Saturdays Scraps

It's been a busy old week here in Paradise!

Managed to do

a little scrappy sewing though! Couldn't concentrate on the X and O quilt, though I did do a few blocks of it. Simply could not get the medallion quilt out of my brain...

So this is what I have done:

So I played around with measurements for these lovely ladies with their pretty dresses - based on the ladies that Freddy Moran makes.  Had great fun doing these - then I played some more and came up with:-

You can't see the colours properly because of the light behind the block, so here she is again:-

So this time she is bent in the middle because she is hanging over a hanging pot!

And she has quite muscular legs for a lady, would you agree?

But the colours are better - more life like.

So I made a momentous decision - lets do the medallion quilt and use her as the middle block!  So I started this evening- I'm warning you, the pictures don't get much better from here on it!!

I was going to use half square triangles as the first border - I have been saving them forever, so I thought may as well use them! I joined them all ( not to their original mates, I don't think, but to any triangle that happened to be there and I could fit.

Then came that wonderful job of cutting off all the little ends.   Got it done, but that was the end of the half square triangle border being first!

So here she is in all her glory - my medallion, with her first border attached.  It is square at the bottom, I just didn't iron it! And she is hanging crooked - I told you the pictures don't get better!!

So far I love her - now here's an interesting question:

What border would you put on her next?  Come on, don't be shy! Tell me what you would do, then I'll tell you what I'm doing - if anyone comes up with something I think is a better option then I'll do that instead.

There may even be a little hand made gift in it for whoever can convince me their border would be better than mine!!

Join in if you have something scrappy to show:

Pay It Forward Part 2

I forgot to tell you one of the important things about this fun game!

If you would like to join in, then you also need to post about it on your blog, and see if you can get 3 people to join in for you.

I have one, am now waiting for 2 more.  Please make sure I can contact you via your email address, like I have not been able to for my friend who has signed on. She can email me and I will copy her email address then.

So, now waiting for 2 more lucky people to sign on for a cute little gift from me over the next 12 months!

I promise you won't regret it!

Saturdays Stash on Sunday!

I'm so sorry, my friends, for being so late this week with my Saturday Scraps!

It has been a busy week, and with visitors over the weekend, nothing much was done here.

I lie, I did manage to do a few more blocks for my X and O quilt:

This one goes so quickly - you simply need one 4 1/2" square for each block, along with 2 x 2 1/2 ' squares. Attach the 21/2" squares to opposite sides of the 41/2" square, fronts facing.  

Cut the 21/2" squares back to 1/4" seamline, then iron the block.  See, simple!

You can make either an O or a X with 4 blocks. Uses lots of small pieces, and like i said previously, it goes fast! Good one if you need a quilt quickly!

Now here is a pretty picture of the X and O blocks before they are ironed, plus another project that I cannot say much about as yet, but that will be fun too.

For those who were wondering, I will be doing a medallion quilt after this top - or maybe a quilt using all my orphan blocks.  Haven't decided yet!

So join in and play along - remember, every 10th person who joins in for a month will get a special little prize from me! See below

Pay It Forward

I am joining up with my e-friend, Diane from The Cheshire Quilter, to play Pay It Forward.

If you would like to play along with me, then leave me a comment on this post, and I will contact you for your details.

How it works is simple:
Within the next twelve months, I will hand make you a small item and send it to you.   You won't know when it is coming, and I won't tell you anything either.

I just promise to do it.

Sound like fun? It will be!

Down Under Quilt Block Swap

I wanted to show you the blocks that I made for my partner in September, Pamela.

She asked for autumn colours in any sampler block.  She sent me two, so I returned two to her - I think that's nice:

So here they are!

This one was fun to make!

This is one of my favourite blocks to make.

  It would make a great scrappy block - (NO it would not, I yell to myself - quietly, so I don't wake the neighbours!!!)

I do hope Pamela likes the blocks I chose , and then the colours!

Down Under Doll Quilt Swap No 4

I've just signed up for the Doll quilt swap and am currently watching my partner's work and deciding what to do for her.

It appears she may like scrappy - how happy can I get!!

Saturdays Scraps

This week has been very productive, i can say:

one almost completed scrap tumbler quilt. Measures 50" x 79" at this point.  I am very happy with how it is going - it is lovely and colourful

I will be adding 4 more lengths to the quilt top, bringing it up to around 62" x 79". I think that will be big enough, don't you?

Now it is on with the X and O quilt this week , so this is where I stand now:

• Squares and Strips top FINISHED
• Tumbler quilt WILL FINISH TOMORROW
• X and O quilt just being started
• Would you believe that I now have the terrible urge to add a medallion quilt to the mix? Do you think I should? Or should I ask - please convince me that I should not add it?

If you would like to add your scrappy tops or work, just sign up below:

Saturdays Scraps

Hi everyone, glad you are back to see what's happening!   There's lots of pictures here, I hope you enjoy.

Today I was a busy bee -

Here is the pile of tumbler doubles stitched up last week

and here they all are, separated and ironed

of course, I can't be perfect all the time, can I?

So here is the box ready to go into the sewing room, and start being put together! We're getting closer!!

Here are a few strips, ironed and about to be sewn together

and of course, here is the mistake AGAIN!

I very proudly show you the first three rows of my tumbler quilt, it's looking good so far

the owl is one of my favourite fabrics

 and i do love black and white

look at this little cute baby

newspaper prints are another favourite!

So the tumbler quilt is coming along well, now it's just slog to piece it up!

Here is another scrappy quilt that I do when I can't face another tumbler:

Here is my version of an X and O quilt, using 4 1/2 squares and 2 1/2 squares for the corners

chop off the excess from the ears

I have laid a couple out for you to show you what it may look like. Not all of the blocks will be matching like these ones are, though.

So this is where I am up to for this year, tops not completed quilts yet

• Squares and Strips top FINISHED
• Tumbler quilt all cut out and started 
• X and O quilt just being started
• Sweet Tea and Green Beans being done by hand - This is a long term scrappy. Won't be finished this year...

On the list to be done by the end of the year:

• 5" hexagon scrappy
• apple core scrappy

I think I had best get myself moving if I want all this piecing finished up, don't you?

If you would like to link up with your scrappy quilting, join in here:
I have decided that for every 10th person who links up and stays for 1 month, there will be a small gift. How's that for bribery??

An Orchid Post

Our orchids are just beginning to open. They are just so pretty, I wandered around and took some photographs just for you!

Here is the King Orchid, in the Emu Bush at the back of the Bali Hut, it has two beautiful long spikes.

A close up of the bottom spike 

Here is the top spike- sorry it's not quite so clear.

Ground Orchids are just opening their buds

The plant is covered in them.

It's lovely to see their happy faces after such a horrid winter! There are still plenty more to come, so stay tuned!!

The Postie Called

again, and look what he bought me this time!!

These are from Pamela, my September partner in the Down Under Quilt Block Swap:

I love the colours in this one!

I think this one is remarkable, Pamela obviously  has a lot more patience than me!

Here they are together, don't they look pretty?

Pamela said that she made two, and then couldn't make up her mind which one to send me, so she sent both!
I'm so glad she did!

I never tire of saying what a lucky girl I am....