Sneak peek - FSQS

As Anne pointed out, my strawberries and cream quilt for the Four Seasons swap is good timing - Wimbledon starts tomorrow :) I've made quite a bit of progress and have now completed the centre of the top. Two borders to go on and it'll be ready for sandwiching.

Here's the sketch I made of it before I began - I knew I'd need a 'map' to ensure those QSTs were all facing the right way and that I'd get the colour placement right. It sure came in handy - only one QST was sewn the wrong way - that's good for me! I'm also pretty pleased with my piecing. Most of my points actually match. Not that I get too carried away about these things, but this is the most intricate piecing I've done, so it was nice that it turned out pretty well.(Sorry about the photo quality - it was late when I snapped this pic. I'll get some proper shots when the quilt is finished.)

We have had a reasonable weekend - after discovering during the week that I actually have five weeks at work left, not the four that I thought *groan*. Carl and I took Romily down to the lake yesterday after lunch out at a cafe and she had a great time chasing ducks (and then being followed by them and a couple of swans hoping she had food) and playing on a 'castle' playground. We were both tuckered out after that and had sleeps - mine for two hours and hers for over three! Last night I got cracking on the QSTs and got all 81 of them pieced.

Unfortunately, my big plans for today fell by the wayside as I woke up feeling dreadful. Hot flushes, feeling faint, just revolting. I took it really easy, spent most of the morning horizontal and came good by about 3 o'clock, so got out the sewing machine and joined all the blocks together.

I'm taking a day of leave on Friday, so another short week at work for me this week. I'm hoping to get the borders on and Strawberries & Cream sandwiched by the weekend. With luck, I might get it quilted and out the door early next week. Here's hoping!

I'm keen to get the Hungry Caterpillar quilts started and I've bitten the bullet and ordered a Carol Doaks book on foundation piecing (it comes with a DVD so you can print out the blocks), as well as bought a box of papers that will go through my printer. While browsing a 2nd hand bookshop yesterday (between lunch and the park), I also found this book. What a bargain at $6! So, I am all hot to trot on foundation piecing. Wish me luck!

What I learned about quilting today: While QSTs look great, there's a lot of bulk with all the abutting seams!