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I could get used to this!


After saying, in my last post, that I don't often get to say "I've finished!", I'm now saying it again!  You can tell it's the end of the FAL quarter, can't you?!


When I put this quilt on my list back in March, I'd done about a third of the quilting.  I managed to finish the rest of the quilting by the end of April, mainly by doing a line or two a day; it's amazing how quickly you can get something done if you do it little and often.


DP quilt - quilting finished!


 It stayed like this for another five weeks, though, until I finally trimmed it and stitched the binding to the front.


It then took me almost three weeks to stitch the binding to the back, mainly because most of my hand sewing time has been taken up with the secret sewing (I've finally finished it so if you come back on Friday you'll get to see a finished item, rather than one with tacking all round the edge, which is what I feared may happen!).  I managed to do little bits here and there and yesterday afternoon I finished the stitching and then waited for the sun to go behind a cloud/sink down behind the houses opposite so I could get a half decent photo.



Drunkard's Path quilt - the front
Please excuse the crease right down the middle - it's been folded up for weeks!



Drunkard's Path quilt - the back
This fabric is the piece that was destined for my hexy quilt but had a hole in it.  I managed to avoid it for this quilt as it's smaller!


Lounging on a garden chair
Lounging on a garden chair



I've finally got to put '2014' on a binding!


This is my first quilty finish of 2014 and so this is the first time I've been able to embroider '2014' on a binding.  I decided it was worth a photo!


Quilt stats:

Finished size - 55" x 68"
Pattern - arrangement of 3" (finished) Drunkard's Path units
Piecing - by hand, using Inklingo for the DP units and freezer paper templates for the block borders, sashing and cornerstones
Piecing thread - Coats Cotton 3021 (light grey/aluminium)
Quilting - 3" on-point grid, à la Lynne
Quilting thread - Aurifil 50wt in 2610 (grey) on the top and 5006 (aqua) on the back
Started - September 2011
Finished - June 2014


I'm linking up with Katy:


Finish Along 2014



It's also Fresh Sewing Day today and I missed the last one (I was just too tired to even contemplate writing a blog post) so I thought I might just do a quick catch up of what else I've been doing.  (Well, that was the intention but I didn't quite manage the 'quick' aspect of the catch up!) 


I made triangle strips for Karen, who was our Bee A Brit Stingy May Queen Bee


Both together


and I made wonky log cabin blocks for Collette, who was our June Queen Bee


Bee A Brit Stingy June 2014 - blocks for Collette


and I'm planning to use my solids/TOT scraps to make small versions of these log cabin blocks, but not yet!  I've started collecting little scraps in a tin, ready for when I can start; I find that usually soothes the urge to start something as once I've set fabric aside for a project, I know I'll make it at some point, even if it's five years from now!



I did far too much gardening (a little bit of an understatement and one of the reasons I missed the last FSD link up!) and today my garden looks like this:


My garden - 1st July 2014

My garden - 1st July 2014


I'm really pleased with how it's looking.  Obviously, I have lots more planting to do and there are areas that haven't really got much planting in them (like the section in the photo above and the raised bed at the bottom left of the garden) but I'll fill these up once I've done some research about what I want in there and how I want it to look.  In the meantime, I've just got the plants in the middle and foreground of this photo (plus the agapanthus you can see on the black tub on the left-hand side of the two photos above) left to plant:


Left to plant!!
The last of the planting, for now.  'Famous last words' springs to mind!


I may even get some time to sit in the garden and not think about all the things I have left to do!



Archie did some yoga yesterday morning:


b--morning-yoga-pose-one_14548518144_o
And sink into pose one...


b--morning-yoga-pose-two_14526990176_o
...before rotating into pose two and breathing out through your mouth


and, in the afternoon, Alfie came to stay for a few hours yesterday and decided to inspect Archie's 'dodgy' wall:


b--i-dont-know-why-he-keeps-propping-up-this-wall-it-seems-fine-to-me_14363479658_o
Humph, I don't know why he's making such a fuss: there's nothing wrong with this wall!



But Archie disagreed:


b---no-it-definitely-needs-propping-up_14363636857_o
I'm telling you: it needs propping up.  And while we're at it, you needn't think you're getting this bed back off me.


so Alfie found his own dodgy wall to prop up:

b--oh-i-think-this-wall-is-dodgy_14549156292_o
Now there's definitely something wrong with this wall, I'd best stay here for a while.  And I can keep an eye on the fridge from here, too.  That's good.


They declared a truce in the afternoon, though, and shared the same patch of sun on the front room carpet and there they stayed until it was time for their teatime walk!

b--sharing-the-sun_14550081425_o
And relax!!  We deserve it after all our hard work with the walls!

Salley, I hope that's enough photos of Archie to keep you going until Friday!


Thanks for popping in: please make your way to the exits and don't forget to leave a comment on your way out *grins*


Lily's Quilts

Comments

  1. Congrats on your achievements! Your quilt is looking great and so does your garden! I also like those wonky blocks! Well done.

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  2. Lovely photos of Archie and Alfie! That made me smile! Lovely quilt too - congrats on a great finish!

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  3. Lovely finish! Dp blocks are gorgeous! Your bee blocks are too :) I feel like a need a wall to prop me up today!!

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  4. I see you have been busy and a finish! that is great it always feels so good doesn't it.

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  5. Congratulations on your finish! Beautiful quilt. And a beautiful garden, lovely and restful.

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  6. That's a fab quilt!! I love the cornerstones - you're so good with colour. Garden is looking brill, too! It's nice that is looks finished even if the planting isn't how you want it - gives you lots of time to plan and play without it driving you nuts meantime. And always a pleasure to see those furry pals! You do make me giggle. X

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  7. What a brilliant month! That quilt is beautiful, but I think you must have wore out Archie!!

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  8. Your quilt is beautiful! A great finish! The pictures of Archie make me grin - they are so wonderful and your descriptions make me laugh out loud! Yoga poses, indeed!

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  9. It am loving your finished quilt and your in progress garden!

    The dogs are such a help round the house but I'm a bit worried about the state of your house - hope you are wearing a hard hat!

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  10. What a great sense of satisfaction you must have for finishing that quilt and what lovely blocks you made for your bees.

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  11. Excellent quilt, love your choice of binding really sets it off nicely. BTW I was advised to keep my agapanthus in a pot as sometimes they "disappear" in the ground, it has survived happily (repotted) for 2 years now and is in full bud again.

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  12. Hi Archie! I'm so happy to see you enjoying yourself! What a beautiful quilt your mom has made! Beautiful colours and great pattern! I also love those bright wonky blocks! Bony wishes from Nero!

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  13. Your quilt looks fabulous! The garden is really coming along nicely. Archie is lush as always :)

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  14. wonderful job on that quilt, its finished up beautifully. lovely to see alfie too today :-) x

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  15. I love your quilt - the colours are great and your piecing is beautiful. Congrats on a finish. I am worried for you living in a house with all those dodgy walls, though!

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  16. What great finishes! Glad to see Archie and Alfie are still the same old lazy pooches!

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  17. Yay to another beautiful finish. And loving the Archie and Alfie photos. X

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  18. Lovely finish and the blocks are pretty fab too, and the garden, and the woofs!

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  19. I love your quilt, congratulations on the finish. Your garden is looking wonderful and I wonder what is in your walls that the dogs love them so?

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  20. Hmm, those triangle strips are intriguing. Your garden looks very Zen and restful, enjoy!

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  21. I love the peek into your puppy's minds. That was hilarious!
    Your DP quilt is just stunning! I'm so glad you kept with it - it's a gorgeous finish.

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  22. Mwahahahahaaa *sob* . . . . .*secret stitching* . . *sob* . . . I wont be able to log in until next week! I suppose I could print an Archie photo off, and keep it in my wallet!
    Fancy you doing a guest post for Lily. Famous!
    Love your top quilt with the crossover quilting. What an amazing job...so lovely that it is a "finish" .. .and what a finish.
    Cant believe how quickly your garden is looking established. You must have a green thumb, along with knitting fingers, and stitching wrists. It looks so lovely.
    Cheers to the boys!

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  23. Love your quilt, Helen, the colours are so soft and calming. Your bee blocks are fabulous too and how lovely to be able to plan your garden at your leisure. It's really interesting to see it evolve. Gorgeous Archie (and friend), as usual :)

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  24. the quilt is lovely! And I am cracking up at the dodgy walls. Makes me think I have entirely the wrong kind of dog - Katie is not so much of a sleeper! That's what you get for having a hunting dog in the house ;-)

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  25. Those walls of yours definitely need serious propping! I can tell, there are two dogs telling us so!

    xx

    Great garden great sewing, too... but the important bit is those walls???

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  26. I was glad to see your blog on the same linky party as me--I had lost track of you and Archie somehow! Love the drunkard path blocks and the dog shots.

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  27. But Archie! That doesn't look very comfy, lol! Oh the pair are so funny! Great pics of them both. Love your finished quilt it is gorgeous!! Congratulations on your finish too :) Also, your garden is coming along a treat :-D Ellyx

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  28. Yay! Look at you go! I love the way you embroider the year on the binding ... might have to steal that idea! My cat does all the wall propping in our house, it's a very important job and Archie is a natural :0)

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  29. That's a beaut! My dogs are wall proppers too!

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  30. Congrats on the finish, and glad to see the dogs are keeping your house standing :oD

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  31. Congrats on the finish. I think the backing fabric is a perfect match so the hole was a sign from the universe telling you it should be used for this quilt :)

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  32. You've been busy lately! Your blocks look great and I love your quilt. Your garden is looking nice too :)

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  33. congratulations on your lovely quilt - the blocks look wonderful too ! wow on your gardening abilities and of course thanks for the archie and alf photos - lovely to see they're helping out with the dodgy walls !!

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  34. Hello Archie! I love this quilt, the colours work so well. Handsewn DP blocks may have taken you forever! Love the Bee blocks too, and the garden looks lovely and restful. Hope you've had some good weather to enjoy it x

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  35. Your garden is looking so beautiful, and sunny! Great to finish a quilt too.

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