday before I had "brain fatigue", I practised painting a tshirt for Master 18 months.

Yay! School holiday project time

We have more tshirts for kids and grownups to paint. At only $3 per tshirt, I think we will do a few of these each.

In an amazing twist, last night we saw a rainbow and the word HAPPY at the start of the Trolls movie! Kismet.

This will be fun!

The back of bub's tshirt. Any pattern seems to work in the paint.

As for me? My brain might just let me choose some fabrics for Secret Garden in Wonderland block 3 tonight. Yes! My brain is working again!

Off with her head!

I did it! I started early, and I finished late. Sewing with online friends on a Friday night, thank you. I enjoyed your company.

Diamond Hill block 3 is almost prepared. Just flower centres and a stray petal to prepare. This will be put aside for now, and stitched later. I am feeling as though I am on track, and that's the main thing.

Diamond Hill free BOM block 3

Secret Garden block 2 is ready for the last hour or so of hand stitching. (I hope to enjoy that process today).

Secret Garden block 3 is becoming interesting!

Secret Garden block 3 is in progress

I envisage very bright purpleish leaves. The queen heads are wonderful flowers for this block. Still auditioning the alternate flowers in soft, pale fabrics. I will know when I have made the leaves and trialled the Cheshire cat's head whether they need to be changed, or can be embellished with embroidery stitches.

Next: keep making Queen heads, and prepare the cat head. When I am in the mood for choosing fabrics, I really enjoy this process. This is so much fun!

Three blocks on the go

Ooh! I wonder if I can sneak in two nights quilty work in one night tonight? Bub is in bed early, and Mumma has 3 blocks out to work on. Eek!

Of course, getting two nights work done in one Friday night would actually mean restraining myself.
Yes. That's what I said. I am gagging to start the next thing, which is Secret Garden block 3. I KNOW that if I start the next block, the others will be kind of left behind....

I seem to be dragging my feet on Diamond Hill block 3 a bit at the moment... . So many daisy petals to prepare, and these aren't MY colours, they are for my dear MIL. I just don't really feel like working on it. That is why I will push myself to do it. This is what I've done so far.

Diamond Hill block 3, needs a couple more leaves traced off

 I am now thinking to just make one more daisy tonight, then reward myself by preparing flowers on Secret Garden block 3 with the Cheshire cat.

Secret Garden block 3 (still looks like a secret right?)

So far this urn looks like a cauldron! But it won't always be so. I have plans. Big plans! Ooh! It's so exciting doing something different! Totally Maverick!

And here's the update on Secret Garden block 2.

Secret Garden block 2, with flamingo

Still leaves to add and a few embroidery details to go. But only one stripebell left! yay!

Linking up to Friday Night With Friends... I hope to have lots to show and tell over the weekend!

Kicking goals

Slowly, slowly I feel like I am reaching my goals for this week.

"Time For Love" wedding quilt

"Time For Love" wedding quilt is bound. It needs a label, and I need to check over it for threads to be trimmed. Then I can post it to the gorgeous couple!

A little bit closer

I need to take some closeup photos of the blocks to share.

Secret Garden block 2 is almost finished. The flamingo legs and head feathers are stitched on (it still needs an eye). Most of the stripebell stems are stitched on. The only thing left now is a few stripebell stems and the flamingo eye, and to replace the large pink leaves, then attach the last stripebell. (If I hadn't been tea total for 6 1/2 years, I'd have a few drinks to celebrate that last stripebell). Secret Garden is a wonderful mystery applique BOM, and I am so grateful to be stitching along with 5,000 other people on Esther's facebook group page. I need the motivation to finish one block, and start another.

I've spent an hour drooling over fabric for Secret Garden block 3. I've picked a lot of the fabrics, and thinking about adding other colours and dimensions with fabric paint or embroidery stitches. Instead of hiding the cat behind flowers, I think I will turn the head upside down, and "disappear" the body, adding a toothy Cheshire Cat grin.

More leaves are prepared and basted onto Diamond Hill block 3. I am not even going to start stitching it yet. I'm not in the mood at the moment. I am happy to keep up preparing those blocks on time at the moment. I guess when it gets closer to piecing everything together in 3 1/2 months I will feel very inspired to stitch the pieces down.

Next post should be much more photo heavy.

Linking up with Esther's WIPs on Wednesday.

Working it

It's the school holidays here, which means so many of our regular family commitments aren't running. It is just what I need to get up to speed with my stitching goals.

I love the stripey batik for the daisies

Diamond Hill block 3 has begun!


I made all these flower petals before checking how they looked on the background fabric. Oops. They looked a bit dark until I took a photo. Then I could easily see where the flowers stopped and the background started. If I feel unsure later, I can always embroider a line around the outside edge of each petal.

Next: stems and leaves

The petals are a little bit too long, and will need trimming before stitching down. My plan is to have all of this block prepared by the end of Saturday.

Slowly, slowly, the bluebells on Secret Garden block 2 have been stitched on. Working on one little section at a time really helped with motivation. I finished a section with the embroidered stems. Looking at it and patting it was just the right incentive to keep going.

It makes such a difference to have the bluebells stitched down. The block feels soft!

Next the flamingo legs need to be embroidered, and one more little fabric bluebell stalk needs to be made. Then, 6 more bluebells (or stripebells in my case) need to be prepared. And I still plan to change the large pink leaves to a different fabric.

your chance to "virtual pat" the stripebells

By Saturday night I hope to have completely finished Secret Garden block 2, and fully prepared Diamond Hill block 3, and stitched at least one more side onto the binding on Time For Love (still two sides to go).

In the mood!

Starting to feel more energy bubbling in my creative juices, I thought I would take a break from stitching bluebells. It has always been my intention to have every block prepared within its month of release, and then it can be stitched at any time.

The preparing takes more space, more brain juice (to choose fabrics), and more equipment (iron, extension cord, paintbrush, starch, turning tools, scissors, glue, etc).

I was in the mood!

Last night I prepared 3 of the 5 daisies for Diamond Hill block 3. I have traced onto double freezer paper, and cut out, almost all the pieces for the block (I accidentally missed a few stems).

daisy pieces prepared from this fabric, hoping to give the flowers the feeling of movement

This morning I prepared another daisy. Woohoo! Only one daisy, stems and leaves to prepare! I am hoping to finish preparing the block tomorrow so that I can sink my teeth into the next Secret Garden fabric choices. Oh yay! The new block in the mystery BOM has a cat hiding behind some flowers! cue Cheshire cat, and perhaps some Tula Pink tiger fabric!

Tula Pink tiger fabric, arrived in the mail last week! Hurrah!

I am still thinking about whether to use pansies or something completely different for the flowers, or to make them in a similar way to the pattern. Oh decisions! Decisions! I am in the mood to make them too!

Then we went to a family Easter egg hunt and cooked breakfast near the beach.

The event is held every year to celebrate our children's great grandmother's birthday (she has now passed over, but she adored Christmas and Easter, as do I, and this is how she is remembered - in her favourite type of family gathering).

We are enjoying holiday time. It's almost my favourite weather of the year here (May-October), it's cool enough to enjoy parks and the outdoors.