Tuesday 15 January 2019

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.


8 comments:

  1. Hi BB, boy you have been busy. I have been decluttering the lounge - started yesterday still a long way to go. Once order is restored in there might be able to sit and do some handcrafting of one sort of the other of an evening! Here is hoping. I am intending to start sewing a patchwork next Tuesday. I have precut squares enough to do a super king quilt in pinks, blues, creams and greens so I am going to start joining in pairs and then into strips and then so on. I do not think will get a chance this week to do anything as am so busy decluttering. It will be a job well done in the long term. However I am looking forward to playing next Tuesday. It is long overdue. It will also get me used to working with my new sewing machine. As you advocated am going for it. Once the front room is decluttered it will all get washed down and then the carpet will be cleaned as well. So a lot to do. I love the new work it is gorgeous. Catch you soon Tricia xx

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    1. Glad to hear you are going to make a start on your quilt next week. Personally, if I did all the jobs that needed doing before I started on anything, I would NEVER make a thing!!!

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  2. I have energy again (after a year without any OR inspiration to DO anything! I must seize the day.

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  3. That looks rather like some of the things Col used to keep - Just-in-case! I'm more ruthless and will get going on the workshop sometime but Too cold here today to think about doing anything that involves being outside. Freezing cold wind.

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    1. I'm the ruthless one here at the moment! Lots of those "just-in-case" bits in other outbuildings!! Another book cull has taken place and yet more to go off to the Tesco charity table tomorrow (old copies of Miller's Antiques Guides, which you can't get people to buy but they are happy to donate to charity for). I think we are getting the cold weather tomorrow onwards . . .

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  4. It seems that the more buildings we have, or spare rooms, we stuff them with junk, which never really seemed like junk when we initially decide to keep it!

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    1. Hello David. Yes, you are spot on with that - but even we've run out of room here, and as you say, it wasn't junk to start with!!

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