Wednesday, August 14, 2013

Making Flowers and Picking Flowers.

I thought the perfume of the bunches of Daphne I had been picking could not be beaten, then when I picked these first yellow Freesias I am not so sure. For me it is not possible to decide which flower has the best fragrance.
   I have been making flowers too. This is #2 made in  fabric in the colours I wished to use.( blues and greens and white with lots of spots and stripes ) This morning I ironed on my bias strip stem. Do you use a bias strip maker? A very useful little gadget when you want in this case a 1/4 " stem. This flower is not quite completed but I was getting  the next  sewing ready, so if I get a chance to pop out in the sun I have it all prepared. Otherwise I have been managing to see to do some in the evenings under my overhead light. 
 During the day if I can get an odd 15 mins I have been going round in circles....quite literally.
 My Gloria wall hanging is at the quilting stage. I am using different sized circles randomly spaced to continue the theme of the quilt. Some are traced on but the mid sized ones are made using paper stick on circles that can be lifted off and used again and again.( my new book "One Line at a Time, " by Charlotte Warr Anderson gave me permission to use stick on guides - she has all sorts that she recommends.) I have only thin batting in this and am finding I didn't need the walking foot but am managing well with my wide toed foot I used to make the top. I have worked out the best path to follow for me with not too many stops and starts, some made using figure of 8, others are placed close enough to the tree trunks that they can be gone around as I am shadow quilting the tree trunks and branches. trying to turn tiny circles without any points is a challenge but most are okay.
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 Thank you for your comments. Dianne the rain was not enough to spoil anything....not enough to do a whole lot of good either....... Jennifer, so sorry none to spare this time.
 Thimbleanna the kiwifruit vines have extremely deep roots and can go for quite a long time without water as the soil is still moist down under. It is only about 18 degrees C average most days so not hot for the vines. They are without leaves at the moment so are not transpiring. What they do actually need right now is a bit more Winter chilling ( for a good bud break ) . It has been very mild.
 I have begun the thankless task of pulling off the broken clips and bits left dangling and the stalks which are being burnt. The stalks harbour passionvine hopper eggs so the more we can destroy the less hatch out later on to cause us a sooty mould problem on the next crop of fruit. Pruners don't do neat and tidy they are in too much of a hurry so I try to tidy up behind them. Anything that doesn't need to be there on the wires and has potential to rub future fruit is better removed. It is slow. It is boring but never mind. I listen to my radio.

7 comments:

Deb said...

The fragrance of Spring! There is nothing nicer to be able to experience and those two fragrance of Daphne and Freesia's would have to be some the most beautiful. Your garden must be lovely showing all the new growth in it and a surprise every week. I can't wait until our garden starts to show life again, sadly though we need to replant everything because of the quakes.

Jennifer said...

Freesias are beautiful and smell so heavenly! Your wall hanging is coming along really well, and I love the spotted flower.

Pam said...

Your applique is beautiful. And I love the glass vase you bought. Lucky that it's made in NZ or I would be tempted to get one... and I must never buy any more stuff....

molly said...

Catching up here Ali...Am in England at the moment, visiting son, Natalie and beautiful grandchildren, but not unfortunately Isabelle! At least not yet. Have not been quilting as you have, but did make a little dress for a special tiny someone! Must get bust and do a post or I'll forget how. All the best from Molly

molly said...

...that would be "busy!"

molly said...
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Mary said...

Listening to music while cleaning up the kiwis....and here I never even knew they grew on vines! You have opened my eyes yet again dear - made me think about how very hard farmers work to bring us delicious foods to eat, and how we take so much for granted. Next time I hold a pretty kiwi in my hands I'll think of and thank YOU - and I'll know from where it may have traveled after surviving weather changes, and made it thanks to your hard work.

Best always - Mary