Second Week of February

The bulk of the work on these bags had already been done and I was finishing off (I tend to work in a production line fashion)

These dresden plates were extra's from making others some time ago.... made in different Tilda fabrics.  I just had to applique them down.

These were made from stitcheries I had done years ago

They were for a different project really and from a stitching day where we learnt the colouring/painting then stitched afterwards

These were made from left over blocks from a larger quilt I had made.  Just added the borders

and these were made from various left over blocks and stitcheries, again just adding borders

I am well stocked up on zippy bags now, gift box, donation box etc.  

Most of all I have used up a goodly amount of odd blocks I had around (there are still more!!!)

I spent a day catching up on Hardanger.

Pink Greek Crosses

Heart shaped Kloster blocks

Cutting in these two and pulling threads ready for the next lesson....

And finally starting Wensleydale.  A friend and I are making this together and will get together on every second Tuesday so we are calling it our Tuesleydale quilt!

I am using mostly French General blues from different ranges.

Wednesday sewing with friends yielded work on the curve blocks.  I was struggling cutting the curves with the ruler and a friend showed me I was holding my cutter wrong.... it's like magic now and so easy!!

I think I love sewing (both hand and machine) so much because there is always something new to learn!

So the week has been another busy one......

We are looking forward to this evening and our Christmas/Birthday treat to ourselves in tickets to the special Edinburgh Military Tattoo that is in Brisbane for 4 days.

Then this weekend my cousin and his wife are coming to stay.  They live in Canada and I haven't seen him in 35 years when they emigrated from Zimbabwe.  We were great friends as youngsters.

Another busy week ahead - 

Righto, Gotto Go, want to make some sandwiches for our train trip to the city.

Have a lovely weekend everyone...xxx

Early February

This week I made a bunch of zippy bags.  When I gave Jack his fishing quilt I had made a small zippy bag from left overs thinking he could use it for something.  He quickly asked for more so he can have his reels in separate bags.  As he really does look after his equipment I was happy to oblige and was given some more fishing themed fabric.  I also used up some boyish scraps I had to make a large selection to post off for him!

These seem to take me ages, and I have a variety of other ones prepared as I want to use up some 'odd blocks' I have

At Christmas I made DD a travel bag, and so I made up a zippy bag and a drawstring bag with some of the leftover fabric to go with it.   They will work for make-up, undies or whatever.....

I have loaded another long awaiting quilt on the frame....  Gardeners Journal was stitched and pieced in 2018 !

Last week at Hardanger I did the blanket stitch around the edge. A completely different way to how I usually blanket stitch so it took a while.

... and I have done more rows on the crochet - I still have a ball of each colour so hopefully it will end up a decent square.  I will have a few parcels to send off to KOGO as they close over Christmastime so I have been keeping my makes till they open later this month.  Then I'll give the KOGO crochet a break as I have done it consistently for a couple of years and will focus on something else. (I do have family members who want one)

That has been my crafty week..... 

Righto, Gotto Go, I do still have a bunch of zippy bags which I'd like to make up and get out the way.  At least I feel I know what I am doing now and not putting the zips in the wrong way around....

Take Care and have a great rest of the week....

End of January

Last year I took part in a free weekly blackwork stitchalong by Steady Thread.  A friend at embroidery guild and I did it together which was fun as we encouraged each other.  Different threads and different patterns.

I have mounted mine in the hoop that I showed I had covered with Washi Tape.  I was a bit messy and around the edges you can see where I was a bit generous with the glue!  There is felt on the back.

Hardanger this last week was these two light pink parts.  I did struggle with the fact they are on the diagonal.  

Then on Thursday June taught me the Greek Cross.  I got the hang of it while she was there to guide me...  now I need to do a section on my own.

Sew Day with a friend resulted in hand sewing the binding down for Civil War Bride.

I'm really pleased to have finally finished it... I had forgotten how much fun I had making it

The quilting took a while but it was simply going around the applique with some detail in leaves and larger areas like skirts etc.

Lucky to have had a larger piece of a suitable fabric for binding.

It has been horribly hot and humid, not like some areas.  Some storms have passed through including a microburst in our area which saw trees down and trampolines hurling around (no damage at our place)  

I sewed with the quilt on a table under a fan.

Righto, Gotto Go.  Had friends over the weekend so whilst I catch up on washing and Hubz is out at golf I will try and get some more of that hardanger done, but I expect to be distracted by the quilt on the frame, or the zippy bags ..... !!

Have a lovely rest of the week....

Second half of January

Last Friday Wendy hosted FNSI .....  even though I regularly sew each night its fun to join in and see what others are making.  

I continued with my crochet blanket....

Slowly but surely.  If I get 6 rows (3 colours) done in an evening I'm quite pleased with that.  I actually find my upper arm getting sore and needs a rub - I guess its a form of RSI with the small movements. 

I finished the quilting of my tea cup Table Topper made way back in 2018.  The sweet Crab Apple Hill embroideries were completed prior to that.

 

I did use up an evening hand sewing the binding down on it to avoid another 8 years before it got finished!!

I quilted around the embroideries and their peeper frames then did little curves in the squares.  It does hold it together nicely.

I remember so enjoying doing the tea cups and pots....

The top for Trail Mix is together!  I had a lovely Sunday sorting out those borders....

Can you see who was watching me though the window!!! Cheeky.  Even comes and taps on the window if he/she thinks it's time for some fresh seed!

The pattern called for a peeper under the binding and I liked the look but chose to make a flange binding instead (amount of fabric at my disposal did help motivate that decision)  I'm excited to get it quilted and done now... its a big quilt, will only just squeeze on my frame.  I found a piece of wideback in the bright blue which I will use.

My embroidery progress is this flower!

I want to frame last years black-work (which is purple and green not black) in a frame.  A friend showed me her idea of covering the outside with WAshi tape and lo and behold she had some in the perfect colours.  I'm sure I shouldn't glue the fabric on the inside but I have and it's drying at the moment.

Sewing at a friends house this week including sewing down this binding .....

I had a bit of fun with the quilting in the plain areas, otherwise just going around the applique.

I was given this almost finished, I just love the detail the original person had added, see the embroidery in the birds wing?

.. and the bunnies ear

I blew up this picture of  the leaf.... those lighter parts are chain stitches and there is dark green stem stitch.... all the leaves have this detail and it must have taken ages.

I like to hang a pretty something in the guest loo.  I have a few different ones so they can have a wash and there is a change of view.....

Righto, Gotto Go... today will be a Hardangery day as I have some catch up homework to do!

We have visitors over the weekend, it being Australia Day long weekend, hope you have  a lovely weekend....xx

We've started the 3rd week of January

This week I finished off my going around all the applique quilting on my Civil War Bride Quilt and I have sewed on the binding, but not yet hand sewn it down on the other side.  I will want a cooler day when I can spread it out.

A lot of progress on Trail Mix and all the blocks sewn together and now I am working on borders ....

I had a couple of friends over for sewing and did a load of Half Square Triangles (144).  This next week I hope to press them all and then cut again with the Quick Curve Ruler.....

The next quilt is pinned and started.  This is a smallish table topper which has been sitting in the Quilting Queue since 2018.  Lovely little tea cup embroideries.

Another 10 rows of crochet done... no picture as it's just the same as last week but longer.  At the moment it is manageable in the evening and not too hot.  A nice project to do whilst watching the crime drama's we enjoy.

An update on my daughter is that major surgery will happen in the next few months.  A lot of waiting, worrying and tests and appointments but we are more hopeful about a good outcome than we were at Christmas.  My way of coping is hiding in my room with some sewing to do and a book to listen to.

Righto,  Gotto Go..... try and get a few more of those blocks cut.....

Have a lovely rest of the week xx