Life is Good

Spring has really sprung here at Maison Pyjamas. Less than two weeks ago I was lamenting the fact that our cherry tree (which didn't lose its all of its leaves until August - slacker! ) was still bare and barren. Today it looks like this which makes me happy because it means long, lazy, warm days will soon be a regular occurrence. I busted out a T-shirt this weekend and it felt sublime. 

Saturday saw the Not The Farmers Wife Gals congregate at Loz's house for our monthly stitching party. Loz made me a very special cake to celebrate my birthday. Oreo Birthday biscuit cake ...How stinking cute is this? I have to tell you it was one of the best things I've ever eaten. Seriously! Thankyou Loz for your thoughtfulness. (and the inevitable sugar rush. I didn't get to sleep until 3am) 

I got all the remaining circles basted for my Moroccan Tile Quilt 

and then started working on an idea I had for a re-do of that old cushion I inherited from my Mum recently. Remember this? 

Kay (no blog) very kindly unpicked some stubborn remaining thread from the cushion cover for me. She said she likes unpicking - frankly I think she needs some sort of reality check medication- but who am I to argue with free unpicking? This cushion cover has been a source of great indecision for me but yesterday I decided to go with some large applique paisley shapes and lots of pretty embellishments. 

But once I got it home - I didn't really like how it was panning out at all ...

So I went with one of my original ideas and spent Saturday night putting it together and I have to say I think I've made the right choice. 

Sunday I finished my postage stamp donation quilt top - and then basted it - and quilted it - and put the binding on. Yep - Another finish, and my third donation quilt done for the Mary Potter Foundation.

I'm hoping to make some headway on the Moroccan Tile quilt this week as well as finish my two blocks for the Seabreeze Chocolate Marshmallow Sampler. Oh and I have to fit work in there somewhere as well. Looks like I have a busy week coming up! 

FAL -Quarter 3 Wish List

I've been working my way through my WIP list this year. I think I've whinged about not starting anything new for so long that there isn't a person left in the whole of blogland that doesn't know that. I started the year with 9 unfinished quilt projects and I've managed to whittle it down to just two. I'm feeling very virtuous and organised but oh so bored with the same old, same old. But the finish line of wipdom is in sight so my list this quarter is going to be short and sweet. 

1.Seville Quilt 

This vision of gorgeousness didn't quite get finished last quarter so I'm putting it on the list for a Q3 finish. Easy enough to do since I'm half way through finishing the binding. It almost feels like cheating putting it down as a goal, but meh ...I'm doing it anyway. 

2.Holiday Happy Quilt

Does anyone even remember this quilt? I started it at least two years ago and it's been sitting waiting in a box to be finished ever since my initial excitement. I bought it as a kit because I wanted something I could use during the Christmas holidays and every traditional Christmas quilt I've ever attempted has turned into a hot mess. To be honest - I think I hate this too. Maybe I'm just a Grinch when it comes to Christmas? But finished it will be - and if I still hate it - I can donate it or give it away to someone.

3.Moroccan Tile Quilt

I've got as far as cutting the first block. That makes this an official project under Katy's rules. I'm really looking forward to working on this quilt - I fell in love when I saw the pattern for the first time and didn't think twice about buying it. Let's hope I keep loving it as I work through the pattern! Yes- I'm using an actual pattern which in itself is fraught with danger since they always seem to be written in Chinese. 

4. Cushion Cover

I rescued this from my parents garage sale a month ago. Originally it looked like this...

and now it looks like this (actually it looks cleaner than that - I washed it after I took the photo) 

 I have no idea what I'm going to do with it (applique peels,flowers,bunting  ..hell I don't know!)  but it's going to be a finish by the end of the quarter.

That's it - that's all I'm committing to until the end of September. But I have lots of ideas for other quilts germinating away in my brain and who knows - maybe I'll even manage to make a start on one or two others, that can appear on my FAL Q4 list. 

I started my Lucy Boston quilt last weekend but honestly I think that's going to be a long long long term project . Going by the length of time it took to finish my previous hand sewn projects  -I'm predicting Lucy Boston will appear on my list of 2016 finishes.

If you want to play along pop on over to the official FAL post at Katy's by hitting this link.