Nature, Scraps and Memories

Last Thursday, these baby Willy Wagtails left their nest. Mum and Dad had been very busy raising them and continue to feed them as I've spotted them around the house since.  This is their second brood, the first nest built just outside our back door ... parents would get quite upset when we kept walking past so ... they actually pulled their first nest apart and rebuilt on the other side of the house where it was much quieter.

My crepe myrtle seems to be late blooming this year but has certainly put on a beautiful show. 

Last seam sewn today and "Calendar Quilt" is a completed TOP. I had to scroll way back through the blog to find where I first posted.  Commenced in 2009, it involved 1" strips for each day of each month so there are 365 different fabrics in this quilt. Quilting friends donated scraps here and there and I can see many past projects in these scraps.  In my defence, I finished the months in that year and just couldn't decide what to use as the sashings. As a UFO Challenge in 2018, I decided on the 4 patch set on point and made about half ... then it was back to storage. My thoughts once quilted (don't hold your breath) I'll bind in a red.

Another on my 'to do' list is Lucy Boston and I did say this would be my Zoom project ... so I've decided it can also be my project for our local patchwork days ... saves me having to think of projects, pack the sewing machine and everything else etc.

Update on the Temperature Quilt ... I've sewn the 2nd half of the geese ranging from 21deg to 40deg at the top. Just waiting for the final instructions.

Finally, my blog book arrived ... again 2 years in one as my blogging has gone by the wayside. This mother possum and her baby hold special memories. In the middle of town, beside a busy roadway. this mother found a quite garden in hospital grounds, to make her home and raise her baby. 

Nature never ceases to amaze. 
 

Wet Day = UFO Day

A beautiful sunshiny cloudy day with a soft drizzle breaking into a gentle shower at times ... perfect day for some sewing. Yesterday I layed out my next UFO so today I've made some 4 patches. These will have cream triangles attached eack side and sit on point between each row of months.

A lot more 4 patches to sew, fabrics are all from stash/scraps and no repeats in keeping with the calendar quilt challege for 2009, with 365 different fabrics...one for each day of the year.

While digging for the calendar pieces I came across another 2 UFOs that weren't on my list. First is blocks for a postage stamp quilt. I had participated in a few postage stamp charm swaps in 2012 ... packs of 100 x 2" charms (all different fabrics) sent and received from around the world. I have a design in my head.

This next one was an online monthly sew-a-long but I will need to do some research to find it's origins ... obviously an Alphabet quilt.

Takes my original UFO count to 28 for Finishing Stitches.  I'm sure there are probably more still in hiding.

Off to put the kettle on for a nice warm cuppa ... last week I wanted to live in the fridge.

Some Sewing Progress

As I try to get into a new routine the desire to sew has been somewhat lacking and the heat doesn't help!

Finally I turned the machine on and joined the last 2 blocks of the 'Because I Said So' BOM. I'm guessing that this month being the last will contain the border fabrics and I can start joining all the blocks together. It was easier to leave them as blocks for storage.

Tuesday evening I dug out the pieces of my 'Calendar Quilt' which was sewn through 2009...my designated UFO to make progress on this month. The last 4 months needed the name embroidered and the last 3 months required joining. I have the sashing fabric reading for cutting ... just deciding which width to go with. The strips are 10" wide and 92" long so it's already very long and narrow. I thought maybe 6" sashing between the strips and a 3" border all the way round would give the quilt a finish of 64" x 98"? Your ideas on strip width would be most appreciated. I'm sure there's some rule of ratio out there that would help.

I've also started the embroidery on my next TTS block and the quilting on my brother's quilt is done! Just need to sew the binding on except the power went off this morning and has not long come back on so that's next on my agenda today.

We've also been receiving lots of rain .. the gardens and lawn have gone crazy and wouldn't you know the mower broke down. Lucky I took this photo before a recent storm because the heavy rain has knocked most of the blossoms off since.

Binding time ... Happy Sewing

10 Down ~ 2 to Go!

That is ... 10 months of my Calendar Quilt completed which leaves November and December to go.
All fabrics are compliments of a lovely friend who had a spring clean of her fabric bits and pieces, thanks Ruth.

What I've Been Up To

I think I lost the month of July to everything being hectic at once. Combine that with a dodgy internet and I haven't been here as often as I'd like. So while all is good and quiet, may I share what I have managed to squeeze in.
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This is a pattern I purchased from Tazzie Quilts and I've been wanting to make up for a while so I made two. Pink for me . . .

Blue for my lovely FRIENDS Swapee, Marina.

I also finished off joining the strips for the month of June and embroidered the name of each month on each first strip from January to June.

Then I got stuck into July and finished with a week up my sleeve. To see more colourful calendar quilts, click on my sidebar link. You can also read where some of my fabrics come from as my stash isn't plentiful enough to cover 365 days of the year.

At our last patchwork day I managed to cut all the strips and backing squares, ready to make a start on our king bed quilt. Currently I have 36 x 6.5" blocks ready for the next step.

There are two fabric postcards awaiting my attention today so I may have more to share later on.

Wonky House 4 and May

With the power off for a little while this morning, there was nothing to do but finish this off ... my Wonky House #4.
They've been so much fun to do and we have Jenny to thank for her creativity and sharing the designs. I've now trimmed the four and have chosen a different fabric to border each house. Then I'll think about the next step.
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Yesterday I was very pleased with myself. I managed to sew all the May strips together for my Calendar Quilt and ... still have one day of May to spare. Neither April or May's fabrics came from my stash ... to find out more you might like to click on the logo on my sidebar.

I also have a plan for the fabric for June, but you'll have to wait till the end of June for those.

Happy Sewing

Sunday Sewing Update #2

Back with a hiccup. DH arrived home early so that slowed my progress down a little.
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These are the strips for the month of April. I know ... May is almost over ... but I have those strips cut and layed out ready for sewing, just ran out of time. It may be simple straight sewing, but I need to go slowly so that my 1/4 inch seams remain 1/4 inch.

The hiccup is ... I'm having trouble uploading the revised Christmas Postcard so I'll try again later.
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Needless to say, I've had a lovely day, inside away from the horrible wind. Hope everyone else had an enjoyable weekend, however you spent it.

Friday Finishes

Yipee! The end of the week and I have some finishes to share.
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These little constructions are my Happy Houses, now on their way to Lurline's. Once I was able to knuckled down they were quite simple to sew and most enjoyable.

Now I just wait and see who's cute houses I get in return. Then have fun playing with them and deciding on one bigger quilt or two wall hangings. Oh excitement!

Another finish after a long way from the start is my block one of Esther's 'Red Delicious'.

And here's block 2 all ironed on ready for blanket stitching. Maybe by the time the last block is released, I'll have caught up?

I'm pleased to report that I've probably done about 3/4's of the stitching on this now and hope to get block 3 ready over the weekend, fingers crossed.

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Yes, another finish. These three strips are January, February and March of my Calendar Quilt Challenge. Click on the link on my side bar to read more and see how creative everyone else is.

While you're travelling around blogland, head on over and visit Blushing Rose. She has a super basket full of goodies for Mothers Day.

Happy Sewing