A bit of this and that

Life got in the way of sewing and blogging all through May. I was busy working and moving my grandmother into residential care and out of her unit at short notice, a move that has been exhausting and stressful but – now the dust has started to settle – still seems like the right thing to have done. The only stitching I did all month was to sew a bit of binding down during the Eurovision Song Contest (very excited moments on the sofa here when it looked like Australia was going to win), but even that has since been unpicked while repairs are made.

I found that taking a sewing break left me a little disoriented when I had time to start again. Which project should I work on? Where was I up to? What is the next step? So, in the last week or so I have been dipping my toes in a few different projects, finishing some small things and sewing whatever fits my mood.

Here is what I have been sewing in late April and early June, apart from sewing Granny’s name labels into her clothes.

A couple of months ago, I destashed 3 kilograms of fabric by taking it to my sewing group and offering it to my friends. One piece did not belong in my stash, but I wanted to use it instead of giving it away, so I made a couple of zipper pouches with it.

The scrap of fabric clashed with everything in my stash, but it made nice pouches.

I finished the pincushion that I made as the twin to the one I sent to Germany as an extra in the cushion swap. It was made entirely from my scrap box.

I started this back in March.

I made an armchair thingummy using Helen Stubbings’s free pattern.

I modified Helen Stubbings’s free pattern to make this

I re-covered my ironing board, which was looking very tired and scorched. Re-covering ironing boards is the only 1-hour project I know that really only takes 1 hour.

My new, scorch-free ironing board.

I made some blocks for friends.

This teal Dresden block is my contribution to Kate’s ovarian cancer fundraising quilt.

Nancy asked for traditional log cabins on point.

They were easy so I made two.

I had to answer Hillary’s call for help.

Why make just one?

Jenni asked for quirky teapots in bright colours.

I hand pieced a few Liberty hexagons. Apparently, not everyone sews while they wait to have their car serviced.

Very slow progress is being made.

And I sewed a few more Splendid Sampler blocks to add to the collection. (I still have lots more to make before I have caught up.)

I have no idea why I am making these, but I am having fun.

I finished the easy, no-sew glasses case that has been sitting in my drawer for at least two years. The kit can be bought from Studio Mio. I pieced some Liberty hexies for the outside in April and glued it this week. Glue still makes me nervous and is the reason I procrastinated so long before finishing it. I would find no gluing easier than no sewing. I found three or four different glues and ended up using the woodworking glue recommended by Studio Mio. Different glues claim suitability for sticking fabric or wood or beads, but none says it is suitable for sticking fabric bags to metal frames. I have no idea what I will put in the case, but at least it is no longer a UFO.

Any idea what to put in this? My glasses seem a bit big.

And I entered three quilts in our local show – my first quilt show entries. None was eligible for judging or prizes as every contributor must be a local guild member to be considered, and my entries were all team efforts, but sewing with people in New Zealand and the USA and around the corner adds to the fun. I am not doing this for prizes or glory.

I really should take better photos of my Possum Magic quilt now it is finished.

As I type this up, it seems like I have done quite a bit, especially given that I really did not sew in May.