Month end .......

I liked Sharon and Maria's idea of an end of month post with finishes for the month to go towards OPAM which Kris and Peg host.....

These are my finishes this month.....

bookmarks, crowns & tiara's, selvage chook

hexagon needlecases, zippy bag, friends hanging

shoe bag..... 

I wanted 9 pictures to fit the collage so I filled up the spaces with food..... some scones and home made vanilla!!

OPAM counts up the actual finished items each month.... the hexagons are a finished UFO from last year

I have also finished some of my monthly blocks....

Harrington & Hannah can be found at Shell's ......

this is where I am up to now with all of these.... 

and another block for the New York Beauty paper piecing .... the tutorial for this block is found HERE

really playing with colour in this one

Righto, Gotto Go.... June to prepare for .....

I'm looking forward to a trip to BrisVegas this weekend... meeting up with bloggers - will be such fun

for those of you in SE Qld (or visiting the area) here are the details

Treasure Tuesday ...

I am linking up with Melody's Tuesday Treasure this week.....

first up I have a very sweet neighbour who dropped by the other day with a little gift...

with instructions to read the poem... not to open the gift!!!

I'm your little prayer rock and this is what I'll do .....

Just put me on your pillow until the day is through

then turn back all the covers and climb into your bed

WHACK!

your little prayer rock will hit you in the head.

Then you will remember as the day is through

to kneel and say your prayers

and then when you are finished just dump me on the floor

I'll stay throughout the night to give you help once more.

When you get up in the morning

CLUNK!

I'll stub your tow so you'll remember to say your morning prayers before you go.

Put me back upon your pillow once your bed is made

and your clever little prayer rock will continue in your aid.

Because your heavenly Father cares and loves you so

He wants you to remember to talk to Him, you know?

Author unknown

Isn't it fun..... I asked her if there was a hidden message in her gift.... she just giggled!

My other treasure is being amazed at how many good and loving people there are in this world...

I saw this post on Sharon's blog ... so I popped over to visit Stacey .... and read what a wonderful job she is doing for a sick little man.... she is also coordinating meals for the family...

It was an honour to be able to make a small contribution... it gives me such a lift to hear of people who make a difference in the lives of others....  wonderful...

Our mornings are cool but sunny at the moment..... for a couple of hours the early morning sun shines into the sewing area of my 'rumpus room'....

and of course a bit of humour is always a treasure.....

nobody could find the mistake on my mini quilt

(I'm glad it is not too noticeable) 

when I was sewing the little strips together one of the pieces folded back on itself....

I've slipped the scissor blade in to show it

that last square is not fabric.... just iron on vilene

..... it will be a talking point ......

I wonder if you would have unpicked and fixed a 1/2" square?

Righto, Gotto Go..... I have a day to enjoy....

Quilts on Quilts .....

The latest addition to Melody's penny rug has been an autumn tree and some mini quilts on a line

these are the little quilts that I pieced together
the house is 3" square (23 pieces) whilst the scrappy squares is about 4" (72 pieces)
there is a mistake in the scrappy one - can you spot it?

this little village is growing nicely - I wonder what will be next?

The links to the blocks can be found on Melody's blog in the sidebar... I look forward to each new section

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I have neglected showing my trapunto blocks but I have been working hard on them ....

it feels like each block is a little quilt on its own

I have played with various filler options....

some work better than others...

it's all practice... 

Close ups of the blocks I have shown before can be seen HERE and HERE

The tight filling makes for quite a firm quilt... each block will be trimmed to 15".....

the blocks need to be trimmed, then sashed together and there is a wide border with a pretty rope quilting to be done on it....  

This has been a great way to develop free motion skills - small pieces to work on at a time and even with not so perfect stitching the effect is still workable

some of these designs will be great to use on quilts - I love the feather circle

the lines were done using my walking foot... a friend of mine has done the majority of her work including the outline of all the shapes using her walking foot

Righto, Gotto Go.... some instructions to read... some sashing to slice

A new 'pick up and go' project ...

I love to have a stitching project which is all organised with all the patterns, threads and tracings all together so that when I go off I can pick it up and go and everything I need is there.... 

my last one was the needle cases

I have long admired a lovely little stitchery a friend of mine did... it is an older pattern (came out before my frenetic stitching addiction started)  but just so pretty ..... 

from Crab Apple Hill - it is called Tea Party and is by Meg Hawkey (2004)

This is the first stitchery I have finished.... 

each pattern has a name... this one is "Karen"

I went off to stitch with the girls and forgot .... needles....... marking pen (for those little bits I forgot to trace) and scissors... so it looks like I have a bit more gathering of notions for my 'pick up and go' ...  luckily my friends were a bit more organised....

each pattern has a tea party recipe.... this one is Autumn Apple Cake - I'm not sure I can share the recipe off the pattern (copyright) but there are a number of similar ones on-line .... easy peasy to make.... lovely and moist... soft in the middle and crunchy on the outside....

I was given some left over bits of fabric that had been 'crinkled' with a special shrinking plastic product

a new product needs a new experience

this is a first for me .... a zip in a bag 

the pretty crinkly look made by the fabric hides the dodgy first time zip effort

I used a combination of on-line tutorials.... here (I like the bits to go on the edges of the zip) and here (I like the handle) ....

..... we did test out the cake... used it as a dessert last night.....

would you like a slice?

If you have done Tea Party I would love to see it

I collected 'blues' for my birthday fat quarter swap this year and I will use them.... just not too sure how yet and would love some ideas

Righto... Gotto Go... a 'pick up and go' sewing set to sort out... 

Borders and Blocks......

I've joined the blocks and put some borders on my Patchwork Village

I'll do the binding in the same red as the border

Hubz likes this one... he says it is controlled and organised

what does that tell you about him.... and me.....?

I posted about my latest My Favourite Things blocks here 

Spot the difference.....

When I saw others on the Stitch-A-Long blog I noticed that I hadn't 'finished' my blocks so I had a bit of homework to do

.... it does look better now....

The weather is changing... rain is promised..... we hope it comes.... so, so dry

Righto, Gotto Go ... need to figure out a quilting plan

More favourite things.....

The next two blocks for My Favourite Things made from the Some Kind of Wonderful book by Anni Downs...

........ if you read me regularly you will know this is definitely a favourite thing of mine......

... and especially when I can do it with others......

here they are together.... I can't resist showing it against the extraordinarily beautiful clear days we are having...

that's the Bunya Mountains in the background

This week I was lucky enough to win this pattern from Joy......

... it is one of her new designs ... and these carry bags are going to be perfect for little Christmas gifts for those very important small people in my life... can't wait to make them...  will need to find some fun kiddie fabrics...

THANK YOU THANK YOU JOY

I love Joy's patterns ... and her blog..... she has just released a lovely block/sewing bag .... it's GAWJUS

Righto.... Gotto Go..... the week has begun...

FNSI .... A Secret Project .....

For FNSI (hosted by Bobbie and Heidi) I worked on my OASS (Once A Season Swap)

- shhhhh... it's a secret....

the one I am making has lots of different things in it....

some writing

 some stitchery

 some applique...

some wool felt 

some piecing

some matching points

some quilting

some binding

a label...... (sorry a piece of sticky label fell on it)

It's not quite finished so I can't show you what it is!!!

I really don't like to swear... I had to do a bit of the 'M' word  .....

Hubz asked me in the nicest of way to fix his trousers for him.....

after which I needed a snack.... just to keep up my energy.........  coffee and walnut cake... my all time favourite 

.... I used this recipe....

Righto, Gotto Go.... some binding to finish off.... then I want to go visiting blogs and see what else was made...