It’s Amazing what you can do

 

with one hand. I managed to plant 6 more lettuce plants today – Mind you, I still can’t do the dishes! LOL!

All that lovely Perpetual Spinach. It seems to go on growing through most of the Winter here.

And my Rocket and Basil which I love.

 

I have made 2 more of my Barbara Brackman Civil War Blocks.

Block 14 – Fox and Geese

And

Block 15 – Fort Sumter

I am not very true to the fabrics of the era, but I am using Reproductions.I love some of the fabrics the others are using, but I need to use the 3 draw full’s that I have on hand. After all the quilt is for me, and I must have liked what I bought in the first place. :-)

Now to tackle the Basket Block, but as I want to applique a handle, I might have to leave that until my cast is off.

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Posting the Old with the New

I started this post about 3 weeks ago, but never got it finished, so I will carry on from here.

I am nearly 3 weeks into recovery and have been told it will take at least another 4/5 weeks.

In the meantime, I have been able to sew a little and have managed another couple of Water Bottle Carriers. I am heading down to Queenstown at the end of the week, for our National Quilt Symposium, so I’m thinking these will come in very handy.

I also managed some Barbara Brackman Civil War Blocks

Block 11 - London Square

This was a nice easy block to make.

Another easy one!

Block 12 – Louisiana

 

MARCH 19th

Just arrived home from Brisbane, Australia from hot humid weather to rain. Still can’t complain as we needed it.

I have so missed my sewing time, but now I’m due to have an operation on the base of my thumb to remove an arthritic joint, so I will probably be out of action for a week or so. Maybe I’ll still be able to sew on the machine, if I get my ‘stuff’ organised.

Before I left I had to make a couple of birthday gifts and a ‘happy to see you gift’ for my friend in Brisbane Julie.

It’s a wonder she’s still my friend, as I was supposed to meet her at her club day on the 18th but somehow got it into my brain that it was on the 19th. I arrived only to find no-one there, and on ringing Julie was asked “where were you yesterday?” DUH!! I was so disappointed as I had been really looking forward to catching up and meeting the “girls” Julie managed to organise her work day a couple of days later and we had OUR catch-up and gossip!!

 

This is the photo of one of the Water Bottle Carriers  I made as a gift. The pattern was in Homespun No.92 Vol. 12.1

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Another Day In The Life of a Frustrated Quilter!

 I am sitting here typing with one hand. First day I have managed to even get out of bed and have a shower with a plastic bag wrapped around my arm and hand. We arrived home from our trip to Australia last Sunday morning, and I was advised I could have the operation on my thumb joint, the following Thursday morning. Thinking it might be a long wait if I turned them down, I said yes thats great.
Only problem was my sister was arriving from down country the same day, for a week of shopping therapy. Unfortunately she doesn't sew, so its days of clothing shopping. The operation went well, but the recovery was abit rough to say the least. The pain relieving medication only succeeded in making me very nauseous. Anyway all seems to be O.K. now and I just have to be patient.

Hopefully by Thursday 31st I'll be more lively, as I am booked into a class with Gail Garber from USA. Its a 2 day class called "Flying Colours", but at this stage I might only be taking paper and pencil etc and not my machine, as I have a half plaster cast on my arm and thumb up to my elbow. Fortunately its my left hand.

I had a great day as usual in Brisbane with my dear friend Julie who once again gave me a lovely gift of 2 pincushions, and a little purse and took me patchwork shopping. Being with the family for 9 days it was hard to do this, so my time with Julie was lovely. 

I am 3 weeks behind with my Civil War Blocks, so as soon as I can cut out and get the machine going, I'll have to get on with them.

Sorry no pics today, as I'm on the laptop and its too hard!:-))
Bye for now

Sue

http://www.susannasquilts.blogspot.com

Then the Next Day…

 

These books arrived in the post.

Some yummy projects to drool over, and think about starting!!

I have been busy making my Civil War Blocks and have now made # 9

BIRDS IN THE AIR – This block is 8” finished.

Also have made two more Blocks in my Dear Jane Journey

Blocks # A3 & A8 – these blocks are 4 1/2” finished

Have also managed to finish my Nearly Insane Block # 6

These blocks are 6” finished.

 

I am really enjoying making these blocks and have just got one more row on another block to finish then I can post a photo.

DONE! Here is BLOCK 17

What a mission this one was. It has taken me on and off a couple of days to get it right. ( or as near as)

I think I went about the piecing in the wrong order, then ended up with a bit of a mess. Thank goodness its done.

 

 

Well, I’m off for the weekend to celebrate my birthday with one of my grandsons, at the beach, so thanks for dropping by

Just In Case…

I didn’t get anything much for my birthday (haha any excuse) I thought I would shout myself something! On the day guess what arrived in the post.
 
Aren’t they yummy? Good for my Nearly Insane Quilt and my Civil War Quilt.
Also the odd book or two appeared. Here’s a photo of one of them.
But I needn’t have worried, because Sharon a dear friend of mine in Arizona sent me this gorgeous bag and Linen Tea towel with a Chocolate Chip recipe printed on it. She made both gifts and I love them both.

My Dear Sister sent me this delightful scarf
( great to hide the Turkey Neck!! )
Two dear friends near home sent me a voucher for a facial so I’m all set.
Went out last night for dinner at a Thai  Restaurant with family
the day before I even had time to bake. Love this recipe as it makes
lots of bickies.
 
Tomorrow I will post pictures of the latest blocks I have made.
Thanks for dropping by

Sue

More Blocks

I’ve been a bit slow on the blogging lately, but on most days have managed to do a little bit of sewing.
Went to a Sew in Day last Saturday run by Pine Valley Quilts and managed to make 2 more in my Dear Jane Blocks Journey.  I started this
quilt way back when, and have just gotten the urge to get back to it.
Made another couple in the last day or so
These blocks are 4 1/2” finished.
I was so annoyed with myself making this block ( above) I had 3/4’s of it pieced when I realised I had printed the pattern out at 6 “ instead of 4 1/2” . I finished it to go in the UFO draw, and remade it in the smaller size.
I also managed to get my Barbara Brackman Civil War Block made.
This is Week 8 and is called COTTON BOLL Not so good in the centre matching, but I think I’m O.K. with it. I may tweek it a little before I piece the quilt!
I haven’t done any Nearly Insane Blocks this week so must get on and do one in the weekend.
Thanks for dropping by 

I’ve been Busy Making My

Nearly Insane Block # 71

Oops that looks a little off – some fudging needed there I think.

 

  and Block # 34

I enjoyed this one. You can’t beat a nice Star Block.

The background fat 1/4 I bought for $1 at a stall at a show. :-)

 

And Block # 40

I have also made my Barbara Brackman Blocks.

I usually get into them on Sunday morning when they arrive in my mail box, but when Block 6 arrived I didn’t have time. Before I knew it, it was Saturday, and I thought if I don’t get onto it, the next one would be here, and I would start lagging behind.

So…. I cut my fabric and sewed merrily along, only to find the rows didn’t match or fit. Darn I knew I should have checked what others had done. Its good because all those who get stuck in straight away, seem to iron out any cutting errors. I checked then re cut and Viola a lovely block.

Block 6 - Richmond

 

And Block 7 Log Cabin

Even this block needed a little caution in the cutting.

Thanks for dropping by

 

Ticking along Nicely!

Block 5 – Kansas Troubles.

A block to piece carefully, but it turned out quite nice. Its fun to hook up on Sunday mornings and get the latest from Barbara Brackman’s Civil War blocks. Makes it a lot easier for me to keep up. ( At this stage anyway heehee)

I’m managing to have quite a few sewing days at the moment, as we can’t go away on holiday. Planted some lettuce and perpetual spinach which is so great to grow. Just cut the leaves off as you want the spinach and the plant just keeps on reproducing more. I planted 6 plants last summer, and they kept going until I went away in September then because DH was in charge the garden went to weeds. :-(

We eat a lot of spinach – I wash it, chop it up, add no extra water, then cook until its wilted ( not long) then drain and add lots of chopped fresh garlic. I then pour over a couple of tablespoon of good Olive Oil and about half that quantity of a good vinegar. Balsamic usually, although any is fine.  Yummy!!

I have just finished two more NEARLY INSANE BLOCKS

Block 28

and Block 22

Oh No!!! I have just realised that my flying geese are going the wrong way on the sides. Oh well, too bad – I’m not redoing it. They’ll just have to stay that way.

Spot the difference in the outside fabric. As I said in my earlier post, I did what Salinda Rupp might have had to do, and make do. I ran out of the fabric I had done everywhere else and had to make about 7 of the outside of the geese in a different fabric.

Thanks for dropping by

Whew those Points!

 

My Barbara Brackman Civil War Blocks

After two shots at it I managed eventually to get the Seven Sisters Block to look O.K. Unfortunately I did what a beginner would maybe do, and I should have known better. I cut my background bigger – thats correct, but I forgot to mark where my 8” came to. Lucky for me my stars only just fit inside the 1/4” seam allowance.

Boy were those points hard work. I was determined not to machine applique, as to me it would be wrong for that era, But that’s only my opinion.

Next I managed without to much trouble to make Block 4

TEXAS TEARS

Now looking forward to Block 5. 

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Two more Blocks…

 

Just now finished another Nearly Insane Block. # 21

 

I’ve also made the Block 2 in the Civil War Quilt.Civil War Quilts Its not too late to get yourself in on this quilt project.  Check out Barbara Brackman's blog.

I’m on a roll now - Cheers Sue

A New Year Gift

 

I decided to make my SIL a New Year gift. Over the past 20 or so years I have made her 2 table runners, but after looking at them on Christmas Day, I realised how faded they were.  

I really enjoyed making this, and machine quilting it in the all over stipple. I’m improving my skills in stippling, but must get onto doing something a little more challenging.

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I’m So Glad…..

That I was browsing through some blogs the other day, Tazzie in particular, and found this new Barbara Brackman Civil War Quilts project. I got really excited about it, as I have so many reproduction fabrics to use. I have made Block 1 shown.

I see block 2 has been posted so I’m away to make that one. It’s not too late if you want to get involved.

Thanks for dropping by