HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY TO ALL UK MUMS!

Not the kind we are normally used to; but - everything is different now, all our lives have changed very quickly. It is like those horror films we have watched over the years.

My flowers and cards were delivered yesterday, my children are keeping their distance, I am not able to give them a hug 😢

We are trying to keep away from others as much as possible, as we are in the "at risk" age group.

Just as well we have hobbies!

It is a beautiful day here in our part of the world, blue sky and wall to wall sunshine,

we were sitting outside earlier, enjoying a cuppa in the warm part of the garden. At least something is right.

Our garden is slowly waking up, the camellia is in flower,

and the miniature Japanese cherry is fully out.

About a week ago I managed to make a quick trip to Midsomer Quilting to spend my Christmas vouchers; not many people there.

The nice people at MQ said that they will carry on as long as they can, specially their online shop.

This is what I came back with,

aren't these colours a feast for eyes?

Yes, there was a plan for these fabrics.

I have been playing with a small Korak sampler. What is Korak?

It is possibly the most ancient form of patchwork. There isn't much know about is; I came across it some 9 years ago, when someone else was making a small sampler and I wrote a post about it here.

You will struggle to find much written information, the only very informative book I know about is this one (which is in both, German and English)

Koraks were made by nomads in Central Asia, along the Silk Route, which also explains the various fabrics used, including silks, in some of the Koraks which survived.

Korak is made very differently to patchwork as we know now; pieces of fabrics  (mainly squares and triangles) are stitched to a foundation fabric, so not unlike today's applique. It is an interesting technique, be it a bit fiddly, as the fabric pieces are very small.

I am following (very loosely) one of the designs in the book. 

This is where I am so far with my Korak sampler.

There is also some progress on the "Circle Play" top.

I must admit that I find very difficult to be creative when I am worried, and these are very worrying times.

I wish you well, keep safe!

©pleasureinstitching.blogspot.co.uk 2010-2020

FNwF - another month gone - really?

Yes, really! Again - thank you to Cheryll for getting us together for another Friday Night with Friends!

For most of the day yesterday we had bits of blue sky - so welcome after what seems to be weeks and weeks of unrelentless rain, I even set outside in the sunshine for a while, just enjoying the warmth on my face. There are very small signs of spring in our garden. Buds on the crab apple tree are just waiting to burst open.

Pair of blue-tits have taken over repaired and clean nest box, I really hope it all means that spring is close.

I haven't been doing much sewing, it must be the time of year, I do feel tired.......

All inspiration is eluding me. 

This pretty pink hepatica  has been out for a while.

So, what was up to last night? I picked up somewhat forgotten Awakening quilt.

To be very honest, I am struggling with that one, and that is quite rare for me.

I can see now why Irene did not release this one as a stand alone pattern; she writes about it her collection of quilt patterns "Focus on Applique". It was her first quilt and it has a very personal meaning, it helped her through a very bad time in her life. 

So, why did I think I could somehow copy that and make it mine?

At this point I am stuck.

Too many (very small) blocks and angels, and angel quotes (which I decided right at the start I would not include).

I decided there is only one thing I can do, just carry on (it is a very difficult quilt to ignore and not finish, but I will simply "do my own thing" and finish it in my own way, ignoring the deeper meaning. I am using other ideas from other blocks and quilts in Irene's book.

Last night I finished this rather a large block (larger than most others). I liked making this one, this is more "me".

I have also been working on the crochet Arabian Nights blanket, and there is also another crochet project in making, a summer wrap (one has to look forward to something, right?); I will share that one soon.

I hope you are well and keeping out of the way of the horrid virus sweeping across the globe.

Enjoy your weekend!

©pleasureinstitching.blogspot.co.uk 2010-2020

FNwF - circle play

Once again big "thank you" to Cheryll for getting us together for little crafting. 

Where do the months go?

I am just about to start on loads of very small log cabin blocks for the Grandmother's Garden quilt, which of course is time consuming and it means spending time at the sewing machine.

So, to offset that with something very easy (and to have something to do while watching TV), I have been deciding on a very simple project, using only fabrics from my stash - just playing really.

The bottom fabric in the picture is traditional Czech hand dyed "modrotisk" (blue print) fabric, which I have several meters of, including other designs.

I used to bring it back from my trips home, long before my quilt making days. It is very similar to Hungarian Kekfesto fabric, and not unlike African Shwe Shwe indigo fabrics .

As it happens I also found blue on white fabrics, which go very well with the main blue one. 

My plan (if I can call it that) is just to play with circles in various colours, and again I have been rummaging through my stash for suitable colours.

This is a rough idea  of what I want to do.

I  randomly joined together blue and white blocks, and started to make colour circles. I have enough blue print fabric for the back as well, but I don't plan to make this into a quilt as such, but a coverlet without wadding, and join the front and back with large Kantha type stitches. 

So this is where I got to on Friday night.

To make circles, I am using old Christmas cards for templates; 

I spray some starch into a little pot with a lid, so it doesn't dry out. 

I brush little of the starch around the edge on the wrong side,

          

press and when dry, remove the template.

©pleasureinstitching.blogspot.co.uk 2010-2020

little housekeeping

I looked at my blog "Reading List" the other day - it is sooo long! 

It seems that after 10 years of my blogging life I am now following over 400 blogs. This obviously isn't true; many of those blogs have long been retired, or their owners for whatever reason haven't posted for a long time, or quite simply I no longer want to follow them.

So, some drastic action was needed. I have now deleted my whole Reading list, which has deleted me from all the followers lists. 

I am now in the process of re-visiting blogs in "Blogs I Follow" in my side bar, and re-registering as a Follower, or deleting them. I have done quite a few so far, but this obviously will take some time, so if I have vanished from your Followers list, bare with me, I will find you again!

©pleasureinstitching.blogspot.co.uk 2010-2020

It was white outside when I woke up this morning - a hail storm during the night.

Thankfully it did not last; I am dreaming of spring........😟

I finished the first lot of applique leaves on my Grandmother's Flower Garden
(there will be lots more later);
the pattern gives an option to finish the quilt at this point, just back it and quilt.
But I am in for the full journey, for now anyway.
Unfortunately the artificial light inside doesn't help to take good pictures,
so this is the best I could do today.

For my applique I am using thin cotton thread, No 60. 

I have slowly built up a collection of colours, and these, together with a very thin applique needle, make the sewing very easy and quick.

The next border will be made up from small 3 inch log cabin blocks.

I have made the first 4, which are for the corners.

I am making a good use of the "Bloc-Loc" log cabin ruler,

which I bough at a show some time ago, and only now it has become useful.

This will mean spending time upstairs at the sewing machine,

so for my evening crafting in front of TV I have picked up the crochet hook again
to carry on with the Arabian Nights blanket.

By the way, I have been forced to turn on "comment moderation",  because I received some unwelcome comments on my blog, and I do object to anyone trying to advertise their cleaning services on my blog.
I don't like doing it, because I like to see my comments posted when I comment on others, but I hope this will not put you off from leaving a comment, if you feel like it 😉

©pleasureinstitching.blogspot.co.uk 2010-2020