Diamonds ......

I have seen many people remarking on the problems with comments being emailed.... I'm just adding my apologies for not sending replies to anyone.  I have commented on my individual page but many of us don't go back to the blogs - changed a setting and now my comments on comments have disappeared too!!! haha.... I shouldn't try and fix things on my own!

On Friday we had a scheduled power outage..... not that I really need an excuse but this is always a great time for me to get out my treadle machine and do some of my own sewing (usually I do work sewing during the day - except for ChooseDays!)

We treadled and hummed together .....

On Friday night at The Quilters Angel sewing we had some lovely treats... we always get delicious desserts but this time it was an assortment of lovely little treats....

Because some pressing needed to be done there was only so much I could do whilst the electricity was shut down so I continued on Saturday. 

The top is all together now.... I do love it.....  the edges will be trimmed straight post quilting....

The thread lasted me out well too!

I finished off my knitted wash cloth.  Jane from Loopy's Place put out a calender with a different craft each month.  I haven't kept up with them all but I do love handmade wash cloths and knitting (or crochet) is something I can do when sitting in the car

This top was made completely on the treadle machine..... finished size is 69" x 83"

Righto, Gotto Go - power is on - there is work to be done!

Bag Making....

Queensland is finally moving over to eliminating single use plastic bags at the shops in a month or two....

A friend had a whole lot of mesh fabric (from a business closure) and so I had a bag sewing day at the house.... Four of us made bags and bags of bags.....

These ones are for putting the potatoes and onions, apples etc.  Easy peasy to sew and then cut so it looks like a vest - and the handles can be knotted to hold them in....

I am also doing some with cords - they will make good shoe bags..... or grocery bags, or washing bags ..... 

There was plenty of mesh so I am also doing some large ones, for laundry when travelling, and also to hold quilts in.

I had some thicker cotton in bright colours so on Tuesday with the Chooseday girls I made up some tote bags....

I now have 6 good size totes for other groceries......

I think I'm ready for the plastic ban now.....

I started sewing the sides to my animal pictures for my safari photograph quilt...

ran out of the background fabric so I need to dig into my scraps (it's quilt backing so I must have some bits I cut off the sides)

Hand work has seen another 4 blocks of Dutch Treat made..... I still have over 30 to do and I have to say these ones are dragging on a bit.....

It could be because I want to sew angels.... hmmmm

Righto, Gotto Go....  powercut today so it will be treadlepower on this project.....

It's too big for my design board... so the spare room is no longer spare for the duration.....  

- better go and make that coffee before the electricity is shut down...... 

Have a lovely day/weekend.......

All sorts.....

I added a new mini to my wall this week - Marina sent me the lovely gathering of Suffolk puffs earlier this year and I found a hanger for them and put them up this week .... It looks perfect amongst treasures of mine in my quilting room...

(thanks Marina, not sure this was your original intention but it's just perfect there)

At the weekend a Blue Tongue Skink visited us - well we found him hiding next to the DVD player (I have to admit I got a big fright when he first stuck his head out and hissed at us) 

With a bit of persuasion with boards and brooms we got him back outside.....  this one was quite good and fat and about 40cm (15") long and rather handsome....

Much happier now he is back in the bush I'm sure....

For my machine sewing this week, my lovely treadle machine is out ..... 

... we are working on my diamonds quilt - a bit each day to make some progress.....I had made up the small diamond blocks a while ago and then done lots of big diamond cutting 

I had a request for some maple leaves on a quilt ...... I use Hubz old work shirts for practice pieces.... I actually find bigger shapes more difficult but I think these are recognisable....

This sewing is normally my Friday night with the girls sewing but I did a few extra evenings with it and got the first stitchery block done....

There is still dresden plates to make for it .... 

Flowerville by Rosalie Decker

... and I finally stuffed a bunch of birds and hearts with lavender....

They are now hanging or sitting in strategic places around my home... I still have some more I will do sometime ....  The pictures were printed on fabric and I just cut around them... prints on both sides and rather sweet....

Righto, Gotto Go...... have a great rest of the week.....

A visit, some handstitching, prep work and a flashback.....

A couple of weeks ago Janice visited Toowoomba..... we have been bloggy friends for a long time but never met.  It was lovely to go out for a meal with them and Kris, our other halves and also Chookyblue's Fairy girl ....

I got this snap of the 3 of us bloggers...

It was a lovely evening with wonderful food (thank you so much Janice .... and Mick)  Janice and Mick do lots of interesting trips... I love reading what they get up to....

(This is old news but somehow my photo got tangled up in the recesses of technology and I had to hunt for it!!!)

My weekend started with Friday night stitchers  where I continued with my Flowerville stitching .... I'm not so neat at my chain stitching but I expect it will improve as there is quite a bit in it...

As I have finished all the blocks for my 4" x 5" Anthology quilt on Saturday I chopped up the left over fabrics and some backing.... I will do a bit of pieced rows for the back... as always there was more than expected left over.  All ready now for the next Tuesday sewing day.....

This next weekend is a Friday Night stitchers retreat weekend..... again I have lots of Japanese fabrics left over from when I was doing Japanese themed blocks 

This is the top I made (still not quilted!!)

Anyway I found some lovely soft grey and I chopped up lots of the scraps up and got all the pieces ready to sew..... Shimacho Quilt coming up!

Handsewing in the evenings was some more circles..... I am gathering these around cardboard then a quick starch and press and this makes it so easy to needleturn down (I guess that it's not strictly needleturn if it's already turned?????)

My special treadle machine project had drawn to a halt since I needed to do a whole lot of cutting of diamonds... so on Sunday I did that .....

I am going to need to spread it all out to get colours right.... so one day I will take over the design boards for that....

The little tags are another lovely gentle hand stitching project.... these two got finished since we still had hot weather and it was nice to sit quietly in the afternoon with the TV on....

So I am progressing on a number of projects .... these little 6" canvasses were done some years ago.... I was learning applique and quilting at the time and had been over to walk in some of the lovely forests in NZ (almost 10 years ago)

They were fun to do and one day I want to do more similar work ....  I do need to learn to attach them to the canvases a bit better... these are very lumpy!

Righto, Gotto Go... Monday is here and there is work to do.....

I do hope you have lovely weeks

Happenings....

Well I never got to playing on my treadle over the weekend..... widget came over and other things happened instead...

Hubz and Widget made this thread holder for me.... I have been collecting up different colours over the last couple of years (I favour a matching colour when I can for quilting so have been building up a stock).

Because of dust and harsh Queensland sun I like my thread and fabrics in drawers and cupboards so this is perfect....

Joy has done a tutorial just today on her blog on how her Dad made one of these... we did exactly the same but my sticks are shorter to make it easier taking from the back of the drawer and of course mine is flat....  and Widget spray painted it for us (It's like doing graffiti he says!!!) 

Sunday night we plonked our selves at a lovely spot in Queens park for the annual Carols .... a lovely view.....  The bright lights are for rides and market - which I personally think are nonsense at the Carols and refuse to support them, though widget tells me Christmas is all about having fun - his mum did take him down there.  Lots of people had glow sticks and the children have such a lot of fun waving them and singing and dancing.... very sweet.

Lovely to see this fun quilt I gave to YD come out and be used.... it's a lot brighter than this and made from blocks I got in a block swap many years ago....

The carols ended with a short firework display - our spot on the hill was just perfect for watching too

At home we have this plant at our front door - we were about to cut it back when we noticed the flowers - have had this plant for about 10 years and never seen it flower...

It's an incredibly lovely scent - so perfect for the front door and I leave the door open in the evenings for it to waft in on the breeze....

I have no idea what the plant is called.... but after it has flowered I'm taking cuttings and making more!

When I went to UK earlier this year I met up with Jane and she shared with me about her secret project of a crafty calender, so of course I couldn't resist getting one and Mr Postie dropped it by earlier this week....

Its lovely quality and full of great ideas, as well as telling the date (with room to make notes)

Here is the proejct for January - she has filled it with ideas for all sorts of different handicrafts - great idea Jane.... I love it....

Jane does all sorts of sewing projects and has classes (I keep promising I will do her socks class - one day!!!!) well worth visiting and having a look, particularly for new crafters

My Tuesday sewing friend Christine went off to Sydney for a few days and came back with this lovely fat quarter and cutest little tin ever (perfect to go in my treadle drawer)

Mr Postie has started dropping off Christmas post at my house... this came from Shez.. thank you my friend....  sadly I haven't put up a tree yet but the parcel is safe!

and Susan sent me one of her angels.... she is so dinky (1" high) and adorable.... love her thank you

Yesterday's sewing saw some more Anthology blocks.... 123/182 done so far

This week I have been trying to spend a bit of time each day on the treadle machine (much to my annoyance the pedalling doesn't show on my fitbit!!!)

I am definitely improving on getting a smooth flow

  the foot is not an accurate 1/4" and sewing on the bias means my corners are not always accurate... whilst I am not worried about it really it is such a boost when they do come out exact.

My treadle is a back clamp and hard to find feet for so I am just going to have to do with what I have and enjoy it anyway.... 

When I admitted to a neighbour I hadn't done anything about a tree she suggested putting some tinsel on one of my outside ones at least.... so of course I did as requested (can't let the suburb down!)

no parcels to go under there though!

Righto, Gotto Go... after this long post I need some coffee!!!

Have a lovely rest of the week....x