Block D!!!!!!

I am way behind, but still trying hard to have it finished by the deadline. If there are still ladies out there that have become behind like me...please don't be discouraged as WE CAN DO IT!!! Lol! Seeing all the beautiful quilt tops amd blocks appearing on this blog of late, has definately kept me going...Thankyou ladies!!

Off to trace F Block!

Lisa

Promised Progress Report!

Hey all! My, haven't we all been busy little stitchers now that we've got the Christmas stitching out of the way! :0) It's been lots of fun to see the inundation of progress reports and lots of quilt tops coming together. I'd love to show you  my finished quilt top ... but it's not finished! Tee! Hee! Hee! However, Miss Chookyblue has been pushing to see what progress I've made and nudging me along, so I thought I'd share an update. At the moment, my tally stands at ...

... FIVE finished blocks and ...

... all of the remaining stitcheries are finished, except for one ... the Annual Garden Show on the bottom right there that is underway. See Chookyblue? I TOLD you I'd show you I'd really been stitching and not just slacking! :0) Lots of stitching has been going on during the holidays, I think I only had the dovecote and basket of flowers finished before Christmas, so I HAVE been busy ... really! :0) My decision to add a few little patches of satin stitch to most blocks is one I'm happy with, as I love the patches of colour that now jump out (especially those apples in the orchard block!!) but boy of boy, do they take some time to stitch! (especially those apples in the orchard block! Tee! Hee! Hee!) I'm not sure if I'll have my quilt finished by the March deadline, but I sure am a LOOOOOOOOONG way in front of where I would have been without joining the Stitch-A-Long! So, thanks to Chookyblue, Peg et al for the 'gentle' shove. :0)

But for now ... I'm off to catch a few ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ's!! Til next time ...

BEAR HUGS!
CHEERS!
KRIS

35 apples in one day plus a basket full!!

Could have caused real tummy trouble:-) Well,just talking of what you see here.
HURRAH my last block has been stitched,resting on the backing,waiting to
be sewn into block E..... And I have practiced (really tried to) backstiching
on the apples,preparing myself for my next new project!!!




Lovely Winter with untouched snow and a missing link soon on its way!!


I am sure you know what I`ll be busy with doing this weekend,
unless something more importent suddenly must turn up.

For me it has been super to have a "strict" plan to follow. Glad for
the planning,Chookyblue. Lovely to be seeing all the different
quilt tops comming up on our blog at the moment:-)

And I am so sorry for all the devastating things we see and hear
about on the TV from parts of your country, I too pray that Mother
Nature soon will calm down.

Top finished.

Today I have spent ironing my mountainous pile of clothes and finishing my quilt top while listening to radio updates on the floods in my beloved state.
The quilt looks less pale in real life. I have put it away now because I have paid work for awhile. I hope to get it out again in about 3 weeks to have it finished in time for Nundle. I was going to pin it, ready for any spare moment. I decided not to because we are very very humid at the moment and my ordinary dress pins have left rust spots on my pincushion. I don't have enough brass safety pins to do the whole top and I don't trust my nickle-plated ones. Better to wait.
Take care everyone,
Kayly

Finished Quilt Top!!!!

Here is my finished quilt top!   I finished it at 11pm last night!!   The photo is not fantastic as it was a cloudy morning here and this is out on my verandah - but you get the general idea!  I'm finished!!! Yay!!!    And as I don't have the time to quilt it - I have taken it to a friend today who is going to machine quilt it for me!     I'm excited!!   Well done to everyone who has finished and those who are also stitching away madly to try and meet this deadline!   Thanks Chooky & Co. for the idea of gathering together like minded women to achieve something so lovely!  

Finished!

My quilt is finished! The lighting as usual is horrible but it really looks nice in my living room with the soft pastel colors.

Thank you Chooky for the Blog and motivation to do this on time.

Chookyblue's progress.........

ok so I am being hassled and questioned by Helen and Bec.................(I told them to keep kicking my butt along)...........but between the hassling and the huge boost of motivation with all the posts this year and seeing so many blocks coming together and tops coming together and talk of quilting I  have been busy stitching.........

Anni these cobs of corn were nearly my demise..........how long does it take to finish 3 cobs of corn.............I had put it off and off and off again............but today finally I got it finished, washed and pieced together...........

BLOCK D done

Watch out for more progress VERY VERY soon...........

Catch you later..............

Chookyblue

A finished top

I managed to get some sewing done today, and I'm happy to report that my Gardener's Journal top is now finished! I just pieced the border out of strips and ran them around the quilt. I had done my Polka Dot Girls quilt this way and it really seemed to work with the scrappy look of the rest of the quilt. So now it's on to making the back and getting this one sandwiched and quilted! But that will have to wait until tomorrow! :0)

Top together......

Well here is my quilt top with borders can't wait to get this finsihed now, I'm off to buy the wadding and backing tomorrow, hopefully I will be able to layer and pin soon..... then quilt but like you girls I'm not sure what I want to do yet.... ahhhh well I'll have to put on the thinking cap, I'm not really a quilter so it will probably be something simple. 

Come on Chooky show us some progress...... lol......

Helen

And now to quilt........

...but the question I have is.....are you quilting over the stitcheries?  I have been looking at the finished GJ top and pondering this question so am putting it to the group for some help......I will probably quilt it myself but am not sure about quilting over the stitchery blocks....your thoughts?

Block E Finished !!

Here is my Block E finished - I'm nearly done!!    After reading the last post, I would like to encourage everyone who has been lagging a bit (like I was)!   I just couldn't seem to get to putting my blocks together as there was just too much else to do before the end of the year.   But for the bonus of a few days after all the children and partners had gone home, I wouldn't have this nearly completed by now.  So... don't worry if your circumstances don't afford you time at the moment ... just know that everyone in the group will eventually have a beautiful quilt to enjoy ... doesn't matter if it is this week or next month, or next year!!   Stitching shouldn't be under pressure, but a relaxing, gentle art!  Enjoy each and every stitch!

And another bonus - Block E could then be joined to Blocks C and D!!   The end is in sight!!    Some spare time this afternoon should hopefully see me with a top put together completely!  Yahoo!!!!!!

Bec's Update

It's Sunday today and I am stitching on GJ. I finished "I" block yesterday and I have the inner border on the quilt top, this afternoon should see the outer border added too.

A few of us stitch-a-long girls will be taking our quilts/quilt tops to GDITC this March at Nundle. Anita wrote in our email loop that she doesn't think she will get hers done and is feeling bad about letting the team down. I wrote a reply and Fiona thought I should post it here, as it applys to everyone who is in need of encouragment.

Hey Anita,

Though your quilt won't be finished for GDITC 2011, I am SURE you are alot further along with it than you were this time last year! I don't think you have let the team down, my understanding of the stitch-a-long is for companionship and encouragement whilst working on the same stitching project.

I know I had mine sitting in a box for over a year with me procrastinating about starting it, (oh gosh a lot of work so I will leave that quilt for now! LOL). After GDITC 2010 I had a passing thought about starting/completing the quilt but again decided too much work and too much else on. THEN I got the email from Chooky/Peg/Dale about what they were going to do. Working on one bit a month seemed like not so much of a mountain to stitch. My top is almost done (all things going well the borders will go on today) BUT to be totally honest; if I hadn't fractured my foot earlier in the and spent 8 wks sitting stitching my quilt would not be so far along as it is.
So Anita, DON'T FEEL BAD - feel fantastic for what you HAVE achieved! It is a beautiful quilt and there IS alot of work in it, you will complete it one day and in the meantime we will love to see what you have done at GDITC 2011.

Oh, and Kylie's GJ won't be finished either. She has had a big year with moving house and is happily looking forward to working on GJ this year, your defiantely not alone!

love Bec xxx

I hope I haven't been out of place posting this here.

PS It's also nice to hear of fires being lit, in other words stitchers focusing on GJ and achieving lots! Go Girls! The quilts are coming along fantastically!

Bec xxx

How to quilt it? Oh, and can I have a 'B' please?

Fiona@Dragonfly-Crafts said in her last post 'Now to work out how I will quilt it'.
I've been giving this a lot of thought also. I'm going to go around each of the embroideries -twice on the ones with borders- to 'lock down' the quilt and around both sides of the inner border. After this, I think I will get out of the ditch and try some simple shapes especially in the 1 inch block sections.
I'm a bit concerned about some of the larger embroideries. They are too big to leave unquilted but I don't want to do too much on them. (I can hide my dodgy quilting easier on the patterned fabric.)
Does anyone have any suggestions?
I finished appliqueing on my hearts this morning. I have not appliqued much but I was pleased how it turned out. I used the buttonhole stitch method. I'll save trying the needle turned method until there is not such a fast approaching deadline.

Thanks to Chooky for setting up this SAL and blog. I have really enjoyed this and look forward to seeing many of the quilts at GDITC.
Take care,
Kayly

deadline approaching.........

OMG you girls are on fire...............finally I got the sidebar updated this morning and since 20th Dec you girls have completed 21 blocks...........this week has been amazing..............this also includes several of you getting your blocks together and others the borders on too.............

\

SUPER EFFORT......

......and yes I am back in the groove as of today i have 10 weeks to have my quilt bound and labeled..............

For those not here from the start it was a decision at Girls Day in the Country last March that got Peg, Dale and myself started.............

Dale has a little binding to go and Peg and I well we need to get moving........(Peg probably has all hers stitched)..........

.....BUT when I blogged about it all you wonderful girls joined us to...............now the time is looming in and WE MUST get our quilts FINISHED..............

I googled images for "deadline" and got these.............only wanted one but there were these 3 that I wanted to share............

So where am I at............I think I have traced the final 3 stitcheries...........I may have one more I need to check the blocks.............and I need to get stitching.......I can't sew of a night as the bugs have been too bad...............but I will have to get some done during the day........

....I have a friend lined up to do the quilting so I have to allow some postage time in there and back as well......... Seriously I can't drive and stitch binding down at the same time..............so it has to be finished before I leave.............

Otherwise this may be me at GDITC............. 

There are quite a few girls in our SAL group who are going to be at Girls Day In the Country.........

I can't wait to catch up again with the girls.......

there will be 11 of us from this group who want NEED to have our quilts finished.........

well it would be fantastic to have them finished to show Anni......wouldn't it............

Catch you later............off for a nanna nap then into some sewing.......

Chookyblue

PS get those needles or sewing machine cracking depending on what your up to...........

Block B Finished!

Whew!  Another block finished - Block B!   I'm on a bit of a roll and the fact that work on Monday is looming means that I would really like to get this finished in the next few days!    I loved stitching this block - especially as I have decided to take time out to "smell the roses" this year!  

More excitement as I have now stitched Block A and Block B together!    I can now see it all coming together and am pretty excited to get it finished off!    Thanks to all the girls who have provided so much inspiration, and especially to Chookyblue for organising - she needs some of our inspiration to get hers finished for her upcoming deadline - come on Chooky - you can do it!!!

My Quilt Top is Finished

Love a day of sewing and today I finally got my "A Gardener's Journal" Quilt Top completed.

The Inner Border looks fine

But, note to self - Don't use a fabric that has a straight edge in the pattern as it gives the border the illusion of being curved and you can really notice that it's been cut crooked.

Now to work out how I will quilt it.

Block 'I' finished.

Yahoo! Last block finished. Now to applique those hearts, then on to putting it together.
Kayly

Nice and New Ornament!

Great reading all the last news on our SAL blog:-) Bit more
activity now and that gives inspiration. I really rushed this
morning after having checked our blog.

Here in Norway I have the last day of Christmas decorations. Today the
06 of January is the 13th Day of Christmas and a big cleaningup to do.

But very proud showing you my block I. Think it looks super being an
ornament,just for the time being, next to the ornament I received
from Liz at Luv2Cre8te in the SSCS. Very keen now starting on the
Orchard block with the sweet little bug. By February maybe-maybe the
borders could be sewn on.

So till then HAPPY SEWING to you all! Looking sooooooooo forward
to seeing my finished quilt hanging here on the wall above me.

Block F Finished!!

Another productive day at the machine has produced a completed Block F!!   And I have attached it also to Block G!!   I'm loving how this is going together so easily when the designs are already stitched (almost finished!!)!   Thanks for the inspiration Chooky!!

Can I please buy a "F" & an "I"

As promised to myself and my blogging friends, I took the time today to get back into my "A Gardener's Journal" Quilt.
I didn't realise how much I still had to put together. Phew!

First, how do you check everything out.... Lay it out on your bed as it's conveniently right beside my office/sewing room.

I've completed Block F

And Block I

Started putting it all together and how disappointing to Chop my Carrots off a little. Maybe they are still in the ground?

It's not quite finished so I'm not showing anymore photos until I have some borders on it.

Now it's time for lunch and a rest in front of the tv for a little while.

Lots of Blocks for Bec!

This is my LAST stitchery for GJ! I am so excited (and impatient) for it to be almost finished!

I had three blocks finished earlier in the year then I fractured my foot and then worked on stitcheries while I was laid up but didn't piece any blocks together. The other day, just after christmas, I spent half a day piecing all the blocks and was just busting to get the borders on! But I have to get this last stitchery done first.

Sometimes it seemed like I had a mountain of stitchery to complete, and lots of piecing when I able but it is coming together quickly now and I hope to blog a flimsy within the week.....fingers crossed!

love Bec xxx

PS the quilts are looking fantastic!

Block F Finished!

Hi Everyone,
Finally finished the fiddly F block. I have block I laid out ready to put together next and then I only have to do the hearts on B block. This one, though, had a bit of resewing after I noticed to many fabrics doubling up when I put it next to its neighbours.
I can see that light at the end of the tunnel!
I had a visit from Bettsylyn on Tuesday. She finished one the stitcheries while we had tea and cake.
Back soon with more I hope.
Kayly

Oops!!

Well after my bragging in the last post - I discovered a mistake!!
I was sitting having my breakfast on Monday and the blocks were draped over one of the dining chairs and I was admiring them (as you do LOL) and I realised I had sewn one of the stitchery blocks on back to front!! It's the little snail block - if it was any of the larger blocks I think I would have noticed it as the back of my work is not too tidy! I just can't believe I had sewn it all together and even ironed it without noticing LOL

So I got to use my new unpicker from Dawn Hay in our swap and I had to do a bit of repair work!!

 

all fixed now!!

Finally can I have an A please!!!!

Well they say slow and steady wins the race, well I am not going to win, but try as I might I will catch up!! I have spent some time stitching, let's just say not only the GJ seems I have got hooked on the Tis the Season book too, as well as my other BOM Life is Beautiful - yep totally over committed and I love it....and well " the Girls" by Brownyn Hayes is all hand stitched, just to find more time at the machine to finish putting the blocks together.

So here you can see my efforts in cutting all those pieces....mmm not sure how I will go at this random putting it together but liking my first block so far.

Proud to share my block A and finally get to ask,  CAN I PLEASE HAVE AN A ......feel like i am finally on the board!!!

Block D Finished

I know I am behind but I aim to catch up quickly!!   I have stitched lots of the squares but have not assembled the blocks as yet as the end of the year became fairly hectic!!   Yesterday I assembled block D and was really happy with how it turned out!

Then .... it was all excitement as I stitched blocks D and C together!   I'm really pleased with how the quilt is coming together and very inspired by all the finished tops on display already!   Hope to have another block or two assembled today!   This is really how a New Year should start - lots of sewing time!!

Block I and Blocks Together

Finally I have finished Block I.

And here are the blocks altogether.  Onto the borders.  Thanks for all the support from everyone!

I love this quilt so much.  I can't wait to get the borders on and I am going to quilt it myself.   Thanks to Chookyblue!

Well I guess you could say I am the "lagging behind"  one in the group!
I have now finished the first 2 blocks!! I thought I had finished the first one before but then discovered I had left a row off the top and the side LOL
So while you are all starting your new SAL I will be continuing with this one!  

MY TOP

Today is a great day. I have finished my top. It is so unreal and I am so happy.

After 8 month I am sitting here with my finished top and it would never have gone so fast without this SAL blog and kind help and inspirations from a lot of stitching friends.

This quilt will be a little bigger than I expected but the result is what I have hoped for.

When I made the border yesterday it came to my mind that the book does not have a pattern for a label and I like to make a special label very suitable to this quilt.

Does anyone have a good idea or know where I can find a suitable label.

After this point I think there will come a feeling of emptiness but I have no reason for resting on my laurels.

Further on with QUILTING.

Happy New Year to all and have a good stitching year.

I DID IT - Greetings from Finland

It feels so unreal!
but MY TOP of GARDENER's JOURNAL is there
FINISHED
and on time....;)))
(we have here now 7 hours till the new year)

This was amazing stitch along year with you.
I wouldn't be this far on my GJ
WITHOUT you!

HAPPY NEW stitching YEAR 2011!!!