Quilting Hearts Desire and other things

Hi Everyone,
It's WOW time again and I haven't posted for about six weeks as the weeks have just flown by.
Really I haven't had much to show as I have been quietly working away on quilting HD and in the beginning there isn't a lot to see especially with a black background.
My FMQ confidence is slowly growing with edge stitching all my applique plus I attended a beginners class and discovered the benefits of using quilting gloves, what a difference they have made to my thumbs and managing the fabric. Also have changed to a clear perspex foot on my stitch regulator foot which is great but caused me one problem, I broke the plastic casing on the BSR changing my foot while it was on the machine. Live and learn, luckily DH and super glue has made a lasting repair.

This foot is great for visibility especially when stitching on curves away from me, guides should be a real help for echo quilting but I'm not game to play on HD yet but have been practising.

Discovered that my BSR foot does not like black background fabric as it's sensor seems unable to pick up the fabric movement. I can use the foot without activating the regulator mode so this has been another learning experience, getting my stitch length right.

This is where I am at with my quilting

My Rose Window Center and Ties that Bind border.

Camera has turned my purple fabric blue.

Edge stitching complete and also in the center.

Sing me a Song.

Have outline stitched the birds wing and eye, used small stipple to fill the circle.

Love me tender.

Outline stitched my added butterfly and stippled the ring.

Flowers for Me

Outline stitching in the vase and on the flowers.

Corner Basket and outer border

Flower centers stitched and outer border stippled.

Binding is on as it will take me ages yet to finish quilting, it has removed excess fabric and  my edges won't fray.

Since these photo's I have stitched the center line on all the leaves and also around all the flower buds.

Have spent weeks trying to find a simple quilting design for my scallop borders finally finding one that I think gives the scallops the illusion of being trees.

Had to squash it down, stretch it out and play with the loop sizes to fit the scallops.

Thank goodness for freezer paper, my lovely even loops are the result of stitching around templates not merrily stitching away.

Candles in the Park

My name for this border  and I am very happy with how the scallops look.

A bit more playing gave me this design for around the corners.

yesterday I added a couple of rows of stitching to these hearts.

I want to do something on the outer part of the basket but am not sure what as yet.

With the arrival of spring like weather a couple of weeks ago it was time to attack the front garden as over winter it has been waterlogged most of the time.

The weeds are mainly a vine like groundcover that loves it under the tree and takes over during winter. pleased to find that when uncovered the winter roses were all healthy and in flower as were the poly's.

Inside, DH found the time to make some progress with our ongoing renovations. Our ensuite has been nearly finished for months waiting for the plumbing and drainage to be completed.

Finished and operational

The wonderful thing about the ensuite being finished is that we were able to finally finish the main bathroom. We enlarged it six years ago but it never got finished as is usual for us. Over time the shower wall liner has yellowed so we wanted to remove it and tile the walls instead. Taking it out also meant it was easier to finish the ceiling as we had taken walls out to enlarge the space then shifted the window when we added on my sewing room so there were always good reasons not to finish it until we had a second bathroom to use. 

What a difference completed tiling and wallpaper makes.

One problem, we had started the mosaic tiling a couple of years ago and done two walls, oops not enough tiles to finish and not in production any longer.

We had 3 sample tiles which are now a feature under the mirror .

The shell wallpaper makes a great backdrop for this carving made for an endagered species exhibition by Steve's ex Father in Law. It is of a Hector's dolphin caught in a fisherman's net and one of our most treasured possessions.

The newly tiled shower looks so different to the old one.

By the way this bathroom is now all mine and DH uses the ensuite.

Work has carried over into the hallway to my sewing room and we nearly have cupboards.

Double sliding doors at this end and an opening door at the other where we have made that space so it could be used as a wardrobe for the office/bedroom opposite.

I think I am meant to get sanding and painting so the shelves can go in and get out of my sewing room.

I have been working round them since I cleaned them about 3 weeks ago, haven't found a new home for my old ironing board either.

There other things I could share but I have been at the computer most of the day so will finish and link to Esther's WOW.

Enjoy you Wednesday everyone. 

Cheers, Jenny