Roses

I went to Summer School at Somerset, a local quilt shop, a fortnight ago to make the Queen's Square quilt. It is made up of three different blocks and we started two in the class, and next Monday we do the third block and look at how the border is made. Which for me will be a while away as the blocks are hand pieced and have quite a bit of work to them. This is a picture of the quilt. I got a gloss photo in the pattern so it has come up a bit shiny. 

This is my first block for the centre and I have used fabrics that are the colours of the dots on the background fabric. I am having fun using these unusual [for me] colours. I have still to finish sewing this one.

This next block goes around the inner border except for the corners.The blocks are 12" in size.

I love roses and I like to cut some for in the house.Especially when we are expecting hot weather [40C] the next few days as they will all open up in the garden, dry out and die. 

The blood red ones are my favourite.

Colours of the Garden

I planted a Clematis about 5 years ago up against the lynch gate and it has not flowered until now. It is such a beautiful colour it was worth the wait and just through the gate the Salvia is in flower with the same colour. Totally unexpected as I had forgotten the colour of the Clematis and the label had long gone. 

I have been knitting in the evening and getting my Mary Brown pieces prepared for sewing. I found I still had a ball of Opal. It is a German wool designed so that when you follow the instructions on the back of the label you end up with a pair of fairisle socks. I have made one pair with this wool in different colours. As it is 3ply I thought it would make a colourful matinee jacket. The pattern for the jacket is to cast on the stitches for down the front and knit around the jacket doing the front first, putting stitches on a holder and casting on for the sleeve,then off again picking up the front stitches and continuing across the back,the other sleeve and then another front. I even had enough left to make bootees too. I will also twist the last of the wool to make the ties for the jacket and the bootees, I'm not keen on the ribbon. 

Here are my Mary Brown pieces pinned up on the wall in my sewing room. The freezer paper is still covering many of the applique pieces so the fabric I have chosen is'nt showing, yet. Time to put the needles away and do some sewing.

Getting Ready

Yesterday, the first of the potatoes were dug up. There are Pontiac, King Edward and Kifler. The strange shaped ones are Pink Firapple and this is the first time we have grown them. They seem to grow extensions out of the sides and could be hard to peel. I think a hard rub to clean and then boiled with their skins on will be the way to go.

 We have had lettuces for a while and radishes too, but these ones are enormous and hot. This is the first of the tomatoes ripening. There are plenty on the bushes but they are still green. Everything has grown wonderfully with all the rain we have had but we are now needing it warmer so that the tomatoes can ripen.

It has been preparation time again. I have been working on both corners 3 and 4 and I now have all the pieces for No3 on and ready for applique and the templates ready for No.4. I have ironed on the freezer paper for the leaves but still  have to do the flowers. I like to do this during the daylight as it is easier to choose the colours of the fabrics I want to use. 

and in the evenings, finishing up the ball of wool from the jacket I knitted a pair of bootees.

Knitting and Sewing

I have been knitting away and have finished the first little jacket. This has been good to do. I really enjoy knitting and haven't done any for such a long time.

I have still to buy ribbon for the front tie.

and I have also got a little bit of sewing done and finished the 2nd triangle for the May Brown quilt. The stems for the ivy I am planning to embroider as they are only thin lines. I need to prepare the 3rd one before I can get anymore sewing done.

New Things

Can you see what's coming this year? Not once but twice. Both of my DIL's

are expecting a bub later in the year, so Grandma has to get started now.

My elbow has decided to throb if I knit for too long so I've been knitting 10rows whenever I sit down and this will get what I want to knit finished although a tad slower than usual........... and keep the elbow sweet. 

  

I had a package in the post this week, a new project. I'm getting it as a kit from the Buggy Barn so that I have the variety of plaids and brushed cottons the pattern calls for. I'm also adding [felted] wool to most of the blocks to add texture to it. I love the mixture of cotton and wool on the more 'Prim' style quilts.

I will also have to look for a couple of nice 'cot' quilt patterns but may not be able to make these until later.  I will need to know if they are to be blue or pink.

Work on the UFO's Continues.

Another quilt almost completed and put away as I tired of the process. I was making this quilt with an online group and making my first quilt with machine applique. I had not used this method before and I can now say never will again. Cutting the paper shapes out, cutting the fabric out, starching the edges, so they turn over and stay, and ironing them and burnt fingers  and an ironing table cover ruined, this was not fun to make. The sewing was very quick and easy but the look of the nylon thread leaves much to be desired. I will always continue to try new ways but it needs to enhance the look of my quilts and be pleasing to do.
This quilt is a Kim Diehl pattern from an American Patchwork and Quilting magazine and is called Promise of Spring. 

I have two of Kim Diehl's books and several of the patterns are tagged to be made. There is a lovely dolls quilt and a candle mat in the books too. This     next quilt is also her pattern that I made a few years ago and is called           Feathered Stars and it is in her Simple Traditions book.