Potty McDotty!

No, I wasn't attracted to this pattern because of its name!

It was more the lovely pots of appliqued flowers!

I saw the original quilt in a quilt shop recently and just 

had to buy the pattern!

It's by Irene Blanck of Focus On Quilts.

I made all the background pieces first and may, or may 

not, stay with this layout.

But it is good to have a plan and a record of it.

The slow sewing is very relaxing!

I often prep the blocks in the daylight hours....

and stitch away in the evenings!

I'm limiting the colour palette to blues, aquas, greens, 

yellows and light oranges

I listened to this wonderful audiobook while stitching 

this block.....

Looking at these now I am wishing I had varied the 

placement of the flowers or leaves in each block,

maybe curving them in the opposite direction.

Maybe I will do that with the next ones!

Happy sewing,

SUZ

 

Playing with Paint!

Back in March, I stumbled across a free watercolour 

tutorial by Anna Mason.

(I think I've shared some of these before....sorry!)

Her Youtube channel "Nature Studio" can be found here

These videos are just a taster of her style and method. 

The full tutorials can go for three or four hours.

I am slowly building up a supply of quality paints, 

brushes and paper.

They really do make a difference to the experience and 

the finished painting.

I want to try this Viola again now that I have some new 

tubes of 'professional' paints.

It is a very supportive community. 

You can post your pictures and get constructive 

feedback on your work!

I'm loving the slow pace and relaxed delivery of 

these tutorials so there are more paintings to come.

After the first session....

And finished the next day.

But I'm still sewing....

I have some slow stitching to share soon!

Happy days,

SUZ

 

Strips and Strings Quilt

 This is what 64 string blocks look like...

This was the layout when I last took a photo- 42 blocks.

So when I returned home and headed back into the 

sewing room, 

I diligently got to work on the last 18 blocks.

"Oh look, I made too many!"

I had to sew the blocks together slowly....

Now that the papers had been removed.

All those pesky bias edges and pins!

I find if you creep up on the pins they don't jump up 

and break the machine needle!

But when I remembered to pin the rows together....

it was so much better,

Easy access to both pin heads!

A black-and-white photo always helps with the

 placement of blocks and evening out the values.

I certainly put a dent in my scrap stash.

One of my favourite blocks

Mainly by making the backing out of stash too!

We are experiencing a beautiful sunny Winter's day,

 which certainly feels like Spring can't be far away!

So I took the opportunity to head outside and get some 

photos of it hanging on the clothesline!

What you can't feel is the warmth of the sunshine.

You can't hear the birds revelling in the sunny day too!

Or the sweet smell of daffodils and jonquils blooming....

Happy days!

SUZ