Ahead of myself.

February is just here, but my February bee blocks are done!

Our lovely bee mamma for February was up and at it and raring to go...so she sent out the fabric packs in the last week of January.

The brief, make 12.5" (unfinished) churn dash blocks, using her purple fabric for the actual churn dash bits, and use from stash to complete the blocks. Also do something a bit different with the blocks, something to make her smile... Anything goes, she said... well, if anything goes... I went!

 The first one came to me at work...You know I love making those pinwheel blocks, and I just thought, I could do a double pinwheel... couldn't I?   so I did! Very dramatic with the orange and green.

Then, I had thoughts, I had second thoughts, yes, and third thoughts... I was going to twine a vine around the elements of the churn dash... but when I actually came to make the block, something else entirely appeared! How does a block take on a life of it's own and do it's own thing, rather than what you plan? I do not know...





but it does! I looked at what else is going on in the group, and I had doubts... am I taking the 'anything goes' too literally? Well it is done now, and mamma for the month has seen them on Flickr- and she seems to like them! So they shall go in the post next week, but what do I do for the rest of the month?

 I shall have to dig out a UFO or something... You are sorry for me? really?

Wednesday works..

 Managed to finish this side of a bag, which has been planned for sooo long, I have another in the planning, too- more of that when I get there.. eventually.

And then, the Stash bee block for August also happened. The brief was, to make a churn dash block, with blue as the 'dash' , and 'low volume ' for the rest.











 Of course, I made a fundamental error, and sewed the wrong side to the right side... so the seam ripper came out to play. More than once.

And having decided to use a light blue, rather than a deeper blue, I was a bit hard put to get a good contrast. This will have to do.









On the plus side, we ( I ) made the first batch of damson jam last night.
 our own damsons.
I counted them in.    90.

I counted the stones out.  91.   where did the extra one come from??

So the tally so far this year is,
Raspberry, tayberry, gooseberry, damson, courgette and ginger, and redcurrant jelly!

The first flowers are on the 'vine' tomatoes, and the cucumbers are swelling nicely. And... I picked ( and ate) the very first of our own raspberries for this year.

 

A full cupboard of preserves, and enough to give a few away. Very satisfactory!

So how is your harvest?

 

PIF and Cows play with a churn dash.

I have just lifted the following from piecestolove. She has a very pretty blog with some nice bits and pieces on it, including some blocks to donate to a good cause, and I have signed up to this, and will see if anyone wants to join me... 
As my blog is so new, it is entirely possible no-one will even see it, but I am willing to give it a go!

Here's the idea:

1. I will make something for the first 3 people to comment on this post. What I make will be a surprise, and could arrive anytime in the next year.  It will be a random surprise in your mail box.

 

2. To sign up, you need to play along as well. ( pay it forward) - post this, or something similar on your blog.

3. You must have a blog (or else where are you going to post this, silly?)

 

When you comment, I will email you to get your mailing address and you will receive something from me.  Let's spread the bloggy love, guys!

Just in case you are wondering, yes I will do international shipping.  

This may be fun, or it may fall flat, 

 
here is the last of my cow blocks, I shall make some plainer blocks, and assemble the lot into a quilt top.. 

Eight blocks to go!

I think the block looks better in the picture than in reality, maybe because I am further away?


Ok I have changed my mind!- so what is new?

I am going to make a 9th cow block, and just use sashing to tie it all together. Why? Because I have two blocks with a 6" square in the middle, and all the rest have 4" squares. So it will balance better if I have another 6" square.
Yes I am stupid not to plan ahead. But that is what comes of flying by the seat of my pants. Again.


So frustrated today, I do an online test for work, and I have come across an anomaly. I seem to be the only person in my group suffering from this. Or the only one who has noticed. Grrrr! Hmph ! etc

Ok rant over. For now.

Hello!

Ok I already have a blog, so why start again? I suppose the other one was really started for the purpose of recording the garden, but it spread into sewing. I thought I could do with a separate place for sewing stuff. So this is it.

I started watching Amanda at crazymomquilts last autumn, and this year I thought I would be really daft and try out the skill builder at Sewn. I am going to have to work a lot of stuff out now, as I will need to learn how to add addresses and buttons to the blog. It will be good practise!
So all those blocks you see come from the skill builder.
http://sewnbyleila.blogspot.com
There is a nice button on this site to add to say I am trying to participate but I have yet to work that one out!So I am also going to put in my ha'porth for some giveaways, you never know someone has to be lucky!