Friday, August 28, 2026

RSC Week 35 - Yellow

The RSC color for August is YELLOW.
Not much yellow has happened in the sewing room,
except two Scrappy Irish Chain blocks



81-patches blocks
White, cream and yellow squares are from my stash, the others from swaps (here). I started this project to use up some of my 'zillion' 2" squares. The pattern uses 2.5" squares and finish at 90" square. Using 2" squares, it finishes at 68", that is IF my math is right!  

What else happened in the sewing room this week?
My Secret Sewing quilt is done. I can't show any photos until it is delivered (end of September).


Jolly Tree Farm has been tread basted and is ready for quilting

We've had nice weather most of the week, which we took advantage of and did some never-ending yard work.

Our two bougainvillea are in full bloom



My DF Kari figured out the name of this flower


It's called Walking Iris, native to Brazil
I posted about it here

What are your plans for the coming week? 
I seldom make plans, they almost always fail. What I would like to do, is to prep A Quilting Life's BOM 2025 for quilting. I'm not doing a pieced backing for this one. I have a piece of 108" wide backing I'm going to use. It's washed and drying on the line. 
I also have Pat Sloan's '182 Day Solstice' flimsy (+ pieced backing) to prep for quilting. I don't have any photo of the flimsy. 

Weather wise; A cold front is approaching from the South (Antarctica), causing intermittent rain, strong wind and drop in temperature by 4 degrees Celsius, from this (Friday) afternoon. BRRR! 
Is it still hot where you live, or is there any sign of fall? 

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Wednesday, August 26, 2026

Basket Quilt Binding - Opinion Please

The last days I've been working entirely on finishing the Basket Quilt (#5 on my UFO list)
I quilted the last piece yesterday, trimmed the sides and added a sleeve. It's ready for the binding, but I can't for my life decide what color to choose. ...and since I don't buy unnecessary fabric (strict fabric diet!), I don't have anything that fits. I have to purchase fabric for this one, to be able to finish it.


Can you believe I'm out of black?! I had a small piece I tried, but to me it looked too dull. Dark green or dark red? Don't have! SIGH! 


If I had had more of the black with purple and teal, I would have chosen that one.


Something low scale black with tiny flowers? Dots? 
I'm having a hard time to decide! 

What had YOU chosen for binding? 
Your opinion, please!



 

 

Sunday, August 23, 2026

RSC Week 34 - Yellow / Christmas TRs

The RSC (Rainbow Scrap Challenge) color chosen for August, is yellow.
After finishing BIG BLUE (Got the Blues, #8 on my UFO list), I felt for working on something smaller. What's better than piecing together some 2" squares to 9-patches


I got 8 9-patches
A mix of my own cut squares and swaps. It didn't make a dent in the box containing 2" squares, but at least 72 squares are out of that box! 

I did some Christmas sewing for my DF in Norway


Placemat


Small table topper


Skinny table runner

These are made from upcycled Christmas curtains (cotton). They belonged to my friend, but when he got tired of them, he gave them to me! I rediscovered them when I was decluttering and decided to make something to him - to remember his curtains! LOL, as well as to myself. His items are on the way to Norway. I have yet to make something for myself. I have yet to decide, it may be some placemats. I love the bullfinches, they are so beautiful. We always saw them on the bird feeder during winters in Norway.

Earlier this week, when we went shopping, we came across this cute little guy


He was sunbathing on a wall.
I believe this is the Mauritius Lowland Forest Day Gecko, which is native to the western coast of Mauritius. It's not often we see them, I was really happy getting a photo of this beauty. 

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Sunday, August 16, 2026

A Quilting Life's BOM 2025 is a FLIMSY

 UFO #27 (UFO list) is finally a Flimsy!


The quilt consists of 12 blocks. I did 10 of the blocks in RSC colors (Rainbow Scrap Challenge) last year. Somehow I dragged on the last two - see my previous post
I couldn't decide on what color to choose for the house block. For the Dresden Plates block; I was not veeery eager to do it since I had never done any before. As I can recall, I think an alternative block was suggested. I 'survived' doing the Dresden Plates block! LOL 

It always takes me some time deciding on sashing and border fabrics, when needed. Suitable fabric (from my stash) is usually not enough and I'm not purchasing fabrics this year unless strictly necessary to finish a project. 

I dived deep into the fabric shelves and pulled out a red fabric I had totally forgotten about it! Not easy to see on the phot, it has black cherries and tiny white dots on dark red, from STOF France100% cotton. I bought this fabric in Port Louis some years ago. If I can remember the name of that shop, I'll go there again! I know that shop has moved to another location and right now I can't for my life remember the name of that shop or the location it moved to. 

I'm pondering about backing. I may do a pieced one? I have a piece of 108" backing in my stash, I may use that one? I'm sure there are fabrics just sitting there that are waiting to be used. You know... Those 'ugly' fabrics! I shall see.... 

In the garden


I don't know the name of these. We picked up a few wild plants on one of our hikes some years ago and now it has spread beautifully. I love it, because it prevents weed from growing.


The flower bud


The flowers stay for one day only. 


Amaryllis in full bloom. It has a beautiful red/orange color.

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Saturday, August 8, 2026

Jolly Tree Farm QAL / A Quilting Life BOM 2025/2026

 Hello everyone! 
First of all: THANK YOU to those of you who have commented on my previous posts! I'm sorry I've not been able getting back to you. 
I'm online again! After two weeks off due to the PSU on my desktop PC failed. Long story short; DH managed to fix it (install a new PSU), by communicating with our DF and data-guru in SA! Thank you so much, A! I hate using my mobile phone for 'computer work', it is way too small and I tend to lose patience (very fast!)! 

Sewing, cross-stitching as well as decluttering have been done. 

The RSC color for August is yellow.
I did finish the last two blocks for A Quilting Life's BOM 2025
This is #27 on my UFO list 


BOM 2025 - January


BOM 2025 - November 
This is the very first time I attempted a Dresden Plate block! What a pain! 
It didn't turn out that bad though. I have yet to applique the 'plates' to the background fabric. 
Those of you who have made Dresden Plates, do you applique by hand or machine stitch? I've never attempted hand applique, not sure how that will turn out. 

A Quilting Life's BOM 2026


BOM 2026 - July


BOM 2026 - August




Rejoice Fir-ever block #2


Block #3 - Feelin' Pine & Dandy


Block #4 - Tree-Mendous Holiday

This weekend I 'plan' working on assembling these two quilts. Let's see how that pans out. 
UFO #8 (Got the Blues) has to be finished too. I got the fabric for the binding about a week ago. 
And... my 'secret sewing' is done, except for the binding. I can't show it until the recipient has got it (maybe not before October). 

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