Progress is starting to show

And so it goes that Diamond Hill block 4 is complete! Hurrah!

applique stitched down - time to make basket fabric auditions

I finished stitching it yesterday for Slow Sunday Stitching. It's not really that slow, as there is not anywhere near as much stitching and preparation to do as there is on these Secret Garden blocks.

The next instructions for DH are issued in a week, and I am guessing that it will be cutting and machine piecing together the first four blocks to make the quilt centre.

All I have left to do is one little circle on block 2. I took it out the other night, but I thought I'd made it too small. When I went to remake it tonight, I couldn't see where I had put the fabric I wanted to use. Well then! Next task! It will turn up, or I will look again in daylight and see that the circle I appliqued is actually fine.

This morning I tried to print out block 4 of Secret Garden on my home printer. I bought an inkjet printer late last year, so it's fairly new. And I've already purchased all the inks again in the last month (over $100), and still the black ink won't work. That's it, I've googled and searched and read all the nonsense. For all the time and muddling around I could have bought a laser printer for printing black only, for about $59, and the toner is only about $60. It prints around 700 sheets. That turns out to be about 8 cents a page, plus the cost of the paper. So it's actually cheaper to go to Officeworks to print the pages out at 8 cents a page including paper. It's just the petrol to get there. In the end, it's probably cheaper to have a printer at home, and more convenient.

adapting Esther's pattern

For the moment, I will go to Officeworks every 2 weeks as Esther's new applique patterns are released, and when our spacious new home is built next year I will have plenty of room to maintain a laser printer.

This morning I printed out Secret Garden 4 at Officeworks, then enjoyed some sit down time working out how I am going to adapt the pattern to suit the Wonderland theme I've added to the previous three blocks.

adding Wonderland eccentricities

Lastly, this evening, I've prepared the last applique pieces (tiny circles) to stitch onto Secret Garden block 3. They should be stitched on tomorrow, no worries. Then there's the quote from Alice in Wonderland to stitch on (where has my redwork and embroidery hoop gone? I took it somewhere.. maybe it's under a car seat or down the back of the couch.. hmm... ) I think by Wednesday's social sewing class I will be up to preparing applique pieces for SG4, even if the quote isn't stitched on yet.

patworthy

Woohoo!

Yesterday I had finished stitching down everything already basted onto Diamond Hill block 4.

After a concerted effort the rest of the block has the edges prepared with spray starch and ironed under.

It's pretty exciting. Now I get to sit and stitch tonight. And if it's not all finished tonight. That's okay. I'll save some for when I don't feel in the mood to prepare whats next.

But tomorrow I get to finish Secret Garden 3, then I can start SG 4.

There's nothing like preparing for the next "project", or in this case block, to get me excited about finishing what I am working on. The prepared fabrics are just so patworthy. I just want to pat and stroke the fabric for the next block. Hee hee.

Although saying that, I need to be in the mood to prepare the pieces for SG4, as I am making significant modifications to it this time.

more more more

Diamond Hill block 4 is progressing. As well as preparing the pieces, I have also been stitching away.



Isn't it strange how our moods strike us? Sometimes we just want to stitch, sometimes we want to prepare away so that we can watch the block form in front of us.

When this block is finished, before I start to put the blocks together with month 5 instructions, I need to make the final choice of basket fabric. I think I have it, but I am not yet sure. I also need to buy more of the dark purple grunge background fabric for the applique part of the borders. In fact, I'll also need to buy other fabric for the twinkly pieced sections. When I see the instructions I will know how much to buy.

I received the pattern for block 4 of Esther's Secret Garden BOM, which is another flower vase/vessel containing a large bloom, rose buds and ivy leaves.  After a couple of days ruminating, and especially today in the fabric shop for my social class, I scouted out some fabric.

This batik will be used for the ivy leaves. Using fabric like this will give the block a feeling of movement and twinkle factor as they appear to move across the fabric.



This feathers fabric (top in dark blue) will be for the vase. I have already decided how I will change the block into Wonderland, and these fabrics add depth and also give a beautiful twinkle. I am happy to hug my secret to myself for now. Although, I know that as soon as I start it I won't be able to help myself but share my progress.

second fabric underneath is graduated, in real life these fabrics have so much depth they look velvety (Hummingbird)

I would love to start block 4 straight away, but I am not keen to have 2 blocks from Secret Garden unfinished (block 2 just needs its quote stitched on, and to be washed, and block 3 needs a little bit of applique stitching, embroidery embellishment and its quote stitched on also). My concern is that  I would keep starting the next block, then have lots half finished.

And so it comes that the last free pattern (I think) was released for the Goblin King stitchalong at Fandom in Stitches, and I've only done about 5 of the 18 stitcheries! Oh my goodness!! I was kind of hoping the last block would be big, and it would be David Bowie as the Goblin King, but that didn't happen. Anyway, I have the rest of the year to complete the quilt.

In the meantime, I will also keep collecting patterns from Buttermilk Basin for the free BOM blocks, because free patterns I like don't always come along.

Linking up with Esther's Working on Wednesday.

Slowly we get there

Most of Secret Garden block 3 is stitched down. All I need to do is the embellishments now.

For Slow Stitching Sunday yesterday I enjoyed preparing some of  Diamond Hill block 4 ready to stitch.

these leaves are too busy, will change them out

It only looks like a little bit done, but the block is traced and most of the freezer paper pieces are traced and cut out. I'll take it to the children's karate class tonight to see what I can stitch. That's why it's so good to have stitching prepared to take out here and there!

A little bit more preparation to do on this block tomorrow... and then the next Secret Garden block is released again already! Eek! My brain is whirring away as I think about how to customise the block to really give it the Wonderland touch.

I do love being mostly up to date with these BOMs and I love the motivation to keep up with everyone. I am glad I joined both at the same time.

For now, I think I'll get some more of Diamond Hill block 4 ready to stitch when I have a few spare moments.

Just a few more days

I've been feeling really good about my progress as lots and lots of this block (Secret Garden block 3 with my own Wonderland modification) is now stitched down.

this section is all stitched down

I was working on it at sewing group today when I thought "Ooh! I might have this finished in two days". Then I saw that I still need to fix the stem I unpicked near the cat's head.

I wondered if I should put in another leaf near the stem (have now decided No, as the stem on the left side is kind of bare). Maybe I will put a smile on the tiger to make it look more like a Cheshire cat? (No, it's beautiful just as it is).

More stitching and fixing to do on this side

Then there is embroidery to do on the flowers. Ooh! And the little appliqued circles coming out of the protea-ish flowers.

And then I'd like to embroider a quote onto the background.

Leaves, flower, and pot to be stitched

Well, that sounds like more than two days work stitching. Hopefully I will be finished it by the 1st of May when the next block comes out.

If you haven't seen the wide variety of fabric and colour choices used by other quilters with these patterns, you can see them on (the designer) Esther's facebook group page.

I am totally loving the fabrics on this quilt. So much fun and variation. There is no chance to be bored with the stitching.

I am also pretty pleased with my goal setting, to try to keep up with the 2 heavily appliqued BOMs. I am a bit behind on the stitchery blocks, but I feel certain I will catch up and complete the quilt by the end of this year. Especially if I keep up with Diamond Hill until July when the last block is released.
After Diamond Hill is released, I am looking forward to making a softie of some kind. Perhaps a toy or decoration. I also know I'll have to make it along with a friend for motivation and encouragement. When this block is finished I'll have a rummage in my pattern stash.

Linking up with Esther's blog today for Working on Wednesdays.

Grooving right along

Moving right along, the 3rd block of Secret Garden is developing.

This week it's taken a chunk of time to play with the fabrics. Looking at the fabrics isn't enough, it seems to require preparation of starching under the seams to view the composition objectively.

And even then, in the old days we would use a door peephole to look at our project from a distance to gain perspective. Now we take a digital snap on our phone and look at it on the screen. Then we make a change, and switch between two photos to see what we like best.

Here is my latest progress photo of the block.

I am still deciding whether to use the tiger head/Cheshire cat to replace 1 flower or 2 flowers.

There is another flower to hang down over the urn, and a rim and sash on the urn too - maybe in teal? Not sure yet. I might not know until the flowers have been embroidered as this will also add balance to the colouring in the block.

I love asymmetry. Odd numbers of flowers. Tiger head on one side, not the other. One Queen head hiding behind leaves, one in front of them.

Adoring these Tula Pink fabrics (tiger from Eden range, and Queen heads from Elizabeth range). It's just a really exciting project to work on.

Looking forward to having all these pieces chosen and prepared so that I can work on Diamond Hill block 4. It's only 3 weeks until we have the instructions to put together the first four DH centre blocks. I am keen as mustard to put them together at that time to keep up with everyone, so I am keen to catch up (or is it keep up?) with both BOMs.

Ready for the next block!

It feels good to have a block of Diamond Hill finished! I have so many "almost finished" pieces on the horizon, it's time to share where everything is, ready to motivate me to keep going.

Diamond Hill block 3 is totally complete.

Diamond Hill block 3

These photos make the blocks appear to be made in a glow in the dark fabric. 

I really love the purple textured flower centre fabric.


When I went back, I realise I have a flower and a flower centre left to stitch on block 2!

So, this is what I have finished so far, in my MIL's favourite decorating colours.

And when block 3 is also finished I will be ready to start block 4, the next piece of the centre of the quilt. Next month on the 15th we will have instructions to assemble these four blocks together. I would like to have all four centre blocks finished by then.



Esther has released the free pattern for block 4. I tried to trace the design onto the background fabric today, but I had printed this one out on my own printer, and the lines were a bit feint. I realised I'd printed the rest off at officeworks, and the lines were much more solid and easy to trace.

This week I have absolutely adored the quiet stitching moments I have "stolen", even though there is a hole in my stitching finger. Ouch!

Tomorrow it's sewing group, and I will take my iron again to prepare as many pieces as I can. I seem to get lots done while I am there.

In the almost finished basket, are these two stitchery blocks for the Labyrinth quilt QAL at fandom in stitches.

these blocks are actually the same size, but they have photographed differently

I just need to find a quote for each doorknocker and stitch it on - that's my own personal touch. I can't seem to follow a pattern down the straight and narrow these days.