It's been a couple of weeks since I have had time to blog or to stitch very much as the arrival of Gracie has very much reduced my sewing time. Early morning before work was daily sewing time for me, now it's cuddles and games but please don't ruin my work clothes - okay, change the routine and have old clothes then change into work clothes, Gracie won that round!!!
Lots of things have been happening around home but I have managed to nearly complete "The Rose"
Am very happy with progress but it took a while to decide what to do.
I still haven't quilted the central background fabric as after ditch stitching around the border's I ended up working from the outside borders in. The dark Burgundy binding is just what I wanted and I have straight stitched the next border with mitred corners as if it was a picture frame.
I am terrible at FMQ but wanted something in the next border but nothing too elaborate as this would be the matte mount in a picture and just a plain colour without detail but it needed something.
I decided to use my cuved ruler which I have had for years but rarely use to create curved lines on inner and outer edges, the smaller curves worked perfectly to match in the corners
I then created leaf templates from the original pattern to use inside the scallop lines
My curved line templates and the leaves were all drawn onto freezer paper so I was able to stay in my comfort zone. I know I should be pushing my boundaries and using FMQ but I become so scared of ruining what I have made.
All I have to decide now is will I FMQ stitch the main background - or not????
Since Gracie arrived projects around home have progressed as well.
With her jumping out of a 5 foot high plus run it was time to address our boundary fences!!!
A few weeks ago it was a three foot fallen down wire mesh fence between us and our neighbours,
now replaced with a six foot iron fence. We planted the Yucca's and flax a couple of years ago in anticipation of replacing the fence. Wow I can't believe how good they look now.
now replaced with a six foot iron fence. We planted the Yucca's and flax a couple of years ago in anticipation of replacing the fence. Wow I can't believe how good they look now.
We have a 1960's NZ suburban home on the original 1/4 section that everyone in NZ wanted to have.
Out front - a new fence as well.
Looking so much better.
We decided to drop the height of the center third so we could save as much of our old tree as possible.
It is a very old tree and has at some stage been cut off about 12 inches from the ground.
Goodness knows how tall it would be if this hadn't been done as what we have now is 5 years growth from a perfectly square toparied 3ft shrub when we moved in.
We did a huge clean out to the lower and inner branches on the inside removing lots of dead wood and this lovely framework of the lower branches was revealed.
Many of the branches we cut off are already sending out new shoots.
From our deck nothing has changed. Still a wall of foliage above and you can just see in top right corner the branches of the neighbouring old lady Jacaranda towering above, she will be in full lavender bloom in a couple of weeks
The new fence now shows off the lovely colour of the Silver Birch trunk
Not our choice of planting and will have to be topped shortly but then I think it will only get better.
For the first time since I bought the bird bath once the fence went up it has been used.
Both a thrush and then a pair of blackbird's that nest next door yearly have been using it - obviously it now has enough privacy - and a direct view from our dining room.
Gracie is settling in very well
I am so good
Mum had to put a new cover on my bed, I ate the bottom!!!!
This is what I did to my duvet - I like it better now.
I love it when we water the plants.
We decided to drop the height of the center third so we could save as much of our old tree as possible.
It is a very old tree and has at some stage been cut off about 12 inches from the ground.
Goodness knows how tall it would be if this hadn't been done as what we have now is 5 years growth from a perfectly square toparied 3ft shrub when we moved in.
We did a huge clean out to the lower and inner branches on the inside removing lots of dead wood and this lovely framework of the lower branches was revealed.
Many of the branches we cut off are already sending out new shoots.
From our deck nothing has changed. Still a wall of foliage above and you can just see in top right corner the branches of the neighbouring old lady Jacaranda towering above, she will be in full lavender bloom in a couple of weeks
The new fence now shows off the lovely colour of the Silver Birch trunk
Not our choice of planting and will have to be topped shortly but then I think it will only get better.
For the first time since I bought the bird bath once the fence went up it has been used.
Both a thrush and then a pair of blackbird's that nest next door yearly have been using it - obviously it now has enough privacy - and a direct view from our dining room.
Gracie is settling in very well
I am so good
Mum had to put a new cover on my bed, I ate the bottom!!!!
This is what I did to my duvet - I like it better now.
I love it when we water the plants.
That's it for now as this morning I am off to buy some fabric, what I don't know yet.
Grandmother's Garden (a wonderful fabric shop near Hamilton) are coming to Whangarei for two days. I am hoping they will be bringing a selection of the Jinny Beyer fabric they stock with them.
They are selling Fat Quarters at 10 for $40-00 so a good price to add more to my stash.
Enjoy what you are doing everyone.'
Cheers Jenny.
