2025 March

 What can I tell you about March?

I retired from working from the church (thanks you Niki and Plum for my lovely cards), although I still seem to be doing some of the same stuff but as a volunteer😂

We had a lovely 10 days in Lanzarote with blue skies and sunshine

And this pile of mini hexie flowers . . .

Finally started to fit together

(Not sure what it will be mind you!)

Niki's flat sale and house purchase seems to have stalled sadly, but the New Home (Hive) quilt top has been assembled and is ready for quilting then binding

I started looking at all (some) of the unfinished projects laying around various rooms in the house, and listing them: I don't even have enough magnets to put them all on the board, but at least now I can't say I don't know what to next!

So with a to-do list like, that the obvious answer is to start a new project!  This was near the top of the board so I don't feel too naughty!

The lovely Sharon brought all the shapes pre-backed and pre-cut and it only took 2 afternoons to be assembled and ironed into place.  Thank you Lisa and Brian, and all the Crafty Church ladies for helping

I'm now negotiating with a long arm quilter to get it finished - watch this space

And finally the UK had Mothering Sunday at the end of March so I made a few dozen of these for the visitors at church.

2022 March

Gingers are usually cheerul and happy, but  that was totally inappropriate for the shocking events that have happened this month, so I made this sad Ginger holding a Ukraine sunflower.  I'm not making them for sale but I have made a donation to the Red Cross appeal

On a more cheerful nore, the very talented Janine blogged about keeping a Book of Days - projects that grab your attention.  They are entered in the book as a safe place to keep ideas, they may never be made but they have been recorded.  My art skills are not up to hers and I tend to use Pinterest for ideas I want to keep, but she did inspire me to make a log of everything I have started to make and really should finish one day!

Be kind about my drawings - they are rubbish, but they are enough to remind me of each project, and that's all I need.  As I type this I realised there are still more to go in the book, but this gives you an idea!

I really do need to finish something before I start something else!  My plan is to cut off the top right corner if each project as I finish it so I can have a visual pat on the back for actually finishing something!!!

Not in the book, because it's crochet not sewing, is the Fall Shawl V2.  By mid March I got back to the size when I'd had to frog it 

And now, it's 99% finished (about 6 ends to sew in).  It's about 2m wide on the longest side so very difficult to photograph

It's lovely to wear, and I'm loving the "picot triangles" on the edge: I totally failed to grasp the instructions but with long distance help from Jackie and Amo I bodged a wiggly edge and am more than happy!

I went and set up the village hall early for Stitch and Crafty Church this month so I could speed date these 'covered corner' blocks in peace and privacy.  My thought was that I could do it at Crafty Church but I needed 8 tables which is all we have, and it's Lisa's birthday pressie so it's better if she doesn't see it!

Talking of birthdays - this glass panel was Brian's birthday pressie from the girls and I, I love it!

I made this Ginger for a friend,

And lots of these for Mothering Sunday at Church

However life then changed based on one of these (well two actually as husband had a matching one!)

So - jobs that had been put off for years no longer had any excuse to be put off any longer!  New kitchen cupboard doors and worksurfaces are due in April to transform this

So cupboards came down and walls and ceilings were painted

Cupboards cleaned

Patio tidied

And the fabric matched and cut

And half way to being a Chemo Comforter requested by a colleague of Niki's

But an opps!  

Do not proceed if you have any affilliation with the Quilt Police!

I cant believe when planning this block  I never considered seam allowance

How stupid is this!!!  How many years have I been patchworking????

It's simply too late to do anything about this - I think've used ten packs of FQ!!! I can't start again -  All I can say is I hope Lisa loves it despite the gaps!  (Plum I need to re-write the instructions!!!!!)

PS - and blogger spell checks seems to have gone on holiday, so aplogies for any spelling mistakes!

2020 Wk 19 - sorting stuff!

I have dug out various UFOs that have been stored in all sorts of places.  This pile is flimsies waiting to be attached to fleece

This pile is waiting to be hand quilted or hand finished

This one was a quick win - I quilted it whilst listening to an audio book this afternoon, whilst also attending to Lizzie with her embroidery, and the binding was already cut so that has now been attached - another hour or so in front of the TV and this will be finished.  I cant find that I've blogged about it before: I am fairly sure they are Aldi fabrics from Jackie.  Gorgeous bright spring colours

It can join the various piles of stuff in the sitting room: you might have thought I was content with having the biggest room in the house for my sewing room but that is clearly not enough room!!!

Lizzie has been working on pre-school polo shirts: It is really lovely not to be working on the burgundy for a change!

I have finally completed the last dark row of this and have decided to call it a day.  It is in the flimsie pile

A quick make: my niece in Norway had her second baby last week.  I made this quilt for number 1, Saga, and thoroughly enjoyed embroidering her name in usual letters and how it would be written in Viking runes, and also in runes type letters.  Her new sister is Theia, and Great Grandmother explains "Both names have a mythological background: Nordic and Greek, fit together well: Saga and Theia, it seems they have made a good choice."

So having gone Viking on Saga's quilt I felt I have the opportunity to go Greek on Theia's!  There is even a small patch of Greek fabric!

And I embroidered her name in Greek looking letters, normal letters and Greek letters! 

I will post it with crossed fingers: things are looking better on that front.  The first American quilt was delivered and well received (Step Mom's comment is on this post) and the Irish quilt has been received, and the second American quilt is being tracked.  The Aussie quilt - no news :-(

 Basil has been stitched back together and I made him a onesie to protect him for damage for a while

 I've been doing a bit of baking - Cheesie Marmite swirls went down well at the VE Day party, along with the bunting made for the Queen's birthday 4 years ago

And Kay and I made no-knead bread which was better than expected

And husband and I went out, together, in public, and saw people!!!!


Not quite a date night, and not breaking any rules ...


We went and gave blood!

2020 Wk 15 - playing around and a round up

It's lovely to receive REAL post - it does wonders to stave off the wobbles!  I got two miracle cures this morning - Lisa sent us a crochet rainbow and Plum sent a stitched Easter Card - Even husband was impressed!!!  Thank you both!

The two villages have set up a Safari Park Trail - people are encouraged to put out an animal and facts about it, so kids can look for them on their walks.  Mine:

And next door's

In other news there has been some hand quilting

And some finishing (only one side so far, I'd forgotten what a flaff this method was!)

 

I also have to confess: Following our Resin craft afternoon a few months ago, I *may* have popped some resin craft stuff into my Amazon basket!

I found a collection of postage stamps dating back to I don't know when (but some of the values have half pence on them!!!) so I made these

And then I did some more with some pretty rainbow buttons

I have also (clearly not much else to do at the moment!) made the Hexi flowers for the Facebook swap for April as well as March

 and completed some more FPP blocks 43 made, 90 needed!!!

I have been keeping a UFO spreadsheet (thanks for the idea Amo) to show me what needs doing next.  Unfortunately it's a bit two-steps-forward-one-step-back as I keep finding more projects to add to this list

As if this wasn't bad enough I've just realised the Spotty Circles quilt isn't even on it!!!!