My quilting thoughts and inspirations sprinkled with a glimpse of life down on the farm

Saturday, May 16, 2015

FNSI in May

I was happy to join in with Friday Night Sew In last night, spending the night creating and thinking about others crafting away at the same time.
I started by trimming and pressing the two latest stitcheries from my Country at Heart project. And of course taking a photo so I could share them with you.
I was determined to finish off the applique on the bear quilt I started on retreat...simple shapes and stitching really but it always takes me a while to decide on which fabrics to use where... (Leeanne, I could hear you saying "Just decide, just do it!")... I mean how am I supposed to know what colour handbag a bear wants?!
This morning I transferred the face markings onto them and hopefully it won't be long till those are (hand) stitched and the blocks will be ready to sew together :-)

Earlier on, while tea was cooking I had a little practise with my spinning wheel - you may remember last FNSI our neighbour ate with us then surprised me with a quick lesson/demo on spinning. I've yet to get real serious with my spinning (I hope to do that over winter!) but the other day came across a discarded crochet piece. It was supposed to be a cushion cover but got way out of shape and was put in the naughty drawer...so I've been unravelling it using my spinning wheel. It seems a good way to practise my treadling and getting used to the feel of the wheel drawing the yarn out of my hands. Quite pleasureable and a nice thing to do while pots bubble and boil on the stove!
Check out what the other Friday Night Sew In ladies were up to by visiting our wonderful hostess Wendy, *here*.

 I've turned into quite a mother hen lately - a few weeks ago I bought 8 baby chicks... not fluffy Easter ones - but gangly teenage babes. 
 My current chooks have mostly decided they are in retirement and my ONE layer went on strike while moulting. Buying eggs is not my goal in life. I've been very attentive with my new chickens to keep them safe - including being accepted by the other chooks.
Meet Henny, Penny, Jenny, Wendy, Brenda, Milly, Molly and Mandy —
I erected a playpen for them for daytime; made out of bits and pieces from the
nearby shed.
They always like to stand in their fresh bowl of feed!
And late afternoon I've been putting them back into this old guinea-pig cage,
so I don't worry about them all night.
Yesterday I decided they were ok to let out into the chook yard...after we had double checked the fence and sorted out the odd hole that has developed over the years.
Whew, no fighting going on, just a bit of glaring at each other!
I think they are big enough now to withstand a bit of pecking order business!
Hehe couldn't resist this shot of Mr Rooster!
Katie-Cat wanted in on the action!
As all good Mother Hens do, I went down and checked them at bedtime.
They looked hard case all lined up along the top of the guinea-pig cage!
 So that's my Friday night all done and dusted - and most of Saturday as well!  The day is running out for doing the hand stitching on my bear blocks by bedtime but 'll give it a jolly good try :-)
See you next time, 
happy creating,

37 comments:

  1. More cute stitched blocks!
    Isn't it fun when we hear our friends in our head? : )
    My grandpa was a chicken farmer. Your new teenagers bring back lots of memories to me.

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  2. If the bears would just tell you what colour handbag they wanted that would help your decisions! Naughty bears, but they are looking fit to keep one of those soon be be born babies warm. You have a right ole mouth full of names with all those names for the new hens! Glad you got some time to create.

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  3. Lovely work on the blocks, both bears and embroidered.
    Your chooks look very happy. Hope they lay soon!

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  4. As always, such a delightful post! Have been thinking of you!

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  5. Your blocks look great! That teddy quilt is so very sweet. Love your new girlies xx

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  6. Your stitching is just precious - love that pattern so much!!! Your teddies are very cute, although now you're got me wondering just what color handbag a bear WOULD want. Something yellow, for honey? Love the pics of your new chickies....they look pretty happy to me!! And that pic of your kitty, so cute!

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  7. cute stitchery block - love your chickens!

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  8. Love your stitchery blocks. And all the chicken pictures are fun. Thanks for sharing with us. Henny, Penny, Jenny . . . . . . . .

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  9. Oh wow Raewyn, how cute are your feathered babies?! I hope they continue to stay safe from any baddies!

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  10. love the Country stitchery blocks--what thread and color are you using on them???
    Think I have that set--but am not in the mental form to decide on colors--so when I seen these--I realized that that thread would be perfect for them and no changing colors every few stitches!!!
    and I love those bears!!!!
    and I really wished I could have some teenagers, and some goats, and some lamb, oh and some bunnies, and some ???????
    smiles, diandmissgracie

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  11. Great stitching, chickens, but the best photo is of kitty check it all out....grin.

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  12. Lovely stitchery blocks and I hope you were able to decide what colour bag a bear would have lol . Love your new chicks , something I have always wanted to do but have yet to give it a go .

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  13. Great photography! Your applique bears are coming along, look forward to seeing their little faces! and handbag colour... well, I guess we'll have to wait & see!

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  14. So you have a naughty drawer too Raewyn? LOL Mine has become a bin full over the years. Great idea to use your spinning wheel to unravel the piece.
    Your alphabet is so lovely - you do such beautiful hand stitching!
    I bet the little bear faces will be darling.
    Such cute little chooks. Do you have foxes in New Zealand?

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  15. Love your little chookies, such cute names lol

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  16. Hi Raewyn, I am loving both your Country at Heart stitchery blocks AND your bear quilt. Both are looking gorgeous. Your new "family members" are looking pretty gorgeous too & I adore their new names. Hope you found some creative time over the weekend.

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  17. Lovely chooks and I love their names!

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  18. Your stitched blocks are beautiful Raewyn...had a giggle over the teenagers!! Hope they have all settled ok know. Love the KittyKat photo!! Our dog loves chasing chooks, thinks it is huge fun!!

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  19. love your stitching of course.. it was so fun looking at all the chook pictures...
    Hugz

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  20. Lovely alphabet stitchery. And I agree with you. It's hard to know what colour bag to make till you know the colour of teddy's dress. LOL.
    Loved the chook pics...

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  21. My daughter keeps chickens as well, only five for her though as they live in a neighborhood. She loves the fresh eggs. Your stitchery speaks of quiet country days..I just love them.

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  22. Love your stitchings, and those bears!!
    Oooh! Chooky eggs for lunch I think!

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  23. Your stitcheries are so lovely and th bear's face also! I can imagine it is difficult to fond out what colors the bears love most, but I'm sure you chose colors they would-be like!
    I can't anything about the otters thing you write about, for I'm writing from Greece and the last pictures stay blank on my IPad.
    Happy creating for you, also, Cisca



    or you, too, Cisca

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  24. Raewyn, isn't that the truth - picking out the fabrics can take so much time. That why I was so thrilled on Friday night to get the shells to my turtles finished. So cute - cuz I was thinking about you as I was doing it. Such beautiful work on your Letters. And two finished - you go girl!

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  25. I love the names you have given all your new girls, and the rooster shot is brilliant. I am going to have to replace my non layers soon, but what do I do with them? Lovely stitching photos.

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  26. your stitches look perfect!!!can't wait to see the bears finished. I always wanted to learn to spin but keep slapping my hands for another hobby with equipment . love the pics of the chicks. have a great weekend

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  27. Your blocks are beautiful and I loved the story and photos of your new girls. Our 3 hens have gone into retirement too so not sure what too do about that yet!!

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  28. I love reading about your chickens. May they lay many eggs!

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  29. HELLO,lovely embroidery! (Like the kitty too!)
    Thanks for sharing!
    msstitcher1214@gmail.com

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  30. Love that R and the teddy's are so cute. they are going to turn out brilliant!

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  31. My goodness how do you get so much done living on a farm? I love your pics and love the kitty peaking through the fence!

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  32. My goodness how do you get so much done living on a farm? I love your pics and love the kitty peaking through the fence!

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  33. What a fun post to read ! Your hand stitching is so very lovely. And I so enjoyed reading about a day in the life of your chooks.
    Susie

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  34. I love your embroidery - so neat, and such fun designs!

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  35. I really like your applique bears! And your chickens make me smile. :)

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  36. Lara B. sent me here...she loves your blog! It would be so cool to use a spinning wheel, or even see one in use! Looks like your days are kept very busy and productive!

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