CQJP - TAST - Quilt Blocks & Life

CQJP - TAST - Quilt Blocks & Life

Life got in the way of my online presence over the last few weeks and trouble always seems to come in 3's.

We (hubby & I) have two sons still living at home. Both sons are Uni students, and both had trouble the same week about 6 or 7 weeks ago. Hence mum (me) to the rescue.

The first trouble that occurred was son#1 computer blew up. 

As his coursework demands copious amounts of research, writing, and digital designing, I had to give him my computer to use until he could buy a new one. Hence, most of my online absence was due to not having my own computer. 

The second trouble happened when son#2 was driving up the motorway to his Uni. The cambelt broke on his car and he managed to maneuver his dead car to the hard-shoulder through the busy city traffic. The engine was damaged beyond repair. Had to scrap the car and I have had to drive him every day since. It's a two hour trip there and back - twice a day. I'd much rather be stitching for those 4 hours a day, but his course comes before my pleasure. 

He is not legally allowed to drive my car. We are still searching for a new car for him but not many decent cars around at the moment.

Trouble number three - the trees in our orchard are meant to have the fruit ripening at different times, but this year they are all ripe at the same time and I'm having trouble keeping up with the fruit picking.

Our chickens are loving the windfalls, and the parrots are taking what I can't get to in time, my dining table is fully laden with apples, the peaches were juiced (delicious), the plums turned to mush too quick, we managed to save most of the pears from the bugs, but we are over-run with apples.

I'm fed up making stewed apples, apple pie, apple muffins and apple cake, even though it is well liked here and doesn't last long.

The last slice - and I only made this one last night.

I would be very pleased to have comments about other things I can do with apples

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And now onto my current stitching projects.

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TAST update

At the moment I can't remember where I got up to, but here are some that I have done on the chunky, brightly coloured, highly textured cushion that I'm making for my (almost blind) mum.

Chain Stitch

Couching

Running Stitch

Whipped Spider Wheel (tutorial on previous post here)

There are other stitches on this cushion too, as I'm slowly building up the colour and texture.

I have actually done a few more Whipped Spider Wheels on here, but no current photos as yet. You will have to wait for next weekends reveal for that.

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CQJP - February Finally Finished

Yes, I have finally got to a finishing stage for my February CQ block.

There is still more I would like to do on it, but I have run out of time, and really need to concentrate on my March block now.

And some details.

Stumpwork butterfly.

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Other Projects

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I have also stitched this Kiwifruit applique block for the Prostate Cancer fundraiser quilt, that my local quilt group are making.

And the following pic is the block I've entered in the block lotto for March at the quilt group.

The theme for this month was the Grandmother's Flower Garden Block and had to have a cream background.

All hand stitched.

Well that's me done for another reveal.

Happy Stitching.

CQJP February WIP & TAST Week 7

CQJP - February - WIP

Updates on the February block and a few close-up pics of some stitch embellishments so far on this block.

The needle-weaving seam, that was extremely "slow going" last week, has now been completed thanks mostly to my darling "Dooman" hubby who made new legs for my Posilock frame stand so that I could pop the embroidery hoop in it and work with both hands on the stitching. Phew!!!. It is great to be working without having to hold the hoop in one hand now. That Posilock stand has not been able to stand up on it's own for about 10 years, and I really missed it.

Last weekend Dooman was meant to be building a shed to house his new farm equipment. It started raining quite heavily and I wandered out to the barn (where he was hiding) and presented him with the Posilock stand and told him what the legs should look like. Less than half an hour later he gave it back to me complete with new legs, oh yeah, and the biggest smile on his face.

Lots of brownie points for Dooman.

The double row of Cretan stitch.

 The Crocheted Lace piece.

 

 

Lots more embellishing to do on this block yet.

 

 and the following TAST close-up pics are worked on this block too.

TAST week 7 - Detached Chain Stitch

Detached chain in lilac thread stitched closely side-by-side, and the pale green silk ribbon is detached chain as well.

 

Isn't this a great detached chain stitch "wheel" in variegated  thread.

The centre is a woven spider wheel, and there will eventually be something else in the middle, but I haven't decided if it will be a bead, French knots, or something else.

My Other Project Updates

No update for February BJP as I haven't even started it yet. It is all "In-My-Head" for now.

I have made the fabric choices for Counties Quilters - February BOM due at next meeting in March.

I have fused the Kiwifruit applique block for Prostate Cancer Charity Quilt fundraiser. The block is now ready for blanket stitch and embellishing.

 And the 2012 Freeform Crochet Challenge work is well under way, but I'm not allowed to post any pictures until the challenge book is published with all the entries in. This keeps it a wonderful surprise so that everyone can see all the challenge pieces at the same moment, and not get influenced (or intimidated) by anyone else's work.

So it has been another busy, busy week. 

Next week has the potential to explode for me. 

I want to make a brightly coloured, highly textured cushion for my mum, who has very poor eyesight (hence the bright colours and textures). She is almost totally deaf now too, and to top it off, she has recently had another fall and broken a couple of ribs.

As a very active person in the past, she is now suffering a bit. She loved her garden and spent all her spare time there when she wasn't working, stitching, or crocheting. So that is why I want to send her a flower cushion. To help bring a bit of that love back into her life, and to remind her that I love her even though I am half way around the world from her.