Work on Wed 19th March

Hi Everyone,

Cyclone Lusi passed us by last weekend with some strong winds and some welcome rain. I had to work on Saturday and it was one of the quietest days we have ever had. Would have loved to have been at home sewing but I probably wouldn't have as we had had a power cut overnight and I would have been worried of another with power on to my machine.
Our internet server went down as well so it was Sunday night before I could download the corner blocks for Love Entwined. Some of Esther's group have had problems downloading but even with my older versions of programs I have never had a problem, I always save each month to my Love Entwined file and open and print from there, maybe that is why.
I worked Monday but Tuesday Morning I was up early and straight into my sewing room.
By 2pm my first two block centers were done.

I cut my blocks at 11 inches square, the pencil line is my cutting line not my seam line.
The last piece of the green from my borders was just big enough for all my dark leaves in my 4 blocks, thank goodness as I had saved it for use in these corners. A bronze fabric from my curtain samples has now been introduced  for my other leaves, This block lent itself to flowers from one of my inspiration fabrics and I love how it looks. Top flower not fully fused as I need to put my blue fabric under it for the inner corner.

Again my dark pink is not fully fused  but the rest is stitched. I wanted a touch of my inspiration fabrics and those little leaves seemed the ideal place.
The larger leaves have been a real pleasure to stitch after all the tiny elements of the border, I am sure those who are hand stitching will enjoy these leaves as well.
I just had to carry on today with these blocks and attach them to my completed top border

Red line would be my cutting line for my border but I do not cut off my excess yet.
I have cut my corner block on this edge along my cutting line and the line in gold is my quarter inch stitching line drawn on wrong side of fabric.
I align my raw edge of block with the red line and using my walking foot to travel over the underneath applique stitch along my gold line. Turn and have a look.

Happy with my stitching I trim my excess border fabric away from underneath.

The opposite corner, prepared the same way and with my "Pixies" in place and my blue corner piece added
I won't stitch the bottom Pixie of the side border or my blue corner until my side border is in place - just in case!!!! I love these calm corners Esther, Thank you so much for Love Entwined.
Enjoy your sewing everyone,
Jenny

WOW on Wed 12th March

Hi Everyone,
My metallic thread arrived yesterday and I raced into town and got it BUT when I arrived home I had no enthusiasm to start sewing!!!!  With a week without stitching and a production line of pieces now just waiting to be used, what has happened?
There is an old saying, measure twice and cut once, in my case it is measure twice then draw your placement line - Then check it again before you sew!!!!
On Sunday I fused the pieces for my flower vase and dots on my second border of part 8 and was having trouble getting them to position properly as space seemed cramped.

Finally in place, a couple of flowers had to go missing off my silk fabric as I had positioned and stitched my Oak leaves on both sides too close to the center. Not the major issue though.
I drew my placement line for my Pixie border a quarter inch further in than it should have been so on one border the points will be on the seam line and on this one a quarter inch in
I don't have enough background fabric to remake this border so will have to make adjustments when both making the corner blocks and adding the next borders to bring everything back into alignment.
Now that I have aired my frustration maybe I can start stitching again. LOL

Went back to my sewing room and it still felt like my room was so dull and uninspiring, then I had a good look at my window.

From the door

From where I sew

From outside

We planted this area with sub tropicals only a couple of years ago, the Cabbage tree in the foreground is loving it's position as it was a real baby when planted it. the Cycads and Roti's we fell in love with while living in Rarotonga but they just do not grow the same in NZ.

However the bush covering my sewing room window was there when we bought the house and has been cut back every couple of years to a trunk below window height. I had just not noticed how it had grown this summer, blocking out all my natural light.

At 9am this morning the bush is back to it's trunk and sunlight is streaming into my sewing room once again.

maybe my quilting mojo will come back today!!!

I have my vase for the first of my 2 part 9 borders completed and I am very happy with how it has turned out.
The polystyrene board I have been using for LE is now becoming to small and with the sun streaming into my sewing room this photo is not quite what I had hoped for.

Still lots of stitching to do but with the second half elements in place for first border 9  I can see the final picture for this round. Borders are very different but my colors do work together so my enthusiasm is back!!!

I hope to finish stitching these borders  before the 15th and only be one border behind when Esther releases part 10 of this sooo beautiful  Marriage Coverlet.

One last photo.

Kelly loves our front deck and wants on it from the time we get up in the morning. Here she is enjoying the last of the late afternoon sun.

Enjoy your stitching everyone,

Cheers Jenny.

Work In Progress 5th March

Hi Everyone,
Of course my work in progress is still my Love Entwined.
Work has been busy and my alarm clock hasn't been working properly so I have been sleeping in - NO sewing time before I have to leave in the morning - so progress has been slow.
Then, Sunday morning I ran out of my metallic thread, thought I had plenty on my backup reel but obviously I had used more than I thought. LOL
Phone call on Monday to my local quilting shop. Sorry, out of stock but we can have some for you later in the week!!!  So I have just been planning, fusing and cutting for the last two days.
Last week after starting the second borders, I felt my first borders were not quite right.

Have added extra hearts around my end medallions, which fills in the design, and my flowers each side of the vase are now stitched. Still thinking about adding Esther's extra circles by the Oak leaves, with the extra hearts I think I need them after all.

Second border is taking shape. I completed a lot of the stitching and have now been working on my vase.
It is the fact that this border is looking much fuller with the applique that made me revisit my first borders.

Only the main stems are stitched at this stage. It is brighter and bolder than my first border vases but it seems to be what this border needs.

Very happy now with how my borders are looking and I have plenty of stitching to do when I get my thread.
Now to link with Esther', WOW before heading to work.
Cheers everyone, Jenny