Tuesday's Talk

Took it rather easy most of the long weekend. After tea and toast meals I did have a  heavy breakfast yesterday, porridge with dried cranberries.  Yes, we have decades of dog paraphernalia around the house including mugs.

 I'm happy to report everything health-wise has remained settled so I'm hoping against hope my lost Friday was a one time thing.  Fingers and toes crossed! Thanks for all the well wishes.

 It's time I caught you up on my little autumn blocks. I've enjoyed trying to draw my own designs to use in these despite the false starts, extra cuttings, unsewing, restitching that each very small picture has required. They are turning out to look very primitive indeed which was not exactly what I was aiming for either.  Maybe I needed to start out with a clearer picture in my head of what I wanted.

 I tried very hard to get a leaping hare under the harvest moon.  That's what I was going for in these photos.  The first I drew and actually appliqued onto the block was too small so I had to take the poor little fellow off, draw and cut and sew another one.

The first moon I had was too small also as well as being too pale in colour.  I'm much happier with both the new moon and hare.  Now I have to work out how to draw the bushes or grass he is leaping over.  And complete his blanket stitching as he is a fusible applique.

I also worked out most of a little planter of flowers.  I'd seen a photo in one of Hubby's books that I liked.  See the little planters with white and red flowers, they were a sort of inspiration. In the right hands, these flowers and little trees could be translated amazingly into fabric applique.  Wonder what that is meant to be on that guy's head there on the right?! Looks like a tree stump. lol

But in my hands, this is what I came up with.  Rather far from the original thought.  I worked hard on those smaller red circles, making the templates and basting them, trying to get them perfectly round, etc. only to think they are too big.  What is it with me and sizing these pieces!!

I'm finding it harder to design my own patterns than I'd thought. It certainly is time consuming.
 No kidding.
 I have a renewed admiration for those who do so and produce such novel and beautiful patterns for us to follow.