Hooray for Friday Night Sew in.....

It got me sewing again!      It might not look like much but you've no idea how happy it made me to pick up an needle again.

Remember this.......

I prepared the leaves for applique back when we were on retreat.... last night I finally stitched them down.   Not only that but I made another block just like it... from scratch....

You wouldn't believe how long it took me to choose the fabrics for this one.    I wanted to make blue leaves but couldn't come up with a fabric combo I liked.   Gave up on the blue and decided to look for yellow fabric instead.  Do you know why I would have stored some blue fabric in a box of yellow?   Not a clue why I put it there but I'm pleased I found it.   Can't say I'm overly happy with the very pale fabric leaf.... looks OK in 'real' life but a bit peely-wally  (that's pale and sickly looking) in the photograph.

So... that's two more Stonefields blocks done and dusted.

And there's more......

I prepared another project for sewing while I watch the Grand Prix on Sunday.  There's some faint
clues on the fabric.... it's the wrong side.   Can you tell what I'm going to be making?

That's if for FNSI.... doesn't look like much but I'm thrilled to bits to be back in the saddle  I'll be popping by all you other FNSI'ers to see what you've been up to tomorrow.... after I've painted my bedroom ceiling!   I'm trying to get a head start on my 'Spring' cleaning!

Now... here's something I made weeks ago too.....

my first attempt at a hand pieced Sweet William block and the first one that won't be making it into the quilt.    The size worked out fine thanks to a 'tip off' from Marina I was ultra careful when I stitched.  Pity I didn't get a tip about making sure there was enough contrast in fabrics!    Where were my glasses when I choose those fabrics!   Not content with one mistake I made another.... I pressed the block and what a pigs breakfast I made of it.   There are seams going every which way on the back.  Every which way but the right way!   Back to the drawing board for me!

Any tips... tricks or brilliant ideas for keeping William sweet will be gratefully received.

Heck I'd better go.   I need plenty of sleep tonight if I'm going to paint that ceiling in the morning.

I'll leave you with the reason I didn't get to post about FNSI last night....

Could you have moved her to type?    Bet you couldn't.    How about that for cute!

OK... I'm off.     See you tomorrow... if I haven't painted myself into a corner....

Hugs
Josie  xxx

Winter drawers on!

It's that time again.   Time to dig out the thermals, fire up the wood stove and snuggle down to hibernate till spring.    I'm kidding about hibernating by the way but judging by the time it's taken me to get around to writing  this post I wouldn't blame you for thinking I was already deep in the land of Nod!  

So... what's been going on since the last time I posted.    Chris, Sally, Kitty and me did go to the cottage.   Did plan a whole week of sewing...food... wine and plenty of laughter but this time it didn't work out that way.

I did get some of those dastardly triangles stitched together.   To say they drove me nuts is an understatement.....

My back was killing me..... after effects of the cutting marathon before we left.  Have to tell you it's hard to sew a straight line when you only have one buttock on your chair and the other one is dangling in mid air.    Did more pain pill popping than anything else.

Sally was productive....

She pieced the corner 'dolly' blocks for her most recent quilt.   Yes... all those triangles round the edges are to have heads and arms appliqued to them.    The colours are gorgeous... shame my photography doesn't do it justice.    I know we are going to have a big problem with Sally when the heads go on..... she has a 'thing' about faces without eyes.  Can you imagine how spooky it'll look with 44 pairs of eyes watching your every move.... especially in the bedroom!   Can't see her hubby being very happy about that.   

How about this......

can you believe this is her very first tote bag!      Sal did a great job.  Love the fabrics don't you. Love that view out of the window too..... (sigh).    Not content with just one bag she made another... fit for a little princess.    

Kitty got to grips with a BOM.......

Is it still a block of the 'month' if you are sewing all the blocks at once?    Whatever!   It's gorgeous and I'm happy to say I have the very same BOM waiting to reach the top of my 'to do' list.   Might be a long wait.....

Kitty did a whole lot of piecing and applique.   There's quite a lot of stitching do do on this little quilt too... it's a really pretty project.     You can see the pattern here at the Bobbin Patch.

I thought I might have more success ditching the triangles..... changing chairs and trying a spot of applique.....

this is it..... talk about a feeble effort.

I did eventually finish piecing all 98 of the central section of each quilt block.... 4 triangles around each centre square.   Only one block got it's outer triangles attached... but it's looking good

Well... that's it for the sewing news.

Now.... I imagine you are wondering why I haven't mentioned Chris and what she was working on.   Chris did come with us on Saturday and between then and Monday lunchtime she enjoyed working on a pair of cot quilts ready for the arrival of her first grandchildren.   I'll tell you a little of what happened next....

Chris had to leave after a receiving a phone call to say her DIL was on her way to hospital.  We all thought the twins were arriving earlier than expected.   How wrong could we be.    Her DIL was actually en route to the specialist Cardiac Unit in Glasgow in a police escorted ambulance.  Later in the evening we spoke briefly to Chris who told us that the situation was critical and that her DIL had suffered heart failure and faced surgery early Tuesday morning to both deliver the babies and operate on her heart.    The prognosis was not good... for any of them!

The operation was successful ..... thank goodness.....both mum and babies survived.    Mum remained in Intensive Care in the Cardiac Unit attached to an external heart pump while the babies were transferred to a Neo Natal Unit in a nearby hospital.    It was hoped that the pump would allow her heart to rest, recover and resume beating regularly on it's own.  It didn't and within 72 hours she was placed at the top of the Heart Transplant List.

After weeks of uncertainty there is good news......Mum has a new heart and is home with her husband and babies.... a boy and a girl.  It's so hard to comprehend that a healthy, energetic, vibrant young woman on the verge of becoming a mum for the first time could suffer heart failure.    The cause..... an undetected heart defect she was born with.    It's more common that you would like to believe so... please consider taking a moment to sign up to the Organ Donor Register or become a blood donor.  

Without the amazing generosity of the donor family one young mum would not be at home today to enjoy her little family.

Hope all your families are healthy and safe tonight.....

Big Hugs
Josie  xxxxx

p.s.    I'll be back very soon to fill you in on what's been going on around here while I've been absent minded.
:o)