Orange RSC blocks for May

This month the colour for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge is orange.  This fun challenge is run by Angela of Sew Scrappy.  Orange is not one of my favourite colours, and is not a colour I would ever wear.  I found several orange fabrics  tucked away, and I made my usual four Bow Tie blocks and two more Asterisk blocks.

Four orange Bow Tie blocks and tiny bonus HSTs

Two orange Asterisk blocks

I’m always amazed at the number and variety of projects that some participants do.  Next year I hope to get a little more adventurous and have already decided on a couple of blocks which I want to stitch up.

Although the colour orange is not really my cup of tea, we have used this colour in furnishings.  In our former home, a Lockwood wooden home with lovely cozy internal wooden walls, we had bright orange curtains in our sitting room.  This colour looked wonderful and so warm against the timber walls, particularly in winter with the curtains pulled tightly closed across the large picture windows, and the fire burning.

It’s not quite winter here yet, but the weather is getting cooler and I made my first big pot of soup.  Yummy pumpkin soup, flavoured with bacon, onions  and a hint of curry.  So tasty, and just right for May, definitely orange in colour!

Delicious pumpkin soup

Secret Santa Sewing

I’ve been working on UFO project number five this week, Secret Santa Sew-Along.  First I had to finish stitching up those tiny nine patch block, some were already completed and some were just pinned together.  I have to admit that I don’t really enjoy sewing such small pieces.

Christmas red nine patch blocks

These blocks then got stitched to either end of a cream rectangle.  But…….I didn’t have enough, although I was sure I had made the correct number when I worked on this project before Christmas.  Guess I just have to get cutting and stitching a few more.

Of course, you can guess what happened when I pinned these pieces onto the green blocks – I found those missing nine patches.  Bother – but I guess I can use them later on the backing.

So this is where it is up to, and looking quite good, I think

I’ll leave this project here now, I've decided, and get back to it later.  Need to start on my orange RSC blocks next, and finish stitching a gift and get it in the mail.

While I was outside taking the final photo, I spotted this little plant in matching colours  bravely flowering away.  This was a gift from my daughter Nicky for Easter 2018.  After it had finished flowering last year I put it outside.  Pot plants have to be tough to live here, I don’t do pampering, and this one is doing quite well for itself.  I’m so pleased it’s still hanging on, and I didn’t kill it with neglect.  

Another Week, another UFO

It’s been “roll the dice” again on Monday, which brought up number 5.  Which is the Secret Santa Sew Along from Temecula Quilt Company which started last November.  I should have realized that I probably wouldn’t manage to get it completed in time for Christmas. 

This project started as a “Quilt in a Jar”, from Sew Wot friend Helen.  One Christmas it was decided that we would each pack a jam jar full of quilting goodies, wrap it up, and these were distributed at our Christmas Lunch in December.  My jar came from Helen and she had packed it full of 5 inch squares of Christmas fabric.  Just right to make a start on the Secret Santa Sew Along, I decided.

Christmas gift from Helen

I did manage to make a reasonable start late last year, and stitched up the first couple of clues to make twelve green blocks.

Next I cut lots of narrow strips and started making tiny nine patch blocks in Christmas reds.

This is where Secret Santa got packed away.  Christmas was coming fast, we were going off in the caravan, no time to finish this project – excuses, excuses I know.  Until I placed it on my List of Six UFOs recently and it is finally seeing the light of day this week. 

So that’s my challenge – to get as much of Secret Santa assembled by the end of the week.  It doesn’t have to be finished, after all, how much can I do over a few afternoons at the sewing machine.  Every bit helps, and it will be good to be moved on to a different stage. 

Kapiti Quilters Exhibition

I always enjoy a quilt show, and met up with my friend Shirley from Waikanae yesterday morning to view the Kapiti Quilters Exhibition at Southwards Car Museum.  Kapiti Quilters is Shirley’s quilt guild.  After paying the admission charge, and buying a few raffle tickets, we admired all the community quilts made by club members.  They were cleverly displayed on the walkway leading into the hall.

Community quilts made by Kapiti Quilters

There were so many quilts inside the hall, that the sensible thing to do, we decided, was just to take our time.  Here are some from the exhibition which caught my eye.  There were several New York Beauty quilts on display – all those paper pieced points!  This one was by Pat Crengle and won an award for Best Machine Quilting on a domestic machine.

New York Beauty

I’ve always admired Plus quilts and hope to make one sometime.  These two were stitched by Jane McNamara and Sandra Kilin.

Two quite different Plus quilts.

I loved this beautiful quilt made with lustrous glowing colours,and different sized blocks.  Made by Sheryl Meech, it was awarded Best in Show.

Circles, by Sheryl Meech, Best in Show

My pick for Viewers Choice went to this delightful William Morris inspired Baltimore.  Sadly, I didn’t take note of the maker’s name, but it did win two blue ribbons.

William Morris Baltimore

What else?  I rather liked this little rug (or maybe it’s a wall-hanging) made from selvedges.  I’ve done a few selvedge projects over the years but have never seen anything quite like this.  This was entered in a challenge so I’m not sure who made it.

Shaggy selvedge rug

And who is this who was looking for me?  It was blog reader Felicity from Ormandville, and we seem to bump into each other at quilt shows.  Felicity had made me a little gift for the caravan, a little pad with rubber grippy fabric on the back, to help you take the tops of jars.  Thanks so much Felicity, and it was so lovely to meet up with you again.

Felicity with a gift for me

By this stage Robin had done what he wanted to at the shops, and let me know he was waiting upstairs in the café.  It was time we joined him for lunch, and sit down and rest our weary feet. Shirley and I had a lovely time together admiring the quilts – I do enjoy a good quilt show.

Pin Wheel Wizard – or not

Finally done – my pin wheel top made from my traveling HST blocks which came along on our trip to UK in 2009 when I stitched up a bunch and took them along with my Pigma pen. Memory blocks they certainly are, as I got them signed at all the accommodation we stayed, trips we took, and places of interest we visited. These blocks will be used as a quilt backing.

It wasn’t just all about England on this trip, we were lucky to have a stop over in New York.  Wow, what a city that is!  So we took the opportunity to do a coach trip up to Niagara Falls.  Just briefly, a few quick memories of our short time in USA and Canada were the magnificent falls, of course, and seeing the Lincoln Memorial, Liberty Bell, Smithsonian Air and Space Museum, Arlington National Cemetery, and Times Square  to name just a few.

I can easily  make the backing bigger to fit the quilt top it finally goes behind – with yardage or some of the many HSTs I still have. 

Full disclosure time now.  Originally these blocks were to be made up as an Exploding Star design, and I had the pattern as wall hanging size.  I know, I thought, I’ll just make the block size bigger, thinking I knew better.   Much too big, as it turned out, I have millions of the blocks, dark/dark, white/coloured, lemon/white, enough for several bed size quilt tops it seems.  I assembled some of the blocks into this top.

So………this top is looking for a new home.  It’s a reasonable size, approx. 73 in square.  If anyone would like to take it off my hands, I’ll be happy to post it out to you.  For your own use, or maybe as a community/charity quilt, the choice is yours.  Mind use, my piecing isn’t always perfect, so there are sure to be some points not quite lined up.  All you have to do is leave me a comment telling me why you sometimes think you know better and end up having a boo-boo, like me.

Pin Wheeling

It always feels good to make a start on another long standing UFO.  These HST blocks hark back from our trip to UK in 2009 when I stitched up a bunch and took them along with my Pigma pen.  Then I got them signed at all the accommodation we stayed, trips we took, and places of interest we visited.  I’ve started sewing the blocks into pin wheels, and you know I like to have them all pinned up, ready to sew.  I'm stitching these together to make a quilt backing.

More sewing, and here’s my first lot all completed.  Still some more to do, but I've made a good start.

Most New Zealanders of European descent can trace their family roots back to England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, so that is why we Kiwis love to travel over there.  My respective grandfathers came from England and Scotland, and one of Robin’s Grandmothers came out to New Zealand from Blackpool as a war bride, so there are plenty of connections to UK.  Not that we know of any relatives still there.

You can imagine the memories I had reading some of the blocks while stitching them together.  Such wonderful visits to Bodium Castle, Cheddar Caves, Avebury Stone Circle, and the  Pontcysyllte Aqueduct.  I really treasure a written message from Canterbury Cathedral - Rev Jacky Davis wrote “May God bless this precious work, with his love, on behalf of Canterbury Cathedral”.

Sew Wot Tuesday

It’s good to be back in the swing of Sew Wot (fortnightly) Tuesdays again, after missing the last one while we tripped here and there in the caravan.  Today Heather was our hostess, in her rural hillside property.  Two of the household’s three cats deigned to put in an appearance – sometimes they just can’t be bothered with visitors.

Heather with her beautiful girl, gorgeous markings

The old boy Walther stretching out

There was some show and tell to admire, and a story behind this quilt.  Mary’s sister found these panels in an Op Shop over in Australia, and passed it on to Mary.  She made short work of assembling it, adding extra blocks, and quilting it, all in the space of a couple of weeks.  The quilt will be gifted to one of Mary’s grand daughters.

Pretty quilt made from panels

Moira had a pretty cushion to show.  Made with a pretty stitchery edged with cotton lace, it is lovely indeed.

Moira’s new cushion

There had been a bit of knitting happening too.  Carol knits little vests to go overseas to a charity, and this one is so cute made in such pretty colours.  And Heather had been busy knitting too.

Carols baby vest

 Heather had finished four knitting projects – hasn’t she been busy!

As well as a delightful morning tea, we all came away with some goodies.  Heather had been clearing out some of her sewing room “stuff” and there were patterns and other bits and pieces looking for a new home.  She also donated bags of feijoas for those of us who wanted them.  Mary had home grown goodies to give away as well, apples and peppers from her garden.  Thank you, much appreciated. 

I did a little stitching on my second Santa block, he’s coming along nicely.  It’s always great to spend an inspiring morning with the Sew Wot ladies, and it doesn’t really matter if more talking than stitching happens!