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!

May Monthlies....

This month I have 3 finishes to report.....

thanks to Kris for keeping the OPAM tallies going

The quilt for Mom's 90th birthday (which was finished a while ago but I didn't want to show it until Mom had it with her)

My big fat pincushion which was the Sunday Stitchers UFO challenge ..... thanks for the encouragement ladies....

... and my big Poppins Bag, which was a whole new project that I fell in love with...

My WOOFA project (thanks to Cheryll for hosting WOOFA) is my One Block quilt which is slowly coming together..... I have sewn most of the blocks into groups of 4 blocks....

... the plan is this week to get them into rows....

Continuing with my needleturn applique in the evenings this block has gone from this.....

... to this......

still a fair bit to do.... I spend more time procrastinating about the preparation part, choosing the fabrics, tracing etc... once that is done I love the sewing part...

... the plan is to get the centres of the flowers together this week...

I did find time to quilt my scrappy pineapple quilt

Cindy Needham has done a series on facebook since she had to cancel all her classes and she offered ideas for different quilts... I used her idea for this quilt... mostly in the ditch but some squares going into the white areas and then a bit of extra in the middle.  The binding is ready....

.. the plan is to sew it on this week!

This sweet Field Journal stitchery took me last evening to do... with a few stitches this morning....

... the plan is to get another one done this week!

On Tuesday a friend came over, it's so great we can have little gatherings again.... she made me this beautiful poncho with some 100% wool....

.. it is so lovely and snug ...

a close look at the pattern... beautifully made....  

... we both had our machines here and I started sewing strips together onto some sheeting using up my batik scraps (plus a few purchases to get a range of colours)

As I just chain sewed so that I would mix up the colours I didn't actually get any blocks done but there are 25 on the go..... 

... the plan is to keep working on these once my one block quilt top is all together.....

Righto, Gotto Go... I promised I would finish up a quilt job before treating myself to some of my own sewing!!!

Hope you have a lovely weekend.....

Pincushion

The Brisbane Sunday Stitches have a F/B group for a UFO challenge.... at the beginning of the year we number 12 different UFO's and each month a number is chosen....

Cheryll hosts WOOFA and though I had hoped to work on another project they will have to combine this month....

I did lay out my WOOFA challenge on the design board... so that kinda counts???

For May it was the big round pincushion that I was to finish....

 There is so much to each part so heaps of pictures...

It's about 6" in diameter....

I loved doing all the different aspects of applique, embroidery, even EPP,

... so much detail...

Anni Downs design from an old Homespun Magazine...

happy sayings on some panels...

I love the detail for the top and little dangles...

I had a guineafowl candle holder in the house (from Zimbabwe)

perfect size for this big round pincushion...

I'm afraid I don't want to stick pins into it.... it has become one of my favourite dust collectors instead....

Righto, Gotta Go.... the next UFO to work on is a boro snap purse....

Next....

Sunday Stitchers have had their April get together (remotely this month) and the new UFO Challenge is #9...

So my NEXT UFO ....

...  is the big round pincushion....

There are quite a few different parts to it.... fun fun fun....

Thanks ladies... 

NEXT new project ....

I have been admiring other peoples progress on Gail Pan's I Stitch Club this year... it has a mix of embroidery, applique, piecing, doilies, lace etc ... and finally I was unable to resist (we all need a shutdown treat don't we???)... which means I am a few months behind but I have traced out January to April and chosen my fabrics and threads.  I had these in my stash which is a bonus.  

really looking forward to getting into this one

My scrappy pineapple blocks are too big now for leaders and enders... so I have been outside playing with them today.....

We have these Apostle birds around ... they are very nosy and noisy!  this one couldn't resist having a sticky beak (pardon the pun) while I was there

... had a good wander around the table chatting away.....

..... so now I need a new 'scrappy' project for leaders and enders...

... so the NEXT scrap project will be the leftovers from my Bloom quilt, which I have chopped into rectangles and will make rail fences.... the bigger piece of pink can be a border and/or binding .... we shall see.  

Certainly lots to keep busy with..... hope you are all doing okay.  I know some people who are really struggling with having to stay at home.... it can be hard.  

I have applied these little finger nail size berrries to my applique project.... NEXT will be a couple of birds...

... and my NEXT Field Journal block is ....

.. the Cottage Garden thread colour is Bush Lily... 

I just love how a flat drawing comes to life with some colourful thread and different stitches.

Righto, Gotto Go.... I need to cut some more white strips to finish off the next round on the Pineapple blocks....

Take care, be safe.....

Hello, hello.....

Back from my break and had a lovely couple of hours reading blogs, I haven't commented on many I'm sorry (time constraints) but I do like to read them.   Blogging is my most favourite social media format... really because it is quite chatty between friends.

Last time I showed you our white Jacaranda.... it still has quite a lot of flowers on it.  A couple of weeks ago I went to a local park that has a yellow Jacaranda, which I have never seen flower so I made a special trip to go see.....

in typical Jacaranda style there are flowers all over the base....

this tree is tall and the flowers high up....

… must be so pretty up there....

  the label on the tree if anyone is interested....

… close up of the flowers in the ground... its blurry but you can get a good idea of the colour….

It's a lovely tree

We had a lovely visit by son and grandiegirl and widget and his mom managed to join us for most of the time too

We had time at the beach.... and the pool.... and Australia zoo..... and shared food, read stories, sang lots of MammaMia .... etc etc

I didn't take many pictures, I will have to scrounge some memory ones from the parents

My fridge is covered with new art work..... 

… and comfort food in the form of home made with real icecream and proper vanilla milkshakes were needed this morning....

They left yesterday morning and we had a quiet day at home, Hubz watched cricket after checking up on his plants... and I sewed..... (surprise, surprise)

I have a new pair of pyjamas made from a vintage striped sheet

the top and these tops were all made from the Bondi Top pattern

so 4 new tops for me, some of them Tilda fabrics.

The pattern is pretty simple but they are very comfortable and cool (and I think look okay on my shape) There is a bodice with a small pleat at the back which is great for movement.   The bodice is lovely in a contrast colour but I did all of these a single fabric.

I have completed these two small panels in my hand stitching time..... this is an Anni Downs pincushion pattern I am making....

So... back in the saddle, or rather the sewing chair.  I do find it relaxing as well as fulfilling to make something, and comforting in those times when I feel a bit sad.

Chez is going to run a WOOFA (working on or finishing a UFO) challenge next year so we can encourage one another to finish off projects.... 

If you feel like joining us all just pop over to her blog HERE and let her know

Righto, Gotto Go..... came home from the coast with a huge pile of washing.... damp towels etc that needs sorting and putting away now....