It's officially winter, time to hibernate - and sew :) I have now been back at work for 3 weeks, so slowly the home office is converting back to a sewing room. I have to say I miss my cosy little office, I enjoy the company at work but I feel I get distracted more easily sharing the office with up to 5 others.
First, let's catch up with the goals I had set for May:
Metrorings: Quilt 20 of the diamond shapes on the white background - I always thought this might be a stretch, but at least I quilted 14 of 27 in total
Patchworkcity: Add row 4 - DONE
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| One more row to add before borders |
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| They always seem relatively fiddly but they aren't really, especially as fpp |
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| While a mystery to me, the designer probably had a reason to call this section 4A rather than 5? |
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| Still in two minds about the centre fabric; I'll see what it looks like surrounded by other blocks. |
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| This is one is quite pretty |
Mini Sparkler: Complete another 4 blocks - DONE
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| Another four blocks, and still using random scraps. Not really sure on the use of the stripes... |
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| Eight blocks so far |
I'm still not really sure where this is going, but these blocks are quick to make and are solely using up scraps.
Celebration: Design part / all of the ruler quilting, then trial one area / section - DONE
There aren't all that many examples of this particular top out there in blogosphere or on IG, and the printed top is no longer available from Honest Fabrics. I used Aurifil 50wt for the SID so I will continue with the same weight and brand of thread (and I somehow can't imagine adding more polyester to the feel of the top). While I wait for the order of matching coloured thread from my LQS, I have used Judi Madsen's example as a starting point for filling in the white spaces:
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| I made a start and I like it :) won't ask the teenager lol |
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| They sent way more goodies than I had ordered 💖 |
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| Stitching by hand and I am enjoying it! |
So onto June goals:
- Metrorings: Quilt the remaining 13 white diamond shapes
- Patchworkcity: Add remaining row of blocks
- Rainbow at Sea: Finish all yellow block parts
- Linedried: Piece Section 4B
- Summer Sampler 2017: Week 6 Marine Star (6")
- Venus: Continue (leader/ender)
- Mini Sparkler: Piece four more blocks
- Celebration: FMQ the rest of this section
- EPP: This is really a 'tv watching activity' so I will just set myself a minimum of completing the Stairway to Heaven top
In other news the younger children are back at school, and the oldest child has secured accommodation on campus to return to his NZ university in July. DH is starting back teaching next week also. While New Zealand got away rather lightly so far, COVID-19 is having a lasting impact on everyone - from more vigilance regarding hygiene to 'signing into places' via the optional Covid Tracker app to keeping your distance from friends and acquaintances (no handshakes, hugs, hongis) to loss of jobs due to the financial impact, especially in tourism (which my work place belongs to). It is a sad process we have gone through and we are continuing to go through at work, saying good-bye to colleagues and friends.
However, COVID has also provided some unexpected opportunities: Our joint Raranga Matihiko teams from four museums around the North Islands have written and filmed #RarangaMatihikoTV - 16 episodes weaving together museum taonga (treasures) and digital as well as non-digital making activities. Currently available on Home Learning | Pāpa Kainga TV and TVNZ on demand, and in the future through our website rarangamatihiko.com (the site is being redeveloped right now, feel free to check it out now or wait a few days for things to settle into the new look). Here is one of the episodes featuring the Whare Rūnanga on the Waitangi Treaty Grounds: https://www.tvnz.co.nz/shows/home-learning-tv/episodes/sage-9-11-e118
And last night I signed up to an online workshop with Jenny Haynes, "Thistles Cogs & Caterpillar Wheels" through the Brisbane Modern Quilt Guild; I couldn't have attended the actual workshop in Brisbane in person, so the forced move to online is really working in my favour :)
And last night I signed up to an online workshop with Jenny Haynes, "Thistles Cogs & Caterpillar Wheels" through the Brisbane Modern Quilt Guild; I couldn't have attended the actual workshop in Brisbane in person, so the forced move to online is really working in my favour :)
Happy Sewing!
