Best laid plans

Lots of sewing happening at Chez Sunshine until Tuesday when my machine started having issues with the tension.  After playing around, trying to fix it, with no positive results, it's now gone in to sewing machine hospital. It was well overdue for a service and it's going to take two weeks, sigh. So after finally having my mojo back after misplacing it for most of last year, I now have to put my sewing plans on the back burner. Fortunately I have a few hand stitching projects to work on in the meantime.

I've finished 10 of the 38 orange peel/petal blocks. Lucky, I really love making these and I can concentrate on making a few more over the next few weeks. I'm doing the needle turn appliqué method so they are not fast but it's satisfying making these.

9 of the 10 I've finished

The Starflowers top is finally finished, full photos to come later. I really need to think of a new name for it.   I've also made the backing, lucky me, that was the last thing I sewed before the sewing machine called in sick. I still have to get down on the floor and baste this baby, my favourite job, NOT.  I was thinking about sending it out to be quilted but I would really like to hand quilt it. I could get a start on it while my machine is in hospital, although I'm not sure how easy or pleasant hand quilting is going to be with temps in the 30's and high humidity, yuck.

I've also been working on the hexies, slowly, very slowly, I sewed two today!

 Up until the last couple of days, the weather has been really lovely and I've been walking a lot and taking Karma for a walk each day too.

 There's always something to see on our daily walks.

Stand up paddle boarders.

Squares, triangles and straight lines

Occasionally I have days like yesterday. Instead of faffing around procrastinating, I made an executive decision to just get in there and sew. No master plan, just an attitude of do it. Amazing what that attitude can do for me.

I started the day by searching for some batting for Scooter, the baby quilt. Eventually I found a bundle of batting all tied up. Once undone it was very very creased, not ideal for basting. I put that aside to unwrinkle and rather than the usual me, deciding that the quilting stars weren't in alignment, I instead, picked up some fabric I cut the other day, and made some four patch blocks.

That was easy so I thought while I was on a roll I'd cut some setting triangles for the four patches.

Wow, this is going well. So I sewed some triangles to the four patches. A.M.A.Z.I.N.G. It actually worked!

Then I cut out some of the spotty fabric that's in the starflower diamonds, I need to applique the starflower panel to it.  Ready for the next border.

I was still feeling the quilting love, I straightened out the batting and started basting Scooter. It went without a hitch. I spray basted it, and then sparsely pinned just in case.  I've now quilted almost half of it. Woo hoo.

I'm anticipating that today won't be quite as productive, but then again, you never know!

Playing with my stash

I'm back to doing what I love the most - playing with my stash.
I like nothing better than to sit on the floor in my sewing room, search out my fabric and play. I love finding fabrics that work together. It takes time, partly to find what I'm looking for as I'm not a very organised person, and partly because each stack evolves. I add fabric, I cull it, and it's so satisfying.

My latest playtime produced


a possible wall hanging for BP's room.

and

the beginnings of a baby quilt for a boy.

Quite often nothing eventuates from my playtime, but I don't mind, it's just nice to be able to play.

Starflowers are coming along too..........slowly but I'm making progress.


I'm now trying to sew in pieces individually or in small groups to make it easier to attach. I gave up making a star and then adding it as it was very difficult. I wish I'd thought of this sooner. This piece will slot into the gap on the bottom left hand side in the photo below.

The papers in the back are becoming more and more crumpled as it has become bigger and I'm working on it.  I've pressed it a couple of times but it's a losing battle and I've pulled some of the papers out already but honestly it's almost easier with them left in. I'm just going to put up with it until I finish it. I am loving how it looks though. Can't wait to show you the finished panel.