Now starting to build up the background

Yesterday I was too exhausted so I did nothing. So I worked twice as hard today between running to pick up child from hospital, big shopping tour, cooking, laundry and other mundane things.

So I completed the female and now it’s attached in the position to male, and started to work on the central background panel. I can‘t say that I’m happy with everything but slowly it is starting to turn into right direction.

This probably will be my only appliqué quilt, not exactly my kettle of fish, but this I will complete. My target date is the last day of March, even better, if I will complete earlier.

Birds, birds

This morning I started with cutting material. It went quickly.

Then strips were joined together to create a block. Block was cut diognally and cut in blocks for the pheasant tails.





I decided that 3 birds will be enough, two males and a female. So three different tails were made.

Then another two colours cut in stripes , sewn in a block, cut dioganally and voila - we have material for the wings now!

Then it was rather finicky jobs to put the rest of the pieces together, and I have not finished yet, but all in all not a bad result for a day's work - both males are nearly done, except the red around eyes and beaks.

For tomorrow I have planned to complete these two and then make the female. It mst take less time as her wings and tail are completed already.

DRAWING TIME

I hadn’t been working with appliqué before so I decided to give it a try at least once. 

Idea about a pheasant quilt was lurking in my head for a while and finally I felt brave enough to start it. Materials I picked already few days ago, but I was holding back.... Until tonight. 

In general it will be 3-4 pheasants on the border of a rhomb with greyish background inside. Outside borders will be read – golden yellow, rather bright colours. 

So - drawing time! It’s exciting as usually I just pick up colours, few block patterns and then let it all go its own way. With this project I will try something much more formal, much better pre-planned and finicky.  That will be some challenge for my – ouch - so free spirit! I need something to keep my mind really occupied right now so here it goes!

Finally reunited!

Finally! I'm reunited with my sewing machine! YAY! And right now I have an urgent project to start to be completed ASAP. I went to the shops yesterday already and picked the materials; draft sketches also had been done (key word - pheasants!), BUT... with current development in Ukraine my heart is bleeding and my hands are trembling....

Can you imagine that 100 years right after the beginning of WWI a new war might be starting right now here, in Europe? I mean, right now, while you read this post? I had heard Soviet bullets swarming above my head already and I feel for Ukrainian people right now.  
Carl Bildt ‏@carlbildt 11 mins

When Russian forces demands that Ukraine forces in Crimea surrender weapons it's clearly a military occupation that is taking place.

Russia, your name is shame!

Waiting game continues

The waiting game continues. It might be wise ... or otherwise. My mind is lurking around different black alleys all the time. So.... I brushed my dog, spun the wool and now I'm into knitting warm, very warm socks. What I would do without two idle hands? Climbing the walls? Or rather... mountaints.

They are just outside here.... Beautiful and serene.Every black cloud has it's silver lining.

Like a Pieter Bruegel the Elder painting, isn't it?

Miro bag

Made another one - so far this is my favorite. I named it after Miro, it resembles his style.

Other than that life hasn't changed - my main concern is health, health and more health. The good news - math is slowly creeping back, now my little one can manage aritmetics in 100 range. It's a big step forwards as a month ago the basic within 10 was a mission impossible. The bad news - she still hasn't got her left side fully back, is fighting with heavy fatique and all in all it isn't looking easy fight for us all ahead. But we are managing, day by day, step by step.

Few more bags

New year hadn't started well - we still have no idea what it is - ADEM or MS. Doctors say that is so atypical that all we can do is just wait. Wait and more wait ... while child is still limping and fighting with fatigue and heavy mood swings. Damn, it's so not easy.

 To kill some of my frustration I played with some crocheting and felting mix and created few more bags. Just for fun, experimenting.

The idea is - crochet the base and then felt on top. It actually looks better than in pictures, especeially this forst one. Very bright and funny. 

 Here is a close-up - you can see the crocheted base through the top felting.