Scrappy Lilies Free Pattern, Kathleen Tracy SAL, Violets, Bowties

The Wedding

I had been subscribed to the CBC Royal Fascinator, the online blog covering everything about the Royal Wedding leading up to the day.  The night before I had a sleepover at Daughter's and got to watch the main event the next morning on her big tv that has cable. It was very, very early for us but I didn't care. It was fun to see what everyone was wearing and the bride's dress in particular and to hear all the commentary.  I figured it would probably be the last of the major Royal weddings in my time (a thought which kind of gave me pause).
Anyway, here is a link to the best fascinators of the wedding if you like to look at such.

This Week in Stitching

I fnished the Block 5 details of the Kathleen Tracy Mystery Friendship Quilt.  As I mentioned this project is a great chance to practice accuracy.  And I know this will sound kind of bad, but I do take heart when I hear some others have abandoned this row of tiny blocks in favour of adding one long strip.They find it too fiddly for a variety of reasons.  But of course, many others have turned out perfectly matched seams in every one of these borders.

This month's instructions meant making lots of tiny bowtie/ hourglass blocks, something I'd never made before but enjoyed doing which was the easy bit.  Getting it all to match up with the previous border was the tricky part but thankfully, it did not have to do that everywhere.

 Of course, it was about then I thought of abandoning this version and trying a new one from scratch or taking this all apart and starting over but no, I think I'll soldier onwards.  I'll wait and see what the next block entails at least.

Here's a great chance to use up scraps- it really doesn't get much better than this.  

While exploring one day, I came across The Lily Challenge at a lovely blog called Het Klossie, another of those wonderful Dutch hand work/quilting sites.  This little (less than 5 inch square) flower type pattern really appealed to me and I thought I would try a few to see if I could work out the design properly.  Here is what I've made so far.

The pattern is a free PDF download and there is a Facebook group sharing their efforts.  I made one with EPP but the others are machine stitched.  I've set up two more for EPP hand stitching and alternate this with my embroidery for my tv sewing.  A pleasant diversion really from the more challenging projects and I'm going to stick with the cheery reds.

Love Love Love Planting Stuff 

I mentioned little grandson helped me plant a lot of seeds when he came over for that visit.  They were placed in front of the big window in the garage which has proven to be a great location because a lot of sprouting has since occurred.  I'm still recycling composted soil from the old place which I'm convinced has super powers.
So gardening for 2018 is in full swing.

I also raked most of the flower beds this week getting rid of all the debris from my Ugly Gardening project.  That was certainly successful with finches and juncos enjoying the old stalks all winter long. Will definitely do the same thing next winter.

I limit myself to one hour at a time in the garden...this old body is just too achy if I do it for longer and I figure it is not a race.

This little wildflower has cropped up in the front flower beds and I've left them there.  After a little research through my flower books, I think it is another member of the wild violet family, the Sweet White Violet and no matter its name, it is very sweet.

On this pretty note I'll end the post.  Hope your day has something sweet in it too.

There are also lots of pretty things to see over at the slow stitching link up at Kathy's Quilts.
Also linking with Em's Scrapbag, Cooking Up Quilts, Small Quilts and Doll Quilts, Quilting is More Fun than Housework, Free Motion By the River, Crazy Mom Quilts, Sew Can She and Bambi's Show and Tell.

Air Fryers, Aprons and Stitching

Woken this morning by Rex barking his head off.  We usually have a lone turkey and this was the very first time the whole family showed up. Barkworthy indeed!
The females do not seem that impressed by that male!

Hind View !

Murphy took her usual morning dip in the pond.  She's done this every day since there was a crack in the ice. Cold temps obviously don't bother her.  This greatly enhances her unique doggy smell for the rest of the day!

Rex, on the other hand, hates getting his feet wet, never mind his body.

I like aprons but they haven't made one big enough to cover all I need covered in the kitchen. LOL I am messy!   Aprons seem to be cropping up all over the internet.  Perhaps they are having a resurgence in popularity.  I came across this unique one and thought how great it would be for berry picking or gathering eggs if one were fortunate enough to engage in either of those activities. Oh how I miss berry picking at home!
This is from The Sewing Happy Place where you can see lots of other patterns as well.

                  


I keep wanting an Air Fryer which I've mentioned before.  I looked long and hard at this big boy.


Anyone using an Air Fryer?  What do you think of it? This one - the Wolfgang Puck model is on The Shopping Channel and is big enough to hold a whole chicken.  There's something about the tidiness of tucking food out of sight and having it cooking away without my attention that really appeals to me.

 My Garden of Contentment piece is now a quilt sandwich thanks to the batting I bought at the Perth Fabric shop. (More about that later.)  I was trying to show in this photo the fabric I used for the blocks.  It was one of those white tone on tones with dragonflies on it which I thought appropriate for this project.  What made me think of it was seeing the first dragonfly of the season yesterday.

And this is me trying out  Free Motion Quilting practice which I've committed myself to for 15 minutes a day till June.  Did you love these shows like I did? Note the hair curlers...amazing how going about your business with your hair in curlers was a trend back in the day.

                         

And when you only want a little piece of cake....?!
I love this little video.  Miniature anything is so cute and to see the way this all gets mixed together just like a regular cake even though so tiny is amazing.

I'm halfway through the Block 5 instructions for my Kathleen Tracy Mystery Friendship Quilt blocks sewing 20 hourglass blocks.  I've also straightened some of the seams where I was trailing to the right at the end of a line of stitching. This little project has been a great opportunity for practicing accuracy.

This is happy post day over at Not Afraid of Color and Brian's Home Blog. I am always so happy to read everyone's likes and thankful things. Also linking with Off the Wall Friday, Esther's Quilt Blog, Sew Fresh Quilts, My Quilt Infatuation, SugarLane Designs, Crazy Mom Quilts and Free Motion By the River.

Know Your Stuff (Better Yet Remember Your Stuff)

I'd been busily making cardboard 2 inch templates when I remembered I had all the sets of Marti Michell Perfect Patchwork templates tucked away somewhere.  I'd bought them for the Farmer's Wife project back in 2016.  Found them in a bottom drawer and sorted through them and sure enough, there was a lovely thick plastic 2 inch square.

Why I never thought of them before, I just can't say. Out of sight, out of mind, I guess. But I've done a lot of measuring and cutting since then and these guys could have come in handy.

 Cardboard is convenient and cheap, but the edges do get nicked (which is why I usually make 2 or 3 at a time). But this two inch size already got a little workout with the March Block 3 instructions for the Friendship Garden BOM...make 16 two inch squares. So happy to have remembered this and loved the accuracy of having a 'real' template.

I wondered about putting pink and blue together but I like the result of these particular shades.
(Why can't I remember to press things before I show them to company!)

I wonder what else I have tucked away.  Probably time for the drawers to be sorted. Hope you don't have a vital piece of your gear tucked away and forgotten about!

I love the 50% coupons from Michaels. Recently I took advantage and bought myself one of the humdinger sized cutting mats.  I'd gotten by with a little tiny one but it was time to step it up.  I'm enjoying the freedom this size affords.

A little indoor gardening is good.
I am trying this...someone somewhere must have grown an actual head of lettuce from a stump because this idea keeps circulating on the internet.   It has sprouted some leaves but it's going to be a while before we eat a salad from it though. LOL

And Daughter's Christmas Pointsetta that was on the way to the garden compost is a challenge to me. So far I've kept it alive- there are new green leaves sprouting and the red has definitely brightened.  But I've read they are specially treated not to survive (have no idea how that could be done even) so we'll see.  Have any of you had luck with this?

 Rex on guard outside my sewing room door.  I love what a companion he has become to me.  Hubby says he always knows just where I am by seeing Rex.

I called this post Know Your Stuff when it really should be called Remember Your Stuff.
Lovely likes over at Not Afraid of Color and also joining the link parties at Esther's Quilt Blog, Quilt Fabrication, Sew Fresh Quilts, Brian's Home Blog and The Needle and Thread Network.