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....

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

First week of January 2026

Getting a quick win with finishing off the binding on this small quilt.

I was lucky enough to be invited to join the Brisbane girls in a sewalong for this quilt called Floral Fun.  (Pattern in Quilters Companion #127) Susan drew up a helpful schedule which was not too much each month.

The original pattern is this and was done in raw edge machine applique...

I chose to do mine mainly using my Tilda scraps (I did need to buy some plain for the flowers) and to needleturn the flowers....

Civil War Bride is finally being quilted.  I finished this top in September 2023 (started January 2021)  I am probably going to stick to outlining the applique and some small detail like leaf veins etc.  Slow and steady.

I finished off my 'looped picots' hardanger square..... I will need to wait for the next class for guidance to a new stitch in a couple of weeks....

A new crochet blanket has started using these colours......

This one was finished last year but I forgot to post about it.

Roughly 1.2m by 1.6m

I do like the look of the shell stitches

Here are a pair of Sulphur Crested Cockatoo's waiting for some seed to be put out.  I do love their cheeky characters and they are beautiful, but destructive and naughty too!  For those not in Australia they are a big bird (about 1/2m in length) and make the most dreadful scary squawk!  

Righto, Gotto Go.... today I plan to get a bit of that quilting done.....

Have a good week everyone....xx

End of September

As always September is a full month and it has gone so quickly.....

However..... I am thrilled to have finally finished the top to Civil War Bride!

It is about 70" square and of course still needs quilting and binding.....  I would like to hand quilt but am unsure whether it will ever get done if I do that!!  I need backing first before I have to decide!

I looked back at my blog and saw I had started it in January 2021.

My embroidery sampler has grown a bit this week and I have finished the first 'page'.  There are a few stitches I haven't done before as well as different uses - like the running stitch as a filler for the heart and those wheels needed a youtube viewing to learn.

Today is a quiet day at home and I want to play with the border for Gossip in the Garden....

That's it for this week.... I have a sewing retreat day on Saturday so I hope some progress will be made on my Avenue's quilt....

Have a lovely weekend...... xx

3rd week of September

Another week gone by.... The Quilters Angel (my favourite quilt fabric shop) had open doors this week and I went to play there a few days.....  it is fun seeing people pop in and ooh and aah over fabric, pat pretty things and go home with heavy pink bags!

I spent Monday at my sewing machine to catch up on a few monthly projects....

I got a Yellow house sewn...

a teal block (for QAYG)

... and it's yellow counterpart....

The Quilt Group I belong to had their annual Quilt Show which I visited on Thursday.... but didn't take pictures - my friend and I were chatting too much about the different quilts.  Some of them can be viewed on the clubs facebook page HERE if you are interested.....

My evenings have been spent doing some more needleturn....  this is the centre of the bottom panel for Civil War Bride.....

When my eyes are too tired I continue with some crochet blocks....

Today I spent the morning at Embroidery Guild and continued with my little sampler.... 

Going slow as I am trying hard to improve and today I learnt to start and finish without a knot (something I have never bothered with) - however, the back is not as good as the front!

... and I am sorting for a new sampler quilt! this time Sashiko style using this green linen and some DMC thread (I was given one of those huge 500m skeins)

At this stage I am just preparing the fabrics - it will be a lovely portable one to take to group..... but I'm not starting any handwork till Civil War Bride is finished....

A cooler day today and I will go and play in my sewing room for the rest of the afternoon.... I hope you have a lovely weekend.....

First week of September

Definitely lovely Spring weather happening... and some random rain and storms around..... my garden is crying for a deep drink....

These are the latest self bound and framed hexagons I have done.....  I have almost got 6 of each colourway done... then I will need to make decisions about the centres (these are not sewn together)

The upper border of Civil War Bride is attached.....  

I was annoyed that the cutting size that was said in the pattern was incorrect, and even though I had extra fabric on (as I always do for borders to allow for a bit of shrink/stretch there still wasn't enough and I had to add on an inch or so on both ends.... that's why the vine looks a bit wobbly too - but I am not unpicking and I hope quilting will hide the extra silly seams on the end.....   The bottom border will have the same problem.

The bottom border has begun with twiggy sticks for birds to sit on....

I find by the end of an evening my eyes are too tired for tiny stitches so I have started crocheting squares for a registered charity that makes up blankets....  I will just keep going in 8 ply and then send off a bundle at a time.... these 5 are done....  They are a good craft for in the car .

That's about it for the week.... I am helping at a Stitching weekend for the next 3 days... always fun, busy and full of happy people ....

Righto, Gotto Go... a few domestic chores to be done - SIGH....

Have a lovely weekend....

FNWF

Work continues on the border for Civil War Bride .... these flowers and leaves seem to be taking ages... 

This is where I was Friday night.... then last evening (Saturday) I sewed the last few leaves, the butterflies middle and stitched legs, feelers and eyes..... so now it needs pressing and joining to the main piece... the vine then needs to be extended (you can see it all bunched up there) so that it looks like it is all one piece (you got that right????)

.... then the bottom border can begin!!

This last week we had the Embroidery Guild Exhibition (held every 2 years).  It is always an incredible show of talent and this year did not disappoint....  some really amazing pieces.   There is also a Sales Table of goodies members have made as well as Second Hand Rose which both do very well.

If you have Facebook I have a link to their page HERE .  I had  3 embroidery related quilts and my little Ukranian whitework bag in there.  I wasn't able to ask individuals if I could take pictures of their work to share on social media.

Saturday stitching was held at the hall so people could watch.... I took my Field Journal Hexagons and there seemed a fair bit of interest.  

Righto, Gotto Go, it's Fathers Day here today and local daughter is taking her father out to breakfast and since I live with her father I get a feed too!

Have a lovely rest of the weekend.....

Fourth week of August

The lovely Spring weather is upon us.... cool nights and glorious days (though some of them are a bit windy)

A little while ago I showed string QAYG blocks I was working on for the club's Community Quilts.... I delivered 30 completed blocks..... these now need to have the sashing to join.

And I went to the last Mystery Quilt sewing day and then came home and finished off the quilt top....

Of course this still needs to be quilted and bound.....  another top for Community Quilts....

Another set of Field Journal hexagons have been self bound....

and some other hexagons sewn together to form a panel... these are 1 1/4" and only 22 of them were needed...

plus a teeny weeny one made with 3/8" hexagons.... I even fussy cut!  Very cute but I don't want to do lots of them!

And a little stitchery ...... I like the look of the flower with the satin and back stitch and also the fill in back stitch leaves...

As I promised myself I have taken out the top border for Civil War Bride..... I haven't finished all the flowers yet.. (half way is up to those blue wannabe birds) then they have centres and there are lots of leaves to add... so it will take a while....

Righto, Gotto Go..... Thursday to enjoy....

Have a lovely rest of the week .... and weekend....