Super Scrappy - its a finish!

Earlier in the week I finished hemming down the binding on my Super Scrappy Quilt and added a signature.

I am really pleased with how this has turned out.

And it is now in its new home - hiding an old chest!

In between other things I have been working on my Red Manor House flower blocks. I now have five of the eight complete.

I very much enjoyed browsing through the book I showed you last week.

The photography is lovely - they used an old railway depot for the photo shoot so lots of rust, machinery and old buildings. Brilliant.
Anyway I have decided on my new project and I am going to use the design from the front cover.

As I only need a lap sized quilt to use as a tablecloth I am just going to make four baskets and then add the applique border all the way around.

As I want to make this a truly scrappy quilt I shall hand piece the flowers. Which of course, just to make life complicated, meant me drawing up the pattern to get the right size for the diamonds as in the book they are cut from three strips machined together. However, I think I have it cracked and have diamonds ready for a trial run. Fingers crossed.

It's been a lovely week here and we have been busy in the garden but today it is grey and wet so I have been catching up around the house. Time now to sit down with some sewing. Have a good weekend.

Perfectly Pleasing Pincushion Parade!

The parade starts on June 8th - pop over to Ida's blog here to read all bout it.

FNSI for May

Having cut the binding and flange for my Super Scrappy quilt, my plan for Friday was to get the binding machined on and as much of the hand sewing done as possible. However, having added most of the flange on Thursday I discovered I had miscalculated the length of binding needed! So first thing Friday I made another flange strip to add to what I had, and finished machining that in place.

I went through my binding box earlier in the week and pulled out all the odd leftover lengths of binding I had been saving for a rainy day and was surprised to find that I had, what I thought was, just the right amount. Anyway, knowing I would not have enough I machined what I had in place so that I could work out how much more I needed to make.

It's about 40". Anyway, at this point the garden called. Does anyone else have a collection of plastic flower pots saved from purchased plants with the idea that they will 'come in handy one day'? I had a good clear out of my potting corner and filled three large compost bags to go to the tip - and I still have lots left. Seemd such a waste but what to do.

Anyway, when I sat down in the evening I started sewing down the binding that I had machined and managed to get two sides of the quilt done. Am pleased with how the flange is looking with the scrappiness either side.

We had a wet, cold start to the week but the weather is starting to pick up now and the sunshine is back. The garden is growing at a rapid rate!

More secret sewing this week and I made my swap hexies for the month.

We are back to six day a week postal deliveries and I was pleased to see this in the postbox this morning.

It was not due to be delivered until Tuesday! I am so looking forward to curling up with this for a good browse. I am planning a new lap quilt so am looking for inspiration.

Many thanks to Wendy for getting us together again this week - you can see who else joined in here.

Have a good week.

FNwF's week 2

Thank you Cheryll for organising a second FNwF again this month - it's good to see what everyone is working on and stitch along cyberly. The link is here to see what everyone was working on.

I had a busy afternoon working on a secret stitching project - sorry, no pictures, but I can tell you it is looking good!

Then in the evening on to a bit of applique. I finished the second of my Red Manor House flower blocks. I am happy with how these are looking.

For a change! I then worked on my RSC block for the month. This months colour is dark green but I dont have many dark greens and anyway I used them in last years block so I decided to do a black block. The flower is all together - it just needs stitching onto the background now.

In other news our lockdown is set to be eased on Monday so it will be good to go out together again and to be able to travel a bit further away from home. The weather for the week is not looking very good but hopefully we shall have a chance to get out for a nice walk somewhere.

Enjoy your weekend.

Friday Night with Friends

The first Friday of the month seems to have arrived very quickly! Thank you Cheryll for hosting us again - pop over to Cheryll's blog here to see who took part.

The first Friday was also the 1st of the month which meant Red Manor House BOM day! And this month we are making these flower blocks.

Eight blocks means 80 petals so my Friday was spent cutting out petals and starting to baste. Fortunately I had a charm pack in my stash of Red Manor fabrics so I didnt have to make any decisions about colours etc, I just got on and cut.

And this is where I was at the end of the evening.

Earlier in the week I finished quilting my Super Scrappy quilt - I ditch quilted the blocks and then went diagonally across the blocks.

Couldnt bring myself to quilt across these two windows though!

Now it is waiting for its binding.

Because the first of the month brings several projects - BOM, RSC and swap hexies I decided no to start working on any other projects in the evenigns but instead resurected the jumper I started knitting last summer. No pics but I have almost completed the back so just the front to do - it may be ready for next summer!

During a break in the rain yesterday afternoon we went for a walk around the garden and spotted this Giant Peacock moth on a grass path. It looked at first glance like part of  a large mushroom.

Isnt it gorgeous! Europes largest moth evidently. Philip rescued it from any passing cats and popped it onto our laurel hedge.

These were in our post box this morning.

After lockdown restrictions are eased we shall all be advised to wear masks when we go out and the Mairie (town hall) are distributing masks to everyone in the commune. I had already made us one each but it will be good to have spares as they need to be washed after every use. May 11th is the date for the first easing of restrictions - but only if our department gets a green flag so we shall have to wait until nearer the day to find out.

I hope everyone is keeping safe and well - see you all back at Cheryll's again next week.