April Monthlies.....

This months Sunday Stitchers UFO group was for #2 which was my circles quilt.... I had all my circles in a box...

I joined up 196 circle blocks (4 1/2")

then bordered it in navy ... and there is navy binding...  I also managed to get metreage of one of the fabrics I had used in the circles on sale so that will be used for the backing...

a few leftover circle blocks got made into coasters.....

One Christmas Item per month ....

I made up this little mat... a pattern I was given ages ago with a pre-printed stitchery....

.. and I ended up completing all my little snowman hearts....  so I'm ahead of schedule till December!!!

I expect I will find other Christmas things to make though!

Meanwhile we had Easter and I made this little table runner using some pre-sewn strip scraps that I had..... I am into using up my stash of scraps at the moment

This little Angel picture was a freebie from The Quilters Angel so I made it up for my sewing room

My WOOFA project this month was to finish the hand stitching and make up this little wallhanging for my sewing room

... and continue with making my pineapple blocks.... which are all done and the top is together.  My teal, pink and purple scrap baskets are empty!!! I will have to rectify that!

This quilt top was made from a selection of 12" squares I had ... plus some pretty Tilda metreage

... and I was able to put together this little baby quilt using the left over squares from when I cut the pinwheels out

Works in Progress

Field Journal

such lovely botanical pictures to stitch...

I didn't get as many of these done as I had planned... but that's because a new project led me astray!

I am linking up with WOOFA (thanks Cheryll), OPAM (thanks Kris), One Christmas Item (thanks Narelle) and the Sunday Stitchers (thanks ladies) ....  I do love sewing with others....  

Shutdown has been good for me... I have got on with lots of things, and doing a lot more cyber catch ups....

Another week.....

The Pineapple blocks got the better of me.... I love having a project that I can just work on a bit every now and then ... but it often gets to the stage where I just want it finished...

Beautiful weather outdoors saw me sewing with my little Elna amongst the birds and butterflies...

I am really pleased with how this has worked out....  my teal, pink and purple scrap baskets are empty now too...

I have followed Cindy Needham for years and purchased some of her stencils and handouts....  much to my embarrassment I haven't used them much...

During shutdown as Cindy has had to cancel a lot of her classes she is doing quite a bit via video on her facebook page ..... I am really enjoying it.

Part of what she has offered was sending in quilts for her to suggest ideas on how to quilt.  I know I often find that the hardest part.  Anyway I sent in a picture of this one as soon as I had finished it and luckily got in (she has closed this segment for now as so many pictures of quilts came in).  My plan is to take up her suggestion as a challenge....

In the meantime it has gone to the Quilting Queue....

Hand stitching the last few nights has been this little stitchery ....

... and I continue with making some crochet blocks... I have found this a good project for doing during video chats (isolation style socialising) as I don't have to look at it all the time....

It's been lovely having more chats to my grandchildren as they are not rushing around off to school... all of them that are in school are being tutored from home of course... sometimes a chat with Nana just helps mum or dad get a load of washing on etc.... and I love it!  

I have ordered them all books to try and cheer them up... I think it must be so hard for youngsters to have to be staying at home all the time.  By the end of this they will be excited to go to school!

Righto, Gotto Go..... a few more leftover fabrics to play with then I need to get serious about some quilting jobs next week....

Keep safe....

Next....

Sunday Stitchers have had their April get together (remotely this month) and the new UFO Challenge is #9...

So my NEXT UFO ....

...  is the big round pincushion....

There are quite a few different parts to it.... fun fun fun....

Thanks ladies... 

NEXT new project ....

I have been admiring other peoples progress on Gail Pan's I Stitch Club this year... it has a mix of embroidery, applique, piecing, doilies, lace etc ... and finally I was unable to resist (we all need a shutdown treat don't we???)... which means I am a few months behind but I have traced out January to April and chosen my fabrics and threads.  I had these in my stash which is a bonus.  

really looking forward to getting into this one

My scrappy pineapple blocks are too big now for leaders and enders... so I have been outside playing with them today.....

We have these Apostle birds around ... they are very nosy and noisy!  this one couldn't resist having a sticky beak (pardon the pun) while I was there

... had a good wander around the table chatting away.....

..... so now I need a new 'scrappy' project for leaders and enders...

... so the NEXT scrap project will be the leftovers from my Bloom quilt, which I have chopped into rectangles and will make rail fences.... the bigger piece of pink can be a border and/or binding .... we shall see.  

Certainly lots to keep busy with..... hope you are all doing okay.  I know some people who are really struggling with having to stay at home.... it can be hard.  

I have applied these little finger nail size berrries to my applique project.... NEXT will be a couple of birds...

... and my NEXT Field Journal block is ....

.. the Cottage Garden thread colour is Bush Lily... 

I just love how a flat drawing comes to life with some colourful thread and different stitches.

Righto, Gotto Go.... I need to cut some more white strips to finish off the next round on the Pineapple blocks....

Take care, be safe.....

April FNSI

I joined in with Wendy and others for FNSI on Friday night.... even though I hand sew virtually every evening there is something about sewing with others isn't there?  Well in my little dreamworld there is.....

I finished my little angel wallhanging this week.  It goes perfectly in my sewing room.

The stitchery was offered as a freebie by The Quilters Angel on their 'tribe' facebook page.... feel free to join in the support and fun during social distancing when we can't get together....

I love that fabric I used in the borders... I've had that fat quarter for ages waiting for just the right project.

Last night I added the last stitches for this Field Journal picture....  I had got quite a bit done over a video chat and sew with Michelle....appreciating technology during social distancing

I really am enjoying doing these so much

Today I continued with some sewing.... leaders and enders were done and another round is together on my scrappy pineapple blocks...

I was leading and ending whilst sewing up these HST's to make up this little quilt

I went in search for some backing and made the binding too....

... and now it is safely in the Quilting Queue.....

My other most favourite technique is needleturn applique and I finished off this centre this week....

LOVE fits in a circle made up with lots of different elements... it's going to take me a while but i have started on making some tiny little circles for berries....

My favourite tools for doing needleturn is the fine bottom line threads and using a colour to match the fabric.  I like the size 11 milliners needles as they are lovely and fine, and then my lovely old thimble that used to belong to Granny and serrated edge scissors that are great for snipping the fabric.  

Righto, Gotto Go..... off to trim up the pineapple blocks and cut a bunch of white strips to do the next round....  but first a cuppa tea....

Hope you have a lovely weekend..... and manage to get some time doing something you love...

Keep safe, keep smiling, keep stitching.....

Stitching Easter .....

Not much going on ... so I may as well sew.... luckily there is lots to do there....

Sorting through some photo's I spotted this small mat I made a few weeks ago but forgot about.... the pre-printed stitchery had been a gift some time back, and I found some fabric in the Christmas box to finish it off....  a little bit different to the usual....

... and I  have now finished off all the little snowman hearts ... free pattern from BunnyHill designs though they are in a square block format now...

A large portion of my sewing time this last weekend was spent outside...

I have added borders to my Pinwheels quilt.... I think the pink helps to give it a bit of a lift

There was not enough of the pink for a binding but I have prepared a small peeper which I will add under the binding at the end when it is quilted....

This is how it all started.. quite a fun technique... make up the quilt with squares and a wide border then using the speciality ruler (or a template) cutting it up again to new blocks and rejoining.

I feel my fabrics didn't hold enough contrast but I will try this again sometime.... very effective and relatively quick.

Off to the Quilting Queue now... ready with it's peeper and binding....

After cutting out the pinwheels there was enough of each fabric in the scraps for 4 1/2" squares so I teamed those up with some pretty strips that I already had and am making them up into 4" HST's....  I'll make a pretty baby quilt with them.

Righto, Gotto Go... hope you are all going okay - adjustments have been made.

I am enjoying the extra sewing time.  Managed to watch a 'show' streamed over youtube.  Some of the big theatres (UK) are showing theirs for limited times.  

National Theatre in London

I watch Jane Eyre... very cleverly done (finishing soon)

Shows Must Go On

Have full shows over a weekend - sadly I missed Jesus Christ Superstar over Easter (ran out of time)

Some really great initiatives during lock-down time.

Keep Safe, Keep Smiling and Keep Stitching

Happy Easter.... FNWF#2

Happy Easter to you all.... very different this year....

We had special visitors to our birdbath this week!  I thought it would bring a smile to you all

they had done a runner from home.... so lovely and friendly and I did see they got back home safe and sound....

This is the new Tula Pink fabric... isn't it so lovely and happy and sewing themed too!  It is fun having a play with it (shop sample)

A few more games of Sequence have been played.... so far the score is Hubz 4 .... me 1.... (I think he let me win!)

we are doing our bit for the children on neighbourhood walks with a few teddies at the window.... we are a bit off the road but have noticed a few people see them...

Thank you Cheryll for hosting FNWF#2 to keep us busy sewing and blogging over shutdown time.... I have continued sewing my little angel in the evenings and she is done now....

Today I want to add a peeper and borders to make her into a little hanging.  This was a free stitchery from The Quilters Angel on their 'tribe' facebook page  (I made a little adjustment to the title as I want it for my sewing room)

The last couple of days were overcast and windy (sadly not wet!) but I have got out onto the veranda and done a bit of sewing....  these still need to be stuffed...

The pinwheel (or twister) blocks are all together now...  its a bit insipid as not enough contrast in the fabrics but I still think it is pretty.

I am going to add a 1" pink border and then more of that Tilda border which surrounds the pinwheels

It's a beautiful day today so after this I am off outside ... Hubz is mowing the lawn so I will wait till that is done...

I will also be continuing to sew the next round onto my Pineapple blocks... these are growing steadily...

Last night I couldn't resist starting my newest needleturn project.....in lovely Tilda fabrics....

.. and this weeks crochet is almost up to date.... I am working from both ends of a ball to get two squares of different sizes from it....  

Righto, Gotto Go... I can no longer hear the lawn - mower so I'm off outside....

Happy Easter... I hope you all find something fun to do