Christmas was spent feeling ill. However I started on the steroids on Boxing Day and now am feeling human again, so all is good.
I have no idea how the Christmas break works in your part of the world but here in the UK many people cease work on the 23rd and go back on the first Monday after New Year. So today is the day things get back to normal. TV schedules will no longer be filled with old James Bond films and the News will not be little 5-10 minute segments at irregular times. I think a lot of people who are lonely over Christmas feel it even more because of this break in scheduling. I just find it mildly annoying.
I went into my studio to get going again on the quilting front on Friday but it had become a dumping ground over the holidays and it took a couple of days to get it into a place where work could take place. Thank heavens I had kept all the fabrics for the Di Ford Mystery quilt in one box. Even so I had added other chintz, and other repros to the box so it took a little digging to get the right fabrics out. (and there are a lot of them in this final round.) I don't have an urgent need to finish this quilt but unless I get the piecing done and the appliques prepped nothing happens in the evenings on this particular quilt when I find it relaxing to do some hand work.
There are twenty different fabrics in those setting triangles alone.
I punched out 40 X 1/2" hexagons for fussy cut centres to all those stars. Over 200 diamonds for the paper piecing of the stars, the squares for the backgrounds of them.
Meanwhile my go to mindless handwork has been piecing the 1/2" hexagons.
I shall add a border to this and these little rosettes shall cover most of the seams. It is quite relaxing doing these. I have bought the large and extra large hexagon punches, which have finished sides of 3/4" and 1" respectively. If you ever wondered why many old English quilts and coverlets have complex centres with many small pieces and ever larger ones as you get to the borders, I am sure it is because the makers realised they would never finish if they stayed with the tiny pieces through the entire work.
I thought I deseved a little treat after getting so much done...... Years ago I made my own brandy snaps. There is a knack of rolling them whilst they just firm enough to roll and not so hard that they snap. I made them quite a few times and then I lost the knack. Luckily now they are easy enough to buy ready made. These are the only things which I use squirty cream for. Squirty cream is a good little indulgence as so much of it is air...... (or that's what I am telling myself).
Oh, my so much work on that quilt! What will the diamonds be made of? Your hexagon quilt is gorgeous. Love that red you are using. Phew - you need those that treat after all that prepping.
ReplyDeleteThose tiny little hexies are so cute! This will be such an amazing quilt. You must have an engineer's or mathematician's mind to keep everything straight with such a complex design. Glad you are feeling somewhat better. I'm right there with you wanting some handwork to occupy me in the evenings :)
ReplyDeleteGlad you're feeling better now Sally, it's never nice to start the new year feeling drained or under the weather. We've had a few really hot days and that has set me back as I find it so lethargic and can't get anything done over 35c. I love that Di Ford quilt and I already know yours will be a great beauty too. As for brandy snaps, I don't think I've had one for 10 years! Yes to cream, all the time. I've just started low carb and cream is preferable to milk in my coffee for that end and it feels so decadent. Even better when you don't have to whip it yourself.
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