Basket Case.....

or a simple case of irresistible baskets?

I've succumbed... again!   The lure of hundreds of gorgeous little baskets over at Supergoof finally got to me.   I promised myself I wouldn't start any more projects till I finish at least one of the multitude of works in progress.   I can't think of a good reason for doing this......

therefore  it's obvious I have no willpower whatsoever!

I knew the packs of A4 sheets of freezer paper I bought would come in useful one day.  I made a master template of the basket shapes on card then photocopied it onto the reverse of the freezer paper.  Cutting out the paper baskets was very therapeutic.  I was having a bad day!

Found a bit of relaxation in doing this too.....

pressing freezer paper to fabric then cutting out... turning... and tacking the little shapes.   There is something to be said for taking it slow and tacking these little baskets.   So what if it isn't as quick as starch  it's really enjoyable and gives a nice result.

Now the Eagle Eyed amongst you might have noticed the blocks behind the baskets......

see.....I haven't forgotten the table topper for the conservatory.   I haven't progressed much further on it either.   So far I've joined  one and a half rows.... that's six blocks.  Only ten to go..... how long that's going to take me is anyones guess.

I should be shot for not finishing my Schnibbles but I was so enjoying these...

This is the first time I've tried out applique with the freezer paper left inside till the stitching is done.  It felt a bit funny to a gal who's used to sticking everything.  I admit....I did use a bit of glue baste to attach the baskets to the backgrounds.   There is only so much tacking I can take!

When the stitching was done I trimmed out the basket backs and removed the paper.   This is how they look on the backside.....

I luv em!!!       Can you look at these little cuties without wanting to make some of your own?   If the answer is 'yes'.... you really should have talked to me earlier.  You could have saved me from starting another time consuming if ever so gorgeous not to mention cute project.

OK... what else.    I have stitched another foot or so of my Vignette flower border.  I'm not going to bore you with another photo of that.   It's growing slowly but surely.     I also decided I'd make more Dear Jane blocks... ahem.... that was before the baskets got to me!   

What else...... there have been visitors in my little room.

First off... my Mum.......

she spent a day finishing off her latest batch of little vests for Aids Babies in Africa.   They've to be knitted to a very basic 'T' pattern and should be really colourful.   Mum knits them in the round on 4 needles to avoid scratchy seams.    She's back to making dog blankets for Dumfries & Galloway Canine Rescue right now then it'll be back to cardigans and hats for the Premie Babies at Dumfries hospital.    She's such a well organised get on and get it done type.... who'd have thought she'd be my mum!   Certainly not me!! 

Then came Tina with her hexies.....

and let me tell you they are perfect.   I really mean.... PERFECT!   She's sewn them with invisible thread (masochist) and I promise there is not a single stitch to be seen anywhere.   She's using Minick and Simpson's Bar Harbour fabric.   It's lovely.  So far she's made 10 rows and is working on the connecting hexies.   How come she started making hexies way after I did and yet she's nearly finished?    Don't answer that!

Then came Chris and Sally.    Chris finished off a kit she bought at the Quilt Festival in Birmingham last year....

Another pretty flimsy added to her heap of tops waiting to be quilted!   Alright....don't get your knickers in a knot Chris.... I know I'm as bad as you.   We both live in fear of the  MACHINES!!!!!!!

Sally is fortunately... fearless (she doesn't know any better)!    However she's sticking to a bit of safe stitchery for now.....

she's got the first two blocks of the Fernhill Button Club all done and dusted and they look so cute!  NO.... I'm am not starting mine anytime soon.... I think!

Well... that's it for all the crafty stuff that's been happening here.    I've still not painted out the Conservatory.  Still blushing with shame.   I have worked in the garden... between torrential downpours.  I swear the whole population of the UK will be conscripted into Ark Building before long.  I really feel for all you folks in England hit by the floods.  For once Scotland hasn't fared too badly in terms of flooding but we certainly have had way more rain than is natural.  

Good news...... we have new stock fencing around the garden.....

no more sheep sneaking in here.

No more uninvited cows getting in either.... oh joy!    I'm getting to old... slow and nervous to chase them round the garden.

Flowers are blooming.....

I love Alstromeria...

pretty eh!

That's all my news.   Not a lot considering I haven't posted for 17 days... not that I'm counting.    I do want you all to know that I'm still reading your blogs and loving them.   I'm only sorry that I haven't been commenting as much as I'd like to.

Mac's health problems are changing in a very worrying way.   He is oblivious to the changes and I'm stressed to the point of twanging like overstretched knicker elastic.... and belived me I know everything there is to know about that!     Who knows.... one day the medical profession might step up to the plate and see to it he gets the help he needs.  At the moment there is more chance of Pigs flying over Parliament!   Don't get me started on Parliament!!!!!!!!     Oooop's sorry.... you didn't... did you!  ;o)

I'm going before I drag my soapbox into the middle of the floor.   If I start to rant tonight.... I'll never stop!

Hope you are all enjoying life and having a lovely time doing whatever makes you happy.   I've got my beady eye on you all....

See you sooner rather than later....
Hugs
Josie 

Trouble in Paradise

So be warned..... this post could contain some serious whinging!!

First I want to show you something really pretty.....

I picked up a copy of  McCalls America Makes Fast Quilts and low and behold inside was just the quilt I need to make right now.

It's just the right quilt for me at the moment because it's easy!   It's beginner level.   It's big blocks.  It's simple (supposedly) just like me.   What could possibly go wrong with this one?   I don't want you to answer that.... I can't afford to tempt fate.   All is well so far..... I haven't started it yet!

As luck would have it I have something else pretty to show you.....

I've managed a teenie weenie bit more progress on my Schnibbles soon to be table cover for the conservatory.   Ooop's... I wasn't going to mention the conservatory.   I'm  totally guilt ridden because it's still in the upside down state it was two weeks ago and I feel as much like painting it as I do baring my bum in the Harbour Square and hanging a sign on it saying.... 'Kick Here'!!   

Kitty has been here for the weekend and I have her to thank (!) for bullying encouraging me to save the trimmed triangles from the Schnibbles blocks to make another little project.  The woman is a sadist.   She suggested a mug rug.  I really didn't like the smirk on her face when she made that suggestion.   Click here to understand why.

So.... if you have any ideas (that don't involve mug rugs) as to what to do with these inch and a half (hopefully if I sewed straight) squares

don't keep them to yourself.  Share them... you'll feel better for it.

I'm making some blooming headway on my next Vignette border too....

it's growing slowly unlike the weeds in the garden here.   I've almost reached the halfway mark and I must be honest and tell you I'm still enjoying stitching it.   Just as well because there's still miles more of it to do!

I bet you're wondering why I haven't mentioned my trip to Fobbles for Philippa Naylor's workshop. 

I could say I was saving the best for last but the truth is 99% of the photo's I took were rubbish!   I'm not best friends with my camera at the moment.  Although I suspect the blame for the bad photography is more my fault than the cameras.

This pic of Chris... Sally and Kitty doing their homework turned out ok....

but then it was taken outside... where there was light!    Our stay in the Dairymaids Cottage was lovely... as always.  We ate dinner outdoors most nights.  Nothing short of a miracle this summer!  

Here's a lucky shot of Philippa preparing her next dastardly demo....

I'm only kidding.   She makes even the tough stuff easy to get to grips with.   The workshop was brilliant and we all had a great time.   I'm really ticked off that the photos didn't turn out and I can't show you.

OK.... on the wall tonight is the project I started in class......

I don't know what to say about it except that is so far out of my comfort zone I need to triple my tranqs just to look at it! 

It's my first ever arty farty piece and I am really enjoying working on it.  Believe it or not it does have a meaning but for the moment you're gong to have to guess what that is.    Actually that could be fun.... feel free to tell me what you think it represents.... apart from the fact that I'm loosing my mind that is!

Well...... what do you know.   I was planning on telling you all my troubles... in great detail but talking to you all has cheered me up so much that maybe I won't.    Bet you're relieved about that!    

Look at the time!!    It's really late and I have an early start tomorrow.   I'm taking my mum to get her hearing aid tweaked.    How much fun can one gal have eh!

See you soon....

Be good and have fun....

Josie

Useless!!!

I've been nothing short of totally useless for the last couple of weeks.    I've done nothing..... well almost nothing. 

On the sewing front I did manage to start work on my Schnibbles table cover.....

see..... I'm chain piecing 

I could have stopped here... called it bunting and claimed it as a finished project.  But I just can't tell a lie.

Actually I might have told a little white lie if there hadn't been witnesses.......

Chris........ who looks very happy to be stitching a few more Hexies

and Sally showing off her progress on her Fernhill block of the month.    Chris and I haven't started ours yet! 

I found time to cross stitch another bunny......



poor soul.  Her feet aren't finished and her baby is faceless..... looks creepy.   Don't know what I'm going to do with her... yet.

I finished the Humming Birds  ....

Don't they look cheerful.   Don't know if I'll turn them into a scissor fob or do something different with them.  I'm waiting for inspiration..... so don't hold your breath.

Bagpuss says to tell you he's been helping me out.....

he thinks you'll believe that he's actually stitching the next yard of Vignette border.   You don't do you?

That's it.   That's all I've managed to stitch/sew in the last two weeks!

I wish I could tell you that I've been super busy working on the house but that would be a big lie.  This is how the conservatory looks right now....

this is it from the other end.....

I should have finished decorating it by now but all I've managed so far is to repair the plasterwork where we had leaks.  Good news is it's been pouring with rain for the last two days and not a single drop has made it inside.   If it can stand the deluge we've just had it can stand anything.

The builders are almost done.....

The house is looking very.... white!    You need sunglasses to look at it.     Next job for me... power washing the paths and patio.  That will have to wait till I get back.

Chris... Sally... Kitty and me are off to Fobbles tomorrow for a 5 day workshop with Philippa Naylor.  It's Sally's first ever quilting workshop and she's terrified (don't tell her I told you).   The workshop is called 'Drama & Detail'....Studies in Contemporary Machine Applique and Free Motion Machine Quilting!   nothing to panic about there then (gulp).    Better make sure I pack extra tranq's! 

Too late to back out now my bags are packed....

I only wish my brain was as organised as my equipment!  I've just been chatting to Kitty on the phone about our trip.  She was really surprised to hear that I'm looking forward to getting to grips with Invisible Machine Macrame!!    Do you think there could be a market for that?   Reckon I really do need to sleep. I give in. I'm off to bed right now.....

See ya soon

have a brilliant week everyone

Hugs

Josie

Crazy Days.....

I swear if my life gets any crazier I'm going to hand myself in at the asylum before they send a truck to pick me up! 

Before I say anything else here's a photo of the very last block of Boys Story....

just got to attach it to it's pals and the quilt top is done... fini... complete.    Phew!!    Now I've just got to do battle with this beast and get it quilted.   Apologies for Chris's wellington boots making it into the photo and the free advertising for Morrisons supermarket. 

Tilly visited for almost a week.   I was counting on some more free labour in the garden but the weather got in the way.   We had a heatwave.  It actually got hot in Scotland... can you believe that!  So hot that we just couldn't go outside.   Not during the hours of daylight anyway and as for going out in the dark - it gets really spooky here what with the Owls and the Bats etc!

For some strange reason Tilly did more sewing than me.   She finished off both of these....

I particularly like the little rabbit pincushion.  It's the same design I stitched but Tilly did hers with one strand of cotton over one thread of fabric.  That is one midget rabbit..... and I  thought I was OCD!

Tilly, Chris, Sally and I went on an away day too.   We travelled down to the the North East of England to visit a couple of quilt stores.... what else.   First off we hit the The Fat Quarters.......

That's Chris and Sally on the outside looking in.  I hadn't a clue they were out there till I saw the photo.  Maybe they'd gone outside to get some fresh air.  Fabric fumes are dangerous after all... a girl can so easily loose control of her senses not to mention her credit card. 

With such temptation.....

It's a wonder we didn't blow our credit limits!   I was very good.  I limited myself to 10 fat quarters to top up my Dear Jane stash.... a packet of 1/2" hexie papers and  this stitchery pattern by Kathy Schmitz.  It reminded me of home.

We discovered a new Yarn Store had opened right next door.  Of course we had to have a look in there too.....

it's called Woolaballoo  great name eh!   Wool fumes must behave just like fabric ones because both Chris and I left with enough cotton yarn to knit a dozen baby beanie hats.   Heck.... I don't even know any babies!  The hats are really cute though and the yarn colours are gorgeous.

Next stop was Just Quilting and another lovely selection of fabrics.  Sadly the photo's I took inside didn't come out too well so you'll just have to take my word that it's a lovely friendly store with a gorgeous selection of fabrics.   Does this remind you of anything?......

It should do..... it's the quilt pattern that I bought at the Edinburgh Quilt Show last September

the version at Just Quilting was made in Etchings by Three Sisters for Moda.   Hummm... now I can't decide which one I like best.... no surprise there.

Well... that's it for the quilty stuff.    Lots of other things happened like my old faith full 4x4 chose this week to play up.  Have to say it's the first time ever she's been temperamental.   She's been stopping and refusing to start again on and off all week until yesterday when she just took the huff and refused to start at all.  It didn't help that I was 40 miles from home at the time.  It could have been worse.... I suppose.

I'm busy trying to decorate the conservatory now that the external repairs have been done and we are watertight again.  Problem is I just bought the small white table and two chairs that you can see in the first photo and now I'm far more interested in making a quilted cloth for the table than repairing plasterwork and painting.

I bought  this PDF pattern today....

my very first Schnibbles pattern.  I think it'll be perfect cover for my new table.... what do you think?

Ok.... I'd better go now.  It's getting late and I desperately need to get some beauty sleep.   I must work in the conservatory tomorrow so all hope of playing with my Schnibbles pattern is going to have to go on hold till Monday.

Hope you are having a great weekend where you are.   It's the Queens Diamond Jubilee this weekend...  didn't she do well.   God Save The Queen.... bless her cotton socks!

See ya soon....  be good
Hugs
Josie

A bit more B.S!

Things are looking up.    My mojo is holding and I'm having fun working on Boys Story.    Sunday I got to work piecing the Alien block.

 Take a look at that shiny new window pane in my craft room.   You can actually see what's outside now.  The Double Glazing man came out last week and replaced all the 'blown' units including this one.  It's much brighter in here now. 

Sunday wasn't all about playing with fabric.   My Mum came over for a painting lesson.   Boy... you know how folks warn you about teaching relatives to drive.... well the same should apply to painting.   Wasn't as bad as it could have been though we both lived to tell the tale......

Once Picasso had settled in  I carried on stitching......

and finished the block.    Here's how the whole quilt is looking now....

Just the Dog block to fit in the bottom corner and I'm working on that one.   So near eh!

It's a sunny day in Scotland.... for a change!    Work on the front of the house is under way.....

Can't tell you how good it feels to have help with the maintenence.  I can't wipe the grin off my face... feels like all my Christmas's have come at once.  Yeh... that good!!

One of my favourite flowers is beginning to bloom....

it's an Astrantia... also know as Hattie's Pincushion.   An appropriate flower for a stitcher eh.

Lastly...... Mac hasn't been well enough to do a second rotavation on his veggie bed......

but there is a nice crop of  'green manure' there now ready to be plowed in.   I offered to rotavate for him but he won't let me.  He's convinced I'll be minus my toes if he lets me loose with the machine.

That's about it for today.   Hope you all feel as happy and content as I do right now..... amazing how watching men at work can perk a gal up isn't it!

See ya soon.... have fun

Hugs

Josie 

Time to find out who won.........

so here goes......

This is the scene in Macs workshop just after he'd dipped into the tin of folded blog comments to pick a winner....

Now for the big reveal.  Wait for it.........

Congratulations......  SHARON FROM LILABELLE LANE   it's you!!!    Your new book and charm packs will be winging their way down under very soon.   I for one can't wait to see what you'll create with them.

I've been feeling like I won a prize too this last couple of days too..... my mojo is slowly coming back!  OK.. I didn't tell you all I'd lost it in case you got to thinking that all I do is whinge but the truth is I've been finding it hard to pick up any sort of stitching/sewing this past few weeks.

Until now that is....

I'm finally getting to grips with finishing off  the Boy's Story quilt for Mac.   The fish block is now pieced only the Alien and Dog to go.    The Alien is appliqued ready to piece (I aim to do that tomorrow) and I intend to finish up the applique on the Dog block tonight while I'm watching more Greys Anatomy.   Fingers crossed the old mojo has some staying power this time.

I've been having some fun with more cross stitch too.    How about this for a cute pattern.....

  

The colours are gorgeous and the Humming Birds are so pretty.   The pattern says it's a scissor fob... you can see on the photo it's a two part one connected with a bead.  I think it's going to be a bit on the big side though...  like twice the size of my scissors big!   Well... I suppose that's the whole point isn't it.  Having something big enough tied onto them so you don't loose them... duh!

I was forced to put down my hoop on Wednesday evening to go to the rescue of this not so little baby.....

Can you see his predicament?     He's got his head stuck in the stock fence and I bet his mum already warned him of the perils of thinking the grass is greener on the other side.   Now I've learned not to panic when you see a sheep stuck somewhere like this..... they usually figure out how to get free themselves after a while.   I kept well away from this one till the constant bleating of his whole extended family almost drove me to distraction.  Then I took action.....

I grabbed a pair of heavy duty bolt cutters.... pulled on my Wellies (because the pesky lamb was on the other side of the gill (stream) that runs through the garden) and went to the rescue....

Don't let this photo fool you.... the gill is wider than the photo shows plus it's slippy and deep in places.   The bank on the far side is very steep too.... a good 7 feet to the top where the poor wee lamb is.  It's a 3 foot drop into the water on our side too.   But I'm not stupid.... not me.... I got into the water down by the gate where the bank is much shallower and walked back up the stream.  I'm still amazed I didn't fall in.

I scrambled up the bank brandishing my bolt cutters and came nose to nose with the little critter who took one look at me..... screatched.... dislodged his/her head and scarpered up the field followed by his mum and sibling.   You wouldn't believe the dirty looks they gave me!  Ungrateful lot.   I only went to the rescue because there's a big (nay huge) dog fox hanging around the area which has all of the farmers spooked and I didn't want the little lamb to be fox fast food! 

Apologies for the 'premature launch' of this blog post!   I know a few of you will realise I've been writing virtually 'live -on air'.   I'm trying to get to grips with my first ever laptop computer and so far tonight it's almost driven me to drink!!  It prematurely published my post without my permission..... at least I don't think I gave it my permission but that bit where you tap your fingers has a mind of it's own.    I gave up in the end and am now writing on my good old faithful PC.... this I can cope with.

All that's left to say is.... have a great weekend.... enjoy yourself and have fun.

See ya soon

Hugs

Josie