No sunshine? - I'll make my own bright day

It has been sunny some days but somehow the weekends seem to be dull. It's bright when I look out of my office window and dull when I want to take photos. But I have so much colour....

Did I mention I like Lime Green?  This is going to be the backing for my Blue Jacob Quilt

I've let myself be persuaded to machine quilt it and I'm not looking forward to it but onward and upward. If you don't try and all that.  I've machine quilted before and never been that happy with the results but I'm giving it another try. I'll get going the week after next as I'm taking half term off.  I didn't used to record my holidays and now I do, I realise that I was never taking enough - for the past ten years I've probably lost 20 weeks worth of holidays. Silly me.

I have started on a pattern for a baby quilt.  It's a chevron pattern but made from rectangles rather than half square triangles.

I had a bundle of four fat quarters from way back when (actually some of the fabric has faded). Its called Oh Baby by Sandy Gervais.

First sew a background strip to a coloured strip - these are two and a half inches but as long as you cut the strip units into into squares it would work with any size strip

 Then sew the squares together to make a two- unit patch.

You build the units together in diagonal rows starting with a single unit and adding to either side on each row.  I couldn't get my head round it at first but have managed to make enough sense to write a little pattern.

This is the top half way through.

And this is it with just the corner to sew on - I apologise for the changing colours - some pictures are taken in natural light and some with a flash.

So this is waiting to have the pointy bits trimmed off.  I think it's going to be about 30" x 40" so I'll need to put some sort of border on - haven't decided what yet. I haven't got any more of the coloured fabric and it's quite old so I can't find any in the shops.  There's an odd bit on eBay but not enough for a border. I'll have to get my thinking cap on.

Will had a great time in Norway and brought me back a little hand carved spoon.

It's handy for putting stitch markers in.

I'm still using them for the Moorland Blanket.  I'm just coming up to the end of Part Two and Part 6 has just been published. So whilst Lucy is flying among the clouds I'm still tip-toeing though the heather. I'm loving it.

I've not been doing a huge amount of baking recently

A little coffee and walnut cake

Some chocolate and raspberry cupcakes (I use yoghurt to keep the cakes moist and only had raspberry yoghurt in the fridge!)

I burnt some jam tart quite spectacularly last week. Later this afternoon I'm getting my baking head on - what will it be I wonder? I'll remember to put the timer on whatever I cook.

I've been commissioned to do a couple of little painting projects.  One for a fiftieth birthday card

I painted a 'quilt' on to water colour paper and then stuck that to some card.  I meant to do it 'portrait' but I  painted the hearts on 'landscape' before I realised.

The next task (for this afternoon while I watch the Six Nations) is a little heart for a friend at work to give her husband for Valentine's Day.

Will is in Jedburgh this weekend with Alex and I expect they may have as much snow as they did in Norway judging by the weather forecast on the television.  It's still raining here - hasn't stopped since Friday - just so dull outside.  I'm so glad I have lots of bright things to work with whilst I am indoors.

Before I start on those lovely things there's a laundry basket full of ironing with my name on it. Until next time, be well and safe.

xxx