A is for Africa...almost

And here's today's pretty pictures... Some treats in the post - in fact, just what I like - only two items of post, and one was the May/June issue of Cloth, Paper, Scissors (I only just subscribed, so it's probably coming later than most people have got theirs, but that's ok, I'm looking forward to reading some as my bedtime reading tonight - flipped it open randomly and landed on an article about Janet Bolton, who is one of the few quilt artists I actually know anything about already, having been to one of her talks (she gives good talks, so if you get a chance, go. Also, because her background is as an artist not a quilter, sometimes her perspective is really different than those quilters who come from dressmaking backgrounds - which is a good thing, especially if you yourself came into quilting from dressmaking rather than art).

Anyway. The other postal treat is below (today's photos being arranged by size & shape rather than theme) and is a card from the tree swap, this one from Janet, a lovely card of the Weeping Willow in Winter. It's fabulous, isn't it - painted silk, I think, with an appliqued tree branch, and then all the willow fronds done in machine stitches with little French Knots on the ends. The tree series is producing some great cards.



I did some work myself today, unlike yesterday, despite spending a good part of the day in the park, where there was an open day with lots of free sporting activities, including tennis coaching and free crazy golf - the crazy golf pitch is new this year, so we've not played much yet - Sarah, Alex and I had a go around while Olivia was playing tennis; Sarah liked it so much she queued to play at least once more, possibly twice. Anyway. This morning I managed to do some sewing including finishing up the snowballs - they aren't quite all attached into a single row, but are now in groups of four.

I also finished the background to the triangle postcards - all those batik HST units. No idea what I'm going to do with them next, other than it will involve triangles in some fashion. But they aren't due to post until the end of June so I have a few more weeks to worry about them. I think I'm going to put them to the side for a little while so I can have a think. I have to do some Picture Frame cards first anyway. As well as finish the Open Theme with Beads (though I know more or less what I'm doing there, it's just a matter of actually doing it).

And I worked on some African blocks for my private swap with Karol Ann (who was right in thinking my purchase of black fabric meant I'd work on these blocks) - unfortunately, they didn't come out well - I used a design from Judy Martin's Block Book, and was reminded of everything I don't like about this book - all that cutting parallelograms & odd triangles, and then trying to work out how to align them and what not. Ick. I think I am going to get rid of that book as it never fails to annoy me when I go to put the blocks together. There are some nice designs in it, though, which I could no doubt adapt to another method of piecing, so perhaps I'll just write myself a note on the cover...

I do like the way these blocks look in principle though, if only they were flat and not too small, so I am going to do this design, but I am going to paper piece them. I almost paper-pieced them in the first place, and now I wish I had done, but hey, live and learn. Anyway, I have printed the papers out, so will get started on them tomorrow or some time, but Karol Ann, I'm afraid it's going to be several days before yours is in the post!