Bright little houses!

I was so pleased with my little purple house that I decided to make some more. I am working my way through my collection of bright Kona solids and I thought if I was really clever I could use it as my very own colour chart!

Each little house in its Kona colour and I will embroider the name of the colour on or beside the house!  No more trying to work out which colour I want from the screen I shall just check my schoolhouse chart.  Of course there are lots of colours I do not have....yet!

These are Corn Yellow, Purple, Papaya,  Caribbean blue, Tangerine, Chartreause, Schoolbus, Cerise and Ochre






Could become a bit of a village...as long as it doesn't turn out to be The Village.  Funnily enough I have been enjoying looking at Kaffe Fassett's book quilt romance - the setting for the photos is Portmeirion, which was also the setting for the 1967 cult series The Prisoner.   If you don't know what on earth I'm on about this link will take you there!   I am number one!  You are number six!  Sorry they say that a lot!

Not so good today was finding out that the HST strips I had being sewing together leader/ender style while making my houses were the wrong way around!  

Yes I am onto horizontal rows not vertical and they need to be joined together differently so I have a pile of work for my little unpicker!  Wish I had not been so diligent before I noticed....sigh!  Still I managed to sew some together correctly and I have a lot more to make...

Any suggestions of colours to include in my schoolhouse chart?  Only bright colours will do for this one!  




Nicky

Friendship's Garden getting friendlier..

I did not manage to get so much sewing done today - dreadful I know!


I was shopping for my daughter's new school uniform, which we had to buy from the on-site school shop!  We still have games/PE kit to buy and school shirts but we made a big dent in the long list of stuff.  We will get more next week.  


My sewing will soon be about labels, shifting buttons for a better fit and shortening sleeves as my girl is petite!






The sewing I did do was on the Friendship's Garden quilt.  Thanks people for all your lovely comments yesterday - your support is so appreciated and helps me get to the next stage - as you can see here...

I am falling in love with this quilt again which of course is good for motivation. I am sure I will feel extra pleased when this one is completed because the pattern is lovely, it is my oldest UFO so that in itself is cathartic, restarting it reminds me of the fun I had when I first did it and because it is for our double bed.  What better way to celebrate 24 years of marriage on 5 September 2011 if I can finish this in time!??  Well I am sure we can think of a few but I am trying to be realistic here!

I was thinking about quilting it in cotton perle (addicted or what?) - would it suit the style do you think? 


In the wreaths I would like to add the names of my children and their birthdates as a genealogical record.  And also add our wedding day - that way it will be hard to forget even in my dotage!


If you have any other suggestions as to quilting please let me know!


Nicky






Edit:  Diane kindly pointed out that the book is not available at Amazon but it is still possible to get it here


https://www.pickledishstore.com/ProductDetail.php?PID=931

Applique blocks trimmed and....?

Late night conversations can lead to action in the morning!  Liz from Quilterie prodded motivated me into getting out my applique quilt - a UFO from 2005 - and I have now trimmed all the blocks!  






Not only that I have also sashed and joined one row together!

Not only that I have sashed and joined another row together!

I have added a slim contrast border around my blocks to frame them, get a better balance of colour, make them slightly bigger so my 2" HSTs will fit and just because I love green!  


Then I have added the HST sashing, lots of which I had already waiting for me lying in the box, either sewn or cut out, so not all this is today's work!

Still got one row - the top row - to put together and more HST sashing between the rows.  One step at a time....!




Big thanks to Liz but also Sue, Lori, Marina and Mary for earlier comments trying to get me motivated on this one - it has worked!   Keep up the good work girls!


Nicky


measurements
finished block size 20.5" square




 pattern
 Alma Allen and Cherie Ralston's book Friendship's Garden, which you can still buy here!

previous posts
http://mrsssewandsow.blogspot.com/2011/05/applique-quilt-post-no1.html
http://mrsssewandsow.blogspot.com/2011/05/applique-quilt-post-no-2.html
http://mrsssewandsow.blogspot.com/2011/05/applique-quilt-post-no-3.html

Little school house!

I enjoyed making the little house quilt/mat so much I decided to try another one but this time using only two fabrics.  To update this traditional block I am using a Kona solid purple and Wordplay by Benartex. 

It is actually a school house block so what could be better than a background of words to the old school building.  See if you can read the block - a few words are legible.

Where next with this?

Not quite sure...possibly more blocks with different solid colours, but the same background.  I might even end up with a small quilt full.

For today following a late-night or early morning conversation with Liz from Quilterie I have decided to get out my applique quilt - my oldest UFO from 2005 - and start getting those blocks trimmed and sashed with HSTs.  She has been very persuasive in motivating me and I think it is time for this quilt to be finished! 


This is how it should look when complete

from the book Friendship's Garden by Blackbird Designs aka Alma Allen & Cherie Ralston.  I also have to do the applique border but all my blocks are finished.  If you want to see how it looks now follow the links below.


Wish me luck with this one..!


Nicky






previous posts
http://mrsssewandsow.blogspot.com/2011/05/applique-quilt-post-no1.html
http://mrsssewandsow.blogspot.com/2011/05/applique-quilt-post-no-2.html
http://mrsssewandsow.blogspot.com/2011/05/applique-quilt-post-no-3.html

Prairie Doll Quilt

I bought the re-print of Kathleen Tracy's book American Doll Quilts recently and decided to start off with a very easy one - project no 4 Prairies Quilt.  You cannot get much easier than a four patch so it was a nice relaxing introduction to this little book of 16 projects.


I used some indigo, some rusty reds and some shirting fabric.  I didn't have a suitable blue check for the border so stuck with a rusty colour instead and bound it off with just enough indigo print.  The back is a repro in rusty red too but I forgot to take a photo of that.

The quilting couldn't be easier straight lines through the centres of each square which gives it a cute dimpled effect.  Now as it is a doll quilt I thought I should photograph it with a doll!  So here is an Edwardian style doll I made in my teens - she looks a bit posh  for this prairie style quilt doesn't she.... ?

It might just look a bit better in sepia but then you miss the colours!

 My first finish in August!  But hopefully not my last....I think I am going to have fun with these little quilt projects through the ages.  I have my eye on a little thirties inspired Dresden plate quilt next...




Okay now I understand the attraction of doll quilts - I'm sorry I just didn't get it before!






Nicky

A summary of July!

Here are the things that got done in July...

Busy month....I am linking this post to the lovely Lynne's blog Lily's Quilts for Fresh Sewing Day.  You can see her button on my sidebar!  Please visit for inspiration, adulation and congratulation!

Cats can do washing up!

If you have seen Disney's Snow White you will know that having a load of animals in your house leads to sparklingly spick and span dishes, beds, floors - you name it, they can clean it!


Yesterday I went to a tiny but very local antique market in a hotel in my village - I can walk there in less than 5 minutes.  There was not much to take my fancy there today but I could not resist this....

It is called " What every woman knows " Token Kitten & Puppy series no. 9




Well I have been missing out on all this home help.  This is what my cats do at home....

and a lot of sleeping.....zzzzz! 




Actually they have done a bit of dusting with those bushy tails especially when chasing something that has ended up under the furniture.


How do your pets help in the house?






Nicky