Voyage of Discovery

 Well, my usual opening line - it's been a while!!

Looked back on my blog and discovered my last post was August 2023.  Prior to that August 2020, 1 in 2019 and none in 2018.  

Life just gets in the way sometimes.  Covid hit with it's lockdown and totally changed life world wide.  And life still recovering from that.  Closed my shop (which I miss every dsy) Working full time admin leaves little time for play (often brain dead and too hard to do anything).  

I haven't quilted seriously for so many, many years.  I did make one quilt and that took me 18 months.  In my defense it was a monster - something like 118 x 120.

So we moved house December 2023.  When we decided to sell I packed up the house around June and started in the biggest area - my fabric and everything that goes with it.  So no sewing in that time.  After we .moved house and it took 6 months to get a sewing room and I'm still sorting.  Downsizing is not recommended!

But in the sorting I'm starting to get motivated again.  And so the Title - Voyage of Discovery.  I found fabrics and projects I had forgotten about and some I don't even remember buying.

This one made about 15 years ago so might need to finish it. I think the fabric was by Kansas Troubles

Then found Sweet Escape by Thimble blossoms (I thought it was called Sweetwater) which I started in December 2019......not a hige amount of blocks made.  The fabric from Carefully Crafted

Then there is a BOM from 2009......have made 6 blocks 👀

Oow, I had forgotten about Central Park.  A few of us in a group decided to make this one.....they all finished theirs 😄

I decided to mkake mine in cirtus colours

And I'm so organised I have all the fabrics in one place

I'm figurering I like foundation paper pieceing cos I found this kit.   AND another one I've started

And this one to finish

Also found a couple play bits.  Don't think I'll ever not love vintage florals

Mystery of Motivation

Where does motivation come from?  I have been in a quilting slump for so long now.  Nothing seems to make me want to sew.  Last weekend I went to the sewing room with the intention of sewing for hours.  So after looking at ALL that fabric and the UFO's and some books and some patterns I closed it up and went back to the TV.  It was just all too hard.  Watched some You Tube quilting bits. 

This weekend I thought I had better get a  quilt quilted for a friend that I have had for ages.  Well the backing wasn't big enough.  In the process I found three charity quilts another friend that I had forgotten about so thought I had better do them.  Did one.  Feeling a little energised I got the next one out.....batting too short.  Number three was OK so did that.

Charity Quilt

 In the process of looking for batting scraps to extend the short batting I found one of mine.  Oh well maybe I should do that as it's sat there for so, so long now.  Took it to the sewing room to find thread for it.  BAM!!!!!!  I'm excited.  I want to quilt!  I want to sew!.

This was enough to get me excited.

So finished the charity quilt and loaded my Nine Patch immediately.  The Reproduction Nine Patches are from an internet swap years ago.  Quilt has just been waiting so long to be done.  So it's loaded and will start it tomorrow.  And the binding is sitting at the machine waiting.

So what is the Mystery of Motivation?  Was it the fabric?  The colours?  The memory of what I love?
I have no idea.  Just the sight of that quilt did it for me.  And I look back and see my last post was November 2017.  WOW again!

So wonder what I'll do next.  Perhaps I''ll finally finish my NYB?

Been waiting a long time

Do some sewing on this one?  I wont say finish....miles of work to do but it's all cut and ready to go.....well mostly....think I need some  more  centers.

Trail Mix

Well whatever I do will be just fine.  And I know I'll be trawling the blogs to soak up everyones   enthusiasm and excitement and motivation and progress.

NYB - getting closer to finish

Today I finished the paper piecing of the borders for the NYB - Whooo Hooo.  This sure has been long term project.....years in the collecting and doing.  But the end is near!  Only need to get fabric to finish borders and it's done.

NYB Progress

Well, have one border to piece for the NYB and then ready to attach them........it's been a long time in the making but I so excited to be near the end.......the last border will go quickly as the pieces are big.  Need to buy some pieces to attach the pieced border to, so (sigh) that means a trip to a quilt shop.  I just bought a pattern from Cluck, Cluck, Sew so am wanting to get into that now.

NYB Sashing

Got all the sashing on and now have the centre of the quilt done.  The borders I'm still not happy with, but Hey  I have progress.  Still think it's too brown.

NYB Sashing

 Finally got the sashing done for my NYB.   didn't like the deep, deep browns so changed out for some lighter tones.  I think it's a little too brown but hoping that the borders will lighten it.  Originally I didn't like the borders I did, but now think they will be OK (except for the one I did incorrectly and will have to remake)

Anyway it's progress.  I started collecting fabric for this before 2008 and started sewing it in 2012.......so now I'm up to the border.  It's just lovely to be back sewing for pleasure.

Next step for NYB

Finally have all the blocks done and now ready for the sashing.  I love it the way it looks now and would be happy to just sew it up as is but I know it will even get better with the sashing......then I have to tackle the borders.  I did start one border but don't like the look - far too busy so will have to start again.

Motivation

Well, it has been quite a while....again!  I watched Chris Jurd's DVD today and was so motivated I just had to go and makes some more blocks.  So now have 7 to go.......have one almost finished but can't find the fabric so may have to re do that arc.  can't find anything close to the colour.  Sure hope I can keep this up this year.  I have challenged a friend to finish one quilt a month.......now that sounds familiar....I joined Judy's 1 quilt a month a few years ago and none of those got done.....so guess I can try again this year.  The machine isn't working at the moment so can't do anything......oh but I did quilt one of them....the DWR......just have to bind it.  The challenge is to finish one project by the end of the month so I guess I can make it after all.  Wonder if just the binding counts..........

Some sewing

Decided to do a "15 minute" sewing bit today....and it turned into several "15 minutes".  Got 3 more  NYB's finished so have a total of 20 now.  10 TO GO.  And then the borders, I think they should go pretty quick as there is no setting in arcs etc, just piecing.

Found these Drunkard Path blocks, 30 in all and look very boring so will have to play and see what I can do.  Sure wish I could work out this %&*&(* blogger.

Back.....again

 Well it hasn't been quite a year but I thought I would try to get back into the land of the living.  The last few years have been just lost and very little sewing done and very little quilting for myself.  It's rather scary to think how fast the last few years have gone.....all that lost sewing time.   BUT, I hope that is changing, well in fact is IS changing.  Today I actually sat at the sewing machine and made a Brest Cancer Drainage Bag.  So, it's a start.  When I say no sewing I mean mostly no sewing.....I do sew one night a week at our little group. 

And this is my Tuesday night sewing effort.  I collected fabric for this quilt for many years (my friend Nicky tells me I have enough fabric for 7 NYB's.....but of course she has a vivid imagination)

I started this in January and have only got half way.  It's a Karen K Stone design that I saw on Simply Quilts about 10 year ago.........and still love it today.  All paper foundation piecing so pretty simple to do.

 

This is my favourite so far

 

 

 

I tried posting a few months ago but saw Blogger had changed and I didn't have the time to check out the changes.  And now this ner look seems OK except when I put in a photo I can't get back to  non centered text so more to learn.

 

So hoping this is the new first of many posts !

 

 

 

 

Stashbusting Week 24

Well, what can I say? I can't believe this Stashbusting is so hard. After all my resolve I've broken down again. And I thought I was being so remarkably restrained at the Sydney Quilt Show. When the plane landed we caught a taxi straight to Patchwork Products. Well, for anyone who has been there you will know how hard it is not to buy something.....and she had a SALE on. Not that I let that influnce me. So, got a lovely border fabric and a background and a couple of other must haves. Like these reds.

Then there was the Sydney Quilt Show and all that lovely fabric. Must be going through my red stage (one of many colours) and just had to have these lovely antiquey ones.

Then there was this Black and Tan (my description) kit that I just couldn't resist. The colours are just wonderful.
And then these delicious browns. We all know you can't make reproduction quilts without the browns!

And how could I neglect my New York Beauty. Just had to get these beauties. Hmmm, I got some at last years show for this quilt. Perhaps I should pull all my fabrics that I have collected for this quilt and actuall see how much I have collected so far.................

So, I had a wonderful time and feel so inspired. And I need to be 'cos I managed to go in the opposite direction AGAIN.

Fabric added this week: 50 mt/yd

Fabric added this year: 197.3 mt/yd

Fabric used this week: 6.5 mt/yd

Fabric used this year: 128.5 mt/yd

Balance: Plus 68.8 mt/yd

New Treasures

Well I'm finally home and almost settled back down. We had almost 6 weeks in Europe and it was just fantastic. I'll get some photos up shortly.
Meanwhile I just have to share my New Treasures. Went to the Brisbane Quilt show this week. Funny but I'm not in the quilty mood at the moment so didn't get too much fabric (wonder if that has anything to do with the amount I have in the cupboards). I thought a good trick was to take a look in the cupboards BEFORE I went to the show...........and it worked! Unfortunately I didn't look in the Cross Stitch section and so end up getting a Cross Stitch fix. Oh well, no doubt as I will live to be a hundred and ninety and I'll get to do all the projects I have planned.
Had a girly get together today at my place and I got some work done on one of my Cross Stitch UFO's..........so I have resolved to do some everyday. I keep waking up at around 5.00am so from now on I'm going to get out of bed and stitch.
Here are a couple of photos of my treasures I got at the show.

A Cross Stitch Kit with lots of bling
Bling Cross Stitch Thread
A lovely Cross Stitch and Hand Dyed Aida
Yet more fabric for my NYB
And some bargain backing fabric for a someday quilt

Designer Mystery Quilt

I just couldn't resist this Designer Mystery quilt from here. Moda fabric is always just so lovely. This is the first block which I just finished. I have block two but haven't even opened the package yet. It looks lovely already!


Last week I received my package of Civil War fabrics from an online swap. Most of the fabrics I don't have, so that was a real bonus. Now I have 30 or more new fabrics for my Civil War era quilts. What a great swap.



I decided to put my Love Letters blocks up on the design wall so I could see it grow. I keep picking out the easy ones to piece. I'll probably curse later that all I have left are too hard!

I'm breaking my neck to do some wholecloth quilts so I bought some pre-printed ones to learn on. My machine is still down and I'm hoping to have the part to repair it tomorrow so I can make a start on this one. Later I'm going to design my own, but not patient enough to do that at this stage.I went to a local quilt show on the weekend and these batiks just jumped off the table into my bag. How could I resist such yummy fabrics.


If you would like a chance at a mystery gift go to Farmyard Crafts and have a look.