Hearts and flowers

The May Day bank holiday weekend over here in the UK was for once not a damp squib - the sun shone and temperatures rose to 'take your coat off' levels - very pleasant. Time enough for a walk in the countryside, some gardening and a bit of stitching too

I slipped in under the wire with my April BQL Bag Challenge bag - just! At 9.30pm on the Saturday evening I made the extended deadline with a couple of hours to spare - phew!

The May bag isn't as large but involves making 24 bow tie blocks so there's no way I dare leave this one until the very last minute - just have to decide on some fabrics and get started on that one then

I put the final stitches in the replacement Spring Fling Round Robin last night - that will be sent off to sunny Portugal either today or tomorrow.

I didn't have any of the original fabric I used for the leaves left so to avoid rummaging through my fabric boxes in the loft I used an I Spy square sent to me I think by Karol-Ann. The background was just the right green for the leaves - but boy was I cutting it a bit fine in between all those animals :o)

And finally five more little heart quilts completed - all except the lilac and sand one at the top right have homes - so they'll be heading off to the post office pretty sharpish too

Still got one more heart top completed on the sand background plus three on the black backgrounds now ready for sandwiching and two others with pre-determined destinations in the planning stages to start but I can feel an end to the heart phase starting to appear on the horizon

So apart from my May bag, I wonder what I should have a go at next?

Another little heart finish

I have managed to do a bit of stitching this week but it's had to slot in amongst lots of other things - what's new there then I hear you say - most especially the Presentation Evening for Sarah's rugby team

As managers we were expected to give a speech so I was delegated to write and deliver it - that took up precious stitching time

Here's my girlie in the red top with one of her medals for representing her county and she received another for representing the region

And here are the beautiful flowers I received for the hard work put in this year - nice to be shown a little appreciation now and then.

Back onto hearts again

Karol-Ann asked if she could have one of the heart quilts for some dear friends who will be married at the end of the month

This is the one she selected - now completed and ready to post - should be with you in a few days Karol-Ann, hope you like it

And this is the back where I've embroidered the pertinent details

Hope their day is lovely for them

A little case of Deja Vu!

Sorry ladies - for those of you who also check up on the Spring Fling Round Robin blog this will be a double case of deja vu as I inadvertently posted this little lot onto that blog by mistake - duh - too big a hurry, too many things to do at once!!! Maybe I should just stick to trying to do one thing properly at once :o)))

Remember this little number from March

My second round for the Spring Fling Round Robin

Sadly it would appear that it has gone to the great quilting bee in the sky - courtesy of the postal service either here in the UK or across the Channel in its recipient's country

So I volunteered to try and recreate it as closely as I could

I know my stash is ridiculously bulging but I'm afraid I haven't got the exact match for the fabrics Jeanette used for the centre.

However I did have some in similar colours.

Here's the new centre - hope it's close enough Jeanette - I'm afraid the green spots had to make way for stripes instead as my only polka dot green needs the viewer to wear sunglasses - not the right colour family at all. I have tried to replicate the pattern as best I can - the purple star points were foundation pieced - I didn't trust myself to do them any other way especially without the original pattern

Then the offset border - again I'd used up or sent on all the cream with gold spots I used last time so this is the best I could come up with

Finally I'm stitching the applique on - my purple is also tone on tone but with lighter details rather than Jeanette's fabric which had a darker self coloured pattern. I think the replacement will give the same general impression even if it's not a complete carbon copy.

Thank goodness I took photos for the blog or else I wouldn't have been able to remember the original or the accompanying label which I will also try to replicate as well as I'm able

Then, once I've completed the applique - hopefully this evening - it's back to finishing of all those hearts I guess...........

And on down the little churn dash sidetrack

The pieces for that second little 'Churn Dash in a Churn Dash' had got pushed to the back of my cutting table with all the different heart fabrics that I've kept pulling out elbowing it out of the way.

However I just fancied doing a little piecing instead - quite unlike me - so over the past couple of days I've sat down in short bursts and kept popping away at those little 1" squares - oh the joys of having a permanent sewing area - bliss!!!

Here we are, top completed - the whole top measures 12.5" square and it shows the design up much more clearly than the purple and yellow one I tried before. I still find the whole concept of the darker churn dash design within a design quite magical - simple brain, easily pleased :o)

I think I'll quilt it and bind it to make it into a wall hanging for the lounge - the colour combinations will fit in a treat

I'm glad I've got this to the completed top stage - I may not get that much time to stitch this weekend - yet again rugby calls, but only for another few weeks now - and because of this I shan't be spending my birthday this Sunday doing my choice of activities - but never mind, there's no rugby next weekend and it's also a bank holiday on Monday 5th May so I guess we'll postpone the birthday girl's choice of activity until the long weekend

Now............... back to those hearts..................

Ok I guess this must be getting boring now

Sorry about this people

More hearts..............

This selection of brights on black awaiting sandwiching

And this selection of colours on sand already quilted and now needing trimming and binding

I'm still stitching away - not tired of them yet - but you must all be heartily sick of the sight of them (pardon the pun!)

So to move away from hearts here are a couple of shots to prove that spring is really on the way

The perennial cornflower is showing its frothy blue fronds

And the clematis montana is in full blushing bloom on the front fence

Maybe Spring is finally on its way

High jinks, lots more hearts and more post

I've managed to glean some of the girls tour photos from the rest of the party - they just had such a ball!

Breakfast table with Sarah third from left

Dance floor antics

The Blue Smartie Brigade - ready for the zip wire - Sarah's at the back on the left

And a change into the Red Smartie Brigade waiting to ascend Jacob's Ladder - Sarah in green teeshirt with intense look on face!

At the very top of the Jacob's Ladder - Sarah is on the left maneouvring her mate Cat round with her feet about 30ft up in the air watched by the other Sarah on the right - all thankfully safely roped up to save spectating parents from major heart failure!

And then onto more mundane quilty stuff

A lovely box of goodies from Lisa in the states in exchange for a little hearts quilt - I promise I'm working on it Lisa - shouldn't be too long now :o)

I just love the pin cushion that came with the fabrics

Lots more hearts to make into completed quilts - anyone who'd like to trade just drop me a mail - I'll happily post anywhere

Tanya did ask me if I could work out how many hearts I'd actually appliqued onto these little quilts so far - think I'm up to 240 so far!

And here's an almost completed one waiting for buttons - I love this combination of pale blue and sand.

Finally the old piggyosaurus was pignapped for a new hairstyle last night - "bored husband in front of the tv syndrome" - perhaps I should teach him how to applique hearts :o)))

Back home for a rest!

Wow!

What a terrific weekend!

Never having been away on tour with a bunch of 29 potentially hormonal teenage girls I can honestly say I was totally dreading it - but totally without any reason as we all had a terrific time

I haven't any pictures to show you as our camera is on its last legs and doesn't want to go out to play - it's all I can do is to get it to work in the house close to its power supply

The girls (and sometimes us leaders) did loads of great activities, archery, quadbiking, high ropes (I passed on that one ladies!) and it was wonderful for gelling the two teams and the leaders together

We then had rugby matches on the way home at Oakmeadians club in Bournemouth - the U18s won their match 41 - 7 (Sarah got 6 of those points with three conversions) and the U15s won one match 15 - 5 (only their second win of the season) and lost the other to a very strong host team - so an exhilirating end to a terrific weekend

Thank goodness I'm still on holiday from school this week - I came home so exhausted I haven't even picked up any handstitching since!

I did take a little pre-prepared sewing with me in case I found a little window of spare time to myself - yeah right!!!

This is the miniscule amount of applique I got done and that was at 4am on the Saturday morning because I couldn't sleep having had coffee and coca-cola too late on Friday evening which woke me up in the middle of the night!

I did come home to two lovely packages in return for little heart quilts

This selection is from Clare - love the two mauve florals in the front - they have white swirls on them and as I've just had another big length of white-on-white brought me from the States by a friend I can see them becoming a little girls cot quilt I think

Then these two photos are the selection sent by Karol-Ann

Lovely shwe-shwe blues - they're to die for, or should that read dye for?

And other bits and bobs - the zebras are so sweet

On another note I had a lovely visitor on Friday afternoon

Hedgehog was in Exeter on a work conference for a few days and we arranged for her to travel up to Taunton for a cuppa and a quilty chat

I totally forgot to take any photos - but here she is with Kate at the V&A after she'd left the West Country heading London bound

It was really lovely to spend some time with someone who's as dotty about quilting as me - I'd love to welcome her again if she's ever back in these parts another year if she could put up with my bouncy kids!

I gave her the lilac heart quilt as a memento of her visit

The funniest thing was before heading to the station DD1 Sarah gave me a very stern lecture about the dangers of meeting people whose acquaintance you've made on the internet - and I quote "You always tell us not to arrange to meet up with people we've talked to on the internet, what if she's an axe murderer?"

I told this to Hedgehog when I collected her at the station and she told me that her fellow delegates had also asked her what they should do if she didn't return.

We had a good laugh about it together and of course underneath this is a very serious message - however I can declare that we both kept our axes firmly restrained in our handbags!

Still got the heart bug going

Well my obsession with small heart quilts hasn't diminished

Karol-Ann received hers in the post the other day, I'm eagerly anticipating the African fabrics which make up the other leg of the swap - seems like a good swap to me

As for swapping fabric the little green plaid hearts quilt I showed part made a few posts ago jumped into the jiffy bag and was sealed and into the post on its way to Andrea before I remembered I hadn't taken a photo of it completed

However I did manage a shot of the lovely fabrics she had already sent me in exchange

The row of cat and bird squares has already started off ideas in my mind. It came accompanied by the three fabrics above it. The piece beneath it is something I bought earlier in the year at Exeter but I think it fits in pretty well - I can feel maybe sawtooth stars coming on but not before I complete the hearts

Here is Joseph on the right in all his multi-coloured glory - this one I shall definitely keep - I have a place above my cutting table earmarked for him

The little lilac number is destined for a friend who I'll get to see later today - more about that in my next post probably. These two just need their buttons for final completion

And inspired by Joseph and his black background I thought I'd explore that further - I picked up three pieces of subtle patterned blacks in Minehead at Don's Mill on Saturday, after the kids had finished playing crazy golf, to make the backgrounds

Here we are - the three main colourways - citrus, summer fruits and peacocks, a single red heart amongst a field of whites (they are very white despite the fact that the camera wanted to convince you they're cream) and in the centre another change of direction, a more country feel to this one on the sand background - it's going to a fellow blogger who's having a particularly tough time at the moment.

I'm really not finished yet - on my sewing table there are the little squares all stacked up for six more sand bases.

I'm away for the weekend with Nigel and Sarah on her rugby tour - I know it'll be a busy weekend but if I do just happen to find a little pocket of spare time on my hands I'll have a few more hearts with me to stitch - well a girl's gotta be prepared hasn't she :o)

Spring Fling ready to be flung to stitcher # 4

Well what a busy little bee I was yesterday.

As well as completing my Four Seasons quilt to post off this week I then felt, with the bit between my teeth, sufficiently inspired to add Round # 3 to the Spring Fling Round Robin

This is the piece I was sent by Alicia to work on

And here we are - all those triangles, not like me at all.

Fun to do, pleased how it turned out, ready for posting on to Stitcher # 4 for quilting.

Next...........................?

Spring has sprung in Quiltland if not in Taunton

Well we've been luckier than lots of the UK today - our snow flurries haven't settled.


However the change from Thursday's beautiful tee-shirt weather is certainly very marked - brrrrrrr!!!!!!!
This is our two youngest with one of the neighbours sons wrapped up well playing crazy golf at Minehead in almost sub-zero temperatures yesterday afternoon

Yesterday morning the postman delivered a parcel from the US.

Alicia has very kindly sent me my beautiful Spring Four Seasons Quilt

Aren't the colours absolutely fabulous

In the same parcel was the next version of the Spring Fling Round Robin - this one needs me to add the third round to it - I didn't manage to get a snap of it before writing this post, I'll show you before and after pictures once I've added the Bebbington touch to it

So with a spring quilt received I thought, as my embroidered top had been sitting in the UFO box for several weeks now, that I really ought to get off my butt and complete it

A busy Sunday afternoon later.....

and here we are, all ready to send to it's recipient on the other side of the pond - I'm not telling you who though, it's a secret!

It'll be in the post in a day or two

Ok - Churn Dash Mk II - and then a change of heart

Well this echoed churn dash pattern has certainly got under my skin

I've picked out some different fabrics - this time to match the decor in my lounge

I'm still unsure about the darker aqua - seems bright rather than dark - but I can't find anything more suitable

I'll do this one at 1" per sub-section instead of 1.5" - the first little 3" block is done

That'll give me a finished size of 9"

Haven't abandoned the hearts - stitched down the bindings and added buttons to two more last night but as they're surprises to go in the post I shan't show them to you until they've arrived safely

Ok on with more HST's and QST's - must be a glutton for punishment - who knows I might just do a teeny weeny version like Margery's yet!

PS - that aqua just didn't sit comfortably - a definite case of fabric indigestion! So I had a further rummage in my supplies and found a darker version

Here they all sit side by side - I'm definitely going for the right hand darker version

Got there in the end!

Churn dash top assembled

This is a picture of Margery's mini quilt which I used for inspiration for my yellow and purple quilt - what a darling - each of the small squares measures only a half inch square

This is my version which is three times the size at 1.5" per square

Doesn't work quite as well - insufficient contrast between the light and dark yellow (ignore the terracotta it's resting on a cushion)

Really wish I'd used the reverse side of the lighter yellow to make a marked difference

Might well do another version with stronger contrasts in different colours because I really love the design

Maybe carefully placed quilting in only the light areas might retrieve it a bit - we'll see

In the meantime - back to hearts - I know what I'm doing with them and that they work!!!

We interrupt these proceedings..........

I haven't come out of my heart phase yet, but I spotted a teeny little quilt the other day on a yahoo list I belong to which employed the clever use of churn dash blocks and fabric shading to hint at a larger block over the top.

I emailed the maker, who doesn't have a blog to my knowledge, and asked her permission to use the idea

She very sweetly agreed and so here we are the very early stages

Hers was a miniscule 5.5" finished in shades of green and beige with all the sub-units measuring in at half an inch square - I couldn't stomach something that tiny (yet) so have gone for a more manageable version at around 13.5" (using 1.5" units) in zany purple and yellow!

Lots of HSTs and QSTs but as it's only nine blocks I think I can keep the enthusiasm going - watch this space - I'll revert to appliqueing hearts when I feel my own personal piecing overflow level being reached

Then there was a wonderful treat in the post today

Dawn had a draw on her blog to celebrate 500 posts - WOW!

I was one of the lucky people and here is the most darling little quilt I received yesterday - please excuse the Heath Robinson fashion of hanging - I was so excited I couldn't wait to stitch on the hanger or put a nail in the wall

Along with it came some scrummy chocolate and a lovely little sewing case

Thank you Dawn they're lovely

Here's my boy sporting a terrific black eye - he was punched by a classmate at school yesterday lunchtime during a game of kickaround football - so that meant a visit to the school yesterday afternoon - however the school have been magnificent and are dealing with the issue in a way which totally satisfies our family, the boy who threw the unprovoked punches has serious anger management problems and comes from a terrible background, but the school's attitude, while needing to offer help to this unfortunate boy, is also to ensure a safe environment for his peers - Nick does look a bit of a bruiser though doesn't he? There's now a big competition in our house between him and his elder sister as to who's had the better black eye - Kids!!!

Joseph, the ugly duckling, is starting to look more swan-like

When I read back over my last post and looked at the black hand dyed piece I started to feel 'Whatever was I thinking?'

However I persevered last night and finished all the hearts from the multicoloured batik fabric

I'm glad I did I have an underlying sneaky feeling that 'Joseph' might just become a sort of swan (albeit probably an australian black one) rather than the extinct dodo he looked before the applique was added.

Here he is preening his glorious colours between his paler plaid green and lilac neighbours