It's a bit owlish round here.....

I got back to Field Journal this week with this sweet gum nuts and leaves.... the nuts are done with two strands and the leaves in one.....  and the colour is Sweet Gum in Cottage Garden Threads

For my next round of my Love quilt there is a bit of EPP to do.... so I pulled out this project bag I bought at a quilt show some time ago.... (yes the sheep are upside down)

Inside are ziplock bags sewn into the centre seam.... very clever idea

so I have put the  different sets into separate bags....

... and it's all ready for pick up and sew.....

I pulled out my owl mat this week as someone asked about it..... its from a few years ago when I did a challenge withing a quilt group.  WE had been give a small piece of fabric (The multicolour one that looks like drops) which we had to use 80% of what we were given and add to it...

I did mine with raw edge applique and rather a lot of free motion quilting....

... and this is what it was all about..... if you look back at the picture the first owl has his eyes closed, the second one has no ears and the third one has its' beak tied....

This Monday a few of Thursday morning girls got together (things have had to change!) and one had made each of us these gorgeous little owl pincushions.....

 

Today in between quilt jobs I have my Gail Pan BOM fabrics out to cut background squares and circle for applique - it's a good get up and stretch activity....

Righto, Gotto Go... a retreat instruction has been sent for us to take some fabrics for a surprise project... so I better go and dig some out.....  after my coffee that is!

Bits and bobs....

A fair amount of fiddling around has been happening...

I have finished the stitching on this piece for  Natalie Birds banner.... still have a few more to do

I thought I'd show some quilting I did for an all over request.  I noticed some butterflies in the fabric and so did a meander with butterflies.....

when it was all done I went back over the meander and through the middle of the butterfly to create a ribbon effect....

Looks so much nicer with the ribbon instead of one line.... this is how it looks from the back... gives a lovely texture but still light quilting ...

I am preparing for a retreat with the Sunday Stitchers... my lovely Tim Holt fabrics have been cut for the block shapes.... in the middle are some pretty fabrics I will sew together for a baby quilt and in the big box is my next red and cream pineapple quilt.... I cut up all that was in my scrap baskets for them and will see how far they go....

I then messed around trying to make a template I can use (instead of EPP) some little half dresdens....

The first one is far too big but it has the right amount of blades.... the second one is the right size but only 5 blades... but I feel I can manage that size so will stick with that.... they are for a later border on my Love quilt....

This week I want to start cutting pieces for this round.... elongated hexagons and squares.... they are small and fiddly but I've procrastinated long enough....

Righto, Gotto Go.... we had some lovely rain yesterday and when the fog lifts we will be out and about today.... but in the meantime I smell the fresh coffee and I need some ....

Have a lovely Sunday...

... and they are done....

I have finished Hubz's crochet blanket.....

the edges are wavy... I'm not a very good crocheter.....

and don't ask me what happened about what colours went where.... it looked in control when I started!!

... it's made of Pure Wool... quite heavy really ... but he is happy with it....

.. the real colours are just not showing in the picture... that chair is much more taupe/beige/brown that that....

.. and I have quilted and bound this 9 patch quilt....

an all over textured quilting 

... after a wash it will be a lovely soft cuddly quilt....

I joined in with Jane from Loopy's Place facebook group for this quilt.... she gave us tips and assistance all the way through via video links.... and of course there is the added bonus of sewing with others and making new cyber friends....

I have pulled out my banner to work on in the evenings....  

Righto, Gotto Go.... the day to enjoy.... hope you have a wonderful rest of the week....

August FNWF

Thanks Cheryll for hosting FNWF last evening......

We had a nice little shower of rain in the afternoon.... lovely.

I worked on the crochet border for my blanket.... each round takes a while now but I am impatient of having it lying around now so determined nothing else till it is done..... a few more rows of double crochet to give it a border and it will be done....

Hubz found some footy on TV which I don't really like so I just crocheted and got lost in my own thoughts.... then the game finished and he found cricket on TV, which I like, but that got rain delayed, and then we turned to golf which I don't mind but I had trouble keeping my eyes open....

But I got one round finished and that was my goal!

... woken up to a misty day, so I have stoked up the fire and I'll go and play...

I did treat myself to this pattern and fabrics this week from The Quilters Angel....

Nice simple blocks to show off fabrics and it will be a perfect man quilt... I am going to cut out the pieces as this is what I want to make at retreat with Sunday Stitchers ladies in a couple of weeks time.....

Gotta love a pile of delicious fabrics to play with....  and then I will visit and see what all the others who joined in last night got up to....

Righto, Gotto Go... hope you have a lovely weekend

A gift....

My lovely friend Michelle had a birthday last week.  Stuck at home as there has been virus nearby, but Mr Postie was very good to get her gift from me exactly on the right day!

This cushion pattern was a project provided in the Field Journal Club (the lovely little botanical prints that I have been embroidering)

Each of the houses was done in a different main colour

... using the Cottage Garden Threads which are very prettily variegated....

I love all the detail added to the houses....

I used some civil war fabric I had with colours that matched for the applique and back of the cushion

It is only a small cushion with the idea it would be a nice one for Michelle to rest her arms on whilst she is stitching......

.... but it a good football size too if she needs something to throw....

The patterns are sweet and I loved stitching them... 

Take care everyone, keep safe, keep stitching

Righto, Gotto Go..... food to cook.. one pot roast chicken and vegetables tonight 

Sunday

It's a stunning winter day here.... the sun is shining and no wind.... perfect.

Last weekend Hubz and I took a drive to the south of Brisbane to the swedish shop...

... a bit of a cold damp day so was good for driving and being indoors

I took my crochet blanket to work on in the car, I am starting to go around the border....

First stop was the cafe for some sustenance...

I wanted bed-linen and towels so that was the main purpose of the trip.... 

I did add these two doona covers which are going in my sewing space to be used as quilt backings

hand stitching this week has been these two little stitcheries... 

... and my sock is growing... this has been a useful one to do whilst chatting online to family... 

I had a load of washing and when I was bringing it in yesterday I notice this guy on the line.... he stayed there peering at me... some of the washing was literally inches from him...

This is the Australian Tawny Frogmouth.... they have a lovely whooping noise they make at night

Many people mistake them for owls, but they are more closely related to the nightjar...

they really are quite snooty characters... looking down his beak at this mere human!  Normally preferring to roost in a tree as you can see wonderful camouflage...  once the sun went down he went off to the gum tree and started whooping ... maybe looking for a partner

Righto, Gotto Go.... messing about doing all sorts of fiddly little things that need to be done..... have a lovely day....