End of August ....

.... September is formally the start of Spring but lately we have been having Summerlike weather without the humidity.... lovely.

Some months ago Hubz put an application in with the council for a couple of street trees on our verge and this week they came and planted 2 Crepe Myrtles.  We had hoped for native trees but many of these are on the streets around and I guess they want to keep some consistency.  They will look pretty when they flower and are hardy so not really fussed...

All my wriggly leaves have been done and flowers added for the latest Caswell block...

These are the 4 so far.....

Tuesday at club I continued with sewing hexagons together..... 

... and I cut up a jelly roll to prepare for a retreat at the end of September....  I will cut another as I am planning to do 2 matching quilts...

I purchased some red batik for the contrast and washed it first (just because I know reds and blues can run) and I'm glad I did... this is the 3 colour catches I had with it.

My UFO this month was to make something with a bunch of little red hearts I had made with some scraps from a project....

I do love these zippy project bags and this is a big one so it will easily hold a pattern book.  Vinyl in front....

... and the little hearts on the back....

I had some time on the machine and put my blocks together.... 20 square blocks so it wasn't a lot to do...

I do love the end result ( it is camouflaged against that wall!)

89" x 71" and enough of one colour to make the binding.....  I'll need to look out for a nice earthy backing for it....

Righto, Gotto Go... I need to dig out a new machine project since I finished up a couple .....

Have a lovely weekend.... xx

Fourth week of August

This week I finished knitting this soft mohair scarf.  It was made with part balls I had been given and too short for a regular scarf so I joined the ends to make it an infinity scarf

It easily wraps around the neck twice and is lovely and soft and warm.....

I have another in soft pink on the needles now....

I tried a new to me quilting pattern at the weekend....  this is the back where you can see the pattern better and it does give a nice texture....

The idea is from ipatchandquilt on instagram - though hers are a lot more regular in shape....

Caswell quilt has peeped out her drawer.  I can't say I am loving stitching all those edges on the leaves but they are keeping me entertained!!

This week was Craft Alive in Toowoomba and I was helping out at the Community Quilts stand  - they had heaps on display ....

Not only are quilts made ....

some members prefer making smaller items.....

sometimes they are a special request ....

items like the 'bed brighteners' are popular to cheer up a room...

Wheelchair lap quilts are smaller than regular quilts and made as requested...

Babies in a crib are given a heart to hold and so is the mother, each visit they are swapped so baby has the scent of mum ....

These covers have been popular for after surgery...

This years raffle quilt will support this organisation...

... and this is the lovely quilt the winner will receive....

Hubz and I are presently very healthy but since our children live vast distances away (except one of them) we have been discussing getting things properly in order so youngest daughter is not left with too many decisions.

This book is written by a local woman and so I got it as a starting point....

Anyone got any ideas on what things they think need to be thought about.  To be honest I have no idea and if I had to suddenly plan and sort things I would be at a complete loss.

On that cheerful note, I wish you a lovely weekend.... xx 

Third week of August

This week I started joining up hexagons for my Field Journal blocks.... I am also still self framing the cream and teal hexagons....  lots more of them to do.....

Machine sewing day with friends I started working on a project I cut up years ago.... so long ago I have forgotten how gorgeous and rich these fabrics are.  Luckily I had a drawing of what I was planning to do with them and they were all kitted up in little groups of colours so I could just sit and sew....

These are not sewn together but this is how the big blocks will look.... I still have quite a few of the smaller blocks to make before I do this....

The UFO box it is in is called "Man Quilt" !

My pretty Intermezzo scarf has been neglected... I do need to concentrate on this one .....

However, I did do a few more shells this week and I am over half way.... I started the first ball from the inside and then the second ball from the outside with the hope it will end up sortof the same each end....

Way back in 2011 my local daughter was into browns and I made up this chocolate coloured quilt for her in the disappearing 9 patch block.

Now she is into different colours so we did a trade... I took this quilt back and will recycle it...

It's quite fun to see how my quilting has changed... my feathers are quite different these days....

Splendid Sampler went to live with her.... I love that quilt and was sad to see it go but happy it has gone where it is loved and used.... (silly me I get attached to them!!)

The back was pieced with left over fabrics and blocks .....

I had used lots of coordinating scraps and smaller pieces of fabrics - just bought the sashing and border.

Righto, Gotto Go.... it's a stunning late Winter/early Spring day and I have a Caswell block to prepare....

Have a good week....xx

Second week of August ....

As mentioned last post we went to the capital to see the Titanic exhibition.  We try and go to a cultural event every now and then!!! 

It was held in the city centre and parking was easy....

A model made up of half the sunken ship... apparently a woman was not believed when she said she saw it snap it half until they actually found the remains....

Many of the pictures, furniture and artifacts were not the actual Titanic but a sister ship named Olympia as they were made at the same time and similar style...

A lovely big model of the ship... not one for Hubz to make!

We found the list of First Class Passengers...

... and there is Great great uncle Edward.....  apparently he had bought a second class ticket but when he got there paid a few extra pounds to be upgraded... Went down on his 37th birthday!

Had a time finding his picture as the one I had he looked quite different .... Mr google helped....

All the first class passengers.....  Edward has been described as a 'Roly Poly Irishman' and I have found exerts of a letter he sent to his sister describing the first part of the voyage...  I really should make a better collation about the family ..... (he was also the great great uncle of the Fiennes actors)

We had some time so messaged Michelle and we were able to meet up for lunch which was a bonus..... no picture as we talked too much!

This months UFO was some little hearts I had cut up from some left over fabric.... these have all been blanket stitched on (machine) and I am thinking I might make it up into a tote or project bag

One more Sashiko style block has been sewn.....

and a few more (same same) teal and cream framed hexagons stitched...

On Sunday I went to my clothes making class where April had my pattern ready and I made up my blouse...... 

I hate pictures of me and think I look daggy in anything but I had a great time.  I will make another of these for practice and make notes as I go along so I remember some of her tips.  Next time I will make some capri pants I think.

Righto, Gotto Go.  Whilst in Brisbane we popped into the swedish shop and got some curtains which need shortening... todays job!

Have a lovely week....xx