We still have not had any rain so the days are perfect for the tourists who are arriving up to the wee village every day in the 100’s. It’s meant to be Winter here which is most people normal summer as we live in the tropical Far North of QLD Australia.. So we have 1000s of people from down south come up here to escape the cold winters. We have just had a shower of rain but only enough to lay the dust? I planned to sew all morning
I have two borders like this one waiting to applique down all the leaves “so I can finish my scrappy churndash?
I Just need to finish these 9 patches and my Centre for Calico Garden is finished prepping too.
I was up early but it is now just after midday and not a stitch done. Plus I have a change of plans I need to make some healing hearts so will sit quietly and make these today instead, I do enjoy making them and think how luck I don’t need them my self.
A Healing Heart will be on its way tomorrow?
My week has been spent making 9 patches using scraps randomly with 4 patches the same colour in each square, plus 4 1/2 inch tiny naive flower blocks . I’m making up a quilt by Florence Peto called Calico Garden which she made around 1930 I think it was.
Where I was up to last week
Start of My Calico Garden last Wednesday?
So quickly she grows?
I love how the colurs are just working and it’s all been random?
I think this is the fastest quilt top I’ve made, nothing seemed to go wrong, I’ve not even broken a needle? plus today I solved how I could add those wee 2 inch coloured squares all around the border with no difficulty? I will make up 4 1/2 inch blocks using a 2inch coloured square and the rest just calico attach those as the last patches then trim this square to a straight edge, will show photos when I make and add them?
This is Florence Peto’s quilt design I’m working on now. The pattern is in the book Enduring Grace
Update 2pm Wednesday Ozzie time! Centre of My top is now all cut out all flowers ironed on waiting to be machine appliqued and ALL 9 patches finished with one spareLOL. !!!! I made a extra flower as I was not happy with one of them.
I was feeling rather smug as I thought I’d completed all the 9 patches I would need, but to make my border I need another 38 or 40 LOL.
Wrapping left over bias around a swimming noddle
Then rolling an old part of a stocking over them to keep them in place, plus it keeps them clean.
last week this was going to be thrown in to a dumpster, I tossed up if to bring it home and try to rescue it? It was so heavy, smelly and harsh to feel? It is 1 metre by 1 1/2 metres and very heavy all done by hand? Not sure what it was originally made for but it is very beautiful, I washed it as I would a woollen blanket with a wool fabric wash, the rinsed it again adding a big cup of wool softener, It has come up so soft and a lot lighter but it is still heavy.
EEvery inch of the canvas backing is covered in needle punch chain stitch??? 100s of hrs of punching to do this? Below are photo as I zoom 8n for you to see this beautiful piece?
NNot the tiniest piece of background fabric showing it is so tightly woven in?
THey have only used Black, sage green, blue grey, and silver threads but it is Oh so beautiful now? What a lesson in patience.
Sun just coming over the top of the range tipping the trees with its warmth! I was up early this morning.
Our pool looks very inviting but it’s far to cold for me to go in yet its winter here for us?
Our local tourist train stopped in front of our home two days ago for quiet some times, a tree must of come down on the track .
Hubby Brough me home some Lillie’s on Friday and they have all just burst open, it’s so lovely to have some bright colours to look at.
Happy sewing All and thank you for dropping in to say Hi. Cheers Glenda who is off to link with Esther over on her blog.
Bonjour Glenda,
En regardant ce quilt ,je pense l’avoir déjà vue ,mais ou ?
Et bien voilà ,j’ai aussi le livre Enduring Grace et bien sûr c’est là que j’avais déjà admiré ce trés beau quilt!
Bravo Glenda il est superbe,une belle reussite.
Ce tapis est splendide,il valait la peine de le récuperer.
Belle semaine
Amicalement
Dear Marie, tonight I’ve been cutting out the squares and shapes to make the borders for My Calico Garden for 1 1/2 hrs. So glad to have most of it cut out ready for when I get to the border, also solved how to make the border? It’s been a wonderful journey making it this time as the first time I did not have a stash and just had to use the limited fabrics I had back then. It will also grow much quicker as I will machine appliqué all my tiny flower blocks, last time I hand needle basted and then appliqued them by hand. I made the last flower blocks today, I remade two blocks I was not happy with today. I have a pile of appliqué quilts waiting for me to stop long enough to just sit and appliqué? Thanks for dropping in. Cheers Glenda.
that is a lovely quilt laid out on your table that you are working on a combination of piecing and quilting makes for good variety doesn’t it. Fun being able to watch the train go by at various times of your day I bet and wonder where all the people come from that are on it.
Your churn dash borders are so beautiful, they are going to bring the quilt to life. Your new project is lovely too. You are so good at creating. Happy stitching!
Hi Gretchen Ive finally stopped long enough to catch up on some mail. This week has seen hardly any thing progress much, but the garden is looking great LOL. Usually I sew for 3 or 4 hrs in the evening s but because Im spending so much time in the garden Im to tired to sew, or even answer my mail!!!!! Ive managed to applqiue enough wee flowers to sew a couple of my wee 4 1/2 inch blocks in to strips but thats all. yesterday I was putting down dry pavers and it will make a difference to walk down to the unit next wet season, but that does not help my quilt tops grow LOL Thanks for taking the time to drop in and say hi. Cheers Glenda
The Calico Garden is so very beautiful. Thank you for sharing it.
Thanks for dropping in Lennea, I was in visiting you yesterday but could not leave a messages ot would not go through!!!!! You make lovely carry bags. I use to make hand made log-cabin bags for years for therapy in the evenings after work to relax before going to bed! LOL Have a wee pile of those wee flower blocks to start machine applqiue on to day hopefully? I need to get them done so I can sew all those blocks and patches together. Cheers Glenda
Always a treat to see your current quilty progress!
Thanks for dropping in Audrey, usually in our winters I get so much done but this year winter has really not come and I’m spending much more time in the garden than I usually do. so my mail and sewing is suffering as Im so tired after dinner I just sit LOL catching up on TV serials and movies I have not had to time to watch for the last few years are been seen finally? Cheers Glenda