Anna Maria Horner Sewalong

So even though I have a few WIPs on the go at present, I have started a new quilt.

Currently happening on Instagram, is the  #AMH Sewalong, which is being hosted by Isabel and Monique.   This is a no pressure sew a long, basically make a quilt using whatever pattern you like, but using your AMH stash. I have been watching from the sidelines as all these lovely quilts are being started and in some cases finished,  and decided that I need to use this as the impetus to actually make something using my Anna Maria Horner fabrics, rather than hoarding them

 Goodness know I have enough of it, and I have long been talking about making an AMH quilt.   I did start a Magic Stars quilt last year, but am not feeling the love for it, so I think I will recycle this fabric for my Ice cream soda blocks, and I  wasn't really happy about  going back to my  original plan of an AMH Irish Chain quilt which I have been talking about for the last two years.

However while trawling through my Flickr faves, I came across this quilt, which means I can use all sorts of colours,  which really appeals to my inner bohemian, I don't think i am really a white fabric in quilts girl.

So last night, I took myself off to my sewing room and started cutting and sewing,  I was going to only use solids for the accent pieces, but have decided I am also going to use some blender fabrics too, in an effort to 'sew the stash' and hopefully not buy colours I'm lacking in.

These are a fun quick block to sew, fingers crossed it won't take too long to get a finished quilt top.

Slow Stitches

September already, this means it is officially spring in New Zealand.

• The latest eight Ice Cream Soda Blossoms, this means that I have completed three months, still at least another 40 blossoms to go. 

• My favourites from this month

• All 24 together, maybe I need more aqua and perhaps some more black, or other deeper colours for the next eight.

Sew, Stitch, Snap, Share

Lacey at the Circus, one of my Mother in law's award winning dolls

Another project knocked off my to do list.

My MIL (a porcelain doll maker) asked me to make an ironing caddy/portable ironing mat for another doll making friend of hers.  I had made my MIL one a few years ago, that she takes to  doll classes/conventions/competitions with a mini iron in it.  Of course I said yes.  She purchased the fabric and notions required and then posted them to me.  I duly procrastinated on starting it.  It is hard to sew for other people when the fabrics aren't what you would pick yourself

Last week I finally started working on it, a little bit here and there. The part that took the longest was actually marking out all the measurements for stitching.  I used a white colour pencil for this, all my other fabric markers didn't show up on the heat resistant fabric.  Over the weekend just gone, I finished the machine sewing and then was able to work on the binding and buttons in the evenings.

I haven't included a photo of the caddy unfolded,  it was very hard to photograph silvery fabric and get a decent photo.

My "must makes" for other people are done, so now I can get back to my never ending wip list.

Now, it's YOUR turn to share, by linking up your sewing and stitching projects, whether they are starts, wips, or finishes, following these guidelines.

1. Link up from any post from the past week that features something you have been sewing or stitching,
2. Somewhere in your post, please link to this post.
3. Please comment on a couple of the other Sew,Stitch, Snap, Share links - it's fun to receive comments from new people, and we are trying to encourage people to read blogs and keep blogging too.

Weekending

The past week has felt like spring is on her way.  We have had beautifully fine if somewhat cooler days.  Yesterday I repotted some pot plants, weeded the vegetable garden in anticipation of the compost I 'll be digging in soon, and had two loads of washing blowing in the breezey sunshine on the clothes line.

Here's a rundown of the pretty parts of my weekend though.

Baking:

•  Black Velvet Cake - recipe from this beautiful book and also found here.  This smelled divine as the stout, butter, chocolate and cocoa gently heated and melded together. The cake itself was delicious, very rich, so pieces smaller than what are cut are in order.  

Handsewing

• Binding a wee project for my MIL - more about this in Wednesday's Sew, Stitch, Snap, SHARE
• Some more ice cream soda blocks

Reading:

• The Chosen Few by Gregg Zoraya.  This is a true story about a platoon fighting in Afghanistan, it read like fiction, I couldn't put it down.  Such a heartbreaking read though, and such courageous young men.

Some beautiful, new to me blogs:

• https://www.abookishbaker.com
• https://katedaviesdesigns.com

Hoping you have all had a fabulous weekend too.  See you next week.

Scenes from my Week

I'm still adjusting to my new work timetable, so while I may not be as frequent at posting blogs, I am not planning on disappearing, just getting the work/home/me time balance sorted.  So here's a little bit of what's been happening the past few days

• Miniature cyclamen still flowering in my garden, they are nice and sheltered, so flower from early autumn on.

• Flowers from The Scout, given to me after a bit of a down week at work. Every time I walk into my dining room, they make me smile

• Meat free Monday is definitely happening in my home and without to much grumbling from the family either.  This week it was Moroccan Red Lentil and Chick Pea burgers - recipe from here.  Also I have decided to stop my Cook the Books posts, I'll still link to recipes and show photos of some of my baking or more interesting meals, just not in a separate post.

• More ice cream soda blocks - little bits get done during lunch breaks, or while waiting in the car during Miss B's archery sessions.

• My current reading pile - lots of different genres and themes, some for the book club I am co-hosting at work, so I really need to crack into them.

Hope you are all having a fabulous week.