RSC Week #4 - Last of the Blues

 What a wet week! 

We've had much needed rain this week, torrential rain. We got almost 10.50 inches in 24 hours! Lots of flooding, mud water in people's home, a few roads closed. Fortunate there was no cyclone, just rain, and more rain. Very good for the reservoirs! We are fine, just a little bit water in the basement,  which happens every time we get heavy rain. Friday the island shut down; all private and official businesses closed due to the weather, similar warning to a category 4 cyclone. 

I've spent the days sewing. What else to do when there's no venture out?!

The Blue Month continues; the last days of blues

RSC - Rainbow Scrap Challenge - hosted by Angela

I've made more blocks for 'I've got the Blues'. These are only a few. Out of 28 each, I now have

- 18 Log Cabin blocks

- 10 Split Star blocks

I had a look back to when I started making the blocks; February 2012!!! Take a look here. I think it's time getting it done! 

HA! I see now that I forgot to take photos of the three first finished blocks! This is the layout. 

More blocks for Star Streams 

It's decided: This quilt is gonna be blue and white!

1) Fair & Square Star Block - make 5 (made 3)

2) Pinwheel Star Block - make 5 (made 1) 

3) Cross Star Block - make 5 (made 1)

4) Square in a Square Star Block - make 5 (made 1)

5) Fancy Star Block - make 4 (made 1) 

6) Four Patch Star Block - make 4 (made 1) 

These are the Star blocks, plus 28 Step Blocks (not made yet)

I've made one BIG BLOCK for the Swirling Stars Quilt, measuring 22.50" square! I think I've never made that big quilt block before! lol Hm... it looks like the white square left is dirty, doesn't it? It's not, it's a shade from somewhere (photos taken inside on a cloudy day). 

This one is going to be the RSC quilt. 

I have more fabric cut for 'I've got the Blues'. Since there are still a few days left of the blue month, I'll work on those. Still waiting for the FQ's I've ordered for this quilt. 

Linking up with Angela and the Rainbow Scrap Challenge 2023

   

A Little Progress on This and That

 'Nina' returned home Monday! Nothing wrong, just a good cleaning. She's happy now, I can hear it!  A lot of dust accumulated of course, after the last service, about 5 years ago. (Shame on me for not doing it earlier! Have to improve on that!) 

While 'Nina' has been at the Spa, no sewing has been done of course since I don't have a spare machine. The last days I've made a couple of blue blocks, that will be for the Saturday RSC post. 

I enjoy working on 'Over the River...' stitchery. It took some stitches before I got into it again. I try to get in 2-3 hours each day; early mornings and evenings.

 No progress on 'Bits of Blue', see my previous post. 

I've gone through some of my fabrics, sorted on colors. I still have some to do. While doing that, can you believe I found two forgotten UFOs?! Two handbags, this time! (Photos later). 

Another UFO on the table for basting.

Update: Thread basting done last night.

I also thread basted the spring wall hanging (previous post)

HAPPY QUILTING! 

RSC Week #3 - Not much Done...

 The Blue Month continues

RSC - Rainbow Scrap Challenge, hosted by Angela

Not much has been done on the blues since I'm still waiting for 'Nina' to return from the Spa. It has been one week now, I just have to practice patience! UGH!

Update Saturday: 'Nina' has got the green light to return home! YEAH!

While waiting...  

...another blue UFO popped up while I was looking for something else!

I had completely forgotten this one. I know why it was put aside; the backing intended for it was used on two placemats (custom order) and I didn't bother looking for replacement at that time. I was searching through my stash some days ago, chose a yellow solid, and green leaves from the same fabric line. It will be just enough for the back and sleeve.

Look what I found in the embroidery box! 

'Bits of Blues' by Plum Pudding Needleart

Stitching on 28ct Pearl Linen, using #7037 'Freedom' from The Gentle Art

If you have read my previous posts, I've said I won't start anything new, rather work on UFOs. Well, now that 'Nina' is still at the Spa, I've sorted some of my fabrics and searched the net for scrappies free patterns. With all those tempting patterns, I ended up with three choices (from Fat Quarter Shop). 'Swirling Stars Quilt', 'Star Streams' and 'Brick House'. You may not be surprised if I say I'd love to make them all for the RSC! 

My first choice is 'Star Streams'. 

I love it because it has a variety of six star blocks and the step blocks. Since January is the blue (dark and bright blues) month, I've cut blue fabric for three different stars. Aren't they pretty in blues? 

1) Fair and Square Star block

2) Pinwheel Star block

3) Cross Star block

My head is spinning! Make the entire quilt in blues and white? Do another one for the RSC?

Decision! Decision!

Linking up with Angela and the Rainbow Scrap Challenge 2023

While waiting for 'Nina'....

 ...to return from the Spa....

The Scrappy Pineapple Quilt (UFO #3) is thread basted

Snowman Wall Hanging (UFO #18) is thread basted

I have another UFO (the NYB quilt) to be sandwiched. Two pieces of the backing fabric has to be pieced together

I borrowed MIL's vintage Singer. We are not sure how old the machine is, she bought it in 1956, the year she got married. Actually it was a gift from her late husband. 

We have tried all day trying to set the thread tension right. MIL came to rescue, but no way is it possible to get it right. I think next step is to change the needle to a lower number and adjust the bobbin a bit. 

Update: That didn't work either and my patience has expired! lol 

I have to wait for 'Nina' to return.

I have two FINISHED UFOs; 

'Winter Wonderland' (LHN) 

and

'Through the Woods' (LHN)

I struggled doing the French Knots on the snowmen. I don't know how many times I redid them, in the end they look OK enough. 

Yesterday I pulled out another stitchery. I think I bought the pattern in 2008 or 2009

Crabapple Hill Studio; Over the River and Through the Woods

At the end of 2010 I went to Norway and while there I bought fabrics in reds, browns and creams for the blocks. Take a look here, photos from the quilt shop in Oslo.

I don't know if I should call it a UFO since I've not done any preparation, except buying fabrics and embroidery floss?! But that is prep also, isn't it? Yes, I think it is a UFO! lol

This is why it has been stored in the closet all these years; tracing the pattern on to the fabric! I don't have a lightbox and I dreaded taping it all to the window for best light. Yesterday I decided to give it another try, and to my excitement I was able to trace it without taping it to the window! 

I'm using Moda Marbles - I think it is 'cream' - for the background. The fabric is thin enough to see the pattern underneath. I cut the pattern (it came in one big folded sheet) into each section, taped it to the top on the long buffet (in front of a window), then taped the fabric over and traced the pattern without any problem at all! YEAH! 

Next step is the iron on the stabilizer. I bought it in Norway too and I have no clue what it is called. It's loosely woven with glue on one side. 

I'm using overdyed floss from ThreadWorx for the stitchery; rustic brown cherry. Isn't that floss yummy?! 

This project is not done in a jiffy, it measures 51.5 x 57.5 inches / 131 x 146 cm. The goal is getting it done in time for Christmas. Let's see how that works out! 

We are in for rainy weather / possible cyclone (current status from JTWC: tropical cyclone, yet to be named) for the rest of the week. Perfect weather staying inside and stitch!

RSC Week #2 - Blues Updates

 It's the Blue month.

RSC - Rainbow Scrap Challenge, hosted by Angela 

I have not started anything new. I have 3 blue UFO's I hope to finish this year (previous post). I'm determined to work on those - until I get fed up with them! LOL Well, I hope that won't happen, because I love blues. 

The last week I have worked on 'I've got the Blues'. 

I've made 3 split star blocks (total 5)

 and 1 log cabin block (total 5).

I have cut all the dark blue and part of the light blue for the remaining 23 split star blocks. Some strips in both colors are cut for the log cabin blocks too. I don't have a good variety of light blues. In spite of being on strict fabric diet this year, I've ordered a blue fat quarter bundle (17 FQ's) from the UK (Because I need more light blues to finish this quilt!). It's on sale too, lucky me! It should arrive beginning February, depending on Royal Mail's backlog from the strikes last year. Not sure if they are still on strike, anyone knows?  

Dear 'Nina' (my Bernina 440 QE) went to the SPA Thursday (this week), expected to return home by next week. Servicing is long overdue, I think last time was 2017! YIKES! Lately I've noticed the stitches are a bit uneven and thread tension seems not  to stay where it's set. Fingers crossed it's nothing serious, just a proper cleaning / servicing! 

As you may know; I hate making plans, because they always fail! What I want to do while 'Nina' is at the Spa, is to prepare the flimsies for quilting. Since the RSC color for this month is blue, I'll start with the Irish Chain quilt. This is how it looked Thursday morning.

And this morning (Saturday); thread basting done! 

Next up is the scrappy pineapple flimsy

...and the New York Beauty flimsy. 

I just pulled out the backing for this one, but realized I have to add two pieces together to get it wide enough. So, how do I do that without Dear 'Nina'?! MIL next door may come to rescue with her vintage Singer! 

Linking up with Angela and the Rainbow Scrap Challenge 2023

RSC - Blues

 I'm joining RSC hosted by Angela for the very first time. 

RSC; Rainbow Scrap Challenge, Angela chooses a color every month. For January, the color is dark and bright blues.

I've been pondering what to work on where I can use blues. I've been thinking something new, but with all the UFO's I want to finish this year, I decided to do some progress on my 'blue' UFO's. 

Gnome quilt

I've got the Blues. 

I've always had the pattern together with the fabrics and blocks, 'of course' now it is nowhere to be found! Those gnomes are having fun, I'm sure! LOL Well, it's a bed quilt, consisting of log cabin and star blocks. 

I also have the blue and white Irish Chain finished quilt top, ready to be quilted.

Linking up with Angela and the Rainbow Scrap Challenge 2023

It's that time of the year; to attack UFO's!

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE! 

 So, here we go again! UFO's! 

2022 was not a good year for me to finish UFO's. Out of 15 UFO's, I finished 2 only; an Advent Calendar (waited for thread) and a vegetable wall hanging. Actually I loved those fabrics so much that I used it all up! Click here to see the items I made. After I finished these, I totally lost interest and haven't touched the UFO's. I hope 2023 will be a better year to finish some at least. 

I'm joining APQ UFO CHALLENGE 2023

Update: APQ's January challenge is #3

...the second UFO I finished in 2022 is the Advent Calendar #13. It seems like there's always something with those calendars, because I have another one that is not done. For the already finished one, I ran out of fabric for backing, sleeve and binding. Easy-peasy to finish.

For this one, 1/4 left to quilt when I ran out of quilting thread. More on the way. 

Cross-stitching

Knitting/crocheting

I'm not really that bad?! I've added 3 new Quilt UFO's and 2 Cross-Stitching UFO's to the list last year (2022)! There may be others hiding, out of sight - out of mind! 

UFO's to finish 2023

1) Basket Quilt

2) Scrappy 4" 

3) Pineapple Quilt (top done) 

4) Crumb Quilt

5) Irish Chain blue & white (top done) 

6) Got the Blues

7) Poppies Wall Hanging black & white

8) Flannel Quilt Scrappy

9) New York Beauty (top done)

10) Postage Stamp blocks 2.5"

11) Wedding Ring Quilt

12) Scrappy Christmas Stars

13) Advent Calendar Woodland

14) Christmas Card Holder

15) Gnome Quilt

16) Granny Square Quilt Moda Marbles

17) House Quilt (Dwellings) Moda Marbles

18) Snowman WH

Cross-Stitching

19) Through the Woods LHN (cross stitch)

20) Winter Wonderland LHN (cross stitch)

Knitting / Crocheting

21) Shawl (knitting)

22) Open Finger Gloves (knitting)

23) Santa (knitting)

24) Gnome (knitting)

25) Bed Cover/Tablecloth (knitting) 

26) Granny Squares blanket (crochet)

WISH ME GOOD LUCK! lol