Pincushion Parade......

Every now and then I look up and find a couple of new blogs to read....  some people stop blogging, or the blog changes, or my tastes change and a new blog is great to find....

One of these is My Sister Made Me Do It.... now just the name of the blog had me sucked in.... I don't have a sister but this is exactly what my daughters would say whenever there was something questionable going on!!!

A pincushion parade linky is being hosted on her blog this week....

(if you press the picture below you will go to the linky page)

I have some lovely pincushions which I have been meaning to do a blog post on so now is as good a time as any..... and it's so fun to pop over and visit some other new blogs and look at their pincushions too

There is a special place in my sewing room for my pincushions to live.....

Today I will show you a few of my special ones.... special for all sorts of reasons...

This is a silver frame that was my grandmothers... and I found a doily with holes in it but there was this lovely bit of wisteria (and I loooooovvvvee wisteria) so I made up this little pincushion frame....

My bloggy friend Bev is a wiz with her embroidery machine and made me a custom cushion.... I just love it.... so clever..... and makes me smile every time I look at it....

.. another lovely cushion from bloggy friend Susan... as you can see this is the one that sits beside my machine as it is filled with crushed walnut so is handy when I need something to throw at Hubz ... 

It's beautifully made and the bottom is just as gorgeous as the top.....

.. before I started quilting I was with a small craft group and we made some small hand projects... this pin/scissor holder was one of them.... she's wild but she reminds me of that lovely group of ladies....

I got into wool for a while and felted blankets like crazy... then I wanted to make a few things with it.... and this little mouse is one of them.... (it's a freebie pattern from Bustle and Sew found HERE)  Pretty cute....

..

Another bloggy friend is Marina and she cross stitched and sewed up this pincushion.  The cross stitch is tiny and I am in awe of it.... and there is no mistaking it belongs to me either....

... continuing with my wool fetish I made this crazy felt top (you can't even see the pictures) but it's lovely and big and thick so those pins can go right up to their neck and still not stab you on the bottom... This is the one that is safe for grandies to press the pins down (do they all obsess with pushing pins all the way down to the bottom?????)

That is my biggest pincushion... and this is my smallest... one from Susan which I won on her blog

It's pretty gorgeous isn't it and lives in my bag for 'portable projects' so I can have everything on hand.... only 2" wide 

This is a real sweetie and is another from Marina.  The first time I met one of my 'on-line friends' she gave this to me and I like to keep it to remember just how lovely and kind and generous and special are my blogging friends, some of whom I have been lucky enough to meet.

I made a tuffet last year (a real size one big enough for feet, and dogs, and grandchildren to watch TV on) and then I found this cute little pattern online.... there is a bit of EPP (about my limit) and there are beads on the base though you can't see them here....  I keep meaning to make more of these..

.. another made by me from a pattern of Natalie Bird (one of my favourite Ausi designers).....  I made one of these as a gift and then decided I loved it so I had to make another!)

... another of my favourite Ausi designers is Anni Downs and this is my latest addition.  Another bloggy friend Chookyblue kindly gave me the kit for this gorgeous little piglet... who will NEVER EVER have pins stuck into him.... (3" in size and very fiddly to make but adorable)

There are other pincushions that live here ... but I can't show you them all.....  as you can tell I have far more than I need and they are not all used for pins.... 

If you feel like joining in, just pop over to THIS post where there is the linky - and read the chat about what it's all about and what prizes there are......

I'd love to pop over and see yours so let me know if you have a "pincushion parade"...

Righto, Gotto Go... I need to use some of those pins today!!! 

A gift, a block, a few finishes...... and a new project ....

I find it just lovely when I get a surprise in the mail.....

Dear Anthea sent me this gorgeous zipper purse just because she could... isn't that lovely of her.... It's a goodly size and I think will be perfect for carrying a new project I am doing around.  Thanks so much Anthea - I love it and perfect timing ...

This is the newest Dutch Treat block I have done.... I rather like it.... maybe it's the geometric symetry I like?  (that sounds very arty farty of me!)

I sewed up the lonely blocks I had into mats... they are a bit ugly and the edges wavy... but they are out of the UFO drawer and have a use now.....

... so that's 6 new pot mats for me... and I even threw some old ones out!

Public opinion persuaded me to finish my hexagons to the use they were intended... and I sewed up the edges of these hexagons to make the table topper.....

.. they look pretty good in the centre of the dining table with my bowl of fruit (you can tell I need to do a grocery shop can't you?????)

... and because I have been good and finished all those UFO's I have started a new project.  It's a preprinted panel and uses quite a few stitches I haven't tried before in 4 threads at a time....

This is the project going into my new pineapple zipper purse from Anthea.....

Righto, Gotto Go.....  we have had some lovely rain... and the weeds are feasting so I should really go and show some interest and supervise a bit?????

An oldie found a home at last....

Other times when I have moved house I have very quickly found places for my 'stuff' ... however this time I seem to have been less organised and even couldn't find some of my 'stuff'......

I did a frantic search and finally found what I was looking for and put it up in this thin wall space in between windows.....

This sampler is called Times Gone By and is designed by Helen Stubbings...

I changed the quotes in it to reflect myself....

It's long and thin (12" x 52") and full of different techniques

I just loved doing it.....

.. and pleased it has found a space in our home (been here almost a year now!)

I have stitched a couple more blocks from Dutch Treat quilt...

This one is called Canada Goose.....

 and this one is Capstone....

... you wouldn't believe it but I forgot to give my little piglet a tail so this had to be rectified this week.... 

poor piggy couldn't be left with no tail!!!  

This week I have dug into my UFO pile and pulled out these applique blocks I sewed onto some vintage tablecloth fabric - you know that lovely solid linen type....  Well I'm not terribly enthused by them but I'm also not about to throw them out.....

I am backing them with this thick towelling type fabric to make pot mats - I badly need some in my kitchen ... and these will do fine and I won't be precious about spilling on them either....

Righto, off to sew I go......

It's a block party.....

This week I promised myself some me sewing time with the machine so I could get on top of the Splendid Sampler blocks.... it's not a race but I fear if I get too far behind I will give up on them!!

Block 46 - Twirl Time by Sarah Maxwell

Block 50 - Flights of Fancy by Joanna Fgueroa

Block 53 - Whirling in Circles by Deb Roberts

So that was my 'piecing' day ......

.. then I started on applique ....

Bonus Block - Top of the Hill by Pat Sloan

Block 52 - Cone Flower by Pat Sloan

Block 49 - Summers Gift by Karla Eisenach

Bonus Block - Flip Flops  by Jacqueline Steves (- or Thongs - or Slip Slops - or Jandles)

... and that made up my machine blanket stitching day! .....

... then some foundation piecing....

Block 48 - Whim by Faith Jones

... then some English Paper Piecing... which was several evenings/mornings.....

... but I got it finished last night...

Block 51 - Bee Happy by Katja Marek

... and of course the latest block is out so I'm still not caught up but I made really good progress.

I love that there are so many different skills I am having to work with in these blocks - a true 'sampler' quilt...  I'm learning lots about colour placement too and living with when I didn't make the best of the block.

Righto, Gotto Go - off to print out the newest block ....