Favourite Things Friday

The totally awesome Mrs P at QIMP started Favourite Things Friday, I love this idea as it makes me think of the positive things when it is often so easy to think of the negative.  See Not Happy, Jan  post.

Crocheting and Quilting


Over the years I have tried all sorts of different crafty things.
Macrame (that was a long long long time ago)
Cross stitch
Embroidery
Sewing
Silversmithing
Knitting
Spinning
Weaving
Scrap booking
Jewellery making
Probably some more that I can't remember.

Two things I took up a long long time ago, dropped them, and now thanks to the wonderful world of blogging in 2010 I have found a renewed love of them, and this time I adore creating things so much I can't see me stopping either of them.

They are crocheting and quilting. Two very different crafts but I love them both equally.  Crocheting is great as something portable to do anywhere and I find it quick and very therapeutic (except for the sewing in of the ends). Quilting I enjoy sitting at home and using beautiful fabrics to create something out of an idea, an inspiration.

I always used to find excuses to spend my days out of the house but since returning to these lovely crafts I find I have learned to enjoy and embrace being at home where I can be creative and also very happy.

The infamous snowball blocks

The best thing of all, through crocheting and quilting,  I have found/connected with, some truly wonderful people who I am privileged to call my friends.

My very first wonky log cabin block

This is my very first wonky log cabin block, in fact it's my first ever, any kind of log cabin block.  I have been wanting to make a quilt using wonky log cabin blocks for awhile and have been stockpiling fabric to make it, and had the design all worked out, but was too scared to try it.

I went through the fabric I had put aside for the snowball blocks, I am sure you all remember them!!  I really don't think I am going to need it for more snowball blocks, as there will be a snowball's chance in hell that I will ever go back to them. I don't think it looks particularly wonky in this photo, but trust me it is. It was so easy, I used the tutorial from Tall Grass Prairie Studio.  I also love that it is nice and bright, I was getting a bit tired of all my soft neutral colours. Trouble is I don't have too many more scraps that are similar colours, so now I can feel another shopping spree coming on.

I have also been crocheting away on this:

A cushion cover to go with my new Ikea cushions.

I am still working on the back and was hoping to have it finished this weekend, but the weather was too nice yesterday. It is the middle of winter here and the temperature got up to 28 C (82 F), today it was a little cooler and we had a high of 23 C (73 F).   Paradise, what more can I say!!!!!!!!!

Before/After

My dining table, when I decided enough was enough for the time being on those pesky shitty snowball blocks. Out of sight, out of mind, seemed appropriate. So I packed it all up into a nice Ikea box, pretty!, with a lid, so I wouldn't have to see them any more. Until I decide I can face round three doing a few more. Now I know why Karen suggested just doing a few once a week. Although does that mean I just protract the hideousness of it all? Which is worse get them all over and done with quickly or take it slowly and do a few each week?

Look how beautiful my dining table looks now, much better.  The cat scratch pole/house multi story apartment block in the background is a nice touch, isn't it.

Snowball Night

Over at Sew Many Ways, Karen is hosting a quilt-along to make snowball blocks. You can see the button on my side bar if you want to join in.  I said I would join in a good week or so ago, and then couldn't decide which fabric to use.  I was going to buy some charm packs to make 5' squares. But I couldn't decide which charm packs to use and then which fabric to use for the corners. Basically I was stuck in a loop.  I was beginning to think that everyone would have finished before I even started. Yesterday I finally decided I should use what I have in my stash. I found a lot of oranges, pinks and yellows. 

I thought these would look good on a dark background, which would make the colours pop. I am hoping it will look like jewels once it is all together.  I am using 5" squares with 2" squares for the corners. I have completed 11 10 so far. One looks crap, so have to bin it.  Now I am wishing I had started on 10" squares, much more room for error.  I'm not sure how big I am going to make the project, with my attention span being about 5 minutes, it might end up a placemat or a couple of pot holders.

As usual, at this stage I am having second thoughts, but I am going to soldier on, and I think once I have completed a lot more blocks it will look a lot better.  I have just been using random fabric to get an idea of what it is going to look like and have not been at all methodical about it. Maybe I should!