Friday 30 June 2017

The 70,273 Project - long skinny cont.

Making progress

Step 2 is large red x pairs.

Thursday 29 June 2017

The 70,273 Project

I have been working on a 'Long Skinny' for the 70,273 Project.

I saw some of the other work with shapes outlined...like a heart and a dove. I thought about the symbols for disability, some of which I have used in previous work. SO, once I got past how to mark it in order to outline with x's, I got on quite well.
I did a sort of dashed line with a fine pencil, which then was covered up. This is the figure at the top of the 2 metre piece.
The red x's still have to be in obvious pairs, so it was fun trying to work that out.

Listening to the cricket while I do this. Ladies Cricket World Cup

Wednesday 28 June 2017

Back again!

We were away with family over the weekend.
I am beginning to catch up with myself.

We met in Filey, where my husband's family used to have their holidays. Mum had asked for her ashes to be scattered there.

It was nice to be together. and just nice to spend a little time by the sea.


Holly wasn't sure about going too far into the sea.

But after a Certain Young Man got a treat, she followed him out quite a ways, ignoring the waves.

But barked at him when he got too far.

Monday 19 June 2017

The 70,273 Project

I have been working on other projects, but now that most are no longer at their hardest stage, I have taken time to work on another item for the The 70,273 Project.

They have reached the 1/4 point of numbers of people commemorated. And now they have a couple other ways to reach the goal. 'Middlings' - which are fat quarter size 18"x 22", and some called 'Long Skinny' - 15" x as long as you like.

So, I thought I would take all my offcuts of white, that came from cutting the blocks, and try to fit them together to make up a Middling. You can add as many pairs of red x's as you like, as long as you can tell they are a pair.
And here is the finished top. Sorry for the fuzzy photo. It is too hot to retake now!
Now to sandwich it and quilt it on the machine.

I overlapped pieces and stitched them together with the raw edges exposed. For me this says something about pieces/people that would normally be considered of no use.
some of the stitches along the seams are pretty close together, but when I quilt them, I will do a circle round them to set each pair of x's apart.
I will get a good photo when I get it done.

And I realised I never put the last of the photos up for the ones I sent off to Jeanne! So, sometime this week...

Sunday 18 June 2017

The beads are still going on... 11-17 June

Week 24 - 2017

no.162

no.163

no.164

no.165

no.166

no.167

no.168


Saturday 17 June 2017

Something on Saturday

Cow - 23

As it says, for keeping bicarbonate of soda in the fridge. But I never found it that effective. So, it is part of the windowsill display.

The zip

The zip is stitched in using a little set of 3 beads at regular intervals.
I am colouring the metal zip orange with a permanent pen so it will blend with the rest of the work. You can see the difference between the pull and above with the lower portion.

Wednesday 14 June 2017

Beading the dragon

So, I have finally got the bulk of the beading done on the dragon gown. Because the fabric is heavy, and I draped the gown on the stand, I was not getting the fabric to lay right for the zip.

So, with the beads holding the folds, I could at last pin the zip pretty much where it wanted to go. (I am doing an exposed zip).

And then trim away the extra fabric.

Next, turn under the edge and stitch it down using more beads.
Yes, I could have stitched with machine, but I didn't want the extra line showing. and also, because of the awkwardness of layers, I need the flexibility that hand stitching the zip will give. Some of the folds have 4 or more layers if the underneath part of a fold below extends up past it.

When the zip is properly in, I will sort out the bottom of the seam. It may/probably get a godet, which is why I haven't trimmed away the extra there until I work out what I want to do.

Sunday 11 June 2017

The beads are still going on... 4-10 June

Week 23 - 2017

no.155

no.156

no.157

no.158

no.159

no.160

no.161

Saturday 10 June 2017

Something on Saturday

Cow 22

Another salt and pepper. Funny little bird perched on the back of their kerchief.

I think this is the last pair...but who knows? another one may be lurking.

Wednesday 7 June 2017

Back to beading a dragon

So, now that I have cleared the decks from most things, and before I say I will do even more. (!) I am back to working on the dragon gown.
Having a lot of back complaint...which is not usually part of sitting. But because it is there to work on, I can do it between stretches.

or something...

Teaching Beginner's Machine Embroidery tomorrow!

Tuesday 6 June 2017

The other bead project - 5

I got behind a bit with the 'other bead project' * because of the work needed to be done during May.
But I have had a chance to catch up

Week 21
Sorry for the blur.
...well I miss counted and I am ahead, which is useful!
I have been working with much smaller beads, so I may look for some larger ones again, as I had envisioned the dress pretty much covered. I don't mind small at the top back though.
The front is unchanged. I think soon I will do something to the bottom of the dress.

*scroll down after clicking the link to see the progress posts.

Monday 5 June 2017

Garden makeover

On the Bank Holiday weekend, we had a bit of garden makeover neighbourhood going on.
A few house away to the back of us have been beavering away at something in their back garden for a while and still are.

Mr Thoughtful had planned to turn our little veg patch to grass - it has been a veg patch for nearly 25 years, so needs to be fallow for a bit anyway. he had the first part of it worked in the first stages.
Then Mr. Next Door started turning over the whole of his back garden for a better lawn. When we came home from church on Sunday, he was unloading the turf. Well, lots of turf! Someone he knows was doing their garden and that person's neighbour had said he would do it as well. BUT, when all the turf came he decided not. Okay. So, the man had loads of turf he was trying to find homes for. Our neighbour got his bountiful lot for a Very Good deal. And then as it was more than he needed, was getting people he knew to take some.

So, anyway, he gave Mr. Thoughtful quite a bit. So, he spent Monday digging over even more than the garden patch. and getting it ready for the laying grass stage.
And then on Tuesday he took the day off and laid the grass.
A week on and it is actually quite green looking. It does look strange to see grass and not a patch of ground.
And in the front... this past weekend, one of the neighbours across the path has chopped down a very over grown Rhododendron. So, as I say, it has been a garden makeover week or so!

Sunday 4 June 2017

The beads are still going on... 28-31 May and 1-3 June

Week 21 - 2017

no.148

no.149

no.150

no.151

And the beads for May together


June is back to the brown fabric, but still yellow beads.

no.152

no.153

no.154





Saturday 3 June 2017

Something on Saturday

Cow 21
More Salt and Pepper pots

Black and White

Friday 2 June 2017

When Black Dogs get hot

The other day I couldn't find Holly. I thought she was in the garden, but when she is in shade and I am in sun, she blends in. Eventually I found her under the bushes.

She dug a place to lay her tummy in the cool earth.

Go away...Stop taking photos. I am trying to hide.

Thursday 1 June 2017

Forms and Parcels

This week has been a filling forms week. Sometimes it takes all day to take photos and do an entry. Or to get things parcelled and off in the post.

However, though I can't show everything, I will show you a collection of work I sent off for the 70,273 Project. The TVCT group did 86 blocks! Over half were done in January at the meeting, but the rest were done by people and their friends at home during the months til May. Well done!


Margaret Jackson near Durham is going to piece them and quilt them with her group.
Jeanne sent this message:
TVCT: I know y'all won't meet for a while, but when you do, promise you'll tell the members how very grateful I am for their participation and for commemorating 86 people so beautifully and mindfully.

And now I have committed to making a 'Long Skinny' 15in wide x as long as I like (which should be about 2metres). I have sent on my entry forms for the Festival of Quilts. 2 entries already complete. And since I have time on my hands (not) I thought I better do something to spark the interest of all the quilters at the Festival of Quilts. Better get stitching then! (as well as beads on a dragon gown, beads on the Other Bead Project, and 3 pieces for possible entrance into a book which I have to keep mum about for now!)

Oh dear. Would someone tie my hands down when the next cool thing comes along?