Curve Challenge Pt 2

I have cut out all the pieces for the blocks, some of which were rather tight curves, so when the standard small rotary cutter couldn't handle to job - I went looking for something smaller.  I found this at Spotlight in the Scrapbooking section.
Works for me (and Rita - my Hand Model)

The piecing is going together wonderfully with the help of the "Curve Master" accessory that I pulled out from the 'useless gadget' drawer.


The problem that I am having is:

1.  The fabric that I bought to use as background takes up (OK - shrinks) when I touch it with the iron - not to mention when it gets wet. - I know - I should have pre-washed it, but the test piece didn't shed dye when I tested it so I forgot to check to see if it had shrunk as well.  I also SHOULD have realised something was not quite right when I couldn't line up the selvedges!

2.  I think it may be a little bit TOO Orange - and that Blue would have been a better choice, after all the design is intended to be an Island.

So what do I do?

I can cut my losses on some rather not-cheap fabric and redo the background. - Wash and re-cut/re-use the fabric in something else.
OR
Continue on with the project, and Quilt the daylights out of the background in the hope that it may stay put when the quilt is washed.

So you can see my dilemma - In the meantime it stays on the floor, threatening to become a UFO until I can decide what to do!

Hmmm.. Any Suggestions??

No, seriously.......

... I am just trying to get to the QANTAS terminal!

Photo from The Hume Leader News

An Eastern Grey Kangaroo was found wandering on level 5 of Melbourne International  Airport (Tullamarine) Car park  this morning.  Staff, once alerted to his presence, cordoned off the area and called Wildlife Victoria, who tranquilised the bewildered 'roo before taking him off to a vet for a checkup prior to releasing him back into the bush.

I am sorry to advise my international readers that this is not a common occurrence, and usually the only Kangaroos at Tullamarine Airport are the flying variety!

But, having driven up onto Level 5 of that car park - It leaves me wondering ... How on earth did he get that far without being noticed?

Hmmm - was he was heading for 'Departures' ?

- maybe he'd just arrived!

Curve Challenge

Well, I suppose - seeing that I suggested the Challenge, I'd better participate, so when I found this really fun fabric - with lots of curvy bits on it - I just HAD to have some.

A couple of Shows ago, I bought a template set for a "Snake's Trail" block, and I thought this was just the project to use it.  

To get the idea 'down on paper' I had a play in EQ6.  But first had to draw up a block so that I could play with the design.
It was worth the time it took when the alternative was drawing and colouring each idea separately - over and over again!
(Oh yes, definitely - been there done that!)

Cutting the pieces individually is time consuming but I was able to place the template more precisely and cut out enough blocks from what was actually - not enough fabric.

One trick I did come up with was to number each block, then cut the pattern apart and pin them to the blocks as they were being cut and constructed.  

Well, at least I'll be able to see which bit now gets sewn to what and hopefully not get in too much of a muddle. 

That being said - I had better get on with actually making the top, before my time runs out!

A little tweaking in the garden......

My garden is a little over run at the moment and in need of a Spring Clean.  We have, what the Garden Gurus refer to as 'rooms' in our garden.  Places that invite you to wander over for a closer look... well that's the theory anyway!

This week we worked on the 'Japanese Garden'.

as you can see...it is a little sad and a bit of a mess.

The Violets have started to show up again after DH's futile attempt at pulling them out, the path is full of weeds and the Japanese Maples have overgrown it so far - that it is unusable.

Maybe we could look at it from a different angle?

OH.. That looks so much more intimidating!  

And several cups of tea later.... 

DH decided not to prune the trees... 

No .....

 He decided..... 

to ...

...move the path!

Ummm?  ... yes ... 

Of course you do!

Fortunately, it has been a wet winter and the turf came up easily.  With much walking back and forth, the new course was mapped out. And the bricks, (yep. recycled house bricks from our extension years ago) were carefully belted back into submission.

Laying a path with recycled house bricks is never a straightforward affair, especially when it has to be curved and that no bricks are to be 'harmed in the process' - so no cutting of bricks to make life easier!

I have lost  count of how many bricks I have laid over the years and how many times the paths have been re-coursed, re-designed or tweaked.  This time I have handed my mallet to my DH and DS#1 so maybe...just maybe... they will understand why I have said NO MORE!

This time I was quite happy to work in my most favourite spot of all in the garden.



Behind the trees and under their canopy of soft new leaves, at the back of the garden bed is -

My Secret Garden.

It is a magic place where you can allow your imagination a little freedom.
And a place I am sure in time, young visitors to my garden will discover all by themselves.


In the meantime, there is still the Azaleas and Hellebores, along with my long suffering Vireyas that have been languishing in their pots to plant....

and we work hard to make this magic place -

-  just a little more magical.

Dragonflies and Batiks

Last week I posted about the perils of not washing your Batik Fabric, and this week I'll show off what I was doing with them, now that the quilt top is finished.

When I found this beautiful fabric at my LQS I knew it HAD to be turned into a Stained Glass Window!

So I chose some Batik fabric to match... and washed them (actually I was more concerned about them shrinking than shedding dye.)

And decided to try out a new pattern, before I cut into the fabric that came in the kit.

The pattern went together well, and although the sashing is actually too wide for a real Stained Glass, it still looks pretty good - although at 56" x 50" it is a small quilt.

(Yes, You have seen this quilt before)

It stayed on the floor for a bit and I realised, for what I was after, it needed a border, so it was decided (my family often has input into what they would like or what would look ok for where the quilt is eventually going to end up - ie Who is going to claim it when it is done)

And this is the result.  Personally I think the border is a little wide, but after doing all the math and then sewing it on..... It can stay there!

Now all that is needed is to work out how to quilt it!

Any suggestions???

...and don't let anyone tell you

..... that Batiks do not need to be washed!

I have had conversations with people at Fabric Shops - both humorous and deadly serious about the necessity to pre-wash Batiks.

I think this speaks for itself!

Had I thought sooner, I am quite sure that I could have easily dyed a couple of meters of fabric a lovely shade of pale pink while rinsing this one meter piece!

Distractions and a UFO

I have a new laptop - it is bright and shiny and EMPTY.. so therefore void of personality. (A bit like this posting).  All my photos and programs are on my old laptop...which kind of sounds like it is about to self destruct every time I turn it on.  And the 'Tech gurus' of the household can't seem to decide on whether it is an issue with the fan (not so much of a problem) or the Hard drive (BIG problem).  So I am not looking forward to moving and sorting all the stuff that is hiding within the hard drive.... It is almost as bad as trying to sort out my sewing room!

and in the meantime.......

I recently posted about wanting to finish Heart's Desire, but I actually have two UFOs that I need to complete - they are quite different from each other and yet connected.  So a UFO challenge for my Janome Group this month is the ideal time to get stuck into the task.

As far as my second UFO is concerned - I started with an 11 x 11 block, square quilt top that I had tried to put together maybe two years ago and a box full of additional blocks that were made almost 3 years ago.  

It has been laid out on the lounge room floor for the past two weeks waiting for inspiration, as I had decided that I no longer wanted to finish it according to the pattern I was following.

That inspiration struck on Monday and so it is back to placing and sewing the remaining blocks together, tweaking it a bit and.......

I'll show off the result - Next week!









Post Script:
After much thought I have decided to tell the story behind the making of this quilt - It has it's own page (much easier to remove later) - Just click the tab titled "A Quilt with No Name".
Warning - You may need a Cuppa and some Tissues.