Nearly the end of August

My vintage blanket jacket is done ......

It's certainly not beautiful but it is comfortable and light and just perfect for the evenings that are a bit cooler still.

A bit of close up of some of the mending.  I could have been a bit braver and used a bold colour so it looks more of a purposeful mend than trying to hide it without success!!

At my Sunday sewing lesson with April I made my newsboy cap out of an old woolen mens jacket.  It is Harris Tweed and one of the buttons was used in the cap

I love how it turned out - it's too big but for some reason I always fancied making one.

I used some left over fish fabric to make up a zippy bag.  I wanted to try this pattern, which is not too difficult but I ended up putting the lining on the outside and the pieced part on the inside! haha.

..... and car knitting finished with this scarf for KOGO.  I like making them a little shorter and joining the ends so you can wrap it round the neck and it doesn't keep blowing off

There is a grandson request for golf club covers so I'll give them a go.... they look easier than mittens!

A bit of embroidery has been done and more rows of crochet.

Righto, Gotto Go ... end of the day and I feel like a cuppa ... have a lovely rest of the week ...xx

Third week of August

My second Be My Neighbour block for August has been finished.  I needed to applique on the bird and flower.  It's a bit busy on it's own but I think that will calm once it is with the others.

Only 2 blocks to go now .... I will miss doing these each month with Susan

3 more Sashiko blocks have been done..... that's 149 done - I need to draw out more grids.... 

I finished the Fishing quilt this week.....  I bought some green for the side borders and binding....

This shows some of the lovely fishy fabrics....

and the panel I found for the centre....

I bought a doona cover for the backing... it's just like a flannal a fisherman would use.... you can see my 'watery' quilting

My garment making/recycling (I'm not sure it counts as UPcycling - not that glamorous) this week involved chopping up a vintage blanket (which already had big pieces cut from it) and using my Laura Jacket pattern made up a cardigan type garment.

I'm not lining it and have done an organic style crochet edging.  There are quite a few holes in the blanket (pure wool) so I will add a bit of stuff to cover them - not going to do too much as I think this will just be a casual cosy experiment.  I do like the idea so if I find a good quality vintage blanket I will make one properly.

A bit of crochet and a bit of knitting, some sorting and tidying done and the week has disappeared....

Righto, Gotto Go, I still have the sleeves to crochet on the recycle cardigan jacket .....

Have a lovely weekend...xx

4th week of July

Last week I showed our new table cover.....  it is the cats new favourite spot... this is later in the afternoon - enjoying the warmth .....

At Garment sewing April made up a pattern for me from a favourite blouse.... I didn't get the neck quite right but know how to do a better one.  I used a piece of vintage cotton I had been given.  It's a bit see through so I will need to get a cami.  Simple pattern so I will make another.  I am considering dying it another colour - I'm no good at keeping white white!

Something I have wanted to make for ages is a Newsboy cap.....  I will use this old jacket which has already lost  a sleeve!

I'm not a hat person and Hubz won't like it (though I think it will be perfect for a golfer!) but I want to make one

That will be my August sewing day - it will be fiddly.  

My first pair of Mittens is done.... one is a little bigger than the other!

... but much better than my first attempt where I read cm instead of inches!

Some of the left over bed cover quilt has been made into tray mats.

We eat our meal at night on a tray in front of the TV.

I still have a big piece left.... perhaps a tote bag next.

Some more scrappy stars have been made.... 

I do like how these come together.... the cream rectangles for the star points are used up now so need to put that aside for a while....  I  have other Scrappy plans .....

Because there are 5 Tuesdays this month, club will be having a 'destash' day where members can bring in anything they want to destash... there are often some great bargains - of course I'll take my purse and look for some cream scrappy pieces....

Righto, Gotto Go.... Hubz and I are off to Jumpers and Jazz today...... will be fun - have a lovely weekend xx

Third week of July .....

This week I managed to finish off another Caswell block.... 

... and hand sewing has meant a few more Sashiko blocks have been done.... up to 138/365 now...

I have cut up lots of 16" x 2 1/2" strips for Scrappy Trip Around the World blocks....

When we immigrated in 2002 I brought a small amount of special pieces which included some furniture and art (about 3.3 cubic metres - not very much but I wanted to hold on to sentimental things).  Anyway to protect some of the pieces I wrapped them in soft furnishings.  I had only recently had a new bed cover made and it was perfect for protection.  It has not been used in all this time but I have kept it as I just love the fabric!!!

We finally bought ourselves a table to sit at in our veranda, the top is tempered glass and I hate the sound of putting a plate or cup on it.... so out came the bed cover, chop chop chop .....

It was loosely quilted and I kept it that way.  A wide binding which I removed and added it around the circle and edges so I could loop cord through and tie it under the table.....

I'm happy with how it looks... and the cat is happier with a comfortable place to enjoy the sun in the mornings!

There is still a fair bit of it left and I have cut out a few tray mats to make up and maybe do a tote bag.... not sure what else....

Joy is hosting a Christmas in July themed stitchalong and I joined in.... I always like Joys pictures and they never take too long to stitch....

Any guesses what this will be?????? I have no idea... top of an ice cream cone?

Quilt group had Christmas In July - a very good lunch was had and most tables decorated.  There are a few girls at my table who like to go all out.... My participation was taking some Christmas themed Sashiko to sew....   the contrast is better in real life.

Yesterday I downloaded the next installment of Joys stitchery and added it last evening...  I am using the remains of a Valdani thread which has variegated red and green.

Righto, Gotto Go.... had lots on this week and I'm looking forward to putting my feet up tonight and work on the next Caswell block ...

Hope you have a lovely weekend xx .

A weekend away....

Off to the coast......

Long beach walks....

Exotic meals out....

A little bit of stitching..... 

DD and widget invited us to join their weekend away at a unit in Broadbeach... a city by the beach... easy walking distance to food joints and 5 minutes walk to the beach so just park and relax....

Last Tuesday a friend came over with a new pattern and some wool fabric..... I took out an old blanket and we each made some slippers....

Not the greatest fit and they are not so good for walking around, but lovely and snug while I am just sitting in front of the TV...

Righto, Gotto Go... there is always a large pile of washing after a weekend away!!!!

Still not sure if comments is sorted or not - apologies if I am not answering as it means they aren't coming through on email.... trying something else .... sigh

Chop, chop, chop.....

My scrappy batik strippy blocks are all trimmed and laid out ready to sew together.... there are 25 x 12 1/2" blocks so it will make a useful size quilt....

I did use foundation for these... chopped up an old sheet... that gorgeous old real cotton but it was pretty thin in a lot of places.... I did want those central pieces to be as exact as possible so thought foundations would be easier....

The batik scrap basket has less in it,  but there is still quite a lot to be used up... (since I did buy some to add to the colour mix)  mostly short strips of different widths now 

Been trying to clean up my 'storage' boxes and found these vintage gingham curtains.... lovely quality cotton, almost linen thickness..... 

chop, chop, chop, out with the overlocker and I have a dozen new kitchen towels...  nothing fancy, I just left the edges overlocked but they work like a charm and my old holey ones have been binned....

One of my storage boxes has a variety of dressmaking scraps passed on to me, this pretty blue is like a very light cotton blend... I am not knowledgeable but it irons well like cotton but it is much softer and loose weave....

I have lost a bit of weight, not lots but enough to warrant a smaller size bondi top so I cut out new patterns and used this donated piece of fabric for my practice one....

... the neck is too wide so I have added a little pleat to the front and it is a better fit..... next time I will add to the pattern at the shoulders...

This old cotton tablecloth will be used for the next top...... 

Once I get a good fit I will make some out of lovely pretty fabric that jumped into my bag when I was at The Quilters Angel ....

Meanwhile we watched a couple of movies last night and another Field Journal embroidery got finished... the thread in this one is called Aster...  pretty.... 

There is rain around, I even hear some thunder...... at the moment it's dripping gently which I am not complaining about at all.... so today will be indoors... 

Righto, Gotto Go..... a mountain of ironing so the audio book will be listened to (What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty) and then I can go and chop up that tablecloth....

Have a lovely day.....xx