First Week of March

A few things have been done lately.... I went over to a friends house and we made up some design boards.  We used corflute and cotton wadding, glue spray and velcro strips on the wall..... one of the corflute was black which is why you can see a slight shadow but it works well and is perfect for her needs.  

Hand sewing lately has been finishing off these sweet embroideries (inherited from Marina).  I think I matched up the colours closely enough that it doesn't notice.

In the evenings I have been working on the next KOGO blanket using a mixture of variegated yarns I was given.

It is a bit wavy in places and showing a waist line in other places largely due to the different 8 ply thicknesses, but I think it will go okay with a wash and stretch.  I will still do more to make it rectangular..... it's about a metre squared at the moment....

I have neglected my blackwork for a few weeks so did a catch up yesterday (after an outing was cancelled due to the weather forecast that didn't evenuate)

I new one is out so already I am behind again but this is being put away for a few weeks now

This is where I am up to now - I still have a fair bit of the leafy vines to do

I marked out  half inch lines and quilted the little embroideries - hoping to add the binding today then make up a little box with this piece.....

Hubz and I enjoy watching these Bald Eagles in California.... last year the eggs didn't hatch but this year there are 2 babies and another cracked egg last night.... be lovely if there is 3 successes.  

This is at the end of a feeding time this morning.... we could see some movement at the top of the egg.  The website shows in the pictures where the live cam is if anybody is interested....

Righto, Gotto Go..... I feel like an extra cup of coffee this morning.....

Take care, be safe and keep crafting.....xx

Last week of February......

Summer is supposed to finish now.... hopefully cooling down lots.....

End of February is also a time I get spoilt......

Isn't this a fun panel?  and it arrived with some labels, buttons and a note pad....

As well as this gorgeous zippy pouch hand-made in Queensland (see the zip pulls) from Shez....

And then this lovely artist drawn card (of Frangipani's from my garden) with fabric and ribbon holders as well as a special Needleholder which will go immediately to my Sashiko work bag. Specially made and drawn by Michelle....

Both very special people to me and I love their thoughtful and beautifully made gifts.

There may have been cakes and flowers and dinner etc aswell....

Then of course lots of visits, calls and messages and I love hearing from special friends and family.

I worked on my Cuddle Hearts - I cut up a lot of my smaller pieces of flannel and sewed them up.  These Cuddle Hearts are in sets of 3 (I made 25 sets) go to the Premmie baby units at the hospital.  Mum keeps one on her and passes it to baby so he/she gets the smell of mum.  Rather a sweet idea and I was pleased to find a use for some of that flannel.

I concentrated on this next Caswell block, lots of little pieces to needleturn.  Marina had made a note in the pattern that she was leaving out some leaves in between the 2 birds at the top.  I agreed they weren't needed so left them out too...  

That is 8/30 blocks done!

Some rows have been added to the next KOGO crochet blanket.  I was given a bundle of different variegated left over balls of yarn.... I wasn't sure how it would look together but it's working out quite fun....  I'll keep going....

That's my week, 

Righto, Gotto Go.... out today ... Hope you have a lovely weekend....xx

Third Week of February

I just loved my weekend learning with Lindsay from Sew To Grow and hosted by The Quilters Angel....

Off I went with my nice big pull cart full of all I needed....

All set up in my corner..... there was a nice big bench against the wall (we were in a 100 year old country hall and it was made with bench seats all around the edge.

Of course there was rewards for hard work....

Lindsay taught us how to change patterns to fit size and shape..... This is my end result.  I also used some of Lindsays latest range of fabric, this one in poplin.

The same pattern can be used for a top and also different sleeves....

Last weeks Blackwork flower was done ....

I've had this quilt on the frame for a while now and I finished it off early this week..... I did rows with leaves and curls and swirls.....  I made this top back in 2021.  It is made mostly using a jelly roll.

On Tuesday at a friends house where I can spread over the table I did the binding for my Pies and Tarts quilt....  The top was finished in 2023 after winning a starter kit from Glenrose Patchwork (now closed) in 2021 and I slowly worked through.  

I quilted all the circles using a curved ruler and a small meander in between on the plains...

Straight lines in the borders and a light backing....

Marina was having a clean up and had this sweet pattern leaving her home, of course I put my hand up and then she mentioned she had fabric with stitching on when she started the project... so of course my other hand went up..... I have dug through my threads and found some that match so it's all ready for playing with.... I do love Kathy Schmitz designs..

Thank goodness our evenings have cooled a bit, sleeping is so much nicer.

I found another piece of vintage seersucker which I spritzed to freshen up.... of course someone decided fabric in the yarn bin was an invitation!

Righto, Gotto Go .... embroidery guild today and I need to pack my basket....  I will take my new UFO I inherited....

Have a lovely weekend... and week xx

Second Week of February

The lovely Brisbane Sunday Stitchers invited me to join in with a Group project which is a small quilt called Floral Fun, featured in a Quilters Companion Magazine (No. 127)

These are my blocks for February ....

Susan, who leads me astray sometimes and I are sewing Be My Neighbour together and these are my 2 February blocks .....

I host a 'machine sewing' day at my home once a month with a few friends and these are the main projects I work on .....

It is a free pattern by Fabric Patch (was used for a Moda Sewalong)

I have finished my crochet cot blanket ........

A fairly simple design but gives a nice texture and feel....

I have now started another scrappy adult size one which I am making from a bunch of different variegated yarns..... (I hope it does end up looking ok)

I was given quite a large piece of 'Cheater Quilt' fabric some years ago and in my sorting and clearing made up a tablecloth (I don't have a fancy table but it does scratch when the girls come over with machines, or when I try and cut papers on it!

I did a quick all over meander using an old gifted but never used,  doona cover for the backing and machine sewed the binding (no need to go in the queue this time!)

It suits the room and will not show any tea stains etc!

This year I am trying to keep to a leaders and enders project (I keep forgetting to lead or end and just go straight in!)  Scrappy 9 patch blocks to start with... they will eventually be the centres of stars....

this weeks blackwork flower done today.....

The next Caswell block has been started but I'm moving slowly this week.  I am now of an age where I am eligible for a free Shingles vaccine, "oh yes ok" - I'm there for anything free!!  Well, my arm is so sore, my whole body aches and I just want to sleep....  it will blow over soon I know but then I have the second one to look forward to.... still preferable to a dose of Shingles

Righto, Gotto Go, I am attending a Fit To Flatter 2 day workshop this weekend and hope to learn how to adjust patterns and end up with a new dress ..... I need to go and put my supplies together.

Have a lovely weekend.... and week ....x

First Week of February

I did show this panel before which I had been gifted.... most of the work having been done (I just blanket sttiched down felt on some leaves and gave some eyes.

I hadn't noticed some of the detailed handwork the original maker had done.... there are sweet little leaves sewn into the big leaves ...... such a lot of them and it looks gorgeous up close.

The birds have felt wings with embroidery detail on them ...

and the rabbits have a bit of extra on their one ear...

I didn't add anything more than finish the green felt and then trimmed it and have made up a binding.  I will leave it as a smallish wallhanging, which shows off the handwork,  I think.

Off to the Quilting Queue.

This week whilst sorting through some scraps I found these bits - I had made a quilt for a grandiegirl some years ago - maybe 10 years ago... such a sweet collection.

I chopped up the blocks and found some other coordinating fabrics and have made up this little cot quilt top....

Had enough of the yellow fabric to make up some binding.... 

Off to the Quilting Queue .....

Another Caswell block is done...... the purples look a bit dull but they aren't really....

... and a couple of Sashiko blocks stitched during TV time....

The quilt on the frame was this one I made in 2023 from a prize pack I had won from Glenrose Patchwork (now closed).  The prize included some completed circles and loads of templates and fabrics.  I think I only added some backgrounds and the borders.  EPP is not my favourite technique but I was determined to make this up.  

I did straight lines ruler work in the border and curved rulers in the circles - a small meander in between

The binding was made up so that's been added but I still need to hand sew it down

Off to the Binding Queue .....

Embroidery Guild this morning found me working on my blackwork.  This is the latest flower and I managed about 3 more leaves!

I am using 16 Aida cloth... those flowers are about 3/4" in size so quite little.  I use a magnifying glass light for sewing this.

My usual mix of different projects - there is a huge mess in one spare room whilst I continue sorting (and discovering forgotten projects and getting new ideas!)

Righto, Gotto Go - I have neglected my crochet this week so will work on that tonight....

Take Care and have a lovely weekend....xx