Sunday, March 26, 2023

Jungle Paradise



Hello lovely lovelies♡ Here I am again thinking upon the week that was. This week flashed by in a blur. A new quilt was made and and a quilt on which I've spent many many, many hours stitching came to a startling halt.

My Flower Meadow quilt. As I was yet again stitching my flowery pretty I realised  there was something horribly amiss.  I began to add hexies to the the right side to even up the side vertically and discovered in every second row there will be one extra hexie than the left side. Oh no!!!! I sat looking at it for ages thinking how in-the-hell did this happen......and how could I  fix it?? No matter what my brain, which I must say was in a state of bewilderment, came up with to fix this problem, the right side was always going to be one hexie out of line in every second row than the left side. No fudging, no tweaking here and there, was going to work as hexies are a tessellation and whatever I thought of was going to be a glaring eyesore, however my addled mind sought to remedy the problem. Quilts mostly are symmetrical and for the design my very muddly mind (obviously a more muddly mind than is usual) devised, the vertical rows on both sides have to be the same. Is devastated a too dramatic word to relay my feelings???? =) Well, to put it lightly I am a bit miffed. 

A rookie mistake in the imagining and planning of this quilt, I'm afraid. It's strange what my brain doesn't think of. I have said this ad nauseum.....the obvious to me sometimes ain't obvious! The quilting world can breathe a very big sigh of relief that Kim Sharman isn't in the designing-of-quilt-patterns, business. Of course, if I depended on one of those computer programs that work out the maths and the putting together of quilt puzzles then it would've been quite evident from the start there was going to be a problem. This go-with-the-flow ethos sometimes gets it horribly wrong.

What will I do now with my pretty but asymmetrical Flower Meadow?? My immediate thought was to vanquish it to the dark abyss and perhaps begin to unpick each hexie flower with many, many impossibly invisible stitches sometime.......in the very distant future, but I had invested too much of my time to throw it into some dark cupboard never to see the light of day for a very long time.

So the unpicking began. I very carefully began to unpick the teeny tiny, almost invisible stitches even though I was most definitely in the mood for a little fabric massacre with my  'Jack The Ripper'. Common sense prevailed over my murderous tendencies and I unhappily unpicked away. That was late Wednesday evening.

Oh, but wait........Thursday morning a thought did cross my mind after an impossibly long time unpicking four flower hexies. Did I really want to unpick a further eighty or so flower hexies??!! Hell no!!!! What if I chose a different fabric for the border to skip around all the flowers?? Now, in the beginning I was going to hand stitch the flower meadow to a fabric for the border and design a trailing vine (perhaps) of hexies around the edge; but what if I made a lot of hexies out of the border fabric and added them all the way around the flower meadow. Of course, I would have to throw my design thoughts for the border out the window but perhaps I could continue.  The design would still be asymmetrical, a little askew but perhaps it wouldn't be so obvious to the eyes. Only you and I would know. You won't tell anyone, will you?? I wonder, is this a light beam from the heavenly realms to save my little meadow overspilling with beautiful flowers from the dark abyss?? Or is it just wishful thinking on my part??

I didn't originally intend to have a border filled with a gazillion little hexies, but I don't want to stash this away having it never seeing the light of day again. Besides, after unpicking a few hexies, which took an age, I wasn't going to give in that easy. I am a stubborn wench! Perhaps my Flower Meadow will be half acceptable. At least I can but try. Am I up to stitching a gazillion little hexies.....as well as some more fussy cut hexie flowers?? Dunno, really. Let's just say I am not as enamoured with my Flower Meadow as I once was.

So, feeling very ho-hum after my calamitous predicament   I dusted off months of gathered dust from my sewing machine and fashioned a new little quilt. A child's quilt. A quilt for a charity called Dandelion, which helps families and children in need. More than ever there are so many families who are one pay cheque away from hard times; impossible situations, so if I can fashion a quilt or two, to help lighten the emotional heartache in a child's day, then it is the least I can do. After all a quilty hug handmade with love would surely put a smile in a little one's day. I have wanted to make some quilts for this charity for a while now so what better time than now??

With my good-ol'-girl of a sewing machine whirring away I quickly whipped up a quilt using 5" charm squares called Jungle Paradise, designed Stacy lest Hsu. It is a bright and playful, whimsical collection  where monkeys swing from vine to vine while squawking toucans and trilling parrots sit in safety of the canopy of the trees from tigers and leopards prowling the jungle floor below. Green Tree frogs are leaping here and there while elephants slowly walk among the labyrinthian undergrowth causing the jungle to vibrate with each step.  A happy little band of animals against a background of teals, pinks, yellows, oranges, emerald greens.......just waiting to hug a child. For the borders I used a geometric pattern with brightly coloured tiny polka dots by Tula Pink and for the backing another Tula Pink fabric with dots dancing all over. A perfect match me thinks. The machine quilting is simple with diagonal quilting lines intersecting each square and straight lines dancing around the border. The binding, which I hand stitched yesterday is the same fabric as the backing. Hand stitching the binding I know for some of you is your favourite part of making a quilt. For me....definitely not so!






A simple quilt but one that is visually pleasing and fun. Hopefully it will find it's way to a sweet child who at day's end will cosily snuggle under it and when sleep time bids, drifts off into the land of counterpane, to the wild land of overgrown vegetation and tangled vines, where wild adventures with all the playful jungle animals await. 



Before I go to enjoy a little Sunday hand stitching, this week a package arrived for me. It was from a beautiful lady, Elizabeth, a fellow aussie who reads my blog and thought I needed this pretty remnant of fabric and bag handles. Oh my, the fabric is beautiful with. flowers, frogs, butterflies, lady bugs and hummingbirds. It will surely have to find a home on a garden theme quilt sometime down my flowery, quilting path. Then there are the bag handles Elizabeth found in an op shop!! Oh my, just exquisite!! Little wooden handles with floating swans on either side. Truly, I don't think I have seen such charming handles before. And......from an op shop, no less. I will have to design something worthy of these handles. My deepest thanks, lovely Elizabeth. Your generosity and kindness has humbled me♡


Have a beautiful Sunday, lovely lovelies♡ Me thinks I might enjoy a little hand quilting of my Crazy Flowers quilt this afternoon, for I'm in a no thinking, happy, hand quilting, frame of mind. Besides, she and me haven't spent much time together, of late. =)

Until the next time................




41 comments:

  1. Oh Kim….I’m so glad you are able to change the design rather than unpick all of those tiny stitches. That sounds like a mistake I would make. The fabric and handles for the bag are truly stunning. I can’t wait to see what you do with them. The finished quilt is very fun and sweet too.

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    1. Mary, hopefully my Flower Meadow will still bloom. =) A more simple design, perhaps but at least all those pretty flowers hexies will live to see another day. I do love all my little flowery hexies. It's so easy to make a teeny mistake which throws the whole design out. Aren't the swan handles amazing??!! And of course the pretty fabric, too, is just lovely. So blown away by Elizabeth's kindness. Thank you too, lovely Mary, for gifting my day with your kindness. Both your sweet visit and lovely words have blessed my day. Kim Xx

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  2. Your package from Elizabeth is just beautiful Kim. I am not a quilter (unfortunately) so I do not understand the language you speak but I am so sorry to read of your predicament regarding your gorgeous Flower Meadow quilt. All those gorgeous hexies - I am pleased you do not have to unpick them. Your childs quilt is bright & cheery & I can just imagine a wee one lying under it having a wonderful time looking at all those jungle animals. xx

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  3. Hi Kim oh noo not your hexies ,I sure felt for you,glad you came up with a plan . Oh I love your 5” quilt the colours are lovely and how adorable are those swan hangers,hope your day is a good one my friend 🌹🤍🌹

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  4. You aren't the only seasoned quilter to make an easy mistake, I make mistakes like that all the time. Oh well, that's the way it goes! The jungle quilt is really cute, it's always fun to make an easy pattern when we're frustrated. Happy stitching!

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  5. Hi Kim ! Your hexies will wait for you...with a exquisite idea I'm sure ;)
    Your 5" quilt is lovely ! And your swans beautiful !
    Have a fun week !
    Hug
    Anna

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  6. Your Flower Meadows quilt looks amazing... I love the rich bold colors... this will be nice with your upcoming cooler weather I am sure too Kim.... Have a wonderful week ahead.... Kathi

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  7. I love the colors of your quilt - simple is often a way to work out our troubles

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  8. Oh Kim I feel your pain! I’ve had to unpick hexies before now and it is not easy. I’m glad you have potentially found a remedy! Your new children’s charity quilt is gorgeous, lovely fabrics and colours. Sarah quilting by the sea

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  9. Such a bright and cheerful quilt for a child. Sometimes our mistakes are just opportunities for creativity. I know you will figure out a beautiful solution to the hexie problem. Think outside the box! I know you can do it! Gail at the Cozy Quilter.

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  10. I hope you can get your hexies figured out they are quite difficult to take apart at times - it is frustrating. I have made mistakes on mine and have had to unpick pieces here and there - it seems no matter how careful we are at the design occasionally we put a piece in the wrong spot and it throws it all out of whack. The small quilt is bright and colorful and sometimes we have to work on something else to get our mind to straightened out.

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  11. Oh, your design issue sounds frustrating. The child's quilt is delightful!

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  12. Sometimes our quilt projects need to go in time out for awhile, and meanwhile, a happy little charm square quilt is the perfect project! That's an adorable finish, Kim! Hope your fix for the Flower Meadow quilt will make you happy with it.

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  13. Beautiful bright quilt for a child. I also know you will figure out a solution to your hexie problem. What a thing to deal with. Hope you have a better week!

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  14. Such a beautiful happy quilt , Kim. Love the fabrics you used. It looks amazing against the fernery with all of the lovely cosmos growing.

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  15. Esa colcha de caridad me parece muy, muy, muy bonita y alegre y la historia que cuentas del diseño de tu colcha de hexies.... ufffffff.....cuántos quebraderos de cabeza..... pero ánimo que lo conseguirás. BESICOS.

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  16. I'm sure your Plan B for the flowery hexies will turn out beautifully, but I can understand your dismay that the design didn't quite work out as you imagined. Great work whipping up that lovely Jungle Paradise quilt for a little one to enjoy. And goodness me, those bag handles are exquisite. Are you imagining a lovely new bag topped with the swan handles already!

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  17. Now, hexies will always trip us up with the unexpected sides. But, a big But,it is what they do. So glad you stopped unpicking your beautiful flowers and found a creative design opportunity! You have inspired me to grow more flowers this year, dahlias (from bulbs and seeds) even a hydrangea. Who knows how much colour will be created in the garden. Spring is covered, summer not so much. I am even thinking of growing another rose or too. Your Love for flowers are contagious. Have a wonderful week. The wee quilt is beautiful, made with so much love.

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    1. Hexies can be pesky little devils.....but oh, how I love them. =) I'm thinking right at this minute that a simple Flower Meadow is a most excellent idea. I am so excited you have decided to grow more flowers this year. A garden blooming with oodles of dahlias is always a spectacular sight and as for the hydrangeas, me thinks everyone should plant one or two. My mission in life, lovely Maggie, is to spread the good news about the joy of flowers. =) After all didn't a wee butterfly once say....."Just living isn't enough.....one must have sunshine, freedom and a little flower." Hans Christian Anderson. As always thank you so much for your beautiful visit, lovely lady. I can feel your excitement with the coming warmer days and the chance of planting a host of pretty flowers. How wonderful for you♡ Have a beautiful week. Kim Xx

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  18. It sounds like you are planning to make lemonade out of lemons. I am sure your current fix will make you happy. Those bag handles are gorgeous. So is the new fabric. Enjoy your quilting. Have a great week.

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  19. What painful reverse stitching! I vote for make-it-work-somehow. If I get a vote! Now, what a colorful, adorable child's quilt! And it photographs so well in your garden!!! Pretty future handbag, too!!! Kind gift!

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  20. What a nightmare! But I'm sure your garden path will end up looking even nicer than originally planned and, in the meantime, your jungle quilt is a delight and will, I'm sure, be very gratefully received and long treasured :)

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  21. I like the colors on the Jungle quilt.
    As another organic quilter, I feel your pain with the problems of assembly. How disappointing! I hope the "fix" works out! The wooden handles are cool!

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  22. So bright and lovely! I can almost breathe the warm fragrant garden air ... :) Pat

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  23. Oh no...unpicking hexies, that is a really hard thing to have to be doing!! I am so glad to read you have found a solution. The jungle quilt is beautiful, so bright and happy. How special are those wooden handles? What a lovely treat from Elizabeth.

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  24. Hi Kim
    Your Hexie quilt is so pretty. The thought of you unpicking is horrid, I really hope you can make this work, which I’m sure you can, and it will be even more beautiful.
    Lovely little jungle quilt
    Look forward to seeing what you do with the unusual bag handles. What a find.
    Best wishes Kay c XX

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    1. Kay, unpicking four hexies was enough for me. I think I have come up with an acceptable fix for my Flower Meadow. As for those bag handles I will have to design a special little bag to suit. They were indeed a fabulous find. Have a wonderful week, lovely lady. Kim Xx

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  25. Well you most certainly must not consign all those beautiful hexies to the back of the cupboard! Or even contemplate unpicking them. Why don't you just square the hexies off when you get to the required size and then add your border? I love the little donation quilt, such lovely warm sunny colours. Enjoy your quilting. xx

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  26. Pretty gift from Elizabeth. Your sweet quilt remind me my Grandma's artwork. Blessings dear friend.

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    1. Elizabeth's gift is very pretty indeed. Your grandma sounds like she was a clever artist, Maristella. How lovely you have all those beautiful memories of her. Kim Xx

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  27. oh I am so sorry the quilt didn't work out as planned, I would not take it all apart, I would figure some way of making it work and it sounds like you have, I am sure it will be terrific even if it isn't what you envisioned in the first place.
    The sweet quilt for a child is a great way to get your mind off the other quilt for awhile and give a special gift to some child that really needs a quilt hug!

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  28. That is such a precious quilt you have made for a little child that is sure to treasure it, Kim. A lovely way to channel your frustration with the uneven garden quilt, although I am sure only you would notice the discrepancy! Once it is cozily tucked on your bed, or draped over a comfy chair, only the beauty will be apparent. I have had many sewing mishaps with blouses that just don't look right or slacks that bunch in all the wrong places! Haha! It is very frustrating. I hope you find a solution and if not, live with the imperfect. After all, that is the Wabi-Sabi way of living. Hugs xo K

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  29. Lovely child's quilt. I am sure it will be loved and much appreciated, Kim.
    Sorry you Flower Meadow quilt veered off the symmetrical track. But I am certain you will make it bloom and look wonderful.
    What a great gift you received; the purse handles are so unique.

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  30. Sorry to hear about the hexagons. hope the solution you have come up with will work. You are so lucky to have received such a pretty gift.
    I love your beautiful jungle quilt.

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    1. It's all well with my little Flower Meadow quilt. I acquiesced to her small voice and went with her plea of keeping it simple. And.....I must admit as I stitched this week I have decided my little quilt is quite correct. So....a simple quilt she will be. =) I am a lucky gal to have such a pretty gift. I cannot wait to fashion something for those swan handles. And, as for the jungle quilt.....thank you so much for your kind words. Kim Xx

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  31. Your quilt is lovely Kim. I just love quilts made with just squares. xx

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  32. Sweet swans - just the loveliest, I would say. The gorgeous piece of fabric, the handles, and the vase...just the sweetest. How wonderful it was to have been remembered and to get that bundle in the mail, too. Your charity quilt is so bright and lively. Something that someone will cherish forever - and to think that you added the hand-quilting on it besides. I hope they'll recognize all the love you added to that quilt. Oh goodness, you did describe a virtual 'pickle' you were in regarding the Flower Meadow Quilt. I'm so glad that you decided not to unpick all those hexies. I've always been told that a 'mistake' you make is just a design choice. I have no problem thinking that you'll solve this pickle and make it a part of the design. You may yet find that Flower Meadow will
    end up being your favorite quilt/project.

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  33. I'm so sorry that you had to plan a new path for your hexie quilt. That had to be a huge disappointment. Your consolation sewing quilt is really cute, love the bold and vivid colors. Hope this week has been much better on the stitching front.

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  34. Oh dear .... just when you were having such fun sewing all those hexies together! Can you show us a photo of your problem? Maybe we can help you.
    Your new quilt is adorable and a child will certainly sleep well under it.

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    1. I should've shown a few photos of my problem for I know you and the other lovely lovelies would've had some helpful suggestions.....silly me. =) I think I have come up with a solution which I can live with. The side borders will always be a bit off, a bit asymmetrical but hopefully what I have done, the little blight will be less obvious. Thank you for your kindness, though....and thank you so much for visiting my little place. You have put a smile into my day. Kim Xx

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  35. I feel for you in your design dilemma - but I'm sure you've figured out a good solution. My first idea was wondering if you could simply (hah?) add additional hexies to the opposite side in order to make it more balanced? Not having seen the actual problem it's hard to envision a solution.
    A child is going to feel so loved when they receive that quilt and you are going to have such fun designing a purse to use those beautiful swan handles.

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