Tuesday 16 April 2013

Missing....

A few people have shown concern that I have not been blogging and I have no excuse other than I just haven't. I have been doing lots of reading and following. Very early this morning I was wide awake, something like 5.00am and so decided that I will show you that I am not really missing and I have actually been doing something.

Firstly. Most of you know that I save scraps of ridiculous sizes and the box(es) are overflowing so, I decided that I would have a little play. I cut several strips of a plain cream fabric 3/4" wide. Then  I picked up the scraps and just sewed them to a cream strip  and just kept adding randomly until I had created a big enough piece. I like the crazy paved feel of this little piece.


All trimmed and bound, measuring 9" x 12". My intention now is to send it on a little adventure and donate it to the Alzheimers Art Quilt Initiative in the USA. (AAQI). Anyone who doesn't know what this is it is a wonderful thing where you can make and donate and buy online mini quilted treasures in memory of a loved one who has or is suffering from Alzheimers. All proceeds from the online auction go to the research for a cure of this terrible disease. I am simply calling this "Elsie" in memory of my mum.

I machine quilted it in the middle of each cream line. Just need to register it now before I can send it.



Having started the Scrappy Trip Around The World quilt I needed an action plan to get going with making more blocks so, my plan was to cut out all the remaining strips ready for some serious sewing. I needed 147 fabrics if I was to make the 72" square version. Hopefully my maths is correct and I have cut enough to finish what I started. This was no mean feat. It meant raiding the stash and digging deep to find 147 fabrics without repeating any. I think I have done it but not too sure that the odd one hasn't crept in. Anyway, mission accomplished and all strips ready for action.


A little progress has been made on Noughts and Crosses. Lizzie at broderie blog said that one of her sewing friends bought this pattern from her and then turned up 3 weeks later with all 42 blocks completed, all hand sewn. Phew! I am in awe. This is my humble offering but I am pleased with it so far. Maybe progress would be quicker on this one if I cut out the blocks en masse.


Had to have a little play at some fabric origami to try out this little hexagon. There was a very pretty bag on Pinterest made from these delightful fancies and it gave a link to a great tutorial so, i had to have a go. Cut from a 5" charm square you will get a hexagon with  2.5" sides, when sewn up it measures 1.25". The button hides the stitching that keeps the points in place.


It feels like it has taken me an eaternity to choose suitable fabrics for the centre of the Hertfordshire Quilt. Having found the bird fabric in my stash I then wondered how I was going to stop this from looking a dark and sombre quilt. I cut out the first row of points and that is where I got stuck. Hmm. I think at this point it was helpful to know what background the circle would sit in and I found the perfect fabric at a quilt show, a very soft peachy pink with a soft grey stripe. Now I think I am getting somewhere. The dotty fabrics were both from my stash and the white fabric has livened it up. Just have to stitch it all now. The mitred pieces are just glued down at the edge. I am sure I have given myself a big headache when it comes to deciding on what comes next but I will think about that when I get there. I really have no idea where this is going next.

 
Well, it is now 7.20am and time to get up, except that I have already been awake for over 2 hours and I need another cup of tea. I promise not to leave it so long next time.
 
Happy Stitching.
 
Love Shirley.
 
p.s. Please go and pay a visit to my lovely friend Stina and wish her a happy belated birthday as she shows her celebrations.

 

25 comments:

  1. love your scrappy alzheimers quilt, It looks wonderful and the folded flower is beautiful.
    love the fabrics for your centre block. the peach background really makes the roses in the centre fabric come to life.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Good to hear from you. I know that it's not always easy to find the energy or the will to blog, I feel the same. But you definitely haven't been idle. Love the idea of donating the mini quilt to Alzheimer research. It is so important that we'll find a cure, or at least a treatment for this terrible disease. I'm looking forward to seeing your version of the scrappy trip around the world quilt. My, yours will be very scrappy indeed with so many different fabrics. I'm not surprised it took you a long time to to cut them all.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Nice little AAQI quilt! I'm sure it will help raise funds. I have one I won a few years ago, if anyone is going to crack these horrid diseases, it's the Americans.

    And you know you have one repeat fabric, and it will be close to it's other part don't you!!! lol

    Very cute hexie too.

    ReplyDelete
  4. happy to see you post and what your up to
    I love that little AAQI quilt...what a cute idea!
    Kathie

    ReplyDelete
  5. Cute projects! I love your little scrappy quilt and the way you put it together...beautiful!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Wow !!! Shirley your little quilt is beautiful.....
    Have fun making the scrappy trip blocks.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Boy, you have been busy! Nice work! I love the circular block...perfect colors! Keep it up and thanks for keeping us posted!

    ReplyDelete
  8. You have the patience of a saint working with those tiny pieces and an amazing stash if you can find 147 different ones. Noughts and crosses is going well and I like the bird block, the white definitely stops it from being sombre,as does the pink background. The little 3D hexagon is gorgeous. You must get up early more often, I can lend you a cat who is an excellent alarm clock!

    ReplyDelete
  9. So that's what you have been doing! It is all lovely, I particularly like the noughts and crosses. You are much better than me, I got up at 2.00amish this morning because I couldn't sleep, but made myself a drink and turned the television on, and then went back to bed about 3.00am. Why can't I be productive like you?!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Love your AAQI quilt !
    147 differents fabrics, waouh ! what a stash !!! your quilt will be beautiful XXX

    ReplyDelete
  11. Some truly wonderful work Shirley and I am in awe at how well you have used your little scraps to make the Alzheimers quilt - you must have been inspired from above. Isn't it exciting when you are on a journey with a project and don't know how it will end - looking forward to seeing the progress. Take care

    ReplyDelete
  12. Shirley, you were very busy! I love your alzheimer quilt "Elsie" :) The quilt reminds me, how alzheimer influences people. The Scrappy Trip Around The World is a very funny project, i have also made some of the TSTATW blocks!
    Have a nice day! :)

    ReplyDelete
  13. Wow - love that little Alzheimer's quilt - very clever of you and perfect scrapbuster too! Your Hertfordshire fabric choices are very pretty - am sure it will all come together from here. Sometimes just deciding the fabrics is the hardest part - and now you can coordinate and complement as you go!
    Hilda

    ReplyDelete
  14. You were very busy Shirley...
    Love your quilt Elsie, very clever way to use up some scraps, that inspires me to do the same. I wish we had a fundraiser here like that.
    The TATW is fun to make...
    Julia ♥

    ReplyDelete
  15. Oh well done Shirley the AAQI is such a worthy cause . You never know who will buy it and where it will take you. My first purchase was Lori's and a wonderful friendship was born. The one I made in memory of Dick now lives in Colorada with Dawn AKA collector with a needle.
    You have been very busy and like your Hertfordshire block.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Well you certainly have been busy Shirley. You are so clever. I love your scrappy art work...all those tiny pieces. Amazing :-)
    Hugs x

    ReplyDelete
  17. I love your crazy patchwork quilt and it is perfect to honour the memory of your mum. Love the noughts and crosses and looking forward to seeing all those strips sewn up xxx

    ReplyDelete
  18. The crazy patchwork is really lovely. I saw that the beautiful house/cottage bag has turned up at its birthday destination. It's beautiful.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Your little quilt is very creative and for a great cause. Love the origami but too scared to go near Pinterest! Great start for Hertfordshire. Glad to see you back.

    ReplyDelete
  20. Good to hear from you! The scrap quilt for AAQI is beautiful. It always amazes me what can be done with scraps. Well done! Enjoyed seeing your other projects, too. I love pink! I tend not to cut for a project all at once. I like to cut, make some blocks, cut some more, make more blocks and repeat. I need the immediate satisfaction of completed blocks. I hope you haven't had more 5 o'clock awakenings. It does give one an early start to the day, but tiring if it cuts into your sleep. I like getting a lot of sleep!

    ReplyDelete
  21. Loved everything - you most certainly have been busy while we've been missing you.

    ReplyDelete
  22. You have been busy. I do think life just gets in the way of blogging sometimes. I do like brown with pink together.

    ReplyDelete
  23. Nice to read your news and hear what you are up to :o) Hope you didn't suffer too much for the early wake up call..I know if I was up at 5 I'd be ready for bed at 7 that night! :o)

    ReplyDelete
  24. Lovely lovely blogpost...well done dear!!!
    I just love everything...especially your Elsie quilt...
    Keep up the good work...you are amazing!! Hugs!

    ReplyDelete
  25. I just read an article about "When life deals you Alzheimer's, make aprons. The story of a woman whose mother with this terrible affliction made aprons. Every day she wondered what would happen...Sewing these made the bond with mother and daughter.
    A lovely blog Shirley, too long in coming of course, but happy you did it.
    Now, you better keep going, as life is moving and your little points need to get done. I remember those hexies...geez, they took on a life of their own didn't they?
    I can hardly wait to get back to quilting after reading of your early morning.

    ReplyDelete