Wednesday, July 27, 2011

busy .... busy ...

I am sitting here ... chewing down a ham, cheese and tomato toasted sandwich .. hubby is almost ready to go back to work for his afternoon school bus run ...

I have a table runner sitting on the work table .... 1/3 of it is quilted .. nothing fancy ... just in the ditch ... and this afternoon I plan on doing the other 2/3's and getting the binding on it .. and taking it with me to finish when I go and visit Fiona of bubzrugz tomorrow ... I am so looking forward to seeing her again .. it has been ages ... and we do have such a good time ... I don't get too much done ... too busy chatting ... haha ... but the company is soooo good ...

I also have some new block swaps to complete ... I like to get them done and sent off as soon as possible .. cos I never know what might happen next week ... or for that matter tomorrow ... so as soon as I get my partner info I like to start planning and making the blocks .. I have two already sorted and 2 not .. this is something else that needs to be done ... today ...

well I am off to do some quilting on this very pretty table runner ...

have a great day everyone ...

Tuesday, July 26, 2011

looking forward

I spent the better half of yesterday thinking of things I have forgotten to do and people I had forgotten to contact .. missed opportunities ... and really I cannot undo anything I have not done .... all I can do is get my eyes and my mind looking forward ... and get on with the really important things ... family ... friends ... living a positive life as one should ... and of course .. make more quilts ...

life is too short to sit and dwell on the 'what might have beens' .. I need to start fixating on the 'what's next' ....

so next on my list of things i need, want or have to do ... is ... eyes forward .... and for this moment in time I am going to .... make a quilt ... well a table runner actually ... watch this space for piccies ... coming soon ...


hope you are all having a lovely day where ever you are ....

huge hugs from me ...


Monday, July 25, 2011

Goodbye Gail ...

I got word last night that my cousin passed away .. She had been ill for a while with cancer and things looked on the improve there for a bit ... then she went downhill rather fast ....

it is a sad day for her family ... I really didn't know her very well, my Mum and Dad moved away from the rest of the family when I was very little and I never got to meet her or sit and have a cuppa .. But we did chat via the internet ... and that was good ...

I wish we lived closer so I could give her sister a big hug ... one of those forever hugs .. You know .. when no one wants to let go ... I just can't imagine.. and for that matter .. do not ever want to know what it would be like to lose a sister ... I have three and I just know my heart would break and never ever mend if I was to lose one of them ...

so I am feeling a little sad today ... not for Gail (her pain is finally over) ... but for her family, for what they are going through and for me too, and what could someday be closer to home ... it seems death of family or friends brings home the reality of how very frail and how very precious life is ...

We are here for such a very short time … I just hope that I use what time I have left productively .. and that my family and friends know that I love them … and that when I do shuffle off this mortal coil … folks will smile with fond memories rather than cry over missed opportunities …

Have a lovely day out there …. hold very close to your heart those who are precious to you … and make sure to tell them that you love them ….

Saturday, July 23, 2011

My FNSI ...

Well it did not go to plan .. I was going to do great things on my first FNSI 

but .. that was not to be ...

Firstly .. I pulled this out  but just could not get interested in it ...



So I  pulled this out .. and decided it needs to be unpicked too .. cos i stitched it all wrong .. and will have to wait for daylight cos these old eyes don't do black in the dark anymore ...



So I went looking again ... and I found this poor (misshapen, neglected, half made, part unpicked) but very pretty project ... it was the first quilt I cut from a pattern ... done in a workshop environment  .. which did not go to plan either .. lol

I was a brand new 'quilter' .. new to the district and .... apparently a pain in the butt to some of the local ladies in the quilt club ... small country area ... a cliquish group ... and not much tolerance for lots of questions .. as one tends to have when one is learning … actually they sucked at being helpful .. that is why I ended up on the internet … looking for like minded folk who were really going to help .. … opps!!! off topic a bit ...

Back to my FNSI … I pulled out this poor misshapen pile of blocks .. I will tell you the story behind them as it does tell why they have sat for close on 5 years in a dark and dreary place ..

My local quilt club was having a weekend workshop .. doing a Bethany Reynolds ‘Stack n Whack’…. Did I want to join in?? … Sure, why not! I purchased my fabric, got all my stuff organised for what I believed was going to be a wonderful weekend .. learning new stuff … and this was brand new stuff to me ... to date I had made 2 quilts .. one little one for a friend’s baby shower which was really just panels sewn together .. and a quilt for my man,which again was panels and charm squares .. which I must admit I purchased online already cut, so no work there but sewing bits together … easy as … So what was happening at this workshop was all brand new stuff to me .. of course these ladies had done heaps of quilts … they had been raised making quilts with their mums and had taught their daughters all to quilt …. Me .. I had done dressmaking so I knew my way around a machine and a needle, but not a rotary cutter .. mat … ruler … squares … ¼ inch seam ….. all these things were very very new to me … even the quilts I had made really did not require a ¼ inch seam .. the seams just needed to be all the same size …

The instructor .. we shall call her Tina .. (not to protect the innocent but because that was her name .. haha) ...later said the workshop was geared for the experienced quilter …. So what I kept hearing was .. aren’t you done yet ??? … you need to hurry .. best you catch up quick … no I don’t really have the time to stand here and show you everything …. But .. you can come to my shop and I will help you later …

So I finished at the workshop and what I had learnt was how to put the blocks together .. I finished them at home … but there was not two the same size .. yep … all 15 of them were different … what a nightmare … I rang Tina .. sure come on into the shop … we do ‘bring your own project days’ on Tuesday .. only $20, I can show you how to do quilt as you go … and .. help with the sizing of the blocks …

Great ... I only have to drive 300 kilometres for you to do that !!!!   I was to say the least feeling very disheartened ..

I went there on the following Tuesday and she proceeded to help me cut the wadding and the backing … mind you she did nothing about the sizes of the blocks …and said with a bit of sashing no one would notice the difference in them …. So I merrily set about quilting all these blocks just to find later when I put the sashing on ….Yep … you already know where this is going don’t you … nothing fitted .. I did unpick some of the blocks .. but got totally ticked off that I packed it all away .. and until last night it has been in the bottom of a tub … in a zippy bag .. where I can’t see it … until last night …..

I have now decided this poor misshapen mass of blocks is going to be my FNSI project ( I will do at least one of these a week ) … I am going to unpick every block and resew them and make a quilt from them … I can unpick while I am watching tele or sitting at the doctors waiting to get in ….. if I take my lint roll (the sticky paper one ) .. I can use it to catch all the threads and not make a mess in the doctors waiting room … or maybe I should make a mess …. Might get me into see the doc quicker … lol …

So this is what I started with … last night …


oh yes ... and my cuppa and little snack .. sweet biscuits .. (norti girl)



And this is what I finished with … a new block that measures …
12 ½ inch … yay!!!!

Stay tuned for more on the life and times of my Stack n Whack ...

Friday, July 22, 2011

FNSI ... tonight ...

I am playing FNSI for the first time tonight ...

I am all set to sew ... if you want to join in ... pop on over to Handmade By Heidi and join in the fun ..

more mug rugs ...

I really do enjoy making these little beauties ... they are so much fun .. and easy to do too ...

These were also made for my friend Karen ... and the Mums On a Mission ... who are fundraising for the Relay for Life ...






it is a wonderful thing that Karen and her friends are doing .... and I am blessed to be able to help a little in their fundraising efforts ... next year tho I shall start a little earlier with my sewing efforts .. that way I will get a wee bit more done ...



Now I am off to the Post Office ... Karen should have these by Tuesday .. hopefully ....

Monday, July 18, 2011

what a great weekend ....

it started off slow ... with me doing a little bit of housework ... well putting a load of laundry thru the machine and moving the dust bunnies about sort of constitutes housework doesn't it ... no .. ok .. well the weekend started of slow ... with me doing very little about the house .... i did spend just about the entire 2 days in my sewing room ... while hubby fended for himself ... out there in the mess .. kitchen ... fixing his own meals ... oh well ... he is a big boy .. and if he does not know how to do stuff by now .. he will starve if i should happen to go off for a holiday or some such thing ...

so ... we have him looking for food in a kitchen that has very little food in it ... and we have me ... in my sewing room ... being served up coffee and muffins and beautiful chicken sandwiches for lunch ... heehee .. he went shopping .. i knew he was a keeper that first moment i saw him ...


yep .. he looked after me real good he did … … ummm .. hang on a minute …  why am I talking about him … not sure really how the topic got changed .. but this is All about Me  … so let’s just …get … back to me

I made some swap blocks … and they were all soooo gorgeous .. I had to make some for me too …


This is something I have been doing with my swaps … I make 2 blocks in my partners choice of colours or fabrics .. and I send one to her .. and keep one for me .. and when I am ready and have enough blocks .. I will get to make 2 quilts … one with the blocks I received from my partners .. and one with the blocks that I sent to my partners … well at least copies of the blocks … or I may even make a reversible quilt .. … incoming on one side .. outgoing on the other … I think that would be super actually … hmm … food for thought .. … hmm  .. food … where is that man when I am hungry … in bed sleeping … typical … looks like I will have to go get my own snack … would call it a midnight snack but it is 3 in the morning …

I am back .. have my snack … steaming hot feta and spinach parcels … yummmmmmy ….



I now have all my block swaps caught up … and i now have a couple more mug rugs to make for my dear friend Karen … who does “Relay for Life” every year .. and this year they are auctioning off stuff on ebay to raise funds … and some of my mug rugs have been sold already … you can find their little bits here …. Mums On a Mission … so I told Karen that I would make some more .. because every little bit helps .. and they really don't take that long to make up ...

Also this weekend I tidied up my sewing room … cos it was all a bit messy and I was having problems finding things .. I am sure you all have had a similar experience … I think it was that gnome … Kevin .. messing things up … moving stuff about … I just know he has been in and out all weekend … tells me he only came in tonight to get out of the wet … cos he really hates the wet … but it has been wet out for a while now .. I think it rained all day Saturday .. so he would have snuck in at some stage … and just hidden himself away in a corner …. Gee the house is so messy he could have stood naked in the middle of the lounge room and no one would have noticed him … lol

But he did want to help while I was taking photos of the swap blocks .. I wanted to take a sneak peek pic of one of the blocks .. it is going to Medora in Canada .. anyway … I was having problems getting the camera to take a close up shot .. and an angled one was just all blurry or the flash was way too much .. haha … anyway .. I went out to make a cuppa and relax a little … and when I came back in .. here he was .. Kevin … on the table … saying he had worked it out and solved my problem  .. so I took a photo … and well yes .. it was a good Idea that he had … umm it would probably be easier if I just showed you …. Here he is …

 the block is well concealed ... but still visible enough to get a little idea of the colours used ...

anyway lovely people in blogland ...

it is late .. even for me … so on that note I shall say good night … sleep dreams and stay safe everyone …. Huge hugs …

Saturday, July 16, 2011

Lookie ... See .....



What the postie did bring for me … it is my MugRug from Dorian … Yay !!!! Doin’ the Happy Dance !!!! 



My little package was mailed out of Canada on June 1 … and inside the package was … my MugRug … a gorgeous piece of fabric and a sweet little card inside its own little envelope … and on that envelope was my name and address …. And .. on the outside of the package was all the usual things …. Stamps … international / customs declaration .. name … and oh my .. the wrong address …

I have no idea how long my lovely package was at the wrong address for .. and I don’t know why the person who lives there opened it … by accident or on purpose .. it matters not … because .....

Here in Australia .. you are allowed to open any mail with your address on it … whether it belongs to you or not .. if it has your address on it .. it belongs to you … now … I am sooo  grateful that Dorian wrote the address on the sweet little envelope … and I am soooo grateful to the person who did open my package (for whatever reason) was an honest person and that they gave it back to the postie to bring here where it belongs … home at last … yay !!!!
Now my little MugRug is very very special … not only because it had an incredible journey to get here but also because it is actually reversible .. I got a 2 for 1 … wooohoooo!!!!!
Oh … I guess I should put in a pic or two to show just how gorgeous this MugRug is ..


This is the topside .. isn’t it gorgeous … precious little darlings looking out to sea … and the sweet little card .. and the beautiful fabric … yeah it is only a wee peek of that .. sorry

This is the backside ... with all the good bits that go with being at the beach ...

 



And … I also should write a little thankyou card
to the lovely honest person at number 56 …



Thank you Dorian … I just love my MugRug …


Wednesday, July 13, 2011

Katie's quilt ..


This is the quilt I made for our darling Katherine when she married my son, Levi  … I have finally got the binding and label done on it … and I am quite embarrassed to say they were married in September 2009 .. the quilt was actually done but for those bits on her wedding day ... so I have been very very slack …. But it is done now …. And I guess that is something ..




The centre block I purchased .. it was made by a lady named Lee in 1999 … she stitched that into the block … the needle work on this block is amazing .. the stitches so very very very tiny … I would not be able to ever do work like it … my hands and eyes just would not allow it .. and I was really lucky to get it at a bargain price too …


I wanted to make this as special as I could for my darling daughter in law … her mum had passed away the November before they married .. I wanted to include her Mum in the quilt somehow .. so I had my son email me a photo of Margaret .. and I printed it onto fabric and included it into a crazy patch block …..




My own wedding dress was included in this quilt …. I figured no one would want to wear it … from the early 80’s … it is oh so dated … haha … so most of both the sleeves is in this quilt … the little bride and groom block .. her dress is made from my dress … and the dark red colour .. very similar to what katie wore …
















I loved making this for her … and she just loves it … I am pleased it is finished .. and I do know Katie is too … she has waited a long time to have her quilt complete …



here are some close ups of the other blocks ...







and here is a pic of the ring cushion i made for her too ... (almost forgot it!!)



and a photo of the beautiful bride ...

Monday, July 11, 2011

Lists ... we all need them ...



OK ... I thought I should do a ToDo list ... more to keep me on track than anything else really ... I find it so easy to get distracted and start more new projects ... which end up become more UFO's ... so ... hopefully with my ToDo Page I shall stay on top of things ... note I did say Hopefully...



I have been kept busy making swap blocks and mug rugs for swaps … and I guess without these I would be doing a fair bit more making quilts ... or so hubby would have me think ... but I know without the commitment of doing swaps I possibly would not get to close to the sewing machine .. I would make it as far as the computer and here I would stay ...


That said ... I do think I may have to cut back a little on the swaps tho … maybe … but as for which ones ... I really have no idea cos I love doing them all ... so for now ... I guess they will all have to stay ...



I have another project that I would love to have quilted by the end of this month ... but ...



I am doubtful if I will get it done ... my beautiful Brother Innovis 400 is at the doctors ... it got itself very very sick the other week ... and I managed to take it to Brisbane last Friday ... where I found out its problem was not terminal … phew!!! ... and that it would cost hopefully less than $100 to have it back up and running properly ... and I am hoping that the lovely man fixing it will have it all done by this Friday when we go back to Brisbane for my hubby to see the eye specialist again ... and then my lovely machine can come home ..



I do have its little 'brother' here ... the BC2500 ... which is a wonderful machine too ... and I have in the past quilted the same size tops on it ... but ... gee ... I am a bit older now .. and the joints pull up just that little bit quicker too ... and I don’t think it was ever really meant for that sort of work (and I don’t think I was either for that matter LOL) ... it is very lightweight and I truly have to chase it all over the table when I use it to quilt ... cos the smallest amount of pushing and it just gives in and goes with the flow ... haha ... I do like it tho and it is keeping me out of trouble at the present time … I am getting my swaps done … blocks and mug rugs …


this coat hanger cover
 i have had sitting in a box for about 4 years ...
now finished … yay!!