Basket Case!

Today I completed the basket blocks of my Midnight At The Oasis...

They are not quite as the pattern 'suggests'.  My HSTs are the wrong way round, but I can live with that.  The background should be slightly more than half the block rather than split down the middle, again, not bothered.  My flower contrast is not exactly stand-out perfection, but there is so much going on in the quilt, I am sure it won't be noticed, these blocks are only 5" finished.

But my self-made bias strips for the handles turned out brilliantly, if I do say so myself!  I was convinced they would never lie flat or un-wrinkled, but I was so wrong, and to think these were on my miss 'em out, no one will know list until FQR!

That's the appliqué border all made and ready for adding, then it will be on to the teeny-tiny pieced borders.  I am not worried about the piecing, but not looking forward to all the cutting.  Definitely time for a new rotary blade me thinks.

Oh and here's a picture of my glamorous assistant who begged for her photo to be taken…

… don't know where she get that trait from!

Easy When You Know How...

It took me 6 months to get round to appliquéing on my Midnight At The Oasis flowers. Truth be told I was a bit worried that they would look shocking and that I just couldn't do it!

Amazing what a bit of Jen Kingwell inspiration can do!

So over the last week or so, snatching those quiet moments amongst the madness, I stitched.

Today we headed off for a big picnic in the park with a load of kids and mums from school, and I even stitched a bit more, and when we got home I was able to get the last flower on.

Ta da!

If you have forgotten what the rest of the quilt looks like, because I certainly had, here's how far I've got…

Tonight I will get my machine out, it's been getting a little jealous of all the hand-stitching.

Down On The Farm...

Today the sun came back, and we headed off to Fisher's Farm, courtesy of a Village Day tombola prize…

Smiles all round, and even time for a little Midnight At The Oasis.

Happy holidays xxx

Everything is Awesome… eventually!

Big ol' thundery start to the day, so it goes without saying that means a power cut or 5!

The lights and clocks were off and on again all morning, and again after lunch, just when we thought it was a safe bet to watch The Lego Movie on DVD.  But hey ho, touch-wood we are all powered up for the evening.

The sun did come out for about an hour though, so there was time for a little appliqué in the garden before the heavens opened again…

If the weather forecast is to be believed, the kids and I will be out and about tomorrow, I may have to pop my hexies in the picnic bag though, to stop me going cold-turkey from my total hand-stitching addiction!

Be prepared...

It wasn't all sitting in the sun doing nothing this weekend, I actually pulled out my next Midnight at the Oasis borders and appliqued on the bias 'stems' which I pinned about a month ago!

I loved doing it, but had built the whole process up to being a big old nightmare in my head!  Why?  I haven't a clue!

So today I began preparing the flowers that will adorn said stems.  I googled Sarah Fielke's Craftsy video to check on the tin foil circle method (not to be confused with the Tinfoil Trouser Trio - that's probably more suitable to a Random Thursday post... maybe, one day!).

Anyhow my circles are pressed and ready for the end of the week, when, as per my admission notes, I will be unfit to drive, boil a kettle, (yeah, we knew that one already), or operate any machinery!

OK so we all know I will probably just spend Friday sleeping, watching trash TV and eating ice cream, but hey, I am prepared to sew, if nothing else xxx

Extremes...

Just a couple of pics for you this evening.

I managed a half decent photo of my Midnight At The Oasis progress, despite the rain, hail and general darkness that prevailed today...

And I also pieced my long-awaited Stitch Tease II quilt top; I made the 25th block from the siggies, but forgot to get a picture of that, but here is a shot of as much as I could get in, whilst hanging it in the conservatory...

I am loving how both of these are turning out; just as I had hoped and some!

My only dilemma is that I now have two quilt tops ready and waiting, LV Vomit and my 'Hadley - Gypsy Shawl', but the backings need to be pieced, and the thought of basting them is the last thing I feel like doing at the moment.   It feels quite overwhelming, which I know is daft, but I can't decide which one to finish first.

I think I will concentrate on a couple of smaller makes that I have on the go for now, and come back to them in a week or so.  The relief of having major health issues ruled out is now being overtaken by the sickness that the magic tablets cause; they are now taking their toll, and I am getting fed up of the whole bloody thing!

Hey ho, there was happy mail too though, Lego (yay!), a good book and some fabric, so on balance it was a good day xxx

I owe you some sewing!

With the sun shining, a fully functioning computer and a body doing a reasonably good impression of pain-free, I thought I better get a couple of pics of my Midnight at the Oasis blocks so far, as promised a gazillion years ago!

I received the beautiful Jen Kingwell pattern as part of the triumphant FQR quiz team prizes, and with Jess and Sharon starting the QAL, and Adrianne being such a good influence, I was in, and opting to go 100% Denyse Schmidt before I knew it.

OK so the 'ick has slowed me down a bit, but whereas I would have gone straight for the machine appliqué option, instead I have embraced hand-stitching in a way that is even more satisfying than hand-finishing binding!!

I used freezer paper templates, painted the seam allowances with starch (another first!) then pressed, and have been stitching away slowly on the sofa all week.  I am not going to pretend the preparation was not a PITA, but sewing the little blocks has been a joy.  10 down, 10 to go.

And here's my centre block...

The pattern calls for appliquéd circles in the centre; I was going to go for portholes (this was all pre-epiphany) but as I had the perfect floral centre-piece, I just added an extra border and I love the result.

My Y-seams are not perfect, but will be more than adequate once quilted, washed and crinkled.

This quilt is making me very happy; I might not say that when I get to the milion-piece borders, but so far so good.

I have a queue of obligations I need to get on with now, plus birthday makes and quilts to finish, so hopefully I will be back behind the machine this week and knocking out some finishes before you know it.

I hope that under the circumstances you will accept this as a global thank you for all your lovely comments over the last week - I have read them all and appreciate them more than you know, but I would be here until Christmas trying to answer them all individually.  I want to add that I have been casting my beady eye over my blog list this whole time, but iPad commenting is a chore I couldn't be doing with, so consider yourselves well and truly read.

Thanks for sticking around lovely people xxx