Keeping up with the blocks......

This month for Holly Cottage (Michelle Ridgway design)  stitch-a-long is the cottage block....

there is quite a bit more work in this one than the others but I do love doing this kind of detail and mix of applique and embroidery....

This is the last of the blocks and I have joined up the row....

Next all the rows go together and borders to add.....

At shows I try and avoid demonstrators showing the latest gadgets and things..... in my time I have bought some junk, and things I didn't find useful at all..... but I got sucked in again!!!

This time it is a little plate that helps clean silver and jewellery...... 

This is my very favourite little piece of silver I inherited.... I use it all the time as my sugar bowl...

I put it upside down as you can see the pretty work easier....

There it is with the plate...only after a short time the difference can be seen...

the plate causes hydrogen bubbles apparently and these knock the dirt... can you see how grubby the water has gone...

... after only a few minutes and no rubbing or scrubbing...  just a rinse and a wipe...

... my beautiful bowl is back in action....

Anybody used these?   Please warn me if there are problems....

The demonstrator cleaned quite a few of us onlookers jewellery - I have a silver chain which is lovely and clean now, including others had diamonds and gold which came up beautifully too ....

I'm impressed...... now I have a drawer of random silver cutlery to clean.... this makes it fun!!! haha

This week the last of the Anthology blocks were sewn!!!!!  We did 11 (but I added another which we had done last week to make a tidy picture!)

Very exciting ..... now I need to clear some time and my design wall to place them all out and start joining.....

This week's Dutch Treat block is a cottage .....

The little windows are supposed to be all individual little appliqued squares but I couldn't cope with that so I did a larger square with a line of back stitch.... (I'm not totally insane yet)

Righto, Gotta Go, that random cutlery is calling me!!!

Lucky me......

... to get to go to a retreat this weekend (well I managed 2 of the three days).  Marion from Quilters Angel hosts this for us and it's always such fun with a lovely group ....

First thing I did was put the sashing and corner stones on quite a few of my Anthology blocks as I had got behind.....

... and they are now fitting in with all the other blocks.....  over half way now

Then I added ribbons and went around the edges for my Christmas decorations this year....

(woohoo 32 OPAM finishes in one fell swoop!!!)  Most of the work for these had been done but I just needed a bit of sit down sewing time to finish them off.

Then I sewed up the block for this months Stitch-a-long....

and finally I worked on sewing up blocks to make these stitcheries into cushion covers....  I still need to quilt them and add backings etc etc..... but it's progress.....

... once I had done the sewing I brought I just generally made a nuisance of myself - as captured here by Kris.... (hmmmmm... so much for what happens at retreat stays at retreat!!!)

We stayed at a new to us venue... lovely big room and stunning views of the local bushland

The reason I left early is our little local family signed up for a charity colour run (for RSPCA)

even after 2 washes I still have pink streaks in my hair!!

Widget needed some motivation to get covered in pink.... I was very persuasive!

Lucky me received a lovely gift this week from a friend who is downsizing her home....

Since I started my quilting about 10 years ago I have fancied a treadle machine.... this one is beautiful on the outside....

... and the inside.....

I spent a bit of time on Thursday on the phone with a friend who knows these machines and with some oiling and cleaning and learning the treadle motion I got her working... and she stitches beautifully.

I'm thrilled......

Righto, Gotto Go... I need to recouperate from the last few days....

Too many fingers in too many pies....

The block for Holly Cottage Stitch-a-long has been needleturn appliqued - I need to machine sew the block all together with the stars.  This is one of Michelle Ridgway's designs.

This months scrappy colour was Orange and I had to dig deep into a bunch of my 5" squares to find enough variation this month... I clearly don't use much orange at all and I have used artistic licence ranging from mustard to peachy pink..... close enough

Since I have a reasonable size of black and white scraps I decided I would do some extra houses in monotone.... so these are a bit extra this month.... I rather like them and they will be scattered amongst more colourful ones...  I have been aiming for 30 of each colour but I didn't do that many of these.

Last week we got these 6 blocks done for our 4 x 5 Anthology....   

... and this one was for homework as it needed to be done by hand

... the quilt is growing...... 

Keeping up with Dutch Treat - I try and at least get one done each week....

... and another completed block for the No Fuss Stitch-a-long....

... does this count as blocks too??? I cut all my fabric up for the quilt ... 

Righto, Gotto Go....  oh my gosh, my ironing pile is more out of hand than my stitching projects!!!

Christmas stuff.....

I showed this applique already but now I have put the blocks on around the edges.  This is the first block of Holly Christmas by Michelle Ridgway that a bunch of us are doing in a Stitch-a-long.....  I love the mixture of applique, embroidery and piecing...... 

In Norfolk we stayed with the Out-Laws (no luck with Robin Hood) but these out-laws hosted us amazingly and we went all over the place.....

A real holly bush just outside their home.....

One place we visited was Thursford, where a stupendous show is held over the month of November.... people from all over the world go ....

For 6 months the lovely big hall holds The Thursford Collection -  amazing old carousels, steam engines and organs...

Spectacular equipment ....

A lot of the big Christmas lights were covered up but you can see how pretty the room is... this is some of the steam engines which used to run the organs in showgrounds.....

Carousels and organs have been beautifully restored, some are still in original paintwork

A lovely man went around with us and got them playing - that old paper music and showground sounds..... 

just amazing pieces that you just don't see in our shows anymore....

We also had a short show of a very accomplished organ player.... goodness he has to move his hands and feet..... 

I took video but for some reason I can't access it onto my computer.... but there are bits to see on their website....

A fabulous visit..... now I want to go there at Christmas for the show..... hmmmmmm

Back to home.... I completed July's block for the Stitch-a-long so I could do the piecing together.... This month is the Pudding as you can see....

Righto, Gotto Go ....... the weather has cooled a bit and the fire is inviting me......

I had to have a break......

.... from these boxes....

I had already managed to make the border from the 2" blocks....

... and whenever Hubz wasn't looking I hid in the sewing room and did a bit more.... (he thought I was sorting stuff!!)

.... but I discovered that this is true for me....

... and this morning whilst Hubz caught up on the World Cup Rugby he had recorded, I did a bit more 'sorting'.....

I love this top......

This is Anni Downs "Natures Journey" and I have used a range of French General fabrics "Lumiere de Noel"

... and I purchased some plain red French General for the binding.....

... now it's folded up together and packed in a box.....

Big thanks and Hugz to Chookyblue who hosts the StitchALong and trusty Susan who helps out with a bit of whip cracking..... and all the girls who sewalong and are so encouraging to each other....

Righto, Gotto Go... I think oven cleaning is the worst job in the process of moving house so I think I will get it over and done with.....