Another Busy Day

The guys came back again today to finish the pergola and so, once again, I got to work at my dining room table.  I spent a lot of time snips curves and corners on the aprons I sewed yesterday.  Then I had to turn them all the right way out and iron the seams.  Finally I did all the top stitching.  Just as the guys were finishing up I sewed the last one!  I thought I had cut out 12 but I had a baker's dozen instead.  Not complaining!

They aren't the greatest photos but it is late at night and I am too pooped to try and find somewhere better to take pics.  These show you the fabrics I chose and the next shows you the simple style.  Simple but effective as they are all lined so they give extra protection to whatever you are wearing underneath.

All the aprons are going to Ireland. A couple of people asked why I was sending stuff to Ireland and i realised that it is a while since I have explained and some of you might have missed it.     My girlfriend (from my air force days twenty plus years ago) is married to the assistant Ambassador for the Aussie Embassy in Ireland. 

Once a year all the international embassies get together and organise a bazaar – each country has a stall and the combined proceeds go to Irish charities. Last year was the first year that my girlfriend was involved and she wasn’t sure what she could contribute for the stall apart from baking some Aussie goodies so she asked her mother and I if we could contribute anything “made in Australia”. Well, my quilt group and I managed a quilt, a wall hanging, pot holders and aprons. This year I have a bit more warning so I am doing a bit more. Another quilt, potholders, aprons and this year bags in various styles and, hopefully, some Christmas decorations and maybe Christmas pot holders.  So that is why i am sending things to Ireland.

Tonight I got stuck into ironing the blocks for Miss Brooke's signature quilt.  She is the daughter of one of my best friends and she is departing on a school exchange program for the States in late August for five months.  What a lucky girl!  Last night I cut all the spare triangles off the corners off the blocks I sewed yesterday and now they look like this

After today the blocks are all pressed and up on my design wall.  At first I arranged them like this

But it just didn't do it for me so I re-arranged them like this

Much better.  I may fiddle with them so more, or not, I will see.   The fabric down the side was going to be the backing and some of it will be but I think it will also be a border as well to tie in all the colours.  I have a companion print for the binding but I think I will add that to the backing to make up what I use for the borders on the front and will use a plainer fabric for the binding.

The time I have left tonight is going to be spent ironing those spare triangles.  I think they are going on the back as well as pinwheels........I think....
Well, that is all for me tonight - a bit of ironing then bed I think - I am pooped.
Till next time......happy stitching!