F2F - Five more

lucky...and lovely....last

The last of my blocks from the F2F Block Swap have arrived, all the way from Esther, from the Netherlands.

Esther kindly sent 5 blocks........ 3 with blue backgrounds

and these 2 with pink backgrounds.

So that's 27 blocks I have now, plus whatever I make for myself, so lots to be playing with and decisions to be made about a layout. 

I sent off  Miss October' s blocks earlier in the week to Moira..... a chocolate, coffee, cream and blue palette.....which I can't show until she receives them.  So now it's time to turn my thoughts to Miss November's colour choices and blocks. Robin has chosen this lovely bright palette, and it's going to be interesting working with these colours. One of the good things about this swap is the challenge of working with colours I wouldn't choose for myself.

So, time to get on. The sun's lifting from behind the trees, and the fog ....which has been rolling in along the river most days...... has started to burn away, so time to release the hound and have a walk before the day starts to get hot. Actually, the hound is still in bed, sleeping, so time to stir her. 

ScrapHappy day - October

No waste - waste triangles 

I meant to post this ScrapHappy Day post yesterday, the 15th, but had a nap instead. So better late than never.

While browsing around on Pinterest, looking at scrappy quilt inspiration, this lovely bright block  caught my eye. It's from here and the maker used up scrap triangles to make the blocks, rather than hst and set them in an ocean waves pattern.

 

Seeing all those little "waste" triangles, the bits cut off the corners of hsts, reminded me I had some saved "somewhere" so went rummaging and found this lot. I hate throwing anything out, and save the hard plastic containers that berries and cake come into the house in (I don't buy ready made cakes from the supermarket, but friends do and bring to share) They're the ideal size to put those waste triangles in and stack neatly on a cupboard shelf.

Saved in plastic "waste" containers

Not strawberries, little waste triangles

 These purple remnants came from the op shop, and are the perfect colour for background blocks, as the small pieces will show up well against the darker mauve. I cut them into 4 inch squares and sewed a tiny triangle across one corner.

And ended up with these..........I could sew them together like little butterflies......

or into ocean waves like the red ones above.  I'll make a good pile of them before I decide. 

Knitting for Brisbane's Needy has put out the call for baby blankets to go to an organisation that supports young mums who are on their own, so I'll work towards it going there.

Kate and Gun host ScrapHappy Day on the 15th of each month, so go visit if you want to see what other scrappy goodness is happening around the world. So far there are scrap hexies, jewel box stars and zeppelins...... that's a tempting line-up and definitely worth a look. If you're inspired to join in, follow the link to either Kate's or Gun's blog and they'll get you going. It's easy.

The sun's out, and it's exciting, after not seeing it for nearly 2 weeks, but just for a little while, as there're storms racing in from the west, but plenty of time to get out in the garden and potter a bit, check out what's grown, what's been damaged in the wild weather, smell the newly blooming roses and sweet peas and maybe pull a few weeds. I've missed being out there.

So till next time............

Good cheer in the mailbox

We've had days of rain, and almost everything else lately the weather can throw at us, apart from snow, and further north, there was a tornado, pretty much unheard of in Australia, that caused a lot of damage and injury to people. I'm not complaining about the rain, it's so badly needed, and some of this system has pushed west and north, where they've been hit hard by the drought and really need the rain.  It's just cold, colder than spring in the sub-tropics should be, and a bit miserable.

-- 

Fog

Hail...... more than once

Supercell storms

So it was a lovely surprise today, dashing out between downpours, to discover a little parcel waiting in the mailbox.......another F2F swap squishie. It was from Robin in Canberra this time, and as she's been very unwell with pneumonia,  I was doubly impressed that she'd managed to make...and get to the post office to send.....4 beautiful blocks.

hexies

And look at this gorgeous fussy cut teapot.

Baskets with ric-rac handles

Double hourglasses ?

Robin said she loves blue, and has so many blue fabrics she found it hard to choose which to use. I can well believe it, there's certainly plenty in this block!

So I thought it was time to put them all together for a look. Not in any particular arrangement, just as I picked them up off the pile.

Too many for one photo, so here's the second half.

Such a lovely array of blues and pinks, I think they're going to come together nicely whatever I decide to do with them.  There's still 3 to come from the Netherlands, and then two more to make for myself, or however many I decide I need /want.  

So I'll leave you with this crosspatch, who's not at all bothered by the incessant rain, but rather was peering over my shoulder, wanting to be fed, and rather cross that I stayed at the computer and didn't immediately jump up to do her bidding. 

Time to pull on boots and raincoats......yes, Mirrhi has one too......and go stretch our legs and put the chooks to bed.

till next time........

Tying Down the Blues

or bowtie blocks update

I first posted about these blocks in this post for ScrapHappy Day. They're for a friend  who had a hankering for a blue quilt, so rather than she pay $300 for one, I offered to make her one from my blue scraps. I had made 12 back then, and try to sew a few every day, cutting some more each time, ready for the next session.

So I've doubled the number and have 24 now.  I'm not sure how many I'll make, maybe keep sewing until I run out of blues?  Although my selection has been added to with some blue scraps from a friend - long skinny pieces, rather than scraps though.  Some are a scant smidgeon off 4.5 inches, but since I'm sewing the blocks together, I'll make it work.

Here are the latest batch, just put up for the photo, and not arranged into any sort of pattern yet. 

Time now to stir this lazy hound and take her out for a walk before the forecast storm hits.....it's becoming a regular event to batten down the hatches before the afternoon's torrential rain and hailstorms swoop in.

Rainy days and knitting

Days of rain and hailstorms have kept me indoors, although as I write this, the sun's shining brightly in a cloudless sky, so maybe the rain's moved on for now.  And what better to do when forced to stay in, than pick up my knitting needles.  As we head towards Christmas, Knitting for Brisbane's Needy, who I support from time to time,  have put out the call for thousands of little mini stockings that are filled with lollies for small gifts for the homeless and those doing it tough. There's always a great demand for them, and they are asked for from many charities across Queensland. My little handful will hardly make a dent in the numbers required, but so far, at least, there's half a dozen more  people who won't feel forgotten, come Christmas Day. 

I'll probably only knit these few, but I'll sew some in felt as well, as they're much quicker to make. 

For the first time, I'm linking with Janine of the Rainbow Hare for Wool on Sundays. Even if you don't knit or crochet, Janine has lots of pretty things on her blog......it's the place where she shares her adventures in yarn and fabric .....so it's worth a visit. 

Back out to the garden now, a perfect time to weed and plant, with the soil damp and easy to dig.

Till next time.......

One from Texas

F2F block parcel, that is

These 3 pretties came from Moira.

They're all delightful, and such lovely colours. 

Thanks Moira 😊