Last week of June

We have had our Winter Solstice (no nekkid dancing here Jennifer) and it is almost the end of the month which means half way through the year!  GASP

Last Saturday I went to club and joined in with the Community Quilters.  I dug out lots of smaller strips and unpopular fat quarters etc to chop chop chop.... so quite a mess on my cutting table

I am cutting a bunch of scrappy strips.... 16" x 2 1/2" strips..... (I have quite  bit more to cut)

and they will be made up into a whole lot of Scrappy Trip around the World blocks....

At some time we will hold a day of sewing so others can learn this block and make up some to go together for a quilt.... at the moment I am just making up Step by Step Samples

(see why I need you here Chantal to help organise!!!)

I am very comfortable with random scrappy but there will be a wide range of colours available if people want to do them a bit more coordinated.

This year Embroidery Guild will hold it's exhibition (every two years) and one of their main fundraising is a sales table.  I made up these little needle-cases using sweet little preprints.

I really struggle with getting the applique on straight in spite of lots of pinning..... anyway they are done... a little pocket and page of wool felt in the centre......  I used the needlebook pattern from Hatched and Patched Petite Sewing Kit.

I had these 6 origami butterflies done except for the final stitching down. Tutorial found HERE

I have put little magnets in the pockets to make fridge magnets....

Some more Sashiko blocks have been stitched....... 

Lots of bits this week...... it's always nice to have those little projects done....

Righto, Gotto Go... the cold wind has come again this week and the wood fire is calling..... take care...x

Third Week of June

Some of our lovely Grevillea are flowering....

The birds do enjoy visiting them....

this one is the seedpods forming....

This one is very low... only about 20 cm high and covered in these sweet flowers....

Several years ago I tried a few African Violets... they weren't very successful and I chucked them in the bed in the shaded area.... not much happened a couple of months ago my favourite Gardener moved it into a pot in the shadehouse.... now look at it... gets sprayed with water daily and out in the cold weather ...

I'm not sure what this plant is but I love it..... has quite a lot of blossom on at the moment...

fiery red flowers...

Lovely to have some colour in the garden during Winter...

We were expecting friends over the weekend but Covid visited them .... so I had a couple of days without anything organised....

Catch up time for my blackwork.......

These are little but they do take me quite a long time to do .... and I do get distracted whilst doing them!

They are weekly so you can see I was quite a way behind

I did finish another crochet blanket for KOGO.  This time I didn't finish at the ends but joined where ever it ended  - I quite like the little kink that shows when the colour changes.

Someone donated a number of very lovely quilt tops to our Community Quilters and I brought one home to quilt...

I went around the feature pictures and loopies in the background...

Last month I had my dressmaking day but I didn't finish what I was working on.... so I finished off this dress which will be great once the warmer weather comes along...

Righto, that was my unexpected free weekend and general sewing week...  

Hope you have a lovely weekend.....

 

Second Week of June

Well, the daughter etc are in their new home... still unpacking to do of course especially as she is away with the Widget at a sporting carnival......   I did have a laugh at her expense.  She has changed from 1 child to a partner and 4 children ----- went off to work very pleased with having organised everyone for school/work etc (3 different schools now instead of 1).... went off to the loo at midday to discover no make up and not even brushed her hair!

I worked on getting this UFO done..... A stitch along by Joy in 2023.  I used fabrics from my scrap linens.  The grey/beige was actually linen napkins from the OpShop.  

The stitcheries don't show up very well in the picture

... but you can see them close up....

On Wednesday machine sewing with friends I got my Floral Fun block done.  Sewing along with Brisbane Sunday Stitchers ....

... and then I did my 2 Neighbourhood blocks, sewing along with Susan....

Little bird applique done in the evening....

This new neighbourhood development is coming along nicely.....

Hand sewing this week has been continuing with Sashiko 365 ....  I'm up to 125 done now

Hope you have a good weekend, we were to have friends for a visit but Covid has visited them..... so I will keep  warm with the wood fire and get some sewing done..... proper winter weather finally.

Righto, Gotto Go.....  time for some hot chocolate!

First week of June

We finally lit our fire this week at home... the temperature suddenly dropped and it feels like winter.... so far been so mild here....  I do love a wood fire burning...

A few more scrappy starts were made.... (I have a pile of the centre 9 patches so it's actually not very much sewing done this week!

I did take out an old UFO BOM by Joy and finished off these sweet stitcheries (Teacup Critters 2023 BOM) - they had been traced ready to go

With the cooler weather I am enjoying sitting with this snuggly crochet blanket on my lap in the evenings....

Every now and then I try and choose another stitch and work on my stitch sampler..... I'm not very disciplined but it's coming along....

Trimmed my stitcheries and put them up with the completed ones.... I have a bunch of squares and HST's already made so I need to dig them out and put this together... it will end up a cot size quilt (one day)

Here I am with the jacket on..... I wore it this week and it is lovely and snug.  Because it had been well used and washed it is nice and soft.

Can you see my buttons and how perfect they are for this.  They were removed from a doona cover when I chopped that up to make a dress....

Not much crochet happening last night... Apollo very seldom wants to sit on my lap but I think the snuggly rug was too hard to resist....

Righto, Gotto Go.... local daughter is making the big move in with boyfriend and join up their families and I'm off to help with the clean up .....

Have a lovely weekend.....x

Last week of May

It's hard to believe it is already the end of May..... 

Started my week with flu/covid vaccinations.... tick that box....

Crochet blanket was finished and another started... the next one is a mix of blue/grey/white

Between Embroidery Guild on Saturday and Quilt Group on Tuesday and Guild again today these Sashiko style blocks were done.... (yes, I'm a groupie)

I have been sewing blocks for a friends quilt so in between these ender/leader blocks have been done... they are supposed to join the others which have been put in such a safe place I can't find them!  They will turn up sometime.... (I hope)

My jacket!! I am thrilled with it - except my machine just wasn't handling the buttonholes.... I don't know why but I did read the automatic buttonholer (which mine is) can sometimes play up with difficult fabric... I have garment sewing on Sunday so I will take it with me and April will help me conquer that part.....

It was a disappearing 9 patch block and I wasn't able to make the front halves be opposites but they do match... and look at my pattern matching pockets!!!

This week has cooled down considerably, so it looks like it has been finished just in time!

Righto, Gotto Go......  I can smell the coffee is ready...... have a lovely weekend...x