"Mummy, my soup is moving" and a to-do list

"Mummy, my soup is moving" says Master 6. Oh my. It's vegetarian pumpkin soup. Freshly made. It shouldn't be moving.

Oh wait! That's what happens when you are quilting in the kitchen! Hahahahaha. I was machine blanket stitching the black bars onto the Christmas panel while the children ate dinner. (It doesn't take me long to eat pumpkin soup). I siezed the moment and the machine was wobbling the table, and that wobbled the soup. Hee hee.

It took at least an hour of solid stitching to attach these few black bars. Thank goodness I chose to stitch by machine! I daydreamed while I watched bub in the high chair, and machined away on auto pilot.

Next job is to add borders, and baste the quilt, ready to texturise with feathers and berries.

Today was the first time I went to a sit and sew group at local shop Sunlit Blooms. I took the first Diamond Hill block for hand sewing (it turns out I could have been machine sewing there, instead of wobbling the soup).

Here is an update on the  Diamond Hill block. While at the shop I bought the 9mm fusible bias tape maker, ready to make the wider stems. There really isn't that much left to do on this block. And as the challenge item is going to be all machine, except for the binding, I should be able to finish it this week in the evenings.

Then, I need to catch up with The Goblin King. There will be 3 more stitchery blocks by the time this round of Project Quilting is over.

And... I have the first instructions for the first applique block for Esther's Secret Garden. I have decided to try a new (for me) applique technique using Elmer's glue, Roxanne's glue and Floriani stitch and wash.

Sunlit Blooms seems to stock a large range of accessories, including some stitch and wash products... the fusible web I like to use (yes!), but not the batting I like. I hope I have enough batting on hand for the basting tomorrow. Hmmm... will need to check.

And, as I was pottering around, I found some more fabrics to go with my Christmas Tree panel. Check it out! *happy dance*

the bottom two are new additions

I think they look smashing. And now, I know where I can buy more fabric later to make matching Christmas tree skirt and table runners. There is a  kind of theme developing for Christmas colours for different people in my family.

So  much to do! And I didn't even mention the Christmas redwork!

Uh oh. New challenge! New BOM!

OMG. I just found another gorrrgeous free mystery BOM. In wool applique. Sigh. Buttermilk Basin. It's only free until the 15th of the month, then the next block is out. You need to go to the website each month to collect the next pattern.

I just hope I've found all of these fabulous new free BOMs now, because if any start in say, mid year, I might be tempted to collect those too... goodness!

Here is my update for the Red Brolley Christmas blocks. The first completed block. Only 5 blocks (or 8, I haven't quite decided) to go.

The next Project Quilting challenge has been issued. "Tune Into Texture". So I collected some ideas yesterday.

I knew that with the time constraints I would only have one day to Tune in, and collect ideas.

At the end of the day I had to decide what to make...

and start making it, in order to complete the quilt by the deadline.

I also wanted it to be something that I already wanted to make - not something extra, but with some fabric I have put aside, and maybe it will suit one of my Christmas gift recipients.

I had to keep it simple, even if I Tuned into textures for future projects.. I really love getting right into a challenge theme, but rather than spend a week making something obscure, I also wanted to make something that would be used and loved.

And so, I decided to do something with this gorgeous set of Christmas fabric I bought 2 years ago on  holiday in Mogo.

stack of fabrics with textures for quilting

The texture will be all about the quilting. It kind of feels like a copout, but this is a one week challenge, and I would like to finish it.

the panel is gorgeous

I knew when I bought the fabric that I would be making gifts, but I wasn't sure who for. Now I know these colours suit my brother and sister in law's Christmas tree.

I would like to make a Christmas tree skirt, but first, and for this challenge, I will do something fast with the panel, so that I can texturise with quilting.