The Strippy/String Quilt

Recently in a Zoom meeting with Chooky and many others, Jude asked me about this quilt that I started at Scrub Stitchin' in April.
I had bought a little kit from Jude, complete with a very light vilene and it was packed in a gorgeous case.  The suitcase was part of the reason I bought it!

I completed 16 blocks at Scrub Stitchin',   Here are a few of them.

but as I had plenty of strips at home and they are so quick, I made another 28 blocks at home to make a top - 6 x 7 blocks (57" x 66.5).

While I was laying it out I was surprised at how much orange was in it....Orange is not a colour I use a lot...

As I was making the blocks at home and pulling bits of put the shoe boxes where I keep the strips, I thought it would be easier for the next one/s to have the strips sorted into lengths...so after making a huge mess:

I now have

I can see a lot more strippy quilts that need to happen.

This quilt will be donated to the DV organization that my Sunday Stitchers group support.

Home Sweet Home Cross Stitch

In November 2021 - as part of a "0" birthday celebration, I was gifted the pattern fabric and threads for Home Sweet Home from ItsSewEmma by Helen, Sandi, Norreen, De & Lynda.

The plan was that Helen, Sandi, Norreen and I all sew it and have it finished by . . .some date that is now part of history.  So we made a new date of May 2023.

And it's done!

Crochet Blocks - April & May

I am still crocheting blocks when I can - not nearly as many as I used to do....but  I often do them at night if I am watching telly.

At the May SS meeting, I was able to hand over this collection of 20 blocks to Maria.  As the weather has cooled down quite a bit lately - there is plenty of call for warm blankets.

It's a bit like the Leaning Tower of Pisa!

Cross Stitch Tree - Homespun Pattern (A Hearty Harvest)

It was well and truly time to finish this one...long overdue!!!!

To do this post, I checked the date of the magazine - March 2016.   I couldn't find any posts using labels, so started by scrolling backward from December 2016.  By the time I got to April, I decided I must have started it in 2017 . . .but no...going back just a tiny bit further - I had made good progress in March 2016

and a bit more in April 2016.

I have no idea when it was all finished, but I recall I washed it - ready to press and frame in a round hoop - and the red ran!!!!!!!!   Disaster.... So I unpicked the bit where it showed . . and then it sat . .  .27 stitches was all it needed.

Finally, it's done.  Simply framed in a round hoop - 

exactly the way it was presented in Homespun!

Love ticking things off the UFO list!

FNSI - May

Another day/night of sewing fun... thanks to Wendy for encouraging us to sew and share our progress with friends.

My main job of the night was to join these 42 blocks into rows...I didn't get to making the top...but it will happen soon.
I started these blocks from a case of strips purchased from Jude - which she delivered to Baradine...(that was in April - so a pretty quick turn around!)

There are 6 blocks in each row...but they are off the sides.

I told my husband I needed a bigger cutting table . . .he grunted. Oh well.

Wendy's linkup is here if you want to see some of the others who sewed along . . .

Milo Tag - Give Thanks Hanging

Many years ago I made the Give Thanks hanging designed by Jenny of Elefantz) and gifted it to DD1.

It was posted here.  OMGosh - it was January 2011!!!!!

I did the second one in February - here 

and so far I have found one more post about it - in 2016 - here.

But I know I have made many more, so I asked DD1 for a picture of all of them.

The special ones I have made have been for her boys - Luka

and now one for Milo.

SIMS Birthdays 2023

Our little SIMS group (Susan Inca Maureen & Sue) meets monthly and do Birthdays by going out for lunch and giving a small gift.

This year we decided we would each make a postcard using "Nature" as the theme.

Inca originally comes from Holland - so I decided to stick with the Dutch theme and use Tulips on my postcard to her.

The tulips are a machine embroidery applique design and I found a postcard machine embroidery design.  I was hoping for a lovely edge to finish off my postcard, so was a bit disappointed that it's a blanket stitch...but I wanted to try it anyway.  I was not overly impressed with the design file, nor with the instructions...but I learnt stuff and overall I'm happy with it.

 Giving Inca her gift was delayed somewhat - but it has now been safely delivered.

RSC - May

Orange is another challenging colour when you have decided to make I Spy blocks, but not as challenging as purple...

So, I got stuck into these early in the month...thinking if I get the easy stuff that has a deadline done - I can concentrate on the other "must do" projects.

             

Plenty of time to wonder what June will be . . .

FNWF - May

Cheryll has now included the "Dark Side" and we can post & chat on Facebook as well as on the blog.   

I did some sewing on FriDAY, but collated my supplies for the nighttime sewing session.

I needed to hand stitch the binding on this - it's not even a mini quilt - it's 3.5" x 4.75".  I'll do a separate post later on.

I also did some stitching on my Sue Spargo Homegrown blocks...no pic as they are not all finished...

And I made four more strippy blocks to go with the ones I started at Scrub Stitchin' at Baradine.  I've decided 35 blocks with a border will make a good-sized quilt for our DV Charity Quitl collection.

I hope everyone else got to do some crafty stuff - or had fun in another way!

Scrub Stitchin' - What did I sew?

When I go on a retreat, I always have a list or plan of what I will sew.  Over time I have become a good judge of what I will get done and although I always have an extra - in case...(I could get rained in or have to stay longer???)...I can take what I need and focus on those things.

First up was an I Spy quilt for charity.  A friend recently gave me all her Novelty fabrics and included were quite a lot of 5" squares.  So I added more, cut some half blocks, and did a rough layout at home.  Then I stacked the blocks and was able to sew two rows at a time.  (There isn't too much spare room).   

Then I worked on the "optional" project - Moda Love Charm Quilt.  It is a free pattern here.
I plan this to be the middle of a quilt that I will work on over a period of time.

The third main project was strippy blocks.  A few months back Chooky had a Zoom day to support Breast Cancer.   We made a donation and Chooky sent an invite to the meeting.
At the same time, Jude from News from Jude offered some goodies for sale and donated a portion of the sales to Breast Cancer. ..... Well, I had to join in didn't I?
So, I bought this very cute suitcase filled with strips and vilene squares.

I sewed 18 blocks during the retreat and then another 9 at home, so am well on the way to another charity top.

I also did a bit of crochet in the car on the way there and on Saturday night after I had packed my gear.

This post is a bit late being posted - it was sitting as a Draft and I'd forgotten about it....nevermind!

RSC - April

The April colour was "purple"...Love purple... have a fair bit of purple in my stash. . but "Novelties/I Spy"  in purple??? Quite a different matter.

So I hunted in the novelty collection, including all the novelty fabric given to me recently - and mentioned the anticipated struggle in a conversation with Janice.   She said she'd have a look and bring anything to Scrub Stitchin'.  And I knew there would be some shopping options during the trip.....so I held off making the blocks.

Fortunately, Jancie also mentioned my dilemma to Lou (in NZ)  and at Scrub Stitchin' I collected 4 different fabrics....One was more pink than purple so I will save that for another day.  But huge thanks to both Janice & Lou...it helped a lot.

So, here....finally are my April RSC blocks.

 

Onto the Orange blocks...not an easy colour again . . .LOL