A January Round Up

Hello everyone,
and welcome to my  NEW blog. I've wanted to write a blog for a long time but I've been either too technically inept or too lazy to fathom out how to go about it. However, the lure of being able to furtle the blogosphere with Mini Archie on a monthly basis has been just the carrot and stick I've needed!

So, I'm Sue and  have a harlequin personality.  I'm (hopefully although I sometimes wonder) an Improving Quilter who loves all things outdoorsy and adventurous and when not puzzling over my sewing machine can be found yomping up pointy things with my trusty hound, Uisken (aka Boo) or clinging on for dear life to my new riding pony, Murphy (aka Murph the Smurf). On Instagram Uisken and I go by @sue_and_boo

But enough of that for now as I need to get a wiggle on as time is running out for the first link up with MA's furtle and I still need to get his help in posting these ramblings!

I am not the most prolific of stitchists (read, slow) but January saw me beavering away with a mini quilt for the 2019 Modern Quilt Guild swap. Back in 2017 I had attended a fabulous workshop with chums from EMQG,  led by the amazing Jenny Haynes (@pappersaxxten). I made her beautiful sunflower design and had always wanted to do it again. My swap partner had mentioned that she liked monochrome so an idea was born. Except I couldn't remember how to square up the blocks. After a pile of miscuts had built up, I squealAdmirably, Jenny came to the rescue by sending me photos to fill in the gaps where my brain had turned to mush, and saved the day!!

I was pleased with how it turned out so then focused my attention to the back. I'd learnt early on that the back of a quilt is as important as the front - I'd struggled with a cracking orange peel quilt and then backed it with totally ugly fabric, "cos it won't be seen". Wrong!!! Anyway, I had some nice backing fabric with a seed head design and also a seed head stamp so I was able to block print a almost matching label. Job done, and so much more relaxed than last year when I made a mega gaff on the mini and had to make another at the eleventh hour. Doh!!!!

January is a hard time for me with outdoor chores and weather challenges but one thing I love to do is to get up at 5.30 when the OH is away and stitch for a couple of hours over cups of tea before the day has to get started. Therapy time. This past month's pre dawn sessions have seen a plethora of Popcorn Pouches 1. because they're cute and 2. because they give me much-needed zip practice! This is a lovely pattern in 4 sizes by Amista Baker of Hilltop Custom Designs. A fairly quick make and already  some more waiting to be assembled!

On a woolly front I managed to finish a Bradway Sawl from @soveryshannon in merino wool , a hat with the leftovers and my first ever mittens with some chunky Rowan yarn I found lurking at the back of the cupboard after a project 10 years ago. The shawl was to be for our campervan holidays but has already been pressed into domestic service; the hat has already been whipped off my head and sucked by Murph the Smurf; the mittens have turned out a tad big but have been great for snowballing.

And that's it on the creative front. Outdoors I've been getting to know the Smurf (he only arrived on the 13th) and have been stravaiging over local hills in the hope of rebuilding last year's fitness. Big plans ahead for me and the pointy-eared one in 2019.....

So, thank you for reading, if you're still awake (I do tend to ramble!) and I  hope you'll drop by next time.

Have a great February!
Sue (and Boo) 🐾🐕🐾