Blue Backing Fabric.

Although I have a couple of machine projects to work on I still need a hand sewing project to carry around with me. I looked and looked for the purple fabric I had in my mind's eye that I wanted to use as the surround ( backing ) fabric for my Girlie I Spy Quilt. BUT it was not to be found, around Tauranga, as I needed at least 5.5 yards. To get around the problem I then had to look at any fabrics that were available in that quantity and pick from that. I have selected a marbled bright blue. A lovely soft to touch fabric. It was no small task washing and drying and ironing that length( it looked amusing on the clothes line ) but as I asked for the bolt to keep it on it is staying flat and needing no further ironing. I just unfold a few lengths when I need to cut another round of backing hexagons.


I have also been washing some other fabrics from my small stash in preparation for trying Quilt as You Go on some blocks I have already made. A member of our group is going to demonstrate her technique of joining the blocks after quilting. As I couldn't decide which would look best as sashing and which as backing I washed a couple and have been auditioning them.

Yesterday at our P & Q Group we discovered that the family of a recently deceased elderly quilter had cleared out her house and donated some fabric, magazines and 40 quilting stencils to our group. Wasn't that lovely of them. We are so glad they didn't just throw it all away. Some of our members that are on fixed limited incomes were delighted to get the fabric. As Librarian I had the job of cataloguing and putting in a ring binder the 40 Stencils. Fancy one little old lady buying that many stencils!

Tomorrow I need to make tomato chutney or sauce as we have picked so many lovely ripe tomatoes. (here are just a few of them.) Little sweet jewels full of Summer's goodness. ( Oh wow has it been warm...you didn't here me say that) ...it is indeed Summer here in NZ! _