The last of my July OPAMers ......

I've had this top finished for a while....

Wonky blocks made with a layer cake of Wiscasset and sashing .....

84" x 72" finished size

pattern was from HERE

(but I used all the blocks and made it bigger)

 Marina sent me some Wiscasset for a backing....

3 different sizes of pinwheels.....

I like love both sides so I have just written my name and date in permanent marker in the corner while I think of a label...

green spotty binding........

some big echo swirl quilting....

It is yummy and soft and cuddly

thanks Marina - I love that I was able to do a double sided quilt

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I won a give-away from Cyndi at Bluebird's Wing and that arrived in the post this week.....

lots and lots of lovelies .....

the prize was this delicious fat quarter pack of Lou Lou Thi by Anna Maria Horner

the rest was extra treasures and they all came in this lovely little bag

thanks so much Cyndi

I'm going to have fun with these

I'm thinking tumblers?

... I do hope you have spent some time in your Happy Place this weekend...

......mmmmm (I have no idea for a title)

This week I heard that our widget needed some time out in his room......

(well - he is 2 years old!!)

I  know I am biased but this picture just melted me ......

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To me the greatest blog fun is making contact with people.... I really enjoy the interaction..... and your comments which I reply to always (well occasionally I miss some!!!)

Recently I have been receiving several comments that are 'no reply' - I respect your privacy if that is what you want.... however, maybe it is just a setting on your blog.....

If I haven't answered you this will be why..... Chookyblue explains it well HERE if you would like to check it out....

I would love to be able to answer you .....

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Following my post about getting into needleturn I asked for tips and ideas from others......  I really do appreciate them all especially whilst experimenting with this new technique.....

There is only so many times I will make practice items so I am now already making my lovely Butterfly Garden quilt, even though I know my needleturn needs a lot more practice... I'm getting it whilst I make the quilt and I will be learning some of these different ways of doing it.....

In addition to the previous links and tutorials....

here are the tips and links received from you.....

• A tutorial here on needleturn. http://www.jeanettespatch.blogspot.com/
• I use double thickness of freezer paper & iron first as it shrinks.
• I love needleturn applique and it just takes practice. When I have circles to do. I make a cardboard circle the size required and then sew a running stitch around in 1/4 inch seam area of your chosen fabric circle and pull the gathering thread up and press really well with a steam iron. Gently ease the cardboard circle out and pin or baste your circle in place...you then have a crease to guide you as you stitch....
• Try ironing the freezer paper on the front, also the little clover iron is just fabulous for tiny seams etc,
• Try all the methods, choose the best ones, learn lots of tricks
• Rather than template plastic try mylar....it is a thin heat resistant plastic product, comes in clear and opaque (easier to find little bits of opaque plastic on the table than clear!)....
• For thread...try Auriful? It is awesome, cotton, gorgeously smooth and comes in the most amazing range of colours.
• Use a good starch...makes a big difference... (not iron ease)
• The best tip I think (well it is just my opinion)...find the method/technique/materials that suit YOU best and that YOU are most comfortable with, regardless of what anyone else says you must or should or shouldn't do...after all, when it is all stitched down as long as you are happy with it what does it matter how you got to the end result
• I use freezer paper but in reverse to you. Cut out the shape, iron on the right side of your fabric, cut around the shape leaving about 1/8" to turn under all around the shape. Use the edge of the freezer paper as your guide. You can use glue to hold it in place. I have also done a reverse version when you draw the shape on the wrong side of your back ground fabric.
•  Instead of using freezer paper or template plastic, use old cards (you know Christmas or Birthday). I love them. You do it like the template plastic. Just remember not to hold the iron on it too long and you can use it over again
• I use Glue Baste - saved getting tangled in pins. Yes, use matching sewing thread. Don't use embroidery thread as it is not strong enough
• If there was one hint I would pass on it would be this: only snip the fabric a little at a time (maybe 3 hand stitches worth) before turning. This way the fabric tends to lie flatter.
• at the moment I am tracing round my plastic templates with a pigma pen, gluing with a few small spots of Glue Baste- then turning with needle and(lots of) fingers and too many thumbs
• using a toothpick is a good way to push under the fabric, instead of using the needle. (a damp toothpick is even better.
• http://apassionforapplique.blogspot.com/

Great tips... thanks everyone - I have added them to my 'How To... ' page HERE.

 I am trying different methods as I go along.... this next set of blocks I have used double strength freezer paper.... Jeanettes tutorial method found HERE and it is certainly a lot easier than a single piece...

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My mum used to make the most amazing melt in your mouth pastry - which I can't do...

I use a ready rolled bought one...

usually it is in a cardboard box but last time I bought this (at a price!!)

now I have a perfect project box... holds a 10" square just right...

Do you buy things just for the containers?

Tuesday Treasure.....

I do like pumpkins

but my Treasure today is wonderful NEIGHBOURS who provided them

don't you just love it when someone wanders down the road and gives you something from out their garden?

This week I was so lucky to get two lovely pumpkins

Pumpkin soup is a favourite

Melody hosts Tuesday Treasures and I love popping by and reading what treasures have been found

Well, you know Hubz was so well behaved at the weekend and fixed up my extension table for my sewing machine - so I thought he deserved a cake.....

Yup - lovely pumpkin cake with pumpkin icing

new recipe - firm and moist

(but don't tell Hubz - he doesn't believe in putting vegetables in cakes!)

he avoids carrot cake

so when I make carrot cake I just call it brown cake and he gobbles it up

this one I called orange cake - he doesn't know I am referring to the colour not the fruit

and you can see he has gobbled up quite a bit already

Have you got a treasure - why not come join us at Melody's?

I have added the recipe to the recipe page.... just in case you have nice neighbours too

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Mr Postie visited today and brought me a squishy from Gulf Coast Mississippi

(I loved spelling MISSISSIPPI as a child)

This is a mug rug swap organised by Crafty Pug through our Christmas Quilting Block swap

I had never made one before and I love a new challenge

I love the expression on this polar bear - and he brought along a Christmas hexie flower too

Thanks so much Susan (no blog) ... I love it

.... and finally this binding is being done......

... I best get off the computer and go and stitch the rest of that binding ..... 

...... see ya ......

So... the weekend didn't work as planned......

The blogging world is really quite small and I am starting a post today by offering my condolences to Norway and it's people ..... so very sad .... so very hard to grasp......

My thoughts are with you ...........

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I wonder how your weekend went......

I am copying and pasting from my last post .... and making amendments ........

I do love weekends... there is an art exhibition  photographic exhibition (apparently the art exhibition is finished!!) Hubz and I are going to... I'm not knowledgable about art (or apparently when it is showing!)  but I think it will be fun... and requires a short drive .. maybe a pub lunch (that was good - chicken schnitzels -well it is a country pub and I was sulking about being wrong about the art exhibition) ... and a walk  drive around a backroad we haven't used before ....

I wonder what your plans are  were.......

~ I've got some binding to do look at ~

..... and a stem stitch lesson to finish! look at ~

 ...... and a Christmas wall hanging to nearly complete

(if I had the rusty bells) but it's as good as DONE  ~

Designed by Gail Pan

part of Christmas Club hosted by Cookies and Cream Craft (who are having sale days this month)

my first hand quilting

......... and a mug rug to sew together DONE ~

sneak peak only - it is a swap.....a surprise swap ...

... and some felt ornaments to blanket stitch 3 (of 6) DONE

aren't they cute?

Designed by Lenna Green of Little Green Cottage

featured in Homespun 11.7

.... and.... and..... and....

July The weekend has run away

~ Pfftsst ~

The hanger and the ornaments are both part of my Christmas work this month...... so thanks Allie and Narelle for prompting and motivating me to get these done........
and I'm linking to Mondays' Show and Tell with Sandy

Pop over to their blogs to see what else in happening - there's always lots of lovely things to see.

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Hubz did play a starring role in my weekend..... to get me out of the sulks for being wrong about the art exhibition.....

I have a small basic Janome (which I love to bits) but no extension table and I ache after I have been grappling with my free motion quilting from left hand slipping over the edge.....

A lovely friend gave me her extension table... which she didn't want anymore..... but the size was not right.... too big and too high....

you can see here it doesn't fit ... the gap and the step just wouldn't do for FMQ....

maybe you need to see closer to be convinced?

some fancy handiwork with that cute little green machine....

some firm sandpapering......

and my hero my love has cheered me up......

snug as a bug in a rug .....

and smooth as silk.....

Now - I think it will make my FMQ easier - but I wonder if it will improve the quality?

another weekend hero

An Aussie wins the Tour de France

well done to Cadel Evans

Well... I have some catching up to do..... see ya.....

Finished blocks and New Gadgets......

I am celebrating Christmas in July with these finished blocks...

I do like the partridge one...

(I might need to make another)

and although I am not fond of real life mices... I do think these ones peeping out of Santa's boots are a bit cute...

This is a great stitch-a-long and I have enjoyed seeing several already made up and finished.

Now a couple of weeks ago I was discussing pinning a quilt with Bobbie - and bemoaning the fact that pinning quilts in cold weather is not much fun....

Now I have discovered Bobbie loves gadgets - in fact she is possibly the gadget queen around these parts and she introduced me to a wonderful gadget to help with my poor cracked and spiked fingers....

I was pinning my quilt quick smart from then on... and no stabbed fingers (or blood on the quilt)

Thanks for the tip Bobbie......

I do love weekends... there is an art exhibition Hubz and I are going to... I'm not knowledgable about art but I think it will be fun... and requires a short drive .. maybe a pub lunch... and a walk....

I wonder what your plans are .......

~ I've got some binding to do ~

..... and a stem stitch lesson to finish! ~

 ...... and a Christmas wall hanging to complete ~

......... and a mug rug to sew together ~

... and some felt ornaments to blanket stitch

.... and.... and..... and....

July has run away

~ Pfftsst ~

Have a lovely weekend and hope you find some time to spend in your Happy Place

Spot the Difference.....

I like to keep different projects in their own little plastic containers.... where all the thread etc is so I can pick up and go sew......

I also like to thread several needles at a time...... can you see them there on a piece of scrap felted blanket?

well - they don't have to live on a piece of scrap anymore......

Melody sent me this fantastic little fellow (his name is Mr Owl) who stores my needles and has a little pocket to care for my thimble (can you see his tummy is bulging?)

Mr Owl is such a character - and very handsome in his bright colours so I can find him easily and has no problem with carrying flowers for me

Thanks Melody - we have already made great friends and spent an afternoon together working on my Christmas Club item which I am doing with Cookies and Cream Crafts...

I have finished my Backstitch homework lesson with Helen

I'm getting quite good practice doing these lessons

and my July Birdie Stitches from Little Miss Shabby
these stitcheries use 6 thread and finish quite quickly
(so does the thread!!)

(I made a few adaptions as these two have immigrated to Australia - we don't celebrate 4th of July but we do love fireworks)

Here's hoping you spend some time in your Happy Place