WIP Wednesday

Just realised that I could have done my WIP Wednesday post for my W post this week as the days neatly coincided however I have already written and posted my W contribution so this is a bonus issue. If you are here for the A to Z blogging challenge post go back a post.... or stay and read this one instead.

We are on the road at the moment and its been difficult to find sewing time. Last week we were staying in Sydney with my oldest sister (a very young 70+ woman who runs rings around most of the rest in our family) We visited my mum (93 and in an aged care facility) and some other friends whilst we were there. We also caught up with 3 of my sister's grandchildren and some other special friends. No time to sew.

On Friday we drove north an hour or 2 to a place just north of Newcastle for the wedding of my niece Cristy. It was a beautiful wedding full of so many special moments - the most tear inducing one for me was when the groom made some special promises to his Step daughter (8 year old Charlie) as part of the ceremony and she announced that she was taking his name. 

Anyway it was a great afternoon and evening catching up with 6 of my 7 siblings and partners and a good few nieces and nephews as well. A great time was had by all.

The next day we drove for almost 12 hours (with stops) to get to Melbourne. We wanted to get here so as to be able to spend some of the weekend with our oldest son (The Beast). He works during the week.

Sunday he took us to the zoo which was a really fun day although the Melbourne families were out in force taking advantage of the beautiful weather and the long weekend. The zoo was crowded with heaps of prams too. There was one family group whom we kept encountering who had some very loud and boisterous children who were basically ignored by parents. Mostly though the kids were having fun and doing the right thing and people were polite and everyone was having a good time.

Monday was a public holiday in Australia for the Anzac Day - our national day or remembrance for all those who served in wars. At home we usually attend the local parade but we didn't feel like braving the crowds in the city for the big parade and didn't know where the community based parades were being held. Instead we went for a drive down to Frankston and enjoyed the sand sculptures there. It was the last day of the 4 month exhibition and a few of the sculptures were showing some wear but it was a great show called A Day At the Zoo

 My Yetti (The Beast) with the Sandscupture Yetti

The sand sculture Steam punk structure

A sculpture from The Petting Zoo

Tuesday we packed up our unit and drove across the city (after Fixit Guy had fixed the indicators that had stopped working) and..... we picked up our NEW CARAVAN (am I excited - you bet) The company we got it from did a very thorough induction into the caravan so we knew what we were getting and how it all works. Then we towed it to a van park and set it up.

Fixit Guy enjoying the bed upon which I had spread my "Jean's Jeans" quilt which I made during our last extended camping trip (October - December 2014)

I was itching to set up my sewing space. I unpacked the car and settled us in and then got my machine out and plugged in... and Fixit Guy suggested we go shopping to get some food and other bits and pieces. I reluctantly dragged myself away.

Tuesday was also Fixit Guy's birthday. He got a van from me. Pretty good present. Our son The Beast and his girlfriend Beauty came over to check out the van and then take us out to dinner. Beauty had given him a door mat for the van (It is a perfect fit) and the Beast gave him an electric jug and toaster for the van.

Home again for cake (baked by Beauty and decorated with crumbled Violet CrumbleBars (Honey comb... FGs favourite chocolate) and then they left and .... I didn't go to bed. I got that machine out and did a little bit of sewing. I had been missing it so much.

Today we have stayed home all day apart from another walk over to the supermarket for a few extra things and a coffee as the power went out at the van park for 2 hours (scheduled outage)

Apart from that time I have sewn. I have been working on the piano key border for Onya Bike, (T Intersection Quilt pattern by Missouri Star.) I have used up all the scraps from the blocks plus cut up more fabric. 

I am still a bit short having put it all together. Not very much - perhaps 15" over all. I have a 3 bike trees that I was thinking of using as corner stones.... but I am going to need 4... so maybe I won't use them as corner stones after all. I am still wondering what I shall do and that is why I have stopped sewing and am instead writing my blog.

I have been posting daily for the A to Z  Blogging Challenge all through April. It was W today so only have 3 more posts. Mostly I had them prewritten and scheduled their posting. I did have to go in and fix up a few and had Y and Z still to write this week but they are done. Part of the challenge is to visit other blogs on the challenge which has been very interesting (and time consuming) 

Sunday Stash Report and Goal update

There was some purchases made this week! But to offset it just slightly there was also a completion - just one small thing but at least it used some of the fabric that was purchased.

The purchase was some fabric from Vinnies (St Vincent De Paul shop - 2nd hand charity shop) I saw some that would enable me to complete a project I had with me so it was a necessary purchase although if I had planned properly I could have brought some suitable fabric with me from home. I bought some tan/gold star patterned fabric (1.5m cause that was the chunk), a bundle of 49cm square calico pieces, and a chunk of ivory coloured fabric. A total of 3.59m)

My finish was a casserole carrier for me. I used up some orphan blocks I had been given at some stage - a total of 5. They must have been from a block swap as they were all creams and maroon and the same pattern. I suspect they weren't used in the quilt that was made as they might have been a bit small (and wonky) They ended up 12" unfinished and probably should have been 12.5". I used 3 blocks for one piece of the carrier and 2 and some of the calico for the other. For the lining I used the star fabric. Its not quite finished as I need to add the velcro closers and buy the dowel for the handles. But its near enough and so I counted it.

So

Stats from Weeks 17

                 Fabric used            1.63m

                 Fabric added          3.59m

Year to Date                 

                 Fabric used           35.00m                 

                 Fabric added       32.37m

Net Used                                  2.64m  

Linking up with Patchwork Times

Now for an update on my monthly goals

We are 3/4 of the way through this month.

Goals

• work on handmade with love projects No further progress on these. I have some casserole carriers cut out with me but haven't sewn them
• sew left over hexies into strip for backing This is complete. All the left over hexies that I could I have made into either a strip or a block that I will use in the backing of the quilt
• cut fabric for Square with in a square (now called My Cat Likes to hide in Boxes) The project is all cut up and is in a project box ready to go when I next get a chance to sew
• cut fabric for T Intersection quilt The centre of the T Intersection quilt now called Onya Bike is sewn. I am now working on the piano key border... well I have sorted the fabric for it... haven't started sewing it
• Complete A to Z blogging challenge This has been going pretty well. All the posts have gone up on time as per schedule. The remaining posts are written and scheduled (some photos only remain to go on the last one). I have been keeping up pretty well with visiting other blogs as well and commenting as much as possible. I could say this one was done.

WIP Wednesday but its Thursday

This isn't my A to Z blogging post. Visit my previous post for my R post... or read this one anyway. 

Oops running late again with my WIP post. This being on holidays lark means I lose track of what day it is so easily. When I am home my regular commitments helps me track the days... Tuesday is Handmade With Love, Wednesday is Patchwork group, Thursday Avalon, Friday bible study Sunday church. Anyway..... its still Wednesday somewhere in the world.

Hexie Quilt
I finished off my handwork in the car on our drive from Brisbane to Sydney. I now have two pieced bits that I will incorporate into the backing of the Hexie quilt - one long thin piece and another that is square. I have also managed to use up just about all the hexies.... think I might have one left.

On Monday whilst we were on the Gold Coast looking into buying a car for Boyo I visited a Vinnies shop (St Vincent de Paul second hand shop) and found some fabric that was a good fit for a project I had in mind. We had been delayed an extra day in Brisbane due to the car so when we got back to our boy's home I unpacked the machine and set to work on this project.

I had been given 5 12" blocks - cream and maroon. I wanted a casserole carrier for me - I've made 5 for donations to stalls but never made one for me. I had to tweak my usual pattern to fit in with the size of the blocks but over the course of the evening I got the carrier made. The fabric I'd bought at Vinnie's formed the lining and base of the carrier. I didn't bring the velcro with me so it isn't quite finished but close enough. I had one major oopsie whilst making it. I found, as I was putting the two pieces of the casserole carrier together that I had stitched one lining piece back to front. By this time I had done the top stitching and couldn't be bothered to unpick everything so

I have been working on my bike quilt named "Onya Bike" (On yah bike or on your bike) I had pieced the centre on Sunday and Monday evening I put the first border on. I bought some blue toned fabric that I had thought would be good for the second 5" border but now I am not so sure - well actually I am sure. It won't do at all. Instead I am going to make a 5" piano key border instead using up the scraps of the fabric from the centre. I won't have enough and I don't have my scrap collection with me but I will make up what I can and finish it off when I get home... or buy some bits and pieces along the way (what a problem NOT). I would like to get it finished before I get home.

I have more casserole covers cut out with me that I can work on and also have another project prepped and ready to go. Its another one featuring cat fabric that I am calling "My Cat Likes to Hide i Boxes" The pattern is an adaption of a Square in a Square block that I found.

My sister in law, Christine from Bluebirds and Bumblebees has had a pattern published in the Australian magazine Homespun.  I bought the pattern and will move onto it when I get my other projects completed.

Stash Update

This is one of my regular posts, not a part of the A to Z blogging challenge. Just go to the previous post for N or read this anyway... you are welcome. 

I wanted to get on with my bike quilt. I've decided to call it On Your Bike. (It features bike fabrics) I hadn't cut enough strips for it, having totally miscalculated in my preparation. I was so sure I had cut the required 64 of both sized strips to complete all the blocks... 2.5" wide cut 10" and 11.5"  but when I started sewing I found I had only cut 32 of both. 

Grrrr. I had some width of fabric 2.5" strips with me (we are currently travelling) that I was going to use for the first border but even if I cut them up I wasn't going have enough to complete the quilt. The irritating thing is that I had more of the fabric back home. I can't remember exactly where I put it away so sending the house sitter to find it and post it on became problematic. It might have been in a really obvious place or anywhere in my fabric storage.

And then I would have to wait for the fabric to catch up with us and I was in the groove to sew this NOW.

I went with going to another Spotlight (The shop where I had bought the fabric just last week) and seeing if I could match it... no luck but I did find another fabric which was VERY similar so I got that. Its now been cut into the required size and the blocks made.  I have 64 finished blocks which means that I will end up with a quilt that is 8 blocks by 8 blocks. The blocks are 11" x 11.5" finished so the quilt will be 88" x 92" plus borders approximately 95"x 99" finished. 

With great difficulty (may my back forgive me) I laid them out on the bed we are currently sleeping on. It wasn't ideal... not being big enough.

 But I laid out 6 rows, then packed away 3 of them (carefully labelling the rows) and then moved the rest over and laid out the final 2. I think it looks ok... but it was hard to tell. 

Anyway.... they are all ready to be sewn into strips. I would love to stay home and sew them all today but my Fixit Guy has other plans. (we are car shopping for Boyo. I find it boring... I know nothing about cars and trust FG implicitly to choose the right one... just wish he would go out and do it on his own... shhhhh he doesn't read my blog so don't tell him)

I'm working on the T or Intersection quilt as designed by the Missouri Star Quilt company in this video  

Thinking that I had bought just enough of the fabric (or a few cms extra) I merrily cut it all up and then found I had 3 2.5" strips left over.  I thought I needed 48" (which was approx 1.25m allowing a little extra for crooked cutting by me... it always pays) but really I only needed 40" which is slightly over 1 m. Never mind - I might use them in the border or else will incorporate them on the back.

This means I have bought yet more fabric without a finish in sight. I got 1.25m (or 48") I'm still in positive territory (for the moment) but haven't got much wiggle room. I suspect I will well and truly fall into the red by the time we get home. Hopefully by then I will have 3 or 4 quilts ready to go "under the needle" (once they get basted) I have one pinned and ready to go at home but ran out of time to finish before we left.

I expect to visit quilt shops along the way as we travel for the next 6 weeks or so and it would be rude not to buy something now wouldn't it. I have a few small projects with me so maybe I will get a few finishes whilst we are away.

Stats from Weeks 15

                 Fabric used            0.00m

                 Fabric added          1.29m

Year to Date                 

                 Fabric used         33.37m                 

                 Fabric added       28.78m

Net Used                                4.60m  

Linking up with Patchwork Times

WIP Wednesday on Friday

This isn't my blog post for A to Z challenge. Its a regular one. Go forwards or backwards if you are looking for it... but stay and read too. 

Man I am running really late this week. Blame the A to Z challenge. I am keeping up with it - have all my posts scheduled to post up till the last 2 letters of the month. Y and Z. Where possible I have high lighted quilting podcasts that I enjoy. Check back through the posts I have put up... C for Craft Sanity and Craft Planner, H for Hip to be a Square, L for Lazy Daisy and M for Modern Sewciety. They are great. Other than that I have written about various quilt related things. I have blogs planned for O is for Off Kilter quilter and W for Weezy Works.

Sewing wise... I have been hand stitching my left over hexies into a strip that will go onto the back of the Hexie quilt. I am up to stitching half hexies along the side (I'm actually using a full hexie and folding it over with the paper removed) but will have some left over still so will add them to both ends I think....

Last night I started my holiday sewing. Fixit Guy and I left home on Wednesday morning to drive to Brisbane where were are staying first with our daughter Fangirl and then with our 2 younger boys before heading down to Sydney for a family wedding and onto Melbourne where we will catch up with our oldest boy (The Beast) and his partner Beauty. Also we will pick up our new caravan. Whoopee.

Anyway I have my sewing machine with me and prepped a number of projects to bring with me. Last night I chose to start work on the T Intersection quilt (Bike fabrics... now called On Your Bike). I was making great headway and then ran out of the pre cut strips... well short of the finish. Turns out I only cut 32 of them instead of the 64 I need. 

32 completed T intersection blocks for On Your Bike

I did bring some full strips (ie width of fabric) that I was going to use as the first border which I can cut. That will give me another 18 but will still be 14 short. Its very frustrating as I have heaps of the fabric at home. I'm going to try to find some more of it today at the chain store (Spotlight) that I bought it at. Otherwise I will try to get the lady who is housesitting for us to find it and post it down to my son's place. I can't believe that I miscounted so badly... think I doubled it and doubled again... I was cutting the fabric folded over two at a time... I must have doubled one too many times. Grrrrrr

My daughters cats were of great help in the production of this blog post.... NOT. You can see Eevee's paw in the photo above. This is where she was standing before I moved her

Skimbles is on my right arm as I am trying to type this. You can't see the laptop but its on my knees out of sight... he's watching it intently.