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Thursday 27 July 2017

Just messing around.........

Last week was so wonderful, the 12 Days of Christmas in July blog hop was great, I hope you all enjoyed it as much as I did.  I must say thank you for all your support, not only on the hop but on all the other weeks too, and thank you everyone for the wonderful comments you left, they give me such a thrill.  I'd also like to say welcome to everyone who started following the blog too, in fact I don't say it often enough, but it is so lovely to know I'm not just shouting my words to the universe, that someone listens.

Just to let you all know, the winners from the blog hop will be announced on Friday 4th August, I wish you all luck.  If you are reading for the first time you can find my blog hop post HERE and it has links to all the other participating blogs which I have updated for the actual posts, kind am I not? (giggling my head off)

Do you find that after you have had a big high you drop down and find it hard to get motivated?  That's been me.  I have tried, I even tidied my room up, you wouldn't believe the mess I had it in, what do you mean you could?  Anyway, I did have pressing stuff to do so onwards and upwards.

I made,


Irish Eyes, my bee block for Jennifer @Inquiring Quilter who is in my bee @Bee Inspired.  This was a lovely block to make, the centre is dark green, just in case it looks black to you, it does to me but it could be my eyes.  It looks so clean and fresh, it is going to make a beautiful quilt.

Next I made a star block


for Julie in Hive 2 Stash Bee.  Julie's local guild collects lap quilts for the local breast cancer treatment centre, and she asked for either a sixteen patch block or a star block in pinks and white.  I have very little in pink but I managed to make this block.  Don't ask me what it's called, I saw a pic and copied it but it didn't mention a name.

I was at my quilt group on Saturday, I made five more blocks from the Tula Pink 100 Modern Quilt  Blocks book,


these ones.  I just counted my blocks and all I have is 21, I couldn't believe it, I thought I should have had at least thirty.  On top of which I came to a decision, when I go to my group I take my older Bernina, a 440QE, I have a bag on wheels but I still have to lift it in and out of the car and through the narrow door of the shop where we meet, on top of which there are six steps up to my house.  I'm struggling, although it's a lot lighter than Baby who weighs a ton I'm finally starting to realise it is getting too much for me to lift it, so I won't be making anything else at my group that means taking my machine, and that includes making any more of my Tula Pink blocks too.  Don't get me wrong mind, I'm not abandoning it, I'll just have to make them at home that's all.

Mind you that means I'll have to start something new that I can do by hand, something which involves appliqué, any suggestions?

Tell you what I did get this week


this.  What do you mean what is it?  Is it not obvious?


It's a table, specially for when I do machine quilting.


It will take the weight of the quilt so it doesn't pull when I'm quilting it. Before you ask no I still haven't finished Circles and yes I blatantly staged the pic!!! Now, there is lots of room at the back and the side of the table but when you are stitching the top right where does the bulk of the quilt go?  I used to use my ironing board before I got my beautiful table and reorganised my sewing room, but I haven't enough space for the ironing board now as my room in narrow.   This table fits in perfectly, and


It folds too, so I can easily get it out when I need it then fold it to of the way again.  Best thing was it didn't cost much, and it is almost the perfect hight for the table, BUT the hight of the table is adjustable and so I will alter it an inch and it will be perfect.  What do you think?  Do you use an extra table or your ironing board?  Just in case you are in the UK and want to know where I got it it was from The Range and cost £17.99

So, that has been my week, EXCEPT that Gnome Angel is starting another quilt along on August 3rd and guess what it is?  GYPSY WIFE!!!!   Read the first post and the Preparation post if you are interested.   You can imagine how excited I am about it, it's over two years since I bought the pattern and just over a year since I posted about starting the first section, only I haven't done any more since, sad :-(   The thing is there are so many things I want to make, and  so I have abandoned the blocks I made for the first section and I am starting all over again, only this time I have bought fabrics specially, only I can't show you because they haven't arrived yet, I should have them tomorrow though, only you will have to wait until next week to see them, shame.  You will just have to guess what kind of fabrics I would choose, what would you choose?

On a personal note I do have a couple of bits of news, but I'm not telling you, I'll tell you next week (don't hold your breath, it's not that exciting).

So until then,
Smiles from,
Kate x

Linking up with:
Wednesday Wait Loss
Needle and Thread Thursday
Can I Get a Whoop Whoop?
Celtic Thistle Stitches hosting for TGIFF
Crazy Mom Quilts



22 comments:

  1. I use a side table also for the bulky quilts but mine is larger and longer that what you are using.
    Hoping to win some Tula Pink since I've never had the delight of working with that fabric.

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  2. Someone had a Gypsy Wife quilt in Kaffe Fassett fabrics that she just finished. She had a rough with it. It has so many tiny things. I guess I'll have to guess at the rest of your news. Why are you teasing us? I have my work table to the left of the longer machine table. Also, I set them both away from the back wall so when I'm piecing or Quilting, the fabric can slide down the back and doesn't bunch up there. This all worked well when I bound my my large kf quilt.

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  3. What a cute table! It looks like old, vintage metal signs. I just ordered some Tim Holtz Eclectic Elements fabric that looks like that :)

    I got all excited, seeing your Circle quilt under the machine, and you spoiled it by saying it was just staged. But I do spy some progress on that beauty, right? And speaking of beauties, your bee blocks look very nice. Your pink and red star will be just right, and what a good cause it is going to.

    I'm sorry to hear that lifting your machine is getting hard, but I think you made the right decision to just stop doing that and focus on hand work at your meetings. No sense in possibly injuring yourself...this hobby is supposed to be fun :)

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  4. Love your quilt blocks; that Irish Eyes block is fantastic! The little table is so fun and a great idea! Gypsy Wife is so tempting, although I'm pretty sure I'd fall behind. I may just follow your progress :-D

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  5. I'm going to enjoy seeing everyone making the gypsy wife quilts. I need to sit at my machine and get reacquainted after feeling a bit blurgh and uninspired. I've got an itch to make some pillow cases:)

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  6. All your blocks look great, such a shame you have to find a new time to make your City sampler blocks - they are coming along beautifully

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  7. Your blocks are coming along well. Re a machine to take with you, I was lucky to find a singer featherweight which is great for making blocks and sews a perfect straight line. It does not go out in the rain though as I have to get a bus to my group, I take hand stitching then, either hexies or red work, I am doing a quilt at the moment with red work blocks in.
    I am off to the Range was there last weekend but did not look at the tables but that is what a really need to take the weight of a quilt. Loving your set up for the machine a great table it is set in. I have a horn cabinet but am seriously considering getting a new machine with an 11" arm help it will not fit!

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  8. Gosh, I love those bee blocks you made! Your piecing is so precise, which certainly adds to the crisp appearance of the blocks. I scoot my ironing board over when I need to support a quilt, but often just struggle with keeping it bunched up on the surface that's already there. Loving your Tula Pink blocks more and more! As far as a handwork project, I vote for keeping it simple, like hand appliquing orange peels. Enjoy your weekend, Kate. Glad you had sew much fun with the hop. I kept up for awhile, but then I just got too busy. XO

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  9. You did score a bargain with that table Kate, it will certainly help with all that wrestling of fabric we do when quilting :)

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  10. That table will be a big help to you when quilting those biggies! I never did anything big on the DSM but I can imagine all that weight is a struggle. Quilt on my friend, quilt on:)

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  11. Love your green and pink blocks. The simple fabrics lets the block design show through. Thanks for the info on the new QAL. I'll quietly be working on UFOs. I have got to thin the mounds of them.

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  12. That Irish Eyes block is just lovely, Kate. It just smiles at you. Love the pink one too! Hope that table is a big help to you.

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  13. Hi Kate,
    I had to laugh right out loud when I read to blatantly staged the photo - HAHAHAHA. No one else has EVER done that!! heehee Love the blocks you shared - they will make wonderful additions to a quilt. I sure would like to see the breast cancer one when it is finished. I will check out that link for the QAL, although I am starting another one on 8/1 - my second one ever, so I don't know if I can start another at the same time. I'll sure think about it though. ~smile~ Roseanne

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  14. Love your"100 blocks" . Not a color way in my comfort zone but yours look fabulous! For quilting large pieces I have a doubletter wide file cabinet that tucks under my quilting machine. I pull it out when I need the area.

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  15. The Irish Chain block is very crisp and clean. Happy stitching this week, hope you mojo comes back.

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  16. Couple bits of news? There you go again teasing us all again. It can't be a new baby, you already did that one. (snicker)

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  17. I like to use a table to support the weight of a quilt when I am putting a binding on - I tend to make big quilts!

    I am curious about the cutting mat fairs so close to the radiator. I once ruined a mat when I was taking advantage of a beautiful day and was cutting outdoors. The phone rang and when I came back out the sun had moved around and warped it. Darn.

    Helen

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  18. Great blocks and small table to help quilting!

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  19. Beautiful bocks! The table will be a huge help.

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  20. I esp. love that green Irish Eyes block. That sewing table is too cute, that top design. It is a great idea, b/c large quilts hanging off in the floor is never good :)

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  21. Kate, you sure are one to tease! I'm wondering what your news is. Love the blocks you made, especially Irish Eyes . That table looks like it will be so handy! Good luck with Gypsy Wife. Maybe the sew along is what you need to get it done. Special fabrics are a great incentive too. If you're looking for an applique block, the I Wish You a Merry QAL started yesterday and the first block is applique! I have it on good authority that at least one other block is applique as well. Don't think that will help you, but it's something! Thanks for linking up to Wednesday Wait Loss.

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  22. sorry Kate I've been so busy I haven't been keeping up. I love your new table for quilting and I like your staged photo as well.

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With smiles from,
Kate