String Fling Finished

It is amazing how working to a deadline can inspire you to finish something.  At the beginning of April I joined Rachel at Stitched in Color's Scrap Attack - String Fling QAL.  I had wanted to make a String Quilt for a while, so decided that this was the motivation I needed.  Using the FITF paper pieced tutorial I made 49 x 8.5" blocks.  They came together really quickly.  However ripping off all the paper foundation caused some stretching of my blocks.  If  I was to make these again I would probably use a muslin or even very light interfacing as a  foundation.

Quilting was difficult, and because I don't have a walking foot I kept it relatively simple, stitched in the ditch on all horizontal and vertical lines and then three rows of stitching on the diagonal crossways through each row. 

So this is the finished quilt, about 54" square, backed in a cream and black ticking type fabric, and bound with black and white polka dots, larger than the centre block stripes.

I'm very pleased it's finished and we're looking forward to using it it to snuggle up under on the sofa on these cooler autumn and winter nights.

Tuesday

What a beautiful day today after all the rain we had yesterday.  There is however a definite autumnal chill in the air now.  I spent the day pottering around home and did some baking and made these family  favourite Gingernuts.

I finished off a pin cushion for my sister-in-law,

and did some crafty reading - lots of fabulous inspiration in these.

I have also finished binding my string quilt, so I will try to get some decent photos tomorrow.

A Lovely Surprise

My sister Janine lives in Brisbane,  she is  multi-talented crafter who has has recently learned to crochet.  Anyway late last year I sent her this link for an Infinity Cowl and jokingly said  'You can make me this'.  Because we often do this to each I didn't think any more of it.

Well look what she sent me:

The photos don't do it justice. It is a beautiful deep red and so soft and snuggly and I am almost looking forward to the cooler months ahead when I can wear it.

The wool she used is: Panda Magnum Soft 8 ply.

Thanks so much Janine - it's beautiful.

Weekending

I went down to Cambridge for the weekend with my family, where we stayed with my lovely in-laws.  On the way there my very patient husband stopped at Grandmother's Garden a wonderful fabric shop in Gordonton.  I had a little spend and got some colours that I don't usually use much of, some lovely script fabric and some tape for embellishing projects

Later that afternoon my sister-in-law and I went into Hamilton to see the WOW Exhibition at the Waikato Museum, there were some fabulous creations, hours of work in some of the pieces. Unfortunately we weren't allowed to take photos.

That same very talented sister-in-law then presented Miss B with this fabulous birthday cake she had made and decorated to celebrate her 11th birthday which was earlier in the week.

I did manage to get a little sewing done, this pincushion has been made for my partner in the Fabric Basket Swap I am participating in through Flickr.  A start was also made on the handstitching of the my string quilt binding.

Off to go and do groceries and housework now - a very wet day for Miss B and Mr J's first day back at school.

A Pile of Books

Something extra today.  Don't you just love it when the library lets you know that  books you have requested are ready to collect.  Some days it is like book Christmas - you are never sure how many will be there.  As you can see I have small pile to work my way through.  Luckily most of them are checked out for 30 days.

It is meant to be wet this weekend, so between binding my quilt, a new magazine and this pile of books I shall be quite happy.