mini arrived

the Mini quilt that is, has arrived with it's new owner, so now I can tell!

The theme had been circles and curves, and I was lucky to receive a partner who said anything goes!
In some ways this makes it easier, because you can do whatever makes you happy, but in other ways it is more difficult, because there are no boundaries, and perhaps she will be disappointed when it does arrive..

Anyway, thinking hard went on and I tried to get to know my partner a little better.. One busy lady! an energetic whirlwind, with a love for animals and her garden..

and slowly thoughts coalesce..  and a lily pond emerged.



 and after all, the theme is round, so a round lily pond seemed indicated. Dinner plates are also round? It is a mini quilt after all.

 Water will be needed for a pond..

Quilted and a line of stitching to indicate the approximate limits

You get a type of film you can sew into your project, dissolve out in warm water, and then set into shape.

petals for a waterlily can be made this way..













and they can be shaped over a rolling pin.

and a water lily constructed,

 and then the pieces played with to produce the preferred composition..

 a little hand stitching did have to be done here. And the binding was hand stitched on the back, too.














So, this is one pond that will not get slimy and sad!

and in keeping with the theme, some drunkards paths for the back...

I think she likes it!

Hers is on it's way to me, so I am looking forward to a surprise mini !

    

Wedding present

We were invited to a wedding. Lovely. Plenty of notice and so pleased to accept the invitation, for a good friend's daughter's wedding...

As it transpired, the fates conspired against us and we were unable to attend. Other priorities had to be made. So sorry. i am still hoping to see photos... But anyway, a gift had to be made.

Taking things to the extreme, you may know I am a fan of portholes?  So, I thought, a cushion with portholes... But we do want this to be totally special? yes...

How about portholes in letter shapes? well, some letters happen to be easier than others...


It took quite some doing... but I finally got there... No telling how blue the air got at times...

 No prizes for guessing bride and groom's names!

 Staged on my daughters bed...

And a modern take on the other side, just so they can ditch the kitsch if they wish!  I do hope they like it .

busy...

Having decided on a new project I have been getting on with it... and I have managed 9 blocks so far this weekend... back to the fray!  but just now they are kind of secret... You will have to wait!



Having made damson jam, it is always good to share a little.. so two pots trotted off to a new home, with nice wee hats on their heads, and a cosy little basket to sit in for the journey..  The recipient loves owls, so I found a few to go with her jam...

I even lined the little basket the jars went in with some owls.. 

I think another time I would make the dividing flap attach to the sides of the basket, so it did not fold down, but this was an experiment, and I was quite pleased with the result.. 

Then another friend did not possess a hottle bottle... and sometimes the comfort that a hottie gives just cannot be replaced by any other source of warmth... As there is a small one also in the household, it felt right to make a hottle bottle cover for both Mum and Small... 

I wonder who will win which one?

I know the dinosaurs are intended for Small, but you just never quite know!




These hottle bottle covers are a quick and easy make. Can you tell I had fun?

Flying to a finish...

My last flying geese managed to come through for the 'take your time' swap with those Lazy Bums...


It is obligatory to get something wrong, isn't it?

so I obliged here, attempting to sew the background on wrong side to right side...


Luckily I spotted it pretty quickly, and was able to put measures in place to remedy the situation...Ok, ok, I got the stitch ripper out and sewed it on correctly!

Which gives me this block...

 And then this one flew in to land,

the fourth block.. 

closely followed by the fourth one, here...

I used freezer paper piecing, and was able to reuse the same papers as I had used for Lizzie's blocks and May's blocks...

I did make one fresh one, as it had lost a lot of it's sticky properties... But I would choose freezer paper again, as it is reusable., And I like the crisp result with FPP, it is the waste that upsets my natural frugality... Ok, natural meanness!  No dressing it up for you!



So, all these are to wing their way across the pond, to a new home in USA.. soon...

 Editing to join with Scraptastic Tuesday- handicapped by lack of easy access to putting photos onto the computer just now...