ONCE UPON A TIME.......

THERE WERE FIVE BEARS....

Okay, I know there were only three but in my story there are five!  okay?

and here is the first bear ...

THE BEARY BUNCH
Pattern by Toni Alexander
The Red Boot Quilt Company
link HERE
Poor little thing looks a bit washed out in this pic but in reality he is quite a bright bear!

I have previously made two of these quilts,  both in boy colours:-

This is the quilt I donated to Blair's Wish Foundation

I don't have a photo of the other quilt as it is only a flimsy at present, waiting to be quilted.

So who will be on the receiving end of this quilt you might just ask????     Our beautiful little Maisy of course!   Hey, I'm Aunty Hen and I can make as many quilts as I like for the little darling!  You may recall, Maisy already has three quilts from me (Royal Critters, Lullaby in the Night Sky and just lately the bright orange Toy Twist quilt -Hey Diddle Diddle) plus a stack of little pram quilts I whipped up in a hurry one day, terrible photo ..

Pram quilts (two fat quarters layered, quilted and bound-
great for practicing free motion quilting)

This quilt will be ready for Christmas I hope.

I tried something different with the Applique method this time - I used the "soft or window applique" technique.   This makes for a much softer feel to the applique therefore making it so much easier to blanket stitch the parts where there are lots of layers.  I cut the teddy head and body using the soft window method and I have found that it is certainly much easier to stitch through all of the layers.  It feels kind of strange holding the block as I stitch, as I am used to it feeling much firmer, but I'm getting used to it now.  A good test for this method was the eyes and nose of the teddy -  lots of layers but it was so easy to stitch without the fusible web being behind every piece.  I could have used the soft method on the muzzle too, might try that on the next bear I build.

UPDATE ON FRED:-          He started back on chemo last Monday (same as last time, plugged in for three days - wears the device home).  It seems to be having more of an effect on him this time but that's to be expected following a major surgery I guess.  He's feeling a little woozy and off colour.    The chemo will go on for 12 weeks so we will be having a low key Christmas.

Cheers for now,

Happy Sewing,

Helen

PINNING! and SOME MORE SIGGY BLOCKS!

Hello!

I have just finished pinning the "Lullaby in the Night Sky" quilt.  This one has been ready for ages and I've just heard that baby Maisy is coming for a visit to Brisbane so now I'm all fired up to get it quilted and bound and DONE!   I forgot to take a pic, but here is the beginnings of this quilt.....

 

Siggy Blocks!....    I found four blocks that I had failed to photograph and upload to my Siggy Album, my apologies to Annelies, Vicky, Els and Leontien.  The siggy blocks are now uploaded to my Siggy Album (the link is in the side bar).  My box of siggies is quite overflowing so it is time for me to make another wall hanging!

On the homefront, all is well.  It has been Fred's "off chemo" week.  Back on it on Monday.  Some really exciting news to tell too!!!............. our son Matt has a job!  As I had mentioned earlier, he had the "all clear" from the Hospital so he had put his name down in a few places.   It's early days as he only started at the end of last week but so far his is enjoying it all.  He wears a suit every day and looks very smart! 

It is freezing here today, so I'm off to set the fire and make a start on some dinner! and then get on to that quilting!

Happy Sewing!!

Helen