Crumb sewing and Easy Street

 Hi there,  I've been working on the 2nd clue of Bonnie Hunter's
Easy Street mystery quilt.  I've got about 1/2 the geese sewn.  I'm using the Companion Angle and Easy Angle rulers to cut the triangles for the geese.  Thanks to Bonnie's really good instructions and video I've found they are working really well.  I had tried using the rulers previously and wasn't really happy with my results, it makes a big difference with some clear instructions.  Thanks Bonnie!

I've also been working on a couple of other projects at the same time.  Not such a good thing when I accidently cut my 2 1/2" strips into 2" pieces cause I got mixed up with measurements.  Easy mistake if you're not concentrating on which project you're working on.

 It was really sunny earlier this morning, here's Dougal enjoying some rays.   There are big grey clouds out now, its only going to be 18 degrees today.  A good day to stay inside, I'm hoping to get my christmas decorations put up today.

I received my copy of 15 Minutes of Play by Victoria Findlay Wolfe I've been reading her blog for ages and really love her work.  I decided I'd have a go at using my crumbs to make some blocks, Victoria has a couple of suggestions for sewing "made fabric".  I made these 2 blocks using telephone book pages as foundations.  When I do string piecing I like using foundations.  It was a bit tedious getting all the paper out so I might have a go next just at stitching the fabrics together. 

I thought I'd show you my earliest patchwork fabrics before I cut them up to go into my scrap strip bins.  I bought these fabrics when I had my first patchwork lessons at eighteen which makes them over 30 years old!  Back then I went to a local ladies house to be taught the basics of hand piecing and I made a variety of cushions for my Grandma and my Mum.  I was very keen on brown obviously cause all the cushions were brown!  For some reason I didn't make a quilt, back then I don't remember anyone making lap quilts or wall quilts.  I think the idea of making a full size quilt must have been too daunting so I didn't do any more patchwork until I had my daughter 11 years later.  (Maybe I didn't want a quilt all done in browns).  I do remember driving my Mum and I to look at the local quilt show that was held every year in peoples homes.  Times sure have changed.

Do you still have pieces of your earlies fabrics in your stash?  I wonder what the colours where?

Happy sewing

Debra.

Busy week

Hi there, here are some of the pages from the photo album I made for Aleisha's birthday last week.  She was such a beautiful baby, but I might be biased!  I was very happy cause she really loved it.  It was so much fun to do and brought back so many memories of those years.  I really can't believe it was 20 years ago, the time goes so quickly.  I've got plans to do a few more albums in the future.

 

 We had a very nice dinner out at the local Mexican restaurant with my parents.  I even had a Wicked Woman Margarita! Yummm.

My week has been very busy, I usually only work 2 days but have worked 4 days this week.  I'm always happy to get some extra work, helps pay my fabric debt.hahaha

I brought this great cat scratcher/play centre home this week.  This is Dougal inside the cat cave and Ruby investigating, they seemed to enjoy playing and scratching on it.  It fits in a corner of the kitchen perfectly.    You can tell these guys aren't spoilt at all can't you?

Here's Harry after a visit to the vet to get his sore paw fixed.  He is quite fond of lying with his head hanging over the edge of the couch.  He is such a sook but he did behave very well while the vet did his examination and while he got his paw bandaged.

I took him back tonight to get the bandage cut off, I decided I'd rather the vet did it.  Harry was very patient and stood still while it was cut off and his foot seems back to normal.

I've eased up on crocheting for a while cause my little finger was starting to get sore again.  I have done a few more leaves on my applique borders, and finished a few more string blocks.  I'm hoping I might get some stitching done over the weekend.  I might have more to show you next time. 

Happy Stitching

Debra.