Busy Season For Us.

  We are making slow progress with our kiwifruit thining. Day after day there is so much to do. WE really, really need RAIN. The lawn is going brown in parts and the vege garden is needing constant watering as are any new plantings.WE know other parts of the world would be loving the warm sunny often windy days instead of the snow or floods some are getting. TOO much of any one thing is not good!
The only spare time I am getting is after dark . So I am doing something pretty easy - for me anyway as I have made 17 of these already. Felt Embroidered babies balls. If you don't know what I mean my very early blogs back in April 2006 showed the finished results.
Before I took up quilting this was the handwork I was doing. I have a record of the balls I made and who they were given to, as well as photos of most of them.
   I already had the parts prepared from back then. !2 different coloured identical pentagons reinforced with iron on backing. These are stitched together using blanket stitch with a knot to keep the stitches tensioned. Here it is inside out, with most of the seams finished. Some have to be left open to get the inner ( stuffing) in.

At this stage it is turned to the right side out.

The inner, which is wound to make it really firm is inserted. 2 metal bottle tops with a rattle / bell ( so it can be heard ) are in the middle with strips of batting wound around and secured with wool so it doesn't unwind.

It is a tight fit. (on purpose so it will have some bounce )

Now I have to close it from the outside. I hope to get that done before bed tonight.( this final closing is the trickiest part) I use big tacking stitches to lace it then remove them once the the proper stitches are done. I will show more as I get it made.

I wonder if you ever made a ball Helena after I sent you the instructions?

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Thinking of all my friends who are being snowed upon! Stay safe . Stay warm.

Pam I have a spare lemon or 2 you may have.