Short cut, sewing and the seaside

I was wrong with my description of the last photo from my son, it wasn't time lapse, it - like the one now - is taken with a very long exposure.

So here's the seaside as you don't usually see it, the underside of Petone Wharf -

That's the city lights of Wellington in the distance - click on the image to get an enlargement.

The short cut is another of the blocks from my class - I tend to look at all blocks, especially those with many pieces and break them down; this one was crying out for simplification.

It's meant to be square, probably distorted with the photocopying; you can see there is a large half square triangle, and two blocks which are the first step in making four patch from the squares - sew down opposite sides and cut in the middle and when you are making a scrap quilt two the same will get lost if you don't want them in the same block.

That leaves the patch top left which is a half square triangle re-cut -

In an earlier blog I showed how I rearrange the pieces with the little triangles either side of one of the small squares, well this time it's a bit like a funny rabbit if you tilt your head to the left.......

You can see the instructions divide the block into dark and medium, which was no problem to those of us who have little boxes filled with squares of different colours and values.  I simply removed the dark square and replaced it with one of medium value - and put the dark one into another box for later use.

Here's another part of the top 

 And here's the finished top - you will appreciate there are  lots of ways this particular block could have been put together, it just seemed happy when I did it this way.

I came across this photo recently of some embroideries I did, I think these were part of the class at the Wellington High School - for adults I hasten to add.

There's the obligatory hexagon cushion made from Indian cottons, the cross stitch tray cloth and drawn thread table cloth - the same one my granddaughter recently spilt her bolognaise on - which washed out no trouble.  Two glasses cases, the one on the left made from variegated wool so the pattern came from the actual wool, and the other is showing the colours of Norfolk Island where we spent some very happy holidays.  

The pincushion cube is a favourite, I made another but was foolish enough to put some rosemary leaves out of the garden in with the stuffing - and there must have been insects with the plant matter and they ate their way out!!  Unfortunately the photo is not good of the baby picture; we were given the task of making a frame for such a photo, so this is needle lace around a photo of my niece - supposed to be showing her surrounded by a blanket of love.......

I did some more weeding today, after even a little rain it is so much easier but I still have to cut back the wallflower and the geranium and the bay tree........it's neverending!

"I still find each day too short for all the thoughts I want to think, all the walks I want to take, all the books I want to read, and all the friends I want to see." - John Burroughs - I so agree with the man!

Thanks for your comments and emails

Take care

June