Catching up.....

All the little embroidery blocks for Les Courtiers are done.... in the pattern they are backstitched and coloured in.... but I haven't got the colouring in stuff (and I don't want to start yet another obsession! hhaha)  so I just did a variety of stitches...

Happy with how they look and hope they fit in with the rest of the quilt....

I still have a lot of other blocks to make for it ….  and that will soon be on my daily machine sewing time list....

This week I have been working on catching up with some of my on-line blocks.

This is the block for Jane's sampler..... Block 11 has 11 pieces 

This is all the pieces together... just one more block and then some sashing to go 

Jane has had a series to help beginner quilters.. and she does video's for each block and they progressively have more pieces and learn new techniques.

I know I'm not a beginner quilter but I wanted to join in.  My challenge was to make the blocks half size and try and improve on my joins.

Next I worked on Garden Sunshine, which has been a free BOM from QuiltDoodleDesigns. (they are free for the month they come out)

This was Septembers block

Square and a Half

… and these two for October..... 

Indiana's Puzzle

Rising Star

These are pretty blocks and I am using my little collection of 1930's fabrics with some white Bella.

Righto, Gotto Go.... I want to play with these today....

I hope you have a lovely rest of the week.... I am going to the Brisbane Quilt and Craft Fair tomorrow …. some mischief maybe???

A busy week .....

Since buying my sashing last weekend I got all enthusiastic and sewed some more of my sisters....

These are all the colours/fabrics I am using and I think I have about 3 of each which will make a good size quilt.  I have more fabric so if I need to make a couple more that will be okay.

I will need to lay them out and then work on the sashings… 

Hubz and I worked on the fernery a bit.  He has one area which we are trying to do more orchids and they need more protection.  We noticed how they struggled on the very cold, and the very hot days as the wind goes right through the tunnel created by the structure.

We had a long weekend here (celebrating the Queens birthday) so extra time to play

We bought two pieces of slatted timber and placed them up one side.... and a couple of shelves on the other side.... 

Then covered the one side with shadecloth (we had plenty left over from when we did the top).  Can you see my fat Hoya buds at the top.... 

Then we put up this log and wired it up nice and firm - it's resting on another short log on the right...

Our piece of art!

.. and covered it with elkhorn ferns (a friend kindly gave us a big bunch of these and we have been able to cut lots off).  When they grow it will look lovely and we will stick a few plants on the other blank spaces in due course.... 

The protected orchid space is on the other side … and this side, which will catch the breeze is our little spot for sitting and enjoying the shade and cool. 

I love it....

Whilst backwards and forwards to hardware store to get supplies I finished another Little Penguin jumper.... now there are three! 

These are knitted in pure wool so can be used on the penguins that need some extra help for a while.

This weeks playtime in the sewing room has been spent finishing up the Bloom quilt blocks 

They are all prepped up now and ready for sewing.... not sure when I will do that (I have a retreat day in November so that might be the day!)  I will be doing machine blanket stitch. 

The Bloom blocks quilt was designed by Lori Holt at Bee in my Bonnet

https://beeinmybonnetco.blogspot.com/

Evening sewing continues to be the stitching for Les Courtiers.  8  of the same so they are taking a bit of time.... 

Righto, coffee time and I think I will go and sit in my special spot outside and check on the orchids and the Hoya...

My new Hoya I got from Sue earlier this year (came in the post!)  has had it's winter hibernation and there are lovely new shoots growing... I wonder how long till I get a flower off this one...

Have a lovely rest of the week... doing something you love

FNWF....

Thanks Chez for hosting FNWF... and welcome back from your holiday.....  

I was lucky enough to double date with the Friday night girls at The Quilters Angel...

… where snacks were provided!

I have 8 blocks the same to do for a quilt (Les Courtiers) .... long term project which is taking longer than planned due to procrastination and poor attention!

Today I have prepped up another 4 blocks for Bloom.....

This is the 12 I have prepped up together... they will have sashings…. eventually!

 The shop is open when we are there on Friday night and I noticed some blue/green batik fabric.  I like to choose in natural light so I went back today with my blocks

This will be my sashing and corner triangles for my sisters blocks.

I am probably breaking all the rules having a combination of ethnic themed African prints, soft Tilda fabric (backgrounds) and batik fabric... and a bit of plain homespun for the faces and hands.

But I like the combination and different visual textures they give...

After popping in to get my fabric we went off to a hardware store and bought a bunch of timber stuff.... (see my hints about the shadehouse/fernery worked!!)

 

Whilst Hubby was working out where what was to go, a magpie who has befriended him came along and sung to him...  this one often comes to wherever he is working hoping he will dig up some yummy worms....

This is the area he is working on today.... I'll take a picture again later.... magpie has jumped up on the wall - he didn't seem to like the noise of the drill!!

Righto, Gotto Go...….. I think I am needed to hold the wood out there!

Hope you have a lovely weekend…...

OPAM and a park, and some progress

My finishes for September include....

… this zippy pouch....

this embroidered thread holder....

.. and two little penguin vests....

Here are some pictures from a walk in one of the parks recently....

It was so windy yesterday I'm sure a lot of the blossoms have been blown away!!

I am trying to spend a bit of time in the sewing room each day playing with my projects

This week I have been preparing some blocks for my Bloom quilt thanks to Maria for twisting my arm with this one!  I love it and am using a layer cake for the flowers

… and evening sewing has focussed on needleturn this week and another block added to my Wings quilt designed by Michelle..... 

Lots of photo's today..... 

I hope you are all having a lovely week.... and managing to spend some time doing what you love and being with people you love....

xx