What a bit of energy can do

Yesterday I set about in the Chicken Shed, intent on getting all the rubbish out and doing a Trip Run.  As you can see, there was quite a bit which we no longer needed - the Scottish potatoes sack held the strings from a long-defunct upright piano which Keith had dismantled and turned into useful bits and firewood . . . that was about 10 years ago too!   There were boxes of electrical wiring, bits of plastic, the cover of a plastic greenhouse which had ripped, plastic bottles, plant pots, soggy underlay - all manner of junk.

We filled the car up completely in the back (seats down of course) and I went off on my own, and sought the help of one of the staff at the Tip to help carry the several heavy mirrors which were also part of the load and a gigantic print of the last supper which Keith had bought for the maple frame (which turned out to be a very thin veneer which started to moult, hence it ending up in the chicken shed.) Himself admitted that buying that wasn't his finest hour . . .

This bird's nest (Blackbird?)was carefully crafted into the guard of a defunct brush trasher (which also went to the Tip).  They would have flown in and out through the former window which no longer has any glass or frame.

As I had laboured mightily the day before, sorting out one of the pony stables, my back was starting to give me jip so I sat down after lunch and worked out which fabrics I was going to use for the patchwork border of this project:

Here are some of the fabrics - I needed to cut 16 pieces each from 18 different prints - that's 288 x 2 1/2 inch  squares, meticulously measured.  I began to sew a few up, but couldn't undertand why the central block was too small.  Then I looked at the foot on my sewing machine and realized I was sewing up to the edge of the foot - 3/8".  So a quick order via Amazon Prime had a 1/4" foot winging its way to me and arriving today.  I am a dozo not to realize it was a 3/8" foot I had on there!

This is an initial choice of fabrics, but I have found some more today which I may cut and add.  I have my patchwork class tomorrow afternoon so I shall take this along and see if I can get started with cutting out the applique pieces now I have found out where I stashed my Bondaweb (which of course, only came to light AFTER I had ordered some more!!!)

Right, off to bed now.  I have been hand quilting the wall hanging for eldest daughter (love doing this) and enjoying the jewel-bright colours in it.  There may be a feline bent to the design . . . but I shall say no more.