Applique - what happened next.

Finally giving up on the idea of FMQuilting the Istanbul Wall-hanging Experiment I opted for a simple all over cross hatch.  

It took time but gave a finish that I was happy with.

I had always considered that the Quilting would be my Nemesis - But never have I had so much trouble and issues with a BINDING! 

It just would not work.  

I pulled it off, put it back on and I even remade it. 

The problems seemed to keep multiplying.
And when I got it all right...

- I cut the tails off on the stitching line instead of the cutting line! 

It is times like this that DH comes in and gently removes me from the project for a nice l-o-n-g walk!

Several days later I was able to once again sit at it and calmly remind myself that it was an experiment and also not going to be subjected to the wear and tear that a quilt is.

A minute seam, a bit of glue, some reinforcing, a tug or two and quite a few short Prayers later the Binding was on and stitched down.

It was then into the Wash. 

Shoving it into a lingerie bag to make sure it got as creased and crowded as the Quilt would be in the machine.

The result: 

It did take up a bit as all quilts do, but each fabric didn't shrink nor did the colours run.

The applique was not quilted (as in the original) and Puffed up which may settle with a good steam but I will leave that until the DS & DDIL see the result.  

The intention after all, was to show them what will happen IF they have to wash their Quilt.

Footnote: I only did this because it was a Custom quilted, hand appliqued quilt -  The everyday pieced quilt I made them can be washed to their heart's content!

Revisiting Raw Edge Applique

I started off not caring what it looked like - It was only a Quick Sample.

The Idea was to see how "My Istanbul" (that I made back in 2016) would fair being washed. 
Better to ruin a Sample than an Award Winning Quilt!

But, before long my Father's words rang in my ears "If a job is worth doing - It is worth doing well" -So it has taken a little longer than I initially planned.

I found left over pieces of the Applique in my Scrap Stash and decided to make something 'Useful' in the process.

A design emerged and I was on my way - revisiting the past. 

It was amazing how I went from 'Not Caring' to "Where did that stray stitch come from?' so easily.

Eventually the Last Stitch was done and with the help of photographs, Border fabrics were found.

Now, I am in the process of (fighting with my machine while) trying to learn FMQing - a skill that eludes me! 

The Original Quilt was professionally quilted.

Once that is done, I can then throw this project in the washing machine and see what happens!

Hexagon Mystery - Finished

 Well, I am feeling pretty pleased with myself!

I started the Mystery Hexagon Quilt as a distraction to all things that were happening at our place back in September - and 5 clues behind everyone else.  

It took me 37 weeks and several lockdowns to finish what was scheduled as a 35 week project.

In the end, I did stray from the original pattern and changed the final corner instructions from straight lines to continuing the pattern to the edges.

The next job was to Appliqué the borders on and they didn't take as long as I thought they would. 
(A quick Click and Collect to GJ's for some Roxanne Glue helped) and reminded me that I actually like Applique!

It was very satisfying to put in the Last Stitch.  

Under normal conditions it would call for a Celebratory 'Coffee and Cake' down the Local Cafe - But sadly not this time!

So here it is.  Not a terribly Good Photo as it was attached to the Garage Door with Magnets!

I will leave the 'Glamour Shots' for when it has been Quilted.

For the moment it is now as finished as it can be and waiting for this Lockdown - (Are we still in #6 ?) to be over so I can hand it over to be Quilted.

Putting a Line under 2-0-1-9

DH Retired December 31st, 2018 and I thought we were to spend our early "Getting to know ourselves again" time Wandering Wineries and Windswept Beaches.  

The 2019 Bushfires put those ideas on hold. 

2019 was also the Year we decided to start a Temperature Quilt.  

He meticulously recorded the Highs and Lows each day of his first Retirement year and whether we had Rain or Shine.

I started pulling Fabrics and piecing Blocks and even made a couple of Progress Posts on my Blog. 

The Blocks started to become a Quilt over the year and early 2020.

Somewhere between my Post of the 5th March and the next on the 18th March Covid had made it's way here and it was time to take it seriously. 

Monash University had been planning for On-line and Remote learning since February, with many of their Students stranded overseas. 

And making working from Home possible became the top priority.

Work on my Quilt also stopped, Like so many of us - At the Borders!  

It was in danger of becoming a UFO - Unable to decide on how to finish it, It was put Aside but not Away.

I went to move it the other day and thought "What is Stopping me Finishing This?"  

My newly acquired Very Empty Workspace soon filled with a Very large Quilt.  It may just be the biggest Temperature Quilt ever made.

The Final wide Yellow Border 
(For Hope for the Future) was now sewn to the Grey Smoke - a Reminder of the Horrific Bushfires of 2019

Hexagon "Stepping Stones" recording the Wonderful Weather on our Trip to Darwin, and Our Retirement treat of the return Journey on The Ghan are Appliqued onto it - 

With a Celebration for the Last Stitch!

It is now Pressed and waiting now Lockdown No 5 is over so I can get it to the Quilter.  

I look at it and I think that This was to be the start of New Beginnings for Us.

And now it is a Reminder of the Precious Freedom we enjoyed -      -Before Covid.

Jemima's Mystery Update

 I haven't given up on Quilting!  I have actually been quite busy since I last did a Quilt related Post, so time to do an Update.

Jemima's Quilt Part 1 took me out of my comfort zone with both fabric choice and committing to a large EPP project and was completed back in December.

Part 2 was an easy Six piece block turning Part 1 into a Star. 

Part 3 was a bit more interesting with another different shaped block.

In the lead up to Christmas
we were given an easy Block for Part 4

It was good to see the Quilt taking shape once all the parts were stitched in place.

Part 5 was a familiar flower design but came with a whole lot of problems starting with running out of Fabric.

I needed to wait until the Shop opened after the Christmas break before I could get more to continue with the required blocks.

And then while happily stitching the flowers in place, alternating fabric patterns in the light centre hexies, I discovered I had stitched TWO blocks in the wrong order!

Once these were carefully unstitched and repositioned the next section was completed.

Looking forward to Part 6.

If you are interested in this Mystery
Check out the Clues at www.jemimascreativequilting.com/blog Hexagon Quilt Along

So along came a Mystery

A bit of background to the story.

Way back in September, when Lockdown 4 was a thing... I decided I needed a distraction from all things COVID and Wedding and Babies.

And what should land in my inbox but "Jemima's Quilt Mystery".  I like Mysteries - they take me out of my comfort zone and challenge me to do new things.

I have pondered about and dabbled with EPP/Hexies for a bit over the years and never settled on something "Serious".   

So here I go, dive in and commit to "Not quite your Grandmother's Flower Garden" project.

First hurdle that I stumbled at was that None of my fabrics met the brief! 

I could not find any fabric that looked good together in 'Colour' and also met the Light, Med-Light, Med-Dark, Dark values when looked at in Grey scale.

I even refolded and colour sorted the ENTIRE fabric stash.

 
DH helping with some extra shelves in the cupboards to "Make look Good". 

It all looks lovely but no joy on the brief.

I sent out an SOS to an online Quilt shop for help and unfortunately the fabric still hasn't turned up. 

So when lockdown ended I went shopping at a (B&M) Quilt Shop where we spent 2 hours choosing the right Value fabrics.

Here I am, 

Starting 5 Clues behind 

and questioning my sanity once again.

Catching Up

Life in Lock-down has been far from boring.

Some of the local shops are making tentative steps to reopening.

The "Great Toilet Paper Debacle of 2020" is over.
And restrictions on grocery products are slowly being lifted.

 In the meantime I have had my heart firmly planted in 2019 - memories flooding back with every block. 

All 365 are now together.
It is certainly colourful in a Temperate Teal kind of way.

All that is left to do is the borders.

And another 10 special blocks for when we were on Holidays to be worked in somewhere. 

My Sewing Room has been conscripted to "Study from Home" needs for Three Days a week so that DIL2B can continue with her Theatre Costume Design Course.

So, While I can't sew.

I have pulled out my knitting bag.

And pulled out my knitting and yes, pulled out my hair as well when I realise I am SO rusty I have to look at Video tutorials to remember basic stitches.


Maybe I should start that EPP project instead?

Tri-Panel Quilt

I have finally been able to find the binding and finish the Oriental Quilt I have been working on for the past 2 - 3 years.

The pattern I used was Leesa Chandler's 'Southern Jewels 2". 

An Oriental Border Print was an easy choice for the main panels however finding "Just the right" fabric choices for the rest was a bit harder to decide on.

All it needs is a label and a Name...

"Eastern Jewels" perhaps?

I'm Still Here...

3:30 pm on a Tuesday afternoon in the middle of School Holidays the Local Shopping Center should be a bustle of tired parents with irritated children being dragged around for new shoes or the obligatory haircut.

Today it is eerily deserted.

Local Playgrounds became an Oasis for Children and their Parents who have wanted to get out of the house.

Last week the Council closed ALL of them.

(Oddly this is the first time in 40 years that I have seen people actually respecting a playground barrier.)

So Paddington, who has kept watch from my bedroom door since I was 17, has decided it is time to do his bit to cheer the Children in the street, by joining the Bear Hunt.

(He has recently been joined by little Prayer Bear)

In all of this 'New Normal' there is still a Household to run and an elderly Mother to assist and I find myself wondering where all this 'Spare Time' is supposed to appear from...

So, in precious moments that I can call my own.

I have been working on my Temperature Quilt

While listening to "The Secret Garden" (a free Audio Book) I passed through Winter and into Spring.
12 Sections of 25 Blocks finished and now 'Just' 70 more blocks to go.

The End is in sight!

In a Bind

I cleared the decks and pulled out a quilt that has been patiently sitting on the chair waiting for it's binding. 

This is a Winter Quilt and it is for me, so there has been no hurry to get it finished.

Somewhere somehow, between the last Quilt I bound and this one I have managed to forget how to do turn corners on the binding.

Time to (find a computer that is not being used) and hit U-Tube to refresh my memory.

Then somehow I miscut the strips I needed. 
My calculations said I needed 9 strips and I duly cut 3 from one scrap and 4 from another 3+4=9 that is right! - No? - Oh!
Fortunately I have more fabric.

Then the ONE THING you don't want is to end up with a join on a corner........

Pull it out - cut some off -
join in more - sew again
don't forget
add the extra 2 strips

THIS is what happens when people are home when they should be at Work!

Praying for a Cure!