I have been procrastinating over a new sewing machine for ages now, do I go for an all singing all dancing model that embroiders, do I go for a workhorse straight stitch machine just for quilting, do I throw a wardrobe out and install a small long arm machine and last but not least do I have a purpose built log cabin in the garden and put a long arm and frame in it.
Apart from the cost I do not want to lose a chunk of garden so I have decided to explore the QAYG route.
I have read a few tutorials and watched a demonstration or 3 on U tube.
Recently a friend asked me to make a quick quilt in darker colours, I offered to get my fabrics out and let them have a look.
I dug out some blocks that I made and put way to start something new, these were intstantly chosen, both for the colours and the fact that half the work was completed already.
This is one of the 9 patch blocks with a 2 inch border to liven it up, it is loosely sandwiched waiting to be spray basted.
These 3 were left over from the blocks and will become part of the backing.
As will these fat quarters.
These are the 2 blocks ready for spray basting with yet more stray fat quarters from my stash. Once all the blocks are quilted I will lay them out so that the back has a pleasing layout making this reversible.
I aim to get all 20 blocks spray basted today and fingers crossed quilted and assembled by this time next week.
Francesca has asked for a summer quilt and someone has asked for some bunting, lots of bright colours for me to play with.
Dinner tonight is a stir fry, quick and easy, tasty and cheap, I will use 441 grams of rump steak that was on offer for £2.64 and then reduced down to 82p, this is the last packed of 5 that I snaffled up. With that will be 2 sad carrots, 1/2 a red and 1/2 a green pepper languishing in the salad drawer a packet of bean sprouts reduced to 15p and an assortment of spices, soy sauce etc from my pantry. to make it a bit sticky I will add some of my plum, chili and garlic jam and a slug of sweet sherry.
Along with a packet of noodles that will give us a good meal for around £2 for 3 adults.
If I needed to half of the steak could go into pasties for another meal but I am trying to get my freezer stocks down.
Right I have drunk my umpteenth cup of tea and must get off my butt and tidy up a bit, there are threads and little trimmings of fabric all over. TTFN Pam.
Ha! With the exception of the long-arm quilting machine I have been through the same thought processes myself. I longed for a cabin in the garden - but not much room, in the end we built on a small sun-room (7' by !0') to the small study at the back of the cottage, and there i have been ever since, stitching away happily.
ReplyDeleteI just could not go the QAYG route! I tried it once and I HATED it, what an awful faff. I do see the usefulness of just having a small piece of quilting to cart about with you, but OH! the faff of putting the whole thing together at the end drove me nuts. So never again for me - though I know lots of people who swear by it. Hope you will not end up swearing AT it! Lx
I have decided to give this 1 shot, the bit of hand sewing to finish the back will give me a break from the machine, I do have a little sun room but it house the tall fridge freezer and a stack of stuff that needs moving. My brick shed has power but also has the chest freezer, perhaps I will have to have a move round .
DeleteI'm not cooking today but your recipe made my mouth water - LOVE chinesey foods!
ReplyDeleteIt was very good, I made rhubarb crisp for pudding amd had real vanilla ice cream dolloped on the side, even gooder he he
DeleteLovely quilting again Pam, blimey your machine must be on fire the rate you can make these fab masterpieces :-) It takes me that long to decide what I'm doing Ive gone off the idea before I start lol
ReplyDeleteDinner sound delish as usual, those rump steaks were a great bargain just the job for popping into the freezer. Its ages since we had anything chinesey.
I was a tasty meal and quick, about 6 minutes to slice it all up and it cooked in the 5 minutes the noodles took. I did not get a photo, we just could not wait.
ReplyDeleteAll the blocks are basted and 10 are quilted.