Christmas QAL - post 4

Oh boy, I am soooo full up.  I tried a new recipe for meatballs today, and they were great with a tomato sauce and pasta.

I am about to go and sit in front of the TV now, but I just wanted to say what fun it is today seeing all the quilt tops being finished and displayed in all their beauty, and just because I like the result so much, here is my finished version again.

Thank you so much Lynn, for being our hostess today.  I can't wait to make some Polar Farts, which I think I'll be doing tomorrow, and also some Mixie Mittens that Lynn has designed for us.  They might have to wait a while though so I can buy some more Christmassy fabrics.

Christmas QAL - post 3

Hurrah!  I've finished my top.

Mind you, I really do need to learn to read the instructions more carefully.  Make 60 quarter square triangles, they say, so how come I made 63?  Sew them into 20 groups of 3 they say, so why did I sew 21?
Cut 72 squares of background, so how many did I cut?  63!!

Still, I am happy with the top, and am looking forward to quilting it.

All this has taken me far longer than I thought it would, so working on my Think Christmas blog hop blocks is not going to happen today although I might get the binding made in a short while, but then again, I might not. .  I am tired, and have stopped for a coffee.  By the time I've finished that and looked to see what everyone else is up to it will be time to prepare dinner.  

Christmas QAL - post 2

Here is my centre in all it's glory.  You'll maybe notice that it is not one of the layouts I suggested last month! After lunch I'll do the final step.

Christmas QAL - post 1

Good morning and Happy Christmas everyone.  Our hostess, Lynn  won't be up for hours and hours and hours yet, but Hazel and I can't wait, so we're starting now.  After all, it's 11a.m.  for us right now.  I know that I owe replies to loads of you for comments over the last couple of days, and I will answer you all sometime today, but right now I want to go sew.

What am I going to sew? 

Well first off I will sew all the blocks together for the Festive Mystery quilt.  Yes, I know I should have done that already, but I blame the shingles for taking away my quilting mojo for a few weeks.

When I've caught up on that I plan to make my blocks for the Think Christmas blog hop that Lesley, our very own Cuddle Quilter is hostessing.  (My day for that is 1 August, by the way.)  You can read more about the hop on Lesley's blog, here.  I won't be able to show you the blocks, but may give a sneak peek.

By then I reckon it'll be dinner time for us and then I shall settle down in front of the TV with Mr Fixit and do some work on a gift for someone.

Christmas in July ...

... yes, it's that time again.  Tomorrow is the July Christmas Quiltalong day and the party is over at Lynn's place, Sew'n Wild Oaks, here.  I know that Lynn has some fun planned for us, including a competition and a really fun pattern, so, join me and let's all dance on over there tomorrow.  

Have you missed me by the way?  I've been down south having fun.  It was DGS's 6th birthday, and also his end of year school concert, and we went out for a celebration meal, and also to a barbecue, so it's been a busy few days, but I'm back now.

Lone Star - post 5

So what did I learn today?

1. take it slowly.  Normally my style is pedal to the metal, so this is quite a revolutionary thought for me.

2. cut the squares and triangles about one inch larger - it's easier to trim down than make a mistake and have to start again.

3. draw a line a quarter of an inch from the two sides I'm going to sew, then I have the intersection clearly marked.

4.  pin through the intersection point to the intersection on the star itself.  (If you remember, I sewed to within a quarter inch of the point when I was joining the diamonds together, and that is the place where I start and stop sewing.)  This is not easy to describe, but hopefully the photo below will help:

5. start sewing away from that point towards the edge, then turn the whole thing so I'm sewing towards that centre point again.  Stop exactly on the marked intersection point, turn everything again and sew to the outside edge.

Lone Star - post 4

It still needs squaring up. but I couldn't wait to show you:

and here's a closer-up view of one inset seam:

I'll be back in a while to share a couple of tips with you.

Edited to add:  looking at that photo, I should have taken a bit of time to smooth it out properly before |I took the photos!

Lone Star - post 3

Just popped back in to say that I've had Cheryl's permission to add the Lone Star quilt she made for her son to Mr Linky.  It's wonderful and I love the black background.  Also have you seen Granny Judy's lovely version?  Thanks for sharing them both of you.  

Lone Star - post 2

I did it!  Sorry about the fuzzy photo, but I was trying to get as close as possible so you can see my beautiful inset seam.  Now I'm off to try and repeat this on the quilt itself.  Four squares and four triangles - wish me luck.

Don't forget, Mr Linky is here.

Lone Star Day post 1

... right, all the cleaning's done, washing's on the line, now I can play.

First, I'm going to do a test run, to make sure I can do an inset seam OK.  Hmm, on thinking about it, I'm not sure what I'll do if I can't do one!

Below is Mr Linky, sitting patiently, waiting for you to sign in if you're sewing along with Jayne and I today, or if you've made a Lone Star quilt before and would like to share your photos with us.

I'll be back soon to report on how I got on.

It's that time again

I don't know where the time goes, but tomorrow is our Lone Star quiltalong day again.  I am the hostess this month, but do remember to bring your surgical masks along, so I don't pass on my shingles.  I think I am going to be making my first attempts and doing inset seams, so do come along to have a laugh.  The other thing I am planning to do is work on a quilting design for those huge great setting squares and triangles.  I am thinking, you see, that I can do that whilst watching the Ladies final at Wimbledon on TV.  So, see you tomorrow.

To all my American friends

Ssshh ...

... haven't I been quiet?  Bet you're all wondering why, aren't you?  Well the reason can be given in one word:  shingles.  You remember me whinging a couple of weeks ago about the side effects of the pills I'd been given for a kidney infection?  Well, it seems most of them weren't the side effects at all, they were the start of shingles.  So now I've got anti-virus pills, painkilling pills and knockout pills for the night and I think I'd rattle if I was shaken.  Still, they're all helping I think.

Of course, the other reason for my silence is Wimbledon.  The first week of the tournament is finished, and Andy Murray is still in it.  Wimbledon lasts a fortnight, and I can be found in front of my TV every day from lunch time onwards if anyone wants me.

Actually, I did feel a bit better again this morning so I did some sewing.  I paper-pieced a whole block, which I'm not showing you!  Oh, OK then, maybe I'll just show you this one picture.

Teehee, in the words of Rolf Harris, "Have you guessed what it is yet?"

Here is ...

... OzSue's layout for the Festive Mystery quilt.

Isn't it lovely?  As she doesn't have a blog - yet - she is sending me the photos to show everybody.  OzSue also asked me to say a huge thank you to all the lovely people who commented on her ideas last month of how she thought the block might look.  Sue I am looking forward to seeing your finished quilt now, and thank you for joining in.

Look what happens ...

... when I'm not well.

I go shopping on the internet.

3 books and 2 magazines were all I bought this time.  Actually, no, 3 books and 3 magazines, one is still to come.  However did wee manage without the internet?

Poor me …

... I am suffering with a kidney infection at the moment.  Yesterday I managed to get an appointment at the doctors and was given  a prescription for some pills.

I was warned that there are side effects.

• headache – yep
• dizziness – yep
• nausea – yep
• pins and needles – yep
• various others -yep, they weren't kidding

Classic case of the cure being worse than the illness if you ask me.

Christmas QAL postscript

Donna, with the invaluable help of Ms Cha Cha, has finished the centre of her Festive Mystery quilt.  She tried out several layouts first, before deciding on her favourite.  It is fabulous, I love it Donna, and well done on being the first to finish.  Do pop over to her blog, So Sew Crafty and have a look.

Happy Fathers' Day

The guest of honour is due in about 30 minutes.

The card is written.

We're having spaghetti bolognese

followed by  rhubarb crumble, as they are two of his favourites.






So, what's my problem?

It's not Fathers' Day until NEXT Sunday!

Christmas QAL–post who-knows-which-number

I thought you might like to see some of the layouts that I’ve come up with for the centre of the Festive Mystery top.

    

It’s amazing how different they look.  I am so looking forward to seeing what you all come up with.

Christmas QAL post 3 or 4

Done!  24 blocks all ready for me to put them together.

Now it's dinner time, so I'll be back in a while.

Christmas QAL post 2 or 3

One down, 23 to go.

Christmas QAL post 1

Hello every one and Happy Christmas.  

Paulette is our hostess this month, and according to Hazel  (who just might be known as a troublemaker!) she's making pancakes and maple syrup to welcome us all.  Yummy.

I've been chatting to Paulette this week, and it seems she has got lots of fun planned for us today, and is going to be very busy making sure all her guests are mingling, have plenty to eat and drink, and generally having fun, so we thought it would be best if I post this month's thrilling installment of the Festive Mystery here.  I've just added a new page with the instructions on a new page which you can get to by going to the tab at the top of my blog, just under the header, which I have imaginatively named A Festive Mystery - June installment.

I'll be back later to show you what my version looks like so far.

and the winner ...

of the Festive Mystery block competition is

Donna.  I had so much fun with seeing what you all thought you were making, thank you so much.  OzSue was actually very close, but nobody was correct.  Isn't it amazing how many blocks you can make with just a few components?

Congratulations Donna, please may I have your snail mail address, so your little prize can be sent off?

Another entry …

In a land far away,  (Australia,) there lives a lady who we shall call OzSue,(cos her name is Sue and she lives in OZ.  Now how original is that of me?). 

OzSue does not have a blog, but she has been following our Christmas QAL fun, and she has been making the Festive Mystery quilt too.  She has sent me her idea of what our block might look like, and given me permission to show her ideas here on my blog.

    

I just love that black fabric with the streamers.

I will do the random draw for a winner from among the entries at mid-day BST, and post the winner here then.

Fancy some Christmas fun....

.... before we all go over to Sweet P Quilting and Creations on Saturday, where Paulette is waiting to welcome us to the June Christmas Quiltalong? Well, here's what you have to do.

1. Take all the parts you have made so far for the Festive Mystery quilt,
2. Lay out your pieces to show what you think the block will look like.  Go on, I bet most of you have been doing that anyway, in the privacy of your own homes!  Now it's time to go public,
3. Take a photo of your block, and post it on your blog before Saturday,
4. Sign in to the Linky at the bottom of this post, using the address of the post where you show your "block",
5. Go and see what everyone else thinks we're doing.

Then, on Saturday, before I post the next installment, I will use Mr Random Generator to draw a winner from among those people who've linked, and that winner will receive a small prize.

If you haven't been making the quilt, you could still join in, by drawing out the parts on paper that we've been making, and using them instead.  You can find the instructions as follows: Part 1, at Hazel's Quilts, Part 2 is at Needle, Thread, Happiness, Part 3 is over at The Cuddle Quilter's place and part 4 is over at Vrooman's Quilts.  If you're working along with us but don't have a blog, you can still enter by sending me a photo of your entry and I will show it on my blog.

Here is the contest Linky, I am looking forward to seeing what you all think we're making.

Don't forget to join Paulette on Saturday for the Christmas QAL too.  I hear that she has a little Christmas craft for us, and maybe a giveaway too.

Lone Star QAL day - post 5

Well, I'm home now from the teaparty.  Thank you Alice for such a lovely party.

I will tell you that I had quite decided to do the layout on the RHS, in the middle row.  Then, Ms Sand & Sunshine sent me this link, and that set me off thinking, so back I went to play with EQ7.  Then Lynn from Sew'n Wild Oaks sent me this link.  Now, I think I am going to go back to the original plan of having some large white areas where I can hopefully let Big Bertha loose to do some wonderful quilting.  Honestly, I could have had the top finished if I hadn't spent so much time procrastinating/prevaricating/equivocating.

There's not going to be any more Lone Star-ing for me this evening.  My DS and his family are here.  Little Person is now in bed, and you'll never guess what film his parents and grandparents are watching.  The Wizard of Oz, that's what!  Last time they were here, I mentioned that I had never seen this film, and nor, it turned out, had my DDIL.  So, knowing they were coming up this weekend, my son bought a copy of it, and now here we are, 4 quite grown-up people, sitting watching it.

Bye for tonight everyone, thanks for joining Jayne and I today.  I must say that even though I have gone backwards, I really feel as though I have achieved something today.

Lone Star QAL day - post 4

I'm all dressed up in my Mad Hatter's hat, ready to go to Alice's tea-party over at Liz's place, here.  I expect she'll have her Lone Star quilt all put together with the borders on and the quilting almost finished by the time I get there.  I hope she put the kettle on first though.

Lone Star QAL day - post 3

Guess what?  I think I may have changed my mind!

Lone Star QAL day–post 2

OK, so now you want to know what I have decided to do, don’t you?

or maybe

Or could it be one of these

Can we say indecisive?  Or should we say procrastination? My father says it should be equivocation, which I had to look up, and which means to avoid or evade action, so he's right too!

Well, I've finally made a decision - I think.  Can you guess which version I've gone for? Now I'm off to try and put it into practice, after I've visited Jayne to see who else is working on their Lone Stars today..

Lone Star QAL day–post 1

I doubt that you remember, but by the end of the last Lone Star day, I had decided on this layout for the centre of the quilt, but with the corner stripes extending out into the borders? Well, I later realised that wouldn't work, as I only had the white inner border at the top and bottom and my need for all things to be symmetrical meant that I wouldn't like the stripes only at the top and bottom and not at the sides.  Soo, can you guess what happened next?

Yep, much thinking, and some testing going on here.  I dug out some scraps (yes, contrary to popular belief, I do have some!) and got sewing as you can see

giving me these test pieces

oh yes, and also giving me this

Ouch.  You know, in over 12 years of quilting, this is the first time I’ve ever cut myself with the rotary cutter.
So come back later to see what I’ve decided to do with those setting squares.

Meanwhile, pop over to Jayne, our hostess this month, to see who else is taking part this month.