Is there anyone there?

I've not been here to do much sewing this week, in fact I'm not here at all..................... Spooky!  But no, the wonders of modern technology has allowed me to schedule this post so I'm writing this before I go away.

Want to see my next Gypsy block?  Sorry, no choice, you are getting it anyway,

this is it, the name is Star Block, pretty boring name isn't it?  Especially after Crazy Anne and oh I must tell you, it seems I have been calling one block by the wrong name.  The second block I introduced as Perishing is actually Pershing.  Just to set the record straight.  Back to Star Block, no it's not as bright and colourful as some of the others, but I think it will add more contrast.  If all the blocks end up super bright the quilt will be overpowering with little balance, so I am adding some cooler and darker shades.  That's how I'm thinking anyway.

This is the updated pic to illustrate what I mean.  I have looked at so many Gypsy versions, and each one is wonderful and unique, some are monotone, some are completely saturated with colour, some have multicoloured strips and some have neutral strips to show off the blocks more, such as two tone creams, or black and white, such variety.  Mine will have multicoloured strips, like the original pattern, so it will live up to the original design.  If all those strips were bright you would need sunglasses to look at it, that's why I'm adding the cooler and neutral shades.

I did get a little more quilting done on circles before I got away, I got nearly half the quilting done in the coloured circles.  I had a big think about it first, hang on I'll show you..........

Now you can see, circles, or pebbles as they are known.  Pebbles best describe mine too as they are not all circular, AND they overlap quite a bit, far from perfect in fact.  Do I care?  Not on your nellie, I decided to do pebbles as my control needs a lot of improvement yet and I still struggle with manipulating a larger quilt (ok not that large but it is for me).  If I had tried to do something fancy like orange peels, which would have been perfect, it would have been disastrous, so I chose pebbles and if you stand back and screw your eyes up they look great, so I'm happy.  I had a variegated thread so I'm using that, hope I don't run out, I've had it for ages, but it's a King Tut so I'm hoping it will still be available if I need it.  Fingers crossed.

Thinking of Gypsy recently I also started thinking of the quilting, some quilters machine quilt and some hand quilt, that got me thinking of the baby quilt I made for my youngest granddaughter Emily.  It was just a panel with borders but it matched the theme of her bedroom.

This is the only pic I have as I forgot to take one before I gave it to her Mum and I pinched this from Facebook.  Yes, her bedroom has a jungle theme.  I had bought this panel years beforehand and some yardage of the matching print too.  I think I should have added a border between the flowers and the small print in hindsight (which is as always a wonderful thing), but I didn't and it can't be changed now.  I had to juggle the yardage as I had a limited amount but I did have enough to make it all face the same way, don't ask me why I decided to do it like that I can't remember.   I added cornerstones in orange, which I also used for the binding.  As a point of  interest I have been using some of the  leftover orange scraps  recently to make the noses on my snowman cushions.  Waste not want not.

Unfortunately when I zoomed in the quality wasn't good enough to allow you to see the hand quilting, so I will just have to tell you about it.  I hand stitched around all the animals and some of the detail on them as well as some of the leaves, butterflies, rainbow etc..  I even quilted around the small animals in the border.  It took me ages, good job I started early.  Emily now uses it in the camper van, she is going on five so the design is still fine for now.  However I believe there are plans afoot to turn her bedroom from a jungle into a bedroom fit for a little girl, so a new quilt may be in the offing before long.

If you have left a comment since Saturday I won't have read it or answered it yet, as I said last week I don't have wifi, a phone signal, or tv this week.  I have taken a little hand sewing, though not much, and a couple of books too,

these are they, World Without End and Pillars of the Earth, Ken Follett.  I have read them before but I don't have copies so I treat myself as I won't be spending anything much at all when I'm away.  I didn't mind buying these as I know I will reread them in the future, also after many years a third book will make them a trilogy next month and I have had it on preorder for ages so this is the right time to read them again.  I don't think I will get them both finished in time though, these take some reading.  It's the kind of books I like, no three to four hundred pages for me, there just isn't enough words for a good complicated story to develop.

So, that's all for today, no linking up, unless you are reading through Mean Queen, she has my blog on her sidebar.  If you haven't read it take a look, she is indeed the queen of frugal living in the UK.  The posts vary a lot, sometimes she just shows some pics, other times she talks about her crafting, sometimes she talks about how she has been saving money or her opinions of life, and some of the posts can stir up a real hornets nest.  Do make sure you read the poem on the sidebar one of the readers wrote, it sums her up brilliantly.   It's a great blog, but don't just judge it on one post, have a good look around while you are there.  There is also a monthly update on the quest to walk a thousand miles a year and lots of people add their totals in the comments.  Do you know it's not as difficult as you think?  All you have to do is about three miles a day.  Amazing, I never thought of it like that.

See you again next week and I will tell you where I have been and what I have been doing, but don't hold your breath, it won't be THAT exciting.

With smiles from,
Kate x

Still Obsessed........

with Gypsy Wife.  I can't help it, I have never had this happen before.  If I'm not in my sewing room making blocks, I'm thinking about making them, choosing colours, discarding, choosing again, and all in my head.  Oh and you wouldn't believe how long that takes me, literally hours, then I will start making it and change them again.

So, where are all these blocks I have been making?  Can't tell, no, I decided I am going to drip feed them to you, just like in the sew along.  I may have to have a few weeks off quilting in October so if I do I will still have something to share, that's the theory anyhow, I will be scheduling some posts just in case and I can always edit and add to them to let you know what's happening.

So, without any further ado I give you......

Crazy Anne.  This is the second block with somewhat of a reputation, but I checked it out, read lots of tips, some helpful some not and just went for it.  The one tip that was really helpful was to use a Tri Rec ruler to make the half square rectangle bits AND I already had one, wonderful.  The blocks went together like a dream and Anne wasn't as bad as her reputation.  Mind you I do use very scant seams and I'm happy to report that so far I have not had a single block end up small, which is the most common thing I hear.

Being in a couple of Facebook groups to do with Gypsy Wife has had a great bonus, I discovered a new app, and this is what I did.......

Isn't this helpful, I took a screen shot of the pdf of the colouring page by Pink Door Fabrics, opened it up in the app, and added pics of my blocks.  I should have cropped them a bit more and got rid of the seam allowance though but it gives a great indication of how the colours will mix together.  Here are the first five blocks for the first five weeks, and no I can count, you get a bonus, I had already added a Puss in the Corner block which is week eight so you get that too.  Don't worry though, there are two Puss in the Corners so you will get a new block in week 8.

If you are interested in the app it is piZap and best of all it is free, although it says there are in app purchases, although I haven't been asked if I want to buy any so far.  I would recommend using it on a tablet rather than a phone though, that would be just too fiddly.   There is annoying adverts that come up after you press 'save' though so I press to close it fast.  I can put up with it as there are none while I am actually using it.  I'm not trying to advertise the app mind, remember I don't have sponsors or anything like that and I don't want to either, for me it would take the joy out of blogging and just saying whatever comes into my head if I had to think about advertising stuff.  I blog because I enjoy it and for no other reason.  That said I can understand those who do have sponsors, quilting isn't a cheap hobby, we are all different at the end of the day and what is right for one is not necessarily right for another.  Enough said.

Now I am going to shock you, at least shock those of you who have been reading for a while, here it comes.........

Circles, I've been doing free motion quilting!  A squiggly meander in the background.  No, I was beginning to think I wouldn't see the day either!

Have a closer look.  It's fairly even although it varies slightly in places but hey, tis done and I'm happy, ecstatic actually.  I'm leaving the dark grey diamonds unquilted so they pop, I'm really glad I decided to add them they bring a new dimension to the quilt, in my opinion!  The circles will be the next thing I do, then the borders.  I am hoping to get it finished by the beginning of October, keep your fingers crossed.  Just don't look at the back.........

I said not to look at the back.  Well, go on then what do you think, inspired or dog's dinner?  Closer?  You want jam on it!   Oh all right then.

The colours are slightly distorted on this pic, it's more of a reddy burgundy like the first one, but a bit deeper.   It does give you a good look at the quilting though.  As you can see the size of the meander does vary a bit but in the grand scheme of things and as it is my quilt who is to notice or to care?  My only real mistake was to use solids instead of a tone on tone fabric and thread of a different colour to the the solids to boot,  AND advertise the fact.  I've made a mental note about THAT one.

I'm going away next week but I plan on scheduling a short post before I go which will be due Wednesday.  I won't be here to link up so if you normally read my blog on a regular link up you will have to get me direct next week,  IF you want to read my ravings that is!  I will have no wifi, no phone signal, and no tv either.  Retreat?  I would love another quilting retreat, I haven't done one for five years when I went to France for a week with Sandi Lush doing hand quilting.

So until next time,
With smiles from,
Kate x

Linking up with:
Midweek Makers
Wednesday Wait Loss
Needle And Thread Thursday
Can I Get a Whoop Whoop?
Finished or Not Friday

A late return but look what I did........

I feel as if I have been away for ages, and certainly longer than I intended, but I had an accident the day I returned from holiday.  It was just a stupid trip, I was waking across a tiled floor and looking at my grandchildren, I didn't see the shallow step down, just about 2 inches, and I fell.  Unfortunately I fell on my head and knocked myself out.   I refused to go to hospital as I was due to travel home, a few hours later, but ended up there a couple of days later when back in the UK.  Fortunately my CT scan was clear, but I had concussion.   The headache is now gone, just a sore spot on my head.   I did feel rather subdued though and not my usual self at all.  I couldn't blog either, I didn't even read any blogs,  I tell you I needed a big kick to get me going, so here I am.

I do have some progress to show you though which I started before I went away.

Oh yes, the circles quilt is nearing completion and I gave it a good shake.  

You see although it looked good with the bright appliquéd blocks it was just a bit boring and needed some more interest, so, I added a stitch and flip triangle to the plain corners using 1.5 inch squares.

It made it a bit tricky to join the blocks, and rows together, but I love the results, it just adds another dimension and gives it a lift.   Like it?

And here is the back.  I had to re press some of the circles and press the joining seams open to educe the bulk.  Karen gave me a great tip, apparently when you do half square triangles or stitch and flip triangles you should press them open BEFORE you cut them apart, it makes them more accurate.  Guess what?  It works, they are easier to press and you don't get the distortion you can otherwise get.

The thing is what do I do now.  I had planned on adding a border, but then I thought it may be too busy. It does need to be a bit bigger though as it is only about 48 inches square.

Well I liked the idea of  using rectangular blocks of colour after reading all about Luna's lovely quilt here, and Stacey's beautiful quilt Winter Polarity.  But maybe it would be too much colour for my quilt.  THEN, after talking it over with the lovely Jennifer, who not only gave me a wonderful suggestion but even planned it out for me on her programme and gave me a visual to see what it would look like, I have it.  No I'm not going to show you, not until it's done.  Thank you so much Jennifer, you go beyond friendship to help others.

Ok, thats the end of the quilting stuff.  Here are I some pics of my holiday for those who are interested.

This is one of the famous views of Corfu.

 I like this one

 My beautiful daughter and grandchildren.  Kelsey's hair was very long but she had it cut off at Christmas to make a wig for a child who had lost theirs through illness.  She raised more than enough money to make it into a wig in the process.

On a visit to a monastery Caryne and Kelsey were wearing shorts with their shoulders exposed, they were given skirts and shows to wear before they could enter.  Rather fetching don't you think?

Out for an evening meal, a group selfie.  It always looks strange to see Caryne with a glass of wine her hand as she hardly ever drinks alcohol.

Time to depart, goodbye Greek Islands

I hope I didn't add too many and bored you.  Promise I won't leave it so long next time.

Until then
Smiles from
Kate

Linking up with

Can I get a Whoop Whoop?

 Anja at Anja Quilts hosting TGIFF
Cooking Up Quilts
Lets Bee Social
Needle 'n' Thread Thursday

Building Blocks Tuesday

Hello and welcome to friends old and new.  Today I am honoured to be the Guest Blogger for Jen at Quilter in the Closet while she is taking a little summer break.  It was Jen who gave me the impetus to start this blog back in January when she issued her 100 Day Challenge without which I may well have still been procrastinating.  Therefore it seems fitting that my first ever guest blog should be for Jen.   It would be wonderful if you could all link up your blocks too, to make my first guest post really successful, the icing on the cake.  Did someone say cake??????

As this is a very special post for me I am launching the start of a new quilt, new to me anyway, although I'm sure most of you will have heard of, and some will quake at the thought of, The Gypsy Wife.  Oh yes, I have dreamed about it for over two years, I have had the pattern for over a year, and now I have started it.   If you haven't seen it before here it is

Beautiful isn't it?   The challenge to me is in the complexity of it, the sheer number of blocks combined with the strips, and putting it together with those partial seams, but I love to challenge myself so here are the first blocks.

Bordered square in a square 5 inch finished

Hourglass with two borders 6 inch finished

Square in a square 3 inch finished, I need another 22 of this size for the quilt, and no I am not kidding, there are another 12 in different sizes too.

Pinwheel 4 inch finished, yes I agree I didn't do a very good job of the centre

Puss in the Corner 5 inch finished, no I haven't pressed it very well, you don't miss much do you?

I have started with section 1 and these are all the blocks in this section.  Yes I know it was an easy section and they will get harder but please let me bask in my moment of glory with the almost finish of a section.

This is the first Puss in the Corner I made, it was too much purple for the section, but I need two for the quilt so it won't go to waste.

This is the one I made a mistake with, yes with such a simple block, but you get the bad as well as the good here.  What did I do wrong?  I cut the centre square 3 inches instead of 3.5 inches,  Actually I rather like it so I may just use it anyway.  AND, wouldn't a perfect quilt be just plain boring?  If I was the perfect quilter (is there such a thing?) you would all be watching hoping I made a mistake, or is that just me?

These are the 1.5 inch strips I cut, I won't need all of these for this section and yes I know I duplicated one, but the strips run the length of the quilt and some lengths are so long they need two width of fabric strips.  No, they are not all 1.5 inches, some are 1 inch........If you are interested I believe there are 55 strips in total, not including the long ones.

If you are interested there is a Gypsy Wife quilt along on just now, they are on to section 7 so I am a little behind, but I've been following it since January.   It is being held by Hydeeann from Splish Splash Stash and Megan of Jaffa Quilts.  There is an excellent document of all the blocks in each section and another on the strips.  Here are the links for the block chart  and the strips.   If you read both blogs from the start of the  quilt along you will get all the info and excellent tutorials.

If you have been before you might be wondering about my circles quilt, so here is my progress.

These are the finished (unless I add something) blocks.......

and these are the rest.  Oh yes, two quarter circles left to appliqué and they are already made, doing my happy dance........

So, that's it for this week, I hope you enjoyed your visit and it would be lovely to see you again.

Until then,
Smiles from
Kate

An InLinkz Link-up

Circle Quilt Update

Day 3 of the New Quilt Bloggers Blog Hop

It's been a while since I told you of my circle quilt plans, but as you know Bluebell Woods took over. Now she is finished, apart from The Final Chapter, Secrets Revealed on Friday, I can concentrate on the circles quilt, which hasn't got a proper name yet.

So, a reminder, this was my first fabric pull

Not fine tuned yet.  And this is where I was up to

Now, how about showing you what I did first.

The first thing I did was to decide about the quilt style and size.  I had look at a number of circle quilts, but the circles were mostly too big or too small, so I drew it out.  When I was sort of happy with it I counted the blocks so I could determine the size.  My layout of the blocks I decided to be 6 x 6, a nice square and I decided on an 8 inch block.   That gives me  a size of 48 inches square before borders.   Fine, I can get 5 blocks out of an 8.5 inch strip, so I need 7 x 8.5 inches for my background, 59.5 inches plus a little wiggle room to allow for straightening and such.  I decided on 2 meters, then I would have a little left over for scrappy backgrounds, but 2 yards works too.  I can only buy in meters and centimetres in the UK.

Now the circles.  I knew I wanted quarter circles in two corners of the squares, so it wasn't too busy.  I drew part of the square to make my template and marked 4.5 inches to allow for the seam allowance. Actually I didn't have my thinking head on as it should have been 4.25 inches, but it makes little difference.  I got out my compasses which I bought when I started quilting and had never used in 10 years, REALLY, and I kept them all this time.  So, I drew my quarter circle for the template.  I could have just drawn around a dish of the approximate size either, the halved and quartered it, but my brain doesn't always think in the logical way, until I have finished the hard way that is.  Next I glued the paper to the back of a cereal box and cut it out.  If it was something I would use in the future I would have used a plastic template sheet but it's likely to be a one off.

Then it was just a matter of drawing around the template on freezer paper, and cutting them out.  I ironed the papers on to the back of the fabric. and left a quarter inch on the curve so I could turn it under and tack in place followed by a zap with the iron for a nice sharp edge.  The seam allowance is already included on the straight sides.

Then it was just a matter appliqueing the circles to the background.  I like to use silk thread, I have a collection I have built up over the years and some colours are very versatile, but any thread does, thinner thread is better than a thicker one though.  Yes, I could have made them using a drunkards path method, but I like the look of an appliqued circle.  I didn't want to do bonded applique because I intend to trim the background just before stitching the blocks together to reduce bulk.  I could of course have removed the paper leaving the edge turned under, and tacked the fabric to the background before stitching it with a buttonhole stitch.  

So this is where I'm up to.  12 of the blocks are ready for the next stage, 12 quarter circles ready to be appliqued.  When that is done I will be halfway through that bit. 

This will give you an idea of where I'm going.   Although I have used several different fabrics at this stage I obviously need more.  I ended up purchasing a pack of 20 10 inch squares of Amish Jewels to give me more variety without spending a lot more money.  Maybe I should have done that in the first place but I really like the textured read as solids.   I have a thought about shaking it up a bit to give it a bit of oomph.  I'll wait until all the blocks are finished first, but before I stitch them together.

So, what do you think so far?  Is it what you expected?  If you like the look of it but it's the wrong size for you there are two options.  Either increase or reduce the size of the blocks and circles, say use 10 inch blocks and make 5.5 inch circles, or 6 inch blocks and 3.25 circles.  Or, make more blocks until it is the right size for you.  I'm thinking about a 1 inch dark grey border and a four inch border with blocks of the inner colour, maybe.  Ha anyone got any ideas? I'm open to suggestions.

My giveaway is open until Saturday night, that would give you 18 x 10 inch squares towards the fabric if you wanted to make a circles quilt,  There again you may have something totally wonderful you would rather make instead.  Just leave a comment on Bluebells post and for a second entry let me know how you follow me.  Winner to be announces next Wednesday.

I'm revisiting an old post to complete another project tomorrow, and I am so pleased with it.  No I won't tell you, it's a surprise.

I am so enjoying my week on the New Quilt Bloggers Blog Hop.  If you missed my introduction post it is here.  The other quilters in my group are;

Emily @ The Darling Dogwood

Miranda @ I Have Purple Hair

Holly @ Lighthouse Lane Designs

I'm looking forward to seeing you tomorrow

Smiles

Kate

Linking up with 

Building Blocks Tuesday
Let's Bee Social
Needle and Thread Thursday

A New Quilt and Good News

Don’t you just love starting a new quilt?  Deciding on a pattern, gathering fabrics, choosing, discarding, choosing again.   Hopes and dreams, thoughts of loved ones, all bound up together in the promise of this wonderful new creation.

But first I have to share my good news or I'll burst.  I got an email to say I have been accepted for the 2016 New Quilt Bloggers Blog Hop.  So excited!!!!  Did you notice what is on my sidebar? The Button.  Oh yes, I learned how to add them just in time.  I'm doing my happy dance.

Second,  I am linking up to Heidi at Red Letter Quilts for One Monthly Goal. This month I have to finish City Lights.  It needs the back sorted, layered, quilted, and binding.  I have three weeks.  Yes I know you've seen this pic before but I love it, in fact it's now my desktop pic.

Now, back to the new quilt.  All of April I was pursued by circle quilts, wherever I looked, I LOVE circle quilts.  Did you see Luna’s wonderful quilt top Amish Grace?  So beautiful and I so love the colours.   If you click through don't forget to check out her Quits page, you won't be disappointed.  Luna produces some of the most wonderful modern quilts.  Then there is Kaja’s lovely  quilt at Sew Slowly, this was the first one that piqued my interest.   Ann from Fret not Yourself has made and stunning quit called Freddy Dot Com, be still my beating heart.  I gave in, I HAVE to make a circle quilt, but I reasoned that it would be to my advantage, after all there are times when it is not convenient or practical to do machine work, if I have some handwork such as appliquéing circles then it could be a get up and go project, hmmmmmmmm

I checked my stash, white tone on tone or a solid sort of mushroom colour.  Not how it looks in my head so it was time to go shopping.  I knew I wanted strong, though not necessarily bright colours, maybe on a dark blue  or grey background so the lovely colours shine out.  How come you can never find the right colour when you want it?  

Then, I spotted it, my perfect background.  Lynette Anderson My Hearts at Home, love it.   Then to sort the circles.  I did find some fabrics in my stash, in large scraps fat quarters and half meters, but of course I HAD to add to it.  What about these.  A mixture of solids, textures, and a shot cotton.  Perfect.  Except I'm not convinced about the bright purple and the bottle green, any thoughts? The wine and the dark rusty colour together seem similar too????????

I had already planned it out, 8 inch finished blocks, quarter circles.  I found a pair of compasses, measured out the square, drew the quarter circle, made a template and cut out a dozen freezer paper templates.

Here is where I am now.   All 36 blocks cut out and the first 12 quarter circles ready to be appliquéd.

Just a reminder in case you missed a post, I now have a home button AND I added a page, Blogging Tutorials.  Now if you need to find one or, think you may have missed one they are all together, including the new one, Adding a Link in your Posts.  Before you ask, yes I have one for adding a home button which I will post in a couple of days, and I plan to do one for adding pages, and how they work.

Linking up with
Heidi at Red Letter Quilts One Monthly Goal
Bits 'n' Bobs Design Board Monday
Love Laugh Quilt Monday Making

Connie at Freemotion by the River Linky Tuesday

Alyce at Blossom Heart Quilts, Sew Cut Tuesday 

Lorna at Sew Fresh Quilts Lets Bee Social

I'll let you know how I get on later in the week

Smiles

Kate