To-Do Tuesday 15th August

This week I am joining up with Stitch All the Things to look at what I need to do in the coming week, or lets re-word that… what I want to do!

Last Week’s List

•  Complete 4 blocks in the Bloom quilt. ( I have decided to to do the full 20 blocks and as I want to complete all blocks by the end of the month, I need to make this one a priority.  √  think I made 6 which has brought me a good ways along. 
• Complete this weeks Grandma’s Kitchen QAL block, possibly the Splendid Sampler one if time.√ Will finish at a 12 inch block. I don’t remember any sayings of my grandmas. However Nana C was always very adamant we stay together as a family, and it is something of her legacy that we do! She also advocated a good breakfast and wearing a singlet. The only think I don’t do is wear a singlet any more. Just don’t seem to need one!!The Splendid Sampler block this week was block number 91 – Gran’s Button Jar. I’ll finish it this afternoon. Will finish at a six inch block.
• Choose fabric from what I already have and cut fabric for I Love Home quilt along and view the videos of  Alyssa from Penguin & Fish on Facebook to see what she does for it. Well I got hooked in my this block. Yes I cut the fabric out for all the blocks. And I’ve watched Alyssa each day – she is still cutting. √ …But once I had the fabric cut out I couldn’t stop. (I am using fabric left over from my previous quilt which is also a bonus). I just had to go ahead and work on the block for August until I had it completed and… I love it. It is an 18 inch block. Roll on September. But I am still watching Alyssa on Facebook each day as well because I want to see how her choices work out. 
• Walk 50 000 steps  ×  Bad week for walking – so much rain so only got out a couple of days. I am so over rain.  43000 steps
• Spend another hour weeding this week. There are lots of weeds. But even seeing small patches weeded is rewarding. × The garden is sodden! No chance of getting out and the next week is looking that way too.

To Do for the Week of the 15th of August

• Complete all the Bloom Blocks so that I have 20.
• Complete this week’s Grandma’s Kitchen and Splendid Sampler blocks
• Amy from Diary of a Quilter has this Quick Cornerstone Quilt that I am thinking of making using some Space fabric so will check it out against my fabric and fully decide and then … maybe start cutting.
• Walk 50000 steps

Quilt Finish

This week I put the final stitches in the binding of the quilt I have been making for a young member of our extended family. It feels really cosy and warm and I hope Nellie enjoys it as much as I enjoyed making it.

I used the Anne of Green Gables fabric by RJR fabrics. It has such pretty colours in it. I am happy to say I have some left over and I am using it to take part in a BOM, and I am enjoying it all over again.

A close up of the fabric.

Warm cuddle fleece on the back with wool batting.

Completed and ready to go.

Linking up to

And Finish it Up Friday over at Crazy Mom Quilts

To-Do Tuesday 8th August

This week I am joining up with Stitch All the Things to look at what I need to do in the coming week, or lets re-word that… what I want to do!

Last Week’s Plans

• finish stitching in the ditch the quilt I am working on. Machine on the  binding so that only have the hand sewing part of it to complete. √  Just a little more hand sewing and then finished.
• Complete this week’s Grandma’s Kitchen and Splendid Sampler blocks √
• Complete 2 to 3 blocks in the Bloom quilt √  3 completed so now have 8 blocks done.
• Walk 50 000 steps √   51 400
• Read 2 books  √
• Spend an hour weeding in the garden √

This Week’s Plans

•  Complete 4 blocks in the Bloom quilt. ( I have decided to to do the full 20 blocks and as I want to complete all blocks by the end of the month, I need to make this one a priority.
• Complete this weeks Grandma’s Kitchen QAL block, possibly the Splendid Sampler one if time.
• Choose fabric from what I already have and cut fabric for I Love Home quilt along and view the videos of  Alyssa from Penguin & Fish on Facebook to see what she does for it.
• Walk 50 000 steps
• Spend another hour weeding this week. There are lots of weeds. But even seeing small patches weeded is rewarding.

Monday Post

I have been working with small step goals to complete blocks for quilts I want to make. This week I completed three blocks in the Bloom Sew Along which means I have eight of the sixteen I intend doing.

I also completed the 10″ block from the Grandma’s Kitchen QAL with Pat Sloan. This week it was a focus on wash day.  As a young child I remember Nana T’s wash day. (Early 1950’s)  It was in the wash house area just off the kitchen.  She had a copper out there, a fire was lit underneath and the water boiled. Then the clothes – sheets are what I remember – were swished around with a large wooden stick. They were then lifted via the large wooden stick and put through a hand wringer into a tub of cold water. Rinsed around and put through the hand wringer again and then hung out on the long line at the back of the house.

What a lot of work! I am so pleased to have been there and seen this. It is something that has always stuck in my mind, the smell of the copper and the work. So easy now to dump the washing in the machine and walk away. The only thing in common is that I still hang the clothes on the line.

The Splendid Sampler block – 61/2 ” – for the past week was called Lina’s Gift.  Block 18 and on Page 7 of the book.

 

BOMS away at What a Hoot Quilts

Monday Making at Love Laugh Quilt

Main Crush Monday at Cooking Up Quilts

My One Month Goal for August

My major goal for the OMG over at Elm Street Quilts is to complete 16 blocks of the Bloom Quilt. I have 5 blocks completed. That means I have 11 do to this month. I find I am not really enjoying this method of applique so I need some incentive to get on to them and finish.  I have decided to put in 16 blocks only, not the 20 in the pattern as that makes it longer than I want for a lap quilt.

That will mean I have September to quilt it,

What I have completed so far. I have 5 done. Showing 3.

Motivation!

I’d like to do that as I aim to have it for a raffle. It will help my local school (where I taught for many years) fundraise money for children who are less fortunate in New Zealand and overseas.

I’ll need to do 3 blocks most weeks in August.

To – Do Tuesday 1st August

This week I am joining up with Stitch All the Things to look at what I need to do in the coming week, or lets re-word that… what I want to do!

Last Week

• 2 books read √
• Grandma’s Kitchen and Splendid Sampler blocks completed √
• Bloom block completed. √
• Baste and start stitching my Anne of Green Gables quilt. √
• Walked 50000 steps   √
• August OMG decided on and post prepared for publishing. √

This weeks focus

• finish stitching in the ditch the quilt I am working on. Machine on the  binding so that only have the hand sewing part of it to complete.
• Complete this week’s Grandma’s Kitchen and Splendid Sampler blocks
• Complete 2 to 3 blocks in the Bloom quilt
• Walk 50 000 steps
• Read 2 books
• Spend an hour weeding in the garden

Monday Musings

What am I crushing on this week?

Well I am loving the quilt I am working on at the moment. Even though I am not a pink person I could easily keep this quilt although it has someone else’s name on it.  It is the Anne of Green Gables – a Penny Rose fabric.

While I am stitching this quilt in the ditch I am listening to a novel by Emilie Richards – Sister’s Choice.  It is from her Shenandoah series.  This series inspired me to take up quilting, I just loved the characters and the quilting. At present I am rereading the series via audiobook and loving them all over again.

Blocks I completed this past week.

1. Bloom #5 
2. Grandma’s Kitchen #5  A Pat Sloan QAL This one is called glasses and cups. Honestly I don’t remember my grandma’s glasses and cups. But I do remember the great pots of tea they made and the many times we sat down to a good cup of tea and some home baking with them. I still drink tea using leaves and a pot – thanks to both my nanas for this great tradition!
3. Splendid Sampler block 49 Summer’s Gift

BOMS away at What a Hoot Quilts

Monday Making at Love Laugh Quilt

Main Crush Monday at Cooking Up Quilts

July finish for One Month Goal

Elm Street Quilts OMG link up

I had one main goal for July which was to sandwich and quilt my Garden Charm quilt designed by Lynette Jensen, that I had been making from a Craftsy Class.  I am happy to say I have completed it and gifted it to my sister, to keep her cosy on the couch at night.

1. After pressing it I sandwiched and basted. The backing is a cuddle fleece – blue with white stars. The batting is wool.
2. Then the long, tedious stitching in the ditch began. I started from the outside and worked my way in. I was happy to meet no problems. Once I had all the main lines completed, I then went around the applique and most of the piecing. Finally the parts that had no piecing and lastly I basted the very edge. All pins out. I love taking that final pin out.
3. Next on went the binding. I find a lint roller is perfect for holding the binding and rolls off nicely.
4. Then I hand sewed it on to the back, looked out the window and decided I had a fine day where I could wash it and most likely get it dry, so I did.  And then a little time in front of the fire and airing cupboard and I was happy with it.
5. What it looked like when finished, it measured about 58 inches across and 66 inches long approx. The pattern was bigger but I only wanted something for a lap quilt.
6. And it was delivered.