Precious little progress...

on the sewing front but I'm ever hopeful that things are about to change.    I know I've said that before but this time things might just work out.... fingers crossed!

I did work on framing the Lori Smith quilt block I showed you all last time.   Now... I've never framed anything fabric before and don't know what the rules are so I just winged it.  Did what I thought might work.

First off.....

I stitched on a wide border to give me some fabric to 'stretch' over mount board.    I loved how it looked surrounded by white.  Almost made me decide to make a whole quilt like it using more of Lori's blocks.... heck I still might.

Then.....

I layered the block with a piece of wadding and a square of sticky backed mount board.  The mount board is sticky side up hence the piece of backing paper in the centre to stop me sticking myself to it.   That stuff really is sticky.  I finally had to give up on trying to pluck Licky Lou's fur off it (that stuff gets everywhere around here) so you could say at this stage it has a textured finish.

After that....

I turned the outer border to the back making sure it was tensioned.   See how the paper in the middle comes in handy.... actually I have to admit this was Chris's idea.  I'd already stuck myself to it before she mentioned the paper trick.  Some folks just know it all... but I love her anyway.     What you can't see here is that Chris also suggested mitring the corners and I did do that too.   She didn't bother taking a photo of me un-peeling the fabric and chopping a triangle off all the corners so I'm afraid you'll have to use your imagination.

Now for the really devious bit

I centred up the prepared block on the picture frame backing board and pressed down firmly.  Ta Da!!  The sticky back mount board stuck the block firmly to the backing.   Clever eh!   

I popped on the top mount and dropped the whole lot into the frame......

it's resting on the bookcases on the landing just waiting to be hung.   Have to say I really love it.  In fact I love it so much I'm going to make another one.   This one....

I think they'll make a great pair.  I'm going to reverse the design on this one so that the birds will be facing each other once they're hung on the wall.    I intend to make a couple of those cute fabric birds to hang in that little bird cage on the bookcase too.   Guess I have a 'theme' going on.   More by accident than good planning I must say. 

I chose bird block number two from this Lori Smith pattern.....

Heck there are so many lovely blocks on this pattern I was spoilt for choice.   I think these 'Fit to Frame' patterns are a brilliant idea.  I'm addicted.

That's it for the sewing stuff I'm afraid. 

In case you're wondering what's been taking up most of my time I'll show you.....

I re-claimed this path.  It's been buried under a foot of soil and debris for the last couple of years.  One of those jobs I just couldn't get around to in the past because the weather was too bad.   Lots more digging done here then.... I'm proud to tell you that  my trouser 'seat' is still intact.  Love the way the path disappears into the distance in the photo.   Do you wonder where it goes.....

right to these steps which take you down to the lower part of the garden.  Had to dig these out too... fun!  

The steps at the other end of the path are a work in progress...

and I've still to find the lower connecting path.   It's somewhere under here...



Wish me luck!

The neighbours have been snooping around to see what I've been up to .....

this lot thought if they kept to the tree line I wouldn't notice them.....DUH!!

This bunch weren't quite so intelligent....

it's a sheep thing!!

OK... I'm off to watch a bit of baseball (Brewers v Cardinals) and I've a Yankees game recording.... well a girl needs to chill out in her own way.  Right!   Now... where did I put the Gin......

See ya soon...

until then have a great time doing whatever makes you happy (that you can't get arrested for)!!

Hugs

Josie



Playing Catch Up

Well....  I've been AWOL way longer than I anticipated.  Hope you haven't forgotten me.... even though I bet you've tried really hard.

The last couple of weeks I've been totally tied up with visitors, gardening, visiting my Mum,  taking care of Mac (no mean feat) and even fitting in a bit of stitching when time allowed.   I'm desperate to blog hop and catch up with all your going's on.   I'm hoping to indulge in some of that tomorrow after I've driven to my Mums to dismantle her bed and set up her new one then deliver a spare mattress to her neighbour.   What next I wonder?

OK... here's what I've been up to stitching wise.   I worked on this....

First I finished the applique then started on the borders....

I'm really chuffed that I've made the whole block from tiny scraps of Fig Tree fabrics.  It's like getting a total freebie!   You can see from the next photo I had to work in really cramped conditions too....

Reckon I'm flavour of the month with the pussies these days.  Bless em... could you have moved them?

They didn't stop me from finishing the block though.....

It's done and all ready to pop into a frame.  I've had a sneak peek of it in there and I'm really loving it.  I'll show you a photo of it in situ later when I've done the framing properly.    I like it so much I'm thinking of making another one to keep it company.

I've been trying to catch up with my Vignette  block of the month too.....

Finished stitching the bird (for the second time) and have only the 'grass' to chain stitch under the flowers and the Shoo Fly blocks to attach (I've got them ready) and block 4 is in the bag.  Still way behind but doing my best.

I've been working on my 'gusset' too.  No not the one I split in my pants this one....

the one I had to add to bridge the gap after I trimmed the stitcheries a tad too short!    Who'd have guessed my stitches were so tight they'd pull in the fabric so much.  Well... that's the price I paid for being ambitious and stitching the border for block 2 and 3 in one piece.   I'm in awe of all of you that have managed to do that without incident.  You rock girls!!

Think I might be unpicking the 'extra' flowers I slipped in there.... they just don't look 'right'.  In fact they look down right odd... don't know what I was thinking. 

That's it for the sewing part of the catch up.   Now for the best of the rest.

Tilly came to stay for a while....

The only time she looks serious is when she's Internet shopping for quilting goodies!    Of course she volunteered (!) to do a spot of gardening too.....

Her cheery wave would suggest she's actually having fun.    This is the photo I took without the zoom lens...

Yep... that dot in the distance is Tilly at the far end of 40 metres of flower bed!   Honestly she can dig like the Energiser Bunny when she has a garden fork in her hand.   The border is still a work in progress.  I have plans to create a stone barrier between us and the field.   Should mean far less weeding next spring... fingers crossed.

The small greenhouse is now clean too and work has started on weeding the lower flower bed....

Mac managed to rotorvate the veggie bed too.   I love to see it when it's freshly turned over.  If I were a veggie I'd love to snuggle in a bed like that.

In case you are getting the impression that Mac is nowhere to be seen when there is outdoor work to be done let me explain.    He's disabled and in severe pain 24/7.   He used to keep this place looking like a park back when he could manage it.   I can't even come close to doing as much as he used to.  So we've had a bit of a role reversal.... he does the laundry (no ironing) and the cooking and I attempt to do whatever else needs doing around here.

This spring I've finally caved in and booked someone to come in and do the grass cutting.   It's a case of cut grass or have time to sew..... now what would you have chosen?    Real no brainer eh!   Trouble is it started raining again the day I booked the grass cutter.... Sod's Law!

Now...take a look at Golden Boy.....

isn't he just gorgeous.  He's got the most amazing markings that definitely make him stand out in the crowd.  When the sun shines on him he's iridescent.  A real show stopper.... and he knows it.  That's a man for you!

Lastly..... I'm tempted to ask 'does my bum look big in this'?

but as the answer is glaringly obvious I won't!   This was Tilly's cruel trade off for letting me take photo's of her to post.   Still as you can see I did a good job on repairing my trouser seams!!

Note to self.... must diet (again)!

Hope you are all finding time to stitch and have some serious fun.....

See ya soon
Hugs
Josie