Mystery quilt Part 4

Hey, what's new, one week to go before Part 5 comes out and I just begun Part 4!! I got cracking and cut out all the bits last Saturday and on the Sunday begun the applique, yet again... It really used to spin my wheels, but sometimes too much all at once can become all too much of a task and not fun. It's a good thing I have lots of other projects on the go at the same time to keep the motivation going, and going, and going! All I ask for, is that Part 5 does not involve another elephant.... Snapshots to come.

Part 4 of the mystery quilt involves eight of these thingees and that elephant, which I haven't tackled yet.
I have yet to applique around the circles.

Mystery quilt Part 3 nearly finished

Only the eye to go before I complete Part 3 of the mystery quilt, whew! A bit of a mission completing it. Part 5 is going to start in a week's time and I haven't even cut out Part 4 yet. I don't think I'm cut out for these mystery things. At least I'm giving it a go, all the better to see what it turns out like in the end! I would post a photo, but it's for a friend and you never know when they might be looking, ha!

Part 3 of the mystery quilt was this elephant, but lots of 'hard on your fingers' qpplique work.
Have yet to draw in the eye...

I might go and iron my fabrics ready for Part 4 and go do some template drawings, ho hum.... See you in the soup.

The end is near...

I took my 12 remaining blocks (left sides) to the weekly sewing group on Wednesday. I was able to complete three sides in two hours so I'm reckoning only six more hours to go to complete my blocks, yeeehaaa!!! It certainly will be rewarding when I have finally sewn all my sides into complete blocks and then those blocks become one...


For this weekend I plan to start on a friend's birthday present for next month. I'm guessing she will never come across this blog so I can write by saying that the fabric she initially picked out one day will be the focus of the project! I popped along to Cottonfields and selected three more contrasting shades.


I will also cut out Part 4 of the Susan Claire mystery quilt too. After seeing it is another elephant, I thought, golly gosh, where is this heading! Part 3 gave me a sore thumb with the applique work. I wanna get one of those thumb thingies that save yourself a lot of needle pain!


Took my wee Bella to the vet, $200, there goes my fabric budget out the window, ha! Happy sewing.

Snow sewing

You gotta love those snow days off from work!!  I managed to complete the right sides of my 16 blocks! I was so wrapped. I kept focussed and didn't settle for second best when it came to a few unpicking sessions, I knew I would get there in the end and whew, what a relief to have the right side out of the way, ha!!


Last night I prepared the left sides of the blocks. This involves unpicking the rows where necessary, ironing the seams the correct way and then putting a complete set together. The left side consists of six rows so the progress should take less time, yeah right! The original rows were sewn into the bargello tube method and cut into lengths.


With last Wednesday's sewing group cancelled because of the snow I intend on taking this "organised" prep work along to the next class and make light work of the left, ha, ha! I have so many projects on the go at the moment, but I really want to finish this one before Christmas.... I bet there are many voices out there who say the same thing, "must get that project finished before the next"!


The next best thing about having snow sewing days is a cosy 11-fin oil column heater sitting next to you, what bliss! If your sewing room isn't cosy then you can't sew in happiness and I only sew happy stitches!!


If you ever want to try doing your own bargello quilt, go for it! But keep your unpicker at hand at all times!!

Unpicker in my hand

Yes, more unpicking... no doubt the person I am giving this quilt to will never notice my mistakes, but I see them! But there is a breaking point to being fussy, I only give it three tries and if it's still up the wop then I move on. Right now I am unpicking one of my rows on my bargello I sewed last Wednesday. I'm going to whip it into shape and have that half done and dusted before my next sewing group.

Last weekend I popped along to 'Away with the Fairies' at Cust. I went in to buy some threads but couldn't resist some pretty pink and green fabrics, the beginnings of a queen-sized quilt I shall be making for my Dad and his wife. I was looking through my magazines for inspiration and narrowed it down to about eight ideas, but finally picked out the one I shall make. It contains nine patches and love hearts. That will have to go on the back burner for the time being cos I have to stay focused and get this bargello done first. Sheesh it's hard to stay focused though when there are so many pretty fabrics around just wanting to be made into quilts!!! Pick me, pick me, they all scream, ha!!

Now, back in March I started Susan Claire's mystery quilt, a first for me. Below are the colours I picked out for Part 3 which I have cut out, but haven't assembled yet... only one week before Part 4 comes out and I haven't even started appliqueing yet, eek!

I just unpicked a whole row of my bargello block whilst waiting for this image to upload, you gotta love dial-up!!! Writing of which, I'm not going to spruce up this page with pretty pictures and the like until I get Broadband. I see other people's blogs and think, wow, so pretty. For the time being you will just have to read words and the odd image or two.

I thought I might add my sewing room, aka, messy, disorganised bits of furniture and stacks of fabric everywhere. One of my mum's favourite sayings is, "a place for everything and everything in its place". I shall try. This room comes complete with my $2 chair from a fair! I love my inspiration board, it truly does inspire me.

The image above shows where I sit to sew, at a computer desk. Can't spread my quilts out, but at least I have a posse to sit and while away the hours. A lot of sewers I know have to park themselves at the end of the dining table and pack everything in boxes. The wine rack to the right is a bemusing tower for the kitten to climb....!

I better stop for the night and go and cook some tea. Happy sewing!

Giggles galore!

If you haven't joined a sewing group I recommend you join one! Not only do you get to see what others are up to, you get to have and hear the most free-flowing conversations ever! I love my sewing group cos it motivates me to sew and sometimes they make me laugh till I cry!!


I am still tackling my bargello blocks. If I'm not pleased with my lining up skills I reach for the unpicker!!


Ohhh, and much excitement at the beach.... there are huge reels of bright green cabling about and roadworks. I made enquiries and it sounds like broadband maybe reaching the beach after all!!!!!!!!! I'm so excited I could almost pop, ha, ha! For the time being it is still dialup :(


For those in the Canterbury region this weekend, the first Encraftment Market of the year, will be held on Saturday 26 May at the University of Canterbury, College of Education site at the Jack (?) Arena. Gotta love people who love crafts, make crafts and then sell their crafts, you are the bee's knees!

Back to sewing group

Sheesh, I know the internet can be a fun place to be, but when your internet explorer "no longer supports blogger"... I'm giving this Google Chrome a go, but with dial-up it's like watching paint dry, in slow motion. I'm going to attempt to load some pics and write a few words, but I'm reckoning this will take me a good 1/2 hour to a hour to do, here goes nothing!


I went back to my first sewing group for the year a week ago. It's such great fun and I enjoy meeting with other like minded people all wanting to create something wonderful. My sewing group meets up Wednesday evenings at Quilters Quarters at Rangiora. I decided to take along a project I first started in November last year, a bargello quilt. It got stalled for awhile cos the blocks were challenging and you needed the patience of many Saints! Anyways, after going back last week I finished off another block and then last weekend had a "block day" at home and managed to complete a complete block. Very tiring, but very rewarding. To keep up the motivation I am sewing the right side of the blocks first and then will tackle the left sides later.

 

Gosh, that was a long painful 15 mins to download one image.... I was going to load four more... Then my cat decided to lie across my lap and my laptop then became a, reach for it and type with one finger, if you can laptop!

The fabrics to the right of the image above are my latest purchases from 'Grandmother's Garden' which I haven't put away yet.

I might add some more pics later after I head to the Telecom site and check out about Broadband in my region!