Bits and Pieces

Well it's been a bitty week. I've done a bit of this and a little of that. Saying that though I have been fairly busy. just not sewing.

I've sashed one row of Simple Times and that's it.

It's been glorious weather wise for a change in Wales so I've spent quite a bit of time in the garden .

The greenhouse is slowly filling up with plants, plus I need to find room for the ones still on my windowsills.

The fish in the pond are enjoying the sun aswell.

Thursday we went to a garden show about 2 hrs drive away. I was very good and only picked up 2 clematis. Did get lots of ideas though.

The weather for this week coming is supposed to be back to our normal cold and rain. No gardening for me so I'll be spending time in the sewing room instead. Fingers crossed.

List? What List

Yes I know the last post was a sort of list of what I was going to work on this month. So obviously when I got into my sewing room yesterday I decided to work on something different. In my defence though I need to get backing fabric and wadding before I can quilt those two tops.

Last month I pulled out Simple Times to work on.

 A BOM that was only part complete. You can see how far I got HERE. I still needed to make the 13 alternate 9 patch blocks though.

Yesterday I buckled down and got them all made.

And when I laid them out I realised that one of them wasn't quite right

so that got unpicked and put right.

Laying the quilt out roughly on my design bed so you get the subtle effect

I've cut the sashing and cornerstones but haven't sewn any of them yet. I've lain some out though so you can see the effect.

Until I get to the fabric shop to get backing for one of the tops I want to quilt, this weeks job is to get the centre of this quilt sewn together. The dresden fan border can wait for a bit I think.

Looking Forward

I'm still trying to keep going with working on 2 UFO's a month. It's not going too well though. The plan at the beginning of the year was to actually finish the two designated quilts in the month. The last few months have been hectic and I've been lucky if I've managed to progress them. Still I plough on regardless.

This month's UFO's to work on are

Dancing With Stars

A paper pieced  BOM  from a few years ago that needs sandwiching up and quilting

and Tonga Batik

yet another BOM from a few years ago that just needs sandwiching and quilting.

Both are double bed sized.

I have kept up with my Bees and Sew Alongs. I'm Queen Bee in the only Bee I'm in so no need to make any blocks for that this month. The sew along I'm joining in on via Facebook has the Quilter's Cache Double Aster block for his month. I haven't made this one before so looking forward to getting some time to  get it done.

On the home front we are still busy decorating and moving furniture around plus now we've finally got some warmth in the Welsh sun there's so much that needs doing in the garden. Sewing time I'm afraid is taking a back seat. Hopefully I can get the Sew Along block done this weekend so I've something to show you. Otherwise I'm afraid my next post may be a tour of the garden and greenhouse.

New Bloggers Blog Hop 2017

With thanks to Yvonne of Quilting Jet girl for letting me join the Blog Hop and Leanne of She Can Quilt for being my Hive mum it's time for my blog post.

About Me

I'm Gina a housewife from the fabulous valleys of South Wales in the UK.

 I live in a town that has this at it's heart

A castle built in the 13th Century with its own ghost. As well as being a huge tourist attraction it has also featured in many Doctor Who episodes.

I've been patchwork and quilting for approximately 20 years. I sort of fell into it to be honest. I was visiting a local stately home that had a patchwork shop in it's grounds. I went in looking for cross stitch thread. I commented on the lovely quilts and was persuaded to put my name down on the waiting list for a beginners class. By the time I got home there was a message saying someone had dropped out and I was in. The rest as they say is history. ( as is the 1st quilt which was loved to death by my daughter)
I enjoy all forms of patchwork but I'm tending to do more by machine now as my eyes aren't as good as they used to be. I'm lucky in that I have a room I can devote to sewing and keep the mess I make contained.

This is the after shot, you don't want to see the before. Oh you do, Ok then don't say you weren't warned.

I sew all my quilts on my domestic Janome. I won her in a competion years ago and she's my workhorse. I also do all my own quilting on her, including this Super King sized quilt.

I've also got a very basic Brother that I use when the unpredictable Welsh weather lets me sew outside.

After sewing my next love is my garden. This is only thing that keeps me out of my sewing room for any length of time. To be  honest if forced to choose between the two then my garden would win. Sorry ladies.
As the name of my blog suggests I'm also a baker

and when the mood takes me I will spend a full day baking only to see hubby take it to work and we are left with nothing. Still at least it doesn't go to waste.

Favourite Quilts

Right that's enough about me. I lead a boring life really so there's not much to tell. I thought I'd show you some of my favourite quilts that I've finished. I'll try and give any information that I remember.

These were done in a workshop on curved piecing more years ago than I care to admit. As you can see I was going through my bright stage. One I haven't really grown out of if I'm honest.

This one hangs in my hallway. It's a pieced background but the leaves are real leaves trapped between layers of wonder web and chiffon. I call it Forever Autumn and keep meaning to do a summer one with flowers.

 This table runner has sentimental attachments. It was made for a private swap with a dear internet friend in the US. She has since died and I miss our fun conversations over the computer.

 Another one for the bright pile. This was a sew along with Lorna at Sew Fresh Quilts ran the year before last. Each pup is a different colour and has a bone to match. I loved making this quilt.

 A baby quilt. Nothing too special but I love making baby quilts. they are so fun to make up. Unfortunately I don't know many people of the age who can or want to get pregnant so everyone I make is special and exciting to me.

Finally my owls quilt. This was a cross stitch sew along a year or so ago run via facebook. Each owl is slightly different and in a different colour scheme. I decided to border them and make then up as a wallhanging. I like combining quilting with cross stitch. Somehow it lends itself to be made up in this way.

Hints, Tips and Advice

I see alot of quilters out in internet land worrying about "losing their mojo". If that happpens to you, as it does to me every so often can I offer you advice. DON'T WORRY.
Close the door of your sewing room. Put your machine away and forget all about sewing. Find a new or re visit an old hobby I can promise you that one day you'll wake up and your fingers will start to itch for patchwork again. It may take weeks, it may take months but it will happen. I went 6 months without even looking at my sewing machine one year. Nothing happened ( well apart from it being covered in dust). The earth wasn't engulfed in flames, the mountains didn't fall into the sea, well not around here anyway. I went back when the time was right and picked up where I left off. If the truth is told I felt better after the break as sewing was starting to become stale for me.

Well if you've stayed with me this far I thank you for your patience. Please visit the blogs that are posting with me today

AMY - Amy's Scrap Spot

NICOLE  - Handwrought Quilts

BARBARA - Crazy Red Quilts

VIVIAN - Quilting with Vivian

KARA - Sunshine Kwilt

Also Yvonne and Leanne are having a giveaway today so visit them to enter. Let me know if you are lucky enough to win anything.