Tractor Blocks

My handwork project for a while has been these tractor blocks,

that I designed as a part paper-piecing and part applique project.

I tend to take them with me when I am waiting for the children 

at dancing or an activity where I have to wait for a while

(sometimes even babysitting for friends :o) )

I have made 2 quilts using my original tractor blocks.

They were just simple ideas to make some children's quilts that you can see here:

http://sewkalico.blogspot.co.uk/2015/08/tractor-quilts.html

Now that I have an ever growing collection of tractor blocks, 

in a variety of colours, 

I decided that I should probably make a few more small quilts.

I am cutting 3.5" squares to create the first border...

*****

When putting the fabric squares together

I always use pieces of paper pinned to the start of rows

to keep a track of which row goes where.

Sometimes I use numbers,

but this time, top, bottom, left, right... seemed more appropriate.

Now to sew the rows and make these blocks grow!

Tractor Quilts

So we were on the patio

and we saw this small tractor mowing the grass

in the field out front

and it reminded me that I really should have photographed

(and gifted) the 2 tractor quilts that I have had completed for a while now...

Of course photographing them

with the tractor in the background

was another story!

so I tried another few options...

In the end
on the grass, seemed the only way to see them properly...

I had some 'help' as always...

One 'helper' even climbed on the wall

to help secure a quilt.

I caught him in action as he jumped off....

I love the blue cloud-filled sky....

Some close ups....

The whole design idea of the row quilt

was the blue sky,

the fields,

the tractors,

the sheep...

More close-ups...

And while I photographed.

Some gardened...

and some played....

and some bloomed...

(at last!)

Wordless Wednesday - Day 2, Quilt number 2

Quick Quilting

I sort of made myself a promise that I would try harder

to quilt in a bit more detail

and try and get more out of my Longarm Quilting machine

but......

I had this quilt loaded on the machine,

and I wanted it quilted and a step closer to being finished,

so..........

I very loosely and very quickly freehand quilted it

and it was a lot of fun.....

Maybe next time when I have more time

and want to be more serious I'll try harder.

But then again.... maybe not :o)

Thank Heaven for Little Girls

A finish!

Single bed quilt.

Quilted with 'Swirling Daisies'.

These pictures were taken 

in a friend's lovely English Country Garden...

inclusive of local farm life ;o)

I think her sweet little dog

thinks I'm mad ;o)

*****

I've also finished some more little girl's dresses.

This one was inspired by the blue lace 

I bought from Coolcrafting.

I couldn't resist putting spotty buttons on too!:

 And these 2 new dresses are for Miss Kalico and her friend.

She kept nagging me to make her friend a little dress

so here it is... (or here they are!)

and looking at the 2 dresses, it always remind me of the book

by Julia Donaldson: ' Sharing a Shell':

"2 friends sharing a shell under a sky of blue,

romping all over the rockpool 

in their wonderful home for 2" (or something like that!)...

And I keep thinking when I see these dresses:

" 2 friends sharing a dress under a sky of blue,

romping all over the playground

in their wonderful dresses for 2" 

(or something like that LOL)

What's Been Up

Finally, I can dig my head out

and blog a little...

 Summer has been a great time for creatures.

Creatures in the house however have NOT been great.

This cat is on probation for Mousing!!!

(Trying to find a mouse under the sofa 

at one in the morning is not my idea of fun! 

Not finding it is even worse! 

Wondering for a few days if the half a mouse 

outside the back door was the same mouse is no good either LOL!)

*****

The school holidays are finally over and the little people

in the Kalico household are (mostly) back at school.

I didn't get much sewing done over the school holidays,

just a few dresses for Miss Kalico.

I cut a new dress pattern for her

and although it's a little on the large side,

she'll grow, and these dresses can be whipped up 

in a day...

Great for playing (and potty training!)

I made a reversible dress:

Roses on the one side... 

And baby cord with a pocket

on the other side...

*****

We had a week in South Wales: fabulous!

Family time is just so precious.

The other few weeks we were around and about locally... 

and just enjoyed the lovely weather...

A friend (and fellow blogger) 

and her family came to stay....

It was great having 'Southerners' to stay with us 'up North'

as we got to do some great walks and explore our local surrounds.

This is the walk from Clapham to Austwick 

and I had never done it before...

In Wales we'd done a 'herb walk' at the Botanical gardens

and I'd learnt that these were Burdock pods:

 Nice and sticky LOL.

We all walked through the tunnels to Clapham

 that were built by the local landowner many years ago 

so that he didn't have to watch his workers walk home...

Bit of a cheek, me thinks! But a nice walk.

*****

And now that the kids are out of the way ;o)

I have been able to quilt again

And why, yes, before you ask,

Miss Kalico does need another quilt :o) 

I cut the binding without measuring to check I had enough,

as I sewed the first side and a half on, I remembered I was going to measure...

But it fitted. Phew!

 With only a small piece left to spare!

*****

The next quilt is ironed and ready to be loaded.

Oh, I do love my Longarm machine!!