Barefoot sewing

I thought it was time I got some overdue stuff out of the way. so, these came off the machine today

 Angel block to head off to the States

Angel block to go to Ireland

Added to the link for Nicky's scaptastic Tuesday!

And we had a repeat visit from a little friend, I think she is perhaps feeding babies... She seems fit and well, trundling about her business... 

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...

getting there

A little bit of this

became some of this... 

a week ago, I think.. 

and then some more sewing happened today

 a new kindle cover- but not for me...

a simplified version for someone... say no more until they get it!

and I have done some sewing for someone else, too... 

 sneaky peek one!























sneaky peek 2

They know all about it, but I do not wish to show the whole thing until they have had some fun with it!

Okay dear??

the ripper strikes!

 So I thought I knew what I was doing... Started making the elements of the block..

 but then... do you see... That bottom left hand corner, just doesn't look quite right...

Out comes Mr Ripper...

Resew, and then off we go again...












But something just doesn't look right here...


More exercise for Mr Ripper...

And finally it comes right!

Now for this Bee mamma, I have two blocks to make... so here is block number two!

happily this second block did not cause the same problems!

 I think that this will be lovely when all done and the blocks are together.

Flocks of Geese!

For Leonie

 We are making geese.. Well, when I say we, what I mean is some of that group calling themselves Lazy Bums.
You see, we have agreed an internal bee, running fairly randomly- well we are the Lazy Bums- between November last year, and October-ish this year. The idea is that we shall each make 10 blocks in total for other members of the group, but we all know what is to be made already, and can do it as the humour strikes. No sitting around wondering when we shall be told, and actually, if we want to wait until September is disappearing, and then do all in a rush and flurry, fair do, we can do that.

But I quite like to be ahead if I can, if I have a deadline- it is when there is no deadline that I am in trouble...

For Gi

 Some of us, like Leonie up there, designed their own blocks,
some of us, like Gi sitting off to my Left, took a pattern and just specified certain parameters.. light star, darker ground...







Some others also took an established pattern and said 'NO SPIDERS' - Kathinca, I think you have a secret yen for a spider or two...

Can I find a spider here for you? Sadly, no

and these spiders are all owls... and dinosaurs

For Annaliese

 These would not print correctly for me, from the document sent, but I also got measurements and was able to draw the diagram. I love these, they are very pretty. Love your choice, Annaliese.

And these pretties for my good friend May.


So, you see I have been quietly busy here.












In the garden I am delighted to report that I have actually seen my winter flowering clematis winterly flowering!

I tried to get proof...

 Those white blobs are buds. The wind is up and they were not prepared to sit still even long enough to get a focus....

 I tried again...

If you look carefully you can see the flowers out, white and printed inside with red.. But at least I have seen them this year, last year I blinked and missed them!

In case you are wondering I am standing beneath them, head bent back on my neck, arms upstretched and hoping they do not escape as the shutter goes..


Happy flowers everyone.

And Breathe

Ok, the bulk of the tutus are with the dance school, and then I got a call... one more please! So, that is prepared, ready for fitting, and should get finished this week, and then I can relax properly.
Meanwhile, I have also done a bee block,
The Fat Stash Brit Bee last month was Square in a square blocks, with pretty geometric blue fabrics, to which we could add, any of our own blues, and one square of RED! Four small blocks, which we could assemble into a strip, or a square, or just leave so. We were sent a paper pieced pattern link, and could just get on with it.

So, that one out of the way, at the last gasp of October, I could turn the brain in other directions...  Ok, I admit it, I fell.... The other odd group I have joined, in good company, I hasten to add, is the Lazy Bums. And an idea was conceived, that we could, as many as wanted to join in, do a relaxed bee. Each of us decide what we wanted to appear, and post notes about it, colour, design, niggles and so on, and make for each other from our own stash, all at the same time. So, no turn taking, but over about a year make for everyone, and receive a block from everyone else. Make sense so far?
Not I must do for Mrs A this month, but rather, some time in the next year I shall do a block for each person, and send.
So, then you must decide what you want. It is a right mixture, some FPP blocks, some 'in house' designed blocks, and some fairly standard. And the group criterion? There MUST be flying geese somewhere in the block!

A list has been made, with everyone's details and what is required... and I made a block, and even- shock horror, did instructions! Weyhey!

I originally designed this for JoJo, about a year or so ago, It looked very different in her colours, 

but it is the same block. So, I thought, why not use it, and see what comes back. 

This time though, all in yellow and grey... 

So, you may see a few more of these popping up over the next few months!

The instructions?  for a 12" block-

Rachels Geese!

No waste method-

use a Goose square ( yellow)     5 1/4

Grey squares       2 7/8

Normal method

Yellow  4 ½” x 2 ½”

Grey 2 ½” squares

Make 12 goose units by whichever method you choose.

Also cut 4 strips 6 ½” x 2 ½” for the edges.

Please make geese in your favourite way!

You will need 12 geese in total. I do not mind if all geese are different, or all geese are the same, or you have a mixture, but, geese should be yellow, with grey skies.

I was playing, and expect to use other geese elsewhere...

So, play with your pieces!

yes, I made 16... I was not sure how I wanted to set them out, so I made spares! ok? 

  and choose your layout...

after checking out the options...

   then sew your centre geese into blocks of two  geese, and

  then sew your centre geese onto blocks of two  geese, and then sew two blocks together,

then sew two blocks together, and sew the central block of 8 geese into a square block. Press carefully!

then sew one geese unit onto each of the 4 strips. make sure it is at the correct end...

The next bit requires a partial seam.

Align the end of your strip with the top right hand edge of the centre block, and sew down to about an inch from the bottom edge of the  central geese block. Press the top half of this strip open,  (sorry for glary picture!).

Rotate the block 90◦ clockwise and the next strip should neatly fit onto the side, and you can sew the whole length. 

Press open, and rotate again. 

 Once strip 4 is attached, go back and finish the seam from the first side. 

Press and Voila! Block done!

The Lazy global sewing retreat!

Yes, that is right, Lazy Bums gathered at their sewing machines for an extended 24 hour period, and sewed. We all sewed different projects, but chatted in between, and made great progress.
I had planned for, well since ages, to do a scrappy trip around the world. So, this retreat was the perfect impetus to get it started.

 Starting with precut strips, played with combinations, sewing 6 strips together, a bit more cutting, a little seam ripper work, and a little more sewing, and the block emerges.

 In very short order, I have three blocks.

Three blocks are very little use to anyone, so I set to, and managed to make four more.

My sewing was complicated, first by the fact that I had had to work that morning- a sad incursion into sewing time- and further by the fact that we had invited friends to join us for a meal that evening...
So, I sewed, then peeled some spuds, sewed, then peeled a carrot.. or two.. sewed and made some stuffing for the chicken... and sewed again.

And I had just finished my seventh block, when my friends turned up!

Rescued at about 4.30, by my OH arriving and taking over the cooking, just so I could take part in the retreat! Got to love that fellow!

Another shock to the system, He actually admired these blocks! without prompting! Now, that is quite something!



The next four blocks..

 All seven together..

And today, I just thought, between this, that and the other- I could make a couple more?

But my bobbin ran out- so I refilled it

Disaster! Why, oh why, and actually how does the bobbin do this??

a long time was spent trying to sort this one out. Eventually, I snipped it all off, and started again...

so, now, I have another four blocks, and my OH has done the maths, and reckons I can make these comfortably at half an hour each!


so if I put my mind to it, I might be able to get a whole quilt top's worth in a day! If I did not have other life essentials to get on with... like working,eating and sleeping..


meantime- I love them!