A Little English Paper Piecing♡

 

Hello, lovely lovelies; lovely friends♡

A beautiful welcome from my little place where the hydrangeas are beginning to transform into their autumnal beauty. The petals of the summer blooms are beginning to transition into muted shades, slowly drying into crinkled loveliness.

If you recall, last year in late winter 'the gardener' had taken to my hydrangeas with a machete-like implement and hacked pruned the hydrangeas to within an inch of their life. I must say despite my protestations and objections of him 'murdering' my beautiful hydrangeas; the gardener indeed, did know best. But, shh......let's just keep this  little secret between you and me, shall we?? If you tell him I admitted this truth to you, it might give him carte blanche with my pretties next time. Although there weren't masses of blooms this summer, the mophead flowers were the biggest I've ever seen. The flowers are bigger than a dinner plate measuring 15" or 33cms.  Truly, they are quite spectacular.

Mmm.... a little romance  among the hydrangeas. =)

But enough of my pretty hydrangeas and of a little afternoon delight for critters in love; let's chat about some slow hand stitching, shall we??

I've picked up my EPP Liberty Stars again. I searched high and low for a Kona solid for the hexies which will join the stars but even though I auditioned a few different colours, none were pleasing to my eye. I wanted a grey with a lavender tinge but couldn't find one. So, yet again I searched my fabric stash and I actually found a fabric I thought would work. It's a fabric I bought for another quilt that's crystallizing in my imagination, but that will have to wait. The fabric is called Spring Hill Farm by Dianne Swartz.  It's a sweet fabric and I think gives the quilt a fresh, cheery, spring-like aesthetic.

I have begun to stitch stars to hexies. I'm not waiting until all the stars are pieced to start stitching the quilt together as I haven't enough papers.  I'm removing the diamond and hexie papers as I stitch the quilt.

Sending a little hydrangea love to you, lovely lovelies; lovely friends♡ May you find joy in the little things this Sunday♡ I am going to enjoy a little hand stitching this autumnal, Sunday afternoon♡ As ever, shining my little light from all the way down here♡ Take care♡

Until the next time......

A New Quilt♡

Hello lovely friends♡ It's late Sunday evening here, where, for most of you in your little part of the world, Sunday is just awaking♡

Early this week I had a request for a quilt to be made to be used as a throw for a nursery nursing chair. And, the request was if possible could it be finished in a week or two. Also, if at all possible could I use Australian theme fabrics mixed with a few solids and green prints. And......not a lot of bright fabrics, please. Though, some brighter greens thrown into the mix were acceptable.

Fortunately, I have remnants of fabrics with Aussie animals and flora so I pulled these out, with various green prints and a few solids; sending  a photo to the mum-to-be for the okay. So, receiving the green light I began.

I stitched 4" squares together. Fabrics where sweet joeys are peeping out of mumma's pouch and cockatoos and kookaburras enjoying a laugh in an old gum tree. There are platypuses chasing fish in and out of reeds deep in riverbeds and other platypuses sitting on the river bank fishing with their pelican chums. Koalas are catching rides on the back of jumping kangaroos and there are a couple of chubby koalas enjoying a banquet of eucalyptus leaves.. There's  a little gum nut, Snugglepot......or is it Cuddlepie (of May Gibbs fame) setting sail in a little tinnie with her friend, Koala. There's even a blue fairy wren singing a merry tune where more little gum nuts listen, enthralled. Such a sweet fabric. The other fabrics added to the mix are spotty spots,  Australian floral designs and a few Kona solids. The binding is Kona Bluegrass which do-si-do around the quilt quite nicely.

The backing fabric  is very different to the quilt front. It's a fabric with cute doggies all over. An interesting choice but it is what the mum-to-be requested. But then, it's really two quilts in one. Double the fun and whimsy.

I bought the doggy fabric when out shopping with my daughter in San Fransisco. It was the first time I stepped over the threshold of Hobby Lobby. It's certainly a shop with all things craft, isn't it?? I thought at the time you would be hard pressed to not find what you wanted. Though, I must say for fabrics and pure wool I prefer smaller independent patchwork and wool shops.

I'm still bemused by my little shopping expedition in Hobby Lobby. My daughter and I were at the cutting counter and as the sales assistant was cutting the doggy fabric  she asked me what country I was from; to which I replied, Australia. At this point she told us that she would never travel to Australia. Intrigued, I asked her why ever not. She went on to say that she would be terrified to visit Australia as it was a communist country.  My daughter and I looked at each other simultaneously and silently questioned.......What??!! When??!! How??!! I wanted to enlighten this dear lady that perhaps she should board a plane and dip her conservative toes in the land down under and experience for herself a land where government  serves the people and, for the most part endeavours to make the lives of their citizens better, but I thought better of it. Of course, the both of us walked out of the shop incredulous, chortling as we went. Truly, the ignorance of some Americans is astounding. I must say when the sad time arrived when I had to say  au revoir to my daughter and son-in-law, I said to my daughter to wish me luck as I departed for that communist land in which I live; the home of her youth. I'm still chuckling over the dear lady's thoughts on Australia. =) Yes indeedy, I'm thankful and feel blessed to live in Australia.

Oh, while I'm broaching the subject of politics, another aside. So, so sorry.......but you know me. =) We're having a federal election within the next few months and can you believe, we have a right wing conservative party called the Trumpet of Patriotism!! It is a party where their intention is to get an elected representative or two into the hallowed halls of Parliament. You have got to be kidding!! Imagine my surprise when one evening the Trump-like, bloated and over-fed billionaire leader of this party took over my TV screen in an over-long advertisement sitting with Tucker Carlson??!! What??!! They were trumpeting on and on and on, how Australia needs to have Trump policies. I don't think so!! I had heard Carlson had been doing the rounds here, spewing out his buddy Trump's propoganda. However did he get into Australia?? Truly Border Force, you  should be more particular, indeed, more selective with whom you allow to enter. Such a pity his entry visa wasn't denied and sent packing on the next plane. Ahh....us Aussies are just too friendly. =)

But....back to the quilt. I machine quilted vertical and horizontal stitching lines a quarter of an inch in from the seams. I was half way through the quilting where I discovered an almighty boo boo. The backing fabric is upside down. The things one does when one isn't thinking. In all my years of quilting I cannot recall doing this before. Truly, I wonder about my muddly head sometimes. Not to worry. I sent a photo to the mum-to-be as I really didn't want to spend hours and hours unpicking stitches, and all's good with her. We decided to call it a Topsy Turvey quilt.

Oopsa daisy. =)

Another finished quilt. A speedy quilt which was pieced and machine quilted in a few days. I enjoy fashioning small quilts. It's a welcome change to huge queen bed size quilts which seem to take me forever. I always find simple patchwork quilts where squares dance happily with each other, charming. Fingers crossed the mum-to-be likes this pretty.

Hoping you enjoy a pleasant Sunday lovely lovelies......lovely friends; joying in something you love to do♡ I enjoyed a lovely day, though it was a busy one. Somehow, I managed to squeeze in the hand stitching of the binding of the topsy turvey quilt. Remember, keep your light shining in your little part of the world. Mine is shining brightly here♡ Take care♡

Until the next time......

Flower Baskets Is A Flimsy♡

 

Hello lovely lovelies♡ March has quietly marched into my little corner of the world, and it has brought with it soft, diffused light in the early mornings. Quiescent mornings with sunbeams filtering through the misty, pearlescent sky. Cool mornings with the promise of warm days. I must say 'tis rather lovely.

March has brought a flimsy, too. I'm delighted to say, each little basket of flowers are now gathered together in a flimsy. Splashes of vibrant colour and floralicious joyfulness here, there and everywhere. I must say this quilt is not for chroma phobes. Indeed, some might need to don sunglasses to dim the brightness.

The 9" blocks are set on point with the baskets skipping diagonally wherever they will. No sashings between each basket; just a border of grey batik dancing around the quilt alluding to a modern aesthetic. The baskets are Kona solids and the flowers are florals from my stash. This quilt is a biggen measuring  98" by 98".

Now to hand quilt Flower Baskets. I haven't decided upon quilting designs. Perhaps a basket weave design inside each basket?? A simple design, me thinks. Anyway, while I sit and contemplate my belly button, perhaps my pretty will whisper in my ear as to how she wants quilting stitches to skip atop her. I will set her aside until Old Man Winter and his frigid sidekick Jack Frost take up residence once more. I get chilblains just thinking about those two pesky, wintry varmints. Yep, a lot of hand quilting in front of a cosy fire might just get me through the perils of winter.

But, for now I will enjoy the warm days of March with nary a thought of the colder days creeping ominously up  my country road.

Yesterday was the anniversary of my first foray into blogging. I can't quite believe I've been prattling on about stuff and nonsense for thirteen years. That's a helluva lot of musings and happy snaps of all things stitching and of course, the flowers. 

Here in Blogland we frequently visit each other and see what we have been up to and how we are going; how we are travelling. And, in these days, where each week is becoming a little darker and more sinister than the previous week, blogging is a way of encouraging each other, building one another up, supporting each other, laughing with each other, crying with each other; and of course, inspiring one another. Thank you for the perpetual inspiration you beam to me down here at the bottom of the world on a regular basis. Thank you, too, for always taking the time to visit my little place and gift my days with your sweet thoughts; your sweet words. You, lovely lovelies, are the sweetest of blessings to me♡

So, I've been thinking. Wouldn't it be lovely, if every now and then, I send a little package of 4" squares of my fabric stash to some of you; just to thank you for your kindness. No drawing names out of a hat, no random computer generated numbers.....just me sending a surprise wee parcel to you in the post. A lovely surprise in the post, other than a bill is always welcome, is it not?? Now, if you wouldn't mind a little package filled with fabric loveliness from me to you, please say so and let me know by sending your address to my email.  Sharing the love with fabrics♡ Sprinkling a little kindness into another's day♡

I must be off. A little knitting for Slow Sunday stitching while watching Vera, me thinks. Enjoy your Sunday, lovely lovelies. Don't forget to be the light in this dark, dark world. "That's a bit grim" I hear you say. Well, after Friday's shocking turn of events in the White House it's clear that there is a tectonic shift in global geopolitics. In Trump's and his regime's world, allies are foes and foes are allies. Very grim indeed. And on that somber note, I really must be off. Vera and a little knitting awaits. =) Take care, lovely lovelies, and again, thank you for your kindness all these years♡

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