Gaining momentum

I might just be getting somewhere!  First up, my June goal for ALYoF - getting the Gypsy bandana/ Craftsy BOM blocks turned into a top.  Check out here for the original goal setting post.

Done!

A lovely shot with our water tanks in the background :0) but you can see the hint of red I added to the outer sashing, just to tie into the red accents in two of the blocks.

And a bit closer up - but without the bottom bit - as always the wind picked up just as I stood to click the camera.

{As I was a lucky winner from the May lineup, check out my winner's loot post here - thanks to The Intrepid Thread.}

And the view from the other way - an absolutely stunning winters day...

I've also been enjoying the remaining blocks from the Cross section of Tula's modern block sew along.  Look - photos taken in actual sunlight!

Block 13 - this was a fun block that I could imagine doing as a scrappy quilt:

Block 14:

Block 15:

I've also finished the last little bit of my Sewing Circle tote.  A bit rough around the edges in places  - but done, and done is good.  I chose not to add the short handles per the pattern - as I already have so much weight around the sides that there is still a tendency to sag (never a good thing) and I think just one set of handles will be perfectly adequate.  Although I might just add a second row of stitching just under the top row - so that it matches the stitching on the pockets.

A little finish here and a little finish there

The kids school is fundraising again... hmm - what to put into the prize bucket this year?

Hello, thank you Badskirt for showing a cute as little pencil case - design and tutorial care of gwennypenny.com.  Small but perfectly formed... and the first addition to the prize pool :0)

Block 12 I believe...

And month three of the mystery stitchery I am doing.  Block four has just arrived, so all going to schedule, well, pretty much.

A bit of {new} THIS and a bit of {new} THAT

After a week of wintry stormy weather, we have been blessed with a beautiful day today... the perfects sort of day for taking photos!  It has been a week of mailbox lovelies...

First up, I was one of the May winners from the ALYoF lineup... my prize, a $25 voucher from The Intrepid Thread (woohoo!!!).  After some serious selecting... knowing that my prize would only pay for postage and that I had better make it worth my while... my 9y package arrived earlier this week:

This large floral from Spring House by Moda I thought would make an interesting backing... it's got a real retro sheeting feel about it hasn't it?

and I might just need a coordinating print... like you do...

Love the colours and whimsical element in these spots from the Blooming Lovely range...

Shades of Black by Me & My Sister Designs.... because grey prints are just so handy...

and some Essex Linen in flax I believe... for experimental purposes...

I also bit the bullet and ordered some emergency Kaffe Fasset fat quarters from The Apple Basket in Kaiwaka.  Ngaire chose me a selection which covers most colours... and will round out my selection for my Taupo Symposium class.  I feel now that I have all bases covered.

Added to the bookshelf this week... love Camille Roskelley - she has tremendous elegant simplicity,  and if she was older than me, I'd want to be just like her when I grow up...

Probably my most favourite quilt in the book... already doing stash type figuring in my head...

A new pair of shoes...

And I have been sewing too... the start of a quilt back...using panels that match the Gypsy Bandana range used on the front... do they look square to you?  You'll note that one is larger than the other... but they are also somewhat rectangular, so the seam ripper needs to come out to fix this one up!

Vacuuming has occurred! Whoops, this isn't sewing... but what a difference a bit of a tidy up makes...

Block 10

Block 11

Whew, don't you love it when the sun shines!

Progress!

I've resisted the urge to show you all the rejected possible layouts I contemplated before deciding on the final layout (which I'm sure you will appreciate). 

Drum-roll please...

In the end the deciding factor regarding placement was the block contruction - 4 patch, 9 patch, more-patch or other (like the slashed ones).  Then once that was settled, the accent grey and red were distributed, as well as the strong green fabric.  The rest of them just fell into place like good little blocks do.

I binned the modern circle (which I did like) and the string pieced block (which I didn't like so much) as they didn't fit well with the other blocks.  By that stage I also knew I needed to add a block which wasn't a 9 patch, didn't have grey and wasn't strong blue. 

Now is this one an Ohio Star?

And the friendship star- with a variation in the corners.  These were added by luck when I found some triangles I'd cut previously that just happened to be the right size.  Bonus!

I've started adding white sashing, with a grey cornerstone.  Very calming.

A few more blocks, and a bit of pondering

These are addictive!

Block 7

Block 8

Block 9

I've been doing other sewing too... promise.  I chose this quilt as my ALYoF goal this month, and I want all these individual blocks to become one by the end of the month.  First off, I needed to complete the blocks, and deciding on a four x four layout meant I was that much closer to finishing.  But I'm not too sure about the circle block (which still needs a background btw), and I don't really want to do any of the other blocks from the BOM programme.  I could always throw in a friendship star to fill in that empty space couldn't I?

Other than that, I'm still undecided about the final layout.  Here I tried to alternate predominantly green blocks with predominantly blue blocks.  But there are always the curly ones that want to fit into both categories.  I also need to share the grey and red accents around - and have a good balance between heavier blocks and lighter blocks... not sure if I've completely succeeded yet or not.  Will try some more layouts and come back to you on this one.

Onto a completely different project - pulling fabrics for the Kim McLean workshop at Taupo Symposium.  Remember, this is a needleturn applique class which I have chosen to use the Flower Pots Pattern:

I'm going to concentrate on one of the large vertical panels. Kim's original designs use a lot of Kaffe Fasset fabric (something that is not in my stash at all) and have a rather wild/anything goes sort of flamboyance about them.

Somehow the fabric I've pulled just seems a bit flat and nondescript.  I chose fabrics that had interesting shapes on them, suitable for various parts of flowers and leaves.  Unfortunately the course instructions don't give any idea of what sorts of fabric to bring.  Again, not sure if I've hit the mark with this selection (although it looks better than the ugly pile I pulled yesterday).  Looks like this participant is going to be hitting the merchant stalls come symposium time! 

A Bit More about Me and Tula

Little 6" blocks means quick progress.  The book is laid out in chapters based on basic formations - these are all in the Cross section.

Block Three

Block Four

Block Five

Block Six

That makes me all caught up for this week.  Only another 94 blocks to go!  But if I think about it as just another three blocks next week, it doesn't seem so bad :0)

And the final goal...

There are several suggested layouts in the book, but I just absolutely love this rainbow one.  As you can see, I am just following the blocks colouring (more or less) in the book to try to achieve something like the finished example. The Suz factor being that it is made up of my scraps from other projects... so perfectly me!

Although I wasn't sure whether my scraps were up to the task before I started, once I got going I realised that it is actually the perfect project, because you not only need a mix of colours, but quite a varied mix of hues, a few multicolour prints, and some more subtle tone on tone or solids.

Are you keen to join in the sew along, click here for all the details.

I have also finished my May blocks for the Tokyo quilt, and laid out one of this months blocks, so progress all round.

Now I have the weekend to plot and scheme about the Craftsy BOM - how, what and where?

June Goal - ALYoF

I was going to choose my symposium homework as my goal, but after having a bit of a look at it realised that this was really only an afternoons worth of work.  Too easy!

Then I couldn't decide what to do next?  So many projects, so little time...

So instead have started a whole next project... but as it's entirely from scraps, is it really a new project?  Has anyone spotted the quilt-along based on this book?  Only three blocks per week...

And so we have Block One:

And Block Two:

To catch up to the first week gone, I just need to tackle Block 3, and then Blocks 4, 5 & 6 for this weeks blocks.  The blocks are 6" finished, so only require small quantities of fabric.

So where does the new goal come in... well, I feel the need to finish something.  I know,  crazy aye?  So I'm choosing the 2012 Craftsy BOM and aim to have a finished top by the end of June.

How exactly did it get to be June already??

Winter seems to have started and I am finding it increasingly difficult to make my way into the sewing shed... even with it's promise of peace, quiet and heater, it's struggling to complete with the fireplace and mountains of housework/laundry that lurk in every corner.

We had a special photo session over the weekend as a surprise for a special lady, my mother in law.  Most of her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren were there, although with such a big family - there is always someone who is missing.  It was great to catch up with all the relatives, even if it was a bit crazy at times.

My husband and his mum

Upon returning home, it was time to put something new on the bed... so this is my "what's on the bed" shot:

And then while it was so tidy decided to unwrap the pattern for my Kim McLean project in preparation for July's symposium.  Wow, it has huge pattern pieces... this is just one panel.  I ran out of freezer paper, but got a good start on my homework.

I've also caught up on Month Two of my C-Y mystery stitchery...

And started on Month Three:

I've printed out the instructions for a few more Craftsy BOM blocks...

but thought I should concentrate on putting together the second of the May blocks for my Tokyo Subway quilt.  We've chosen some easy blocks for June - no additional colours needing to be cut - so it'll be  Blocks 11 and 20 this month.

I've still got fabric sorting out to do... and have found a whole new project to try to combat my scraps... but I really need to get some things finished, and think about a new goal for ALYoF for June. Hmmm.