What i've been up too....

There's been a bit of quilting stuff happening, and other sewing of course.

I'm a bit of a fan of this girl, and her beautiful work. I spied this quilt in Feb and think I pulled all the scraps out for it straight away! It took till now with all the other projects that came up to get it started- and it only took me a week! I used a pink homespun with it, as I use so much white in quilts I wanted something different.

I haven't decided on the layout yet, there are a few versions in the original post that inspired Nova (who has now inspired me hehe) so I might put the design wall up tonight and get laying!

I also saw this on Nova's blog (OK, now I sound all stalkerish, but I saw it over here too, it was a coincidence, I swear!) Anyway, it was good timing, as I have been pretty slack for the nephew...I mean, only 1 quilt in 8mths....sheesh!)

I got out the blue cotton stuff I scored a while ago when the school was throwing it out;

and a plan formulated when I spotted this thread at Spotlight. I'm going a bit neon mad at the moment, I like 'pops' of it in things at the moment.

So I joined The QAL and got started....might be getting ahead of myself though, better slow down!

  Couldn't resist a mirror ball dot in there hehe

The girl decided she needed to make some new lavender sachets today for her drawer....and lucky Henry got one for his sock drawer too!

 I had the Maze and Vale prints already pieced for a cushion, and this scrap was in the scrap bin just waiting...

Oh, and I finally got a snap of the girl and her braces...only took 3 weeks, and I think she forgot about them for a sec! I really thought it would be a year before she let me take a pic of her again!

Speaking of cute (weren't we?) here's the little man himself- 8mths old and standing/cruising and has started those slobbery baby kisses. In. Love!

A Bit Belated.....(and probably a bit long)

 So I picked myself up last weekend from the sadness of giving that lovely quilt away- and moved onto the next one! I first saw this quilt at the first kid's class we did at Millrose Cottage, and wanted to make it pretty badly! So on Saturday just gone I went to my 4th (4th!) class at Ballan, and got started on it!

I'd asked for a fabric pack made up- the 'choosing of the fabrics' isn't my favourite bit! I like a pack, bundle, layer cake, anything that saves me too much 'thinking about it'. Unlucky for poor Liz working that day the fabric packs weren't there, but lucky for me she quickly helped me put my own together- and I helped too! So breaking me out of my comfort zone a bit....

 the original

 

mine

We all got a Dresden finished nearly finished  for the day- 2 girls were hand piecing (eek!) and us others were probably just chatting too much! A great bunch to sew with. Judy was a fantastic teacher, pulling us into line, great explanations, and I'm soooo not worried I can't finish this now. In fact, I got home and continued on, completing 180 Dresden 'petals' but bedtime. 

So why do I travel an hr from home to do a class when a) I can teach myself most things via the net or books and b) I always buy extra fabric and really shouldn't be let loose in that shop at all?

The class includes a great lunch, at the cafe next door, and you pretty much don't think about a thing for the whole time you are there. 'Would you like a coffee?' on arrival, to afternoon tea, at the perfect time you're getting snoozy from a big drive and longish day.

 

 menu

As an added bonus the farmer's market was on that day, so a 'breakfast' on a chicken sausage in bread was a great start to the day too! I think I'd have to do the Farmer's Market on a 'non-class' day, as I don't want to waste sewing time haha

I realised on the day I hadn't blogged about the 2nd 'kid's class' Little Miss and I did over the last school holidays! Nearly the same group...

 they all got on like a house on fire, as did us mums! 

 the 'workroom';

  half a rhino;

 and Humphrey aka Dozer

a 'loon' of rhino's??

bottoms (heeheehee)

and 'stacks on!'

A seriously awesome place!

An awesome day!

I've been anxiously waiting for this day to come....

the venue

the reason 

the pattern

and a hell of a lot of lollies!

The class was HEAPS of fun, great people and kids, and they all finished a toy (better than some adults Jodie said...)

lots of incentives (and distractions) to stop the kiddies from getting bored...

 little prompts to remind the kids about their softie making;

lunch; gosh, have to add a few pics of that! The class included ANYTHING off 

the amazing menu! Plus coffees, drinks and afternoon tea!

then back to it!

And at the end of the day there were 5 finished pups! From left to right;

 Dottie, Spottie, Raspberry, Kevin, and Sally!

(3 mums and 1 Nanna were the assistants)

And my daughter's badge for Jodie says it all......

'Jodie rules'

What a fabulous day!

(and more on Millrose in the next post.....)

A beautiful girl

Gosh, I'd love more babies. But if I don't, I know how lucky I am to have this amazing girl.

She cracks me; gives me too many kisses and hugs; and generally is pretty easy to have around.

And now she loves hanging out in the sewing room with me!

we have 4 other rooms she can be in, but no, the floor of the sewing room on a Sunday is a good place to be!

I'm pretty proud of last week's efforts!

A few more drawstring purses. One was filled with lollies and given to her friend at school, despite not being invited to her party (devastating at nearly 8 not to be invited). And she decided that herself- awwwww!

The other was for 'Snookums' who was a pocket money treat. Due to her favourite computer game.

She's finally decided a skirt over jeans is a good look (yay for being able to make cool skirts for her- or teaching her to!)

Tried a mini-chicken burger at Nando's, cracking me up as usual. Especially as the chicken fell out of the bun as she bit into it, hahaha.

And proud Mama as she spends her pocket money again (a while after the Snookum's purchase, she doesn't buy much or get much pocket money actually), realising the $10 product is as good as the larger $20 one, an ornament is an ornament!

Sibella Alison, I love you to the moon and stars and back. And back again. No I said it first. No, I win.....

She's catching the bug Part 1

A lovely day on Sunday.....we finally got a chance to check out these books!

Little Miss Crazy Hair picked her project....

and did her first machine sewing- yep, on paper, but you have to start somewhere!

I showed her how to trace, and helped with the stitching down the side.

 

and wow, it looked just like the picture!

The post-it notes came out to mark the next projects, and the "Sewing" book will get a look in too.

If the girl rated it out of 10? I reckon an 11!