knickers etc

I thought, instead of another post showing how I'm getting on with the scrappy quilt - it's going really well! - I thought I'd just post some of the wee things I'm doing to try and make my days just a bit different. Please note - if the sight of underwear drawers upsets you, maybe you should click away and come back another time!

Don't say you haven't been warned! :oD

Whilst we're told to stay home, I'm trying to do small jobs that don't take more than maybe 15 or 20 minutes at a time - mostly so I don't get fed up with the job and leave it half done. I started with my aforementioned underwear drawer. It's never really untidy but I got it all straightened up - although I have to say, those 2 pairs of socks that aren't lined up are a bit annoying to me! Only sensible underwear in my underwear drawer - how boring! LOL

Then my PJs and nightie drawer. I'm hoping the nighties will come back into circulation soon. It's still too cold for them at the moment but, hopefully soon!

I then tidied all my Christmas jumpers into the one box - they had previously been in 2 places.

I then moved on to the bookcase of my favourite books. I took them all off, dusted then put them back in alphabetical order. Sad but true! Needless to say I read a few endings whilst I was doing this one! LOL

Next came the blanket box at the bottom of the bed which holds my aran cardies and some jumpers. As I was doing this one, I decided to wash some of the jumpers and cardies as it was a lovely drying day. They now smell that unique smell of things that have been dried outside. There's nothing quite like that smell!

This is a job that Douglas did for me. The slatted shelf was in this cupboard when we moved in but it was lying against the wall. We think the boiler must have been replaced at some point and the shelf taken down from its original place (you can see the wooden bits on the sides where it had been before). Douglas fitted some more wood to the walls and put it back up for me. It's already being used.

This was my 15 minute job this morning - to tidy my stud earrings. They're always fairly tidy but now they make some sort of sense - at least to me!

Lastly, we've been doing some jigsaws. We're deliberately only doing smallish ones - no 3000 piecers for me! If you look closely, you can see this one has some bird shapes in it.

So that's just some of the wee jobbies I've been doing this week - in between sewing, of course! :o)

coming along nicely

In my bits and pieces post, I showed some bits and pieces (!) I was sewing together with a view to making a quilt top with them. This was how the baskets of bits and pieces looked then - 29th February this year:

This is how the baskets looked yesterday - 20th March:

I had thought I'd make 20 blocks but, when I had made 20, there were still so many bits and pieces left, I decided to keep going until I had used them all up. I didn't quite use them all up, there were still some strips left but I decided that 40 blocks - enough for 2 quilt tops - was enough to be going on with ... for now!

Not only were there a few strips left, but also some shapes - circles, drunkard's paths and tumblers - which I decided to leave for another project on another day.

I was pondering how to put the blocks together - I want to put some sort of plain colour around them. I decided I'd use navy blue as I had a navy sheet in my stash which would do the job perfectly. Then I came up with the idea of doing the quilt as you go (QAYG) method to quilt these. What that means is I'd only be quilting 12½" squares and not a big quilt. I've used the QYAG method a few times before (here's one and here's another) and was very happy with the outcome and let's face it, quilting 12½" squares is much easier (for me) than quilting a 62½" by 50" quilt!

Anyway, that decided, I got to thinking about what I'd use on the back and had a brainwave - or was it a crazy idea?? - to use some of my massive collection of 4½" squares. I'd need 9 per block so for 40 blocks, I'd need 360. Totally do-able!

Today I got started sewing them together. At this moment, they're in rows of 3 just waiting to have their seams pressed to one side.

Next job is to make them into 9 patches and start quilting the blocks. I'm quite looking forward to that - mind you, after doing 40 of them, I can imagine I'll be well and truly sick of them!

Finally, I think it would be remiss of me to not say anything about what we're *all* facing just now. Please stay safe. Stay away from people - staying away from my wee girlies has to be the hardest thing for me to do but I will do it for their (and my own) safety! Be sensible. Wash. Your. Hands!

!!! 3 !!!

Our wee Emily is 3 today. Goodness me! How did that happen? I remember exactly where I was when Jason phoned me to tell me she had arrived ... at long last!

We all went to Emily's house on Sunday to have a birthday picnic/party with her. No way could we go outside but we were all quite happy inside! Before I show off the photos of her playing with her picnic basket and blanket, let me show you the finished quilt - the front:

The back and the embroidered label:

I made some mini napkins to go with it:

Then I had some fun making "food". First of all some sandwiches - ham and lettuce on the left and cheese on the right.

Some Oreos and jammie dodgers:

Some ginger nuts on the left and crackers with cheese on the right:

Some triangle cheese and some babybels:

And some egg sandwitches on white bread.

Honestly, I had way too much fun making the food and had to make myself stop! LOL

Here's Emily on Sunday emptying out her picnic basket with all the goodies inside. You'll notice she had put the quilt upside down - Pooh had to be upwards!

She had lots of fun sorting things out -

Then her mummy and Auntie Jo joined in the picnic fun pouring cups of tea and filling plates for anybody who wanted one!

Isla was very tired as she sat on her Grammie's knee wearing her bear ears hairband but she would not give in!

We all had a lovely time - it was a really fun day.

Happy birthday, Miss Emily. Have a lovely day! 🥰