Cyber mates.....

G'day

This is a lovely little stitchery from an Anni Downs kit which Deb sent me in a swap

there are two stitcheries like this - one to be made into a little bag and the other into a needlecase

I read recently that in days gone by 'fine' needlework meant you did 10 - 12 stitches per inch... I reckon I was getting pretty close with this little stitchery ....

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I remember not so many years ago being very nervous about my children on the computer and what they got up to.....

It was always a worry that they would link up to some dodgy people they didn't know....
(yea.... you know who you are!!)

... and get persuaded to try things that the 'computer friends' get up to
(I have realised my cyber mates are a very strong forum for peer pressure)

.... and then scary of all scaries actually meet up with them
(blog meets are so much fun)

I wonder if my children are worried about my cyber friends?

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A nice pile of 'coasters' - I have started blanket stitching around the edge ready to crochet borders....

With the Olympics coverage on I think I will get a fair bit of stitching done in the next couple of weeks.....

I'm glad to see our resident Mr Fairy Wren is getting his Spring colours on...
he has two girls following close by
and they hop around here outside my 'sewing' window for a few hours each afternoon

Righto, Gotto Go..... the needle is calling ...

An empty house....

There has been a lot of playing in this house...  and not much of this sitting quietly for a picture

these two little boys kept me very happily busy

Nana - nap was redefined..... who is the nap for anyway?

the swing chair was the best nana investment EVER....

Today the house is very quiet and empty.... 

This is a finish I have had for a little while to share for One Christmas Item per month at Narelles - there is heaps of inspiration on her page HERE 

This is a block by Lynette Anderson - it was part of a larger quilt and I was gifted this block which I have made into a candle-mat.... I started it some time ago so it is also a finished UFO.... 

I think I managed to crochet the edge of one fusion blanket square over the last 5 days... good going with a full house

Righto - Gotto Go... space to clean so I can get my sewing things out again!! 

(I have to fill my empty nest syndrome with something?)

Thimbles ......

I have a nice little pile of fusion blocks growing... these still need to be turned out and edged...

I like to use a thimble when hand sewing .... in fact it has become such a habit now I 'think' I can't sew without one.... of course I have my favourite....

I kept it from my Mum's sewing things ... and this one gets used all the time ....

Then I found my finger under the fabric was also getting 'pricked' a bit too often and I don't really go for the blood on the stitchery look...

I used some of those plastic oval shapes... they work but didn't fit well on the curve of the finger... and I like those little leather circle patches but they get unsticky and have to be thrown out (I think I grease up too much because I couldn't use them over and over again like the label says!!)

I found some too tight lovely soft leather gloves in an Op Shop last week for $5 .....

felt sacriligeous but I chopped a finger off....

it is perfect for my 'under' finger... no more finger pricks .... and I have spares... I expect the leather will stretch a little with use and I may need to work out a little 'belt' for it..... any ideas??

I did see this pattern for making a thimble....  but I think a glove finger is easier... 

This is a sweet bone china thimble which was given to me by my Sister in Law from England  .... 

and most recently Linda sent me this one from France ....

... and I won these collectable ones of the Ned Kelly Gang.... they are apparently exact replica's with the 'bullet holes' and nail studs in the actual places..... I have turned Neds around to show the name...

So today the humble thimble is my treasure so I am linking up with Melody's Tuesday Treasures

Do you Thimble or not?  I'd love to see yours - or whatever your treasure is today .....

Righto Gotto Go...  I have got things to do... this little treasure is coming to visit a few days

The family are moving from Melbourne to Cairns and we are the half way stop
2 days to get here and 2 days to go

This is grandieboy Jack - I am so excited to cuddle him

- and I know you will understand me being quiet in blogland

Oh Rats ............

.... well.....mice actually.... we have had several in our pantry over the last few weeks and since the peanut butter treats haven't been eaten for a week I can assume they are gone....


.... but today I had to get on and clean the pantry of mice poo..... lucky for you I am not going to show you before and after pictures of mouse poo...


.. but I did want to show you what I use for cleaning ....

 It's wonderful in the kitchen... leaves the stainless steel benches lovely and shiny....

~ Cuts into grease so well so I use it on the bench top of the stove...


~ It was wonderful cleaning the pantry cupboards... I don't know about everyone else but I find there is always spills and that sticky oil areas.... just a wipe and they were done.... 


~ I found a few spice bottles that I wanted to recycle and got the labels off but the sticky was still on the side.... just a spray of this and the eucalyptus cleaned it off easy peasy...

~ I use it in the bathroom and round the toilet too.... 

The original link that I used is HERE....Thanks to Bev (my cleaning agony aunt!) who sent me the link and recommended it to me..... 


here is how I make mine

Miracle Spray
(more or less amounts I used) - I like using cup measurements but they are in mls in the original...


1.5 litre water (1 cup boiled)
1 cup vinegar  - I used cheap Cleaning Vinegar
1/4 cup dishwashing liquid 
1 Tbsp eucalyptus - love the smell of this and I use this for all sorts in the house
3 dessertspoons "Lectric" soda (washing soda) - concentrated washing soda found in the laundry area of the supermarket.....



Dissolve the washing soda with the cup of boiling water then add all remaining  ingredients.

Fits into a 2 litre bottle.  I had a 2 litre milk bottle which I used and then I bought myself a nice $4 spray bottle which I decant it into...

It's economical, I like the idea of making my own cleaning agents... and most of all it works....  this is now my standard cleaning agent....

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I have been working on my fusion blanket.... and trying to find the right yarn and cotton to use.... I got some lovely bamboo/cotton mix for the crochet

my first attempt I used a double thread of thin crochet cotton for the blanket stitch... it is not right for me... a bit delicate and wobbly ....

the second sample on the pink patch is what I will use.. .it is a finer bamboo yarn

this is where the butterflies fit in though not all the patches will have butterflies...
(the butterflies are reusing some from my Butterfly Garden pattern)

The soft pastel is recycled doona cover  .... and the brighter daisy is from some bargain flannellette ....

I think the bamboo/cotton yarn will be the most expensive part of this project - and that I got for 30% off......


Tutorial for this project found HERE - I found it irresistable

Righto... Gotto Go..... EVERYTHING needs to go back into the pantry now!!!  I would rather stitch.......

(My apologies for this spread out formatting - not sure what happened today but I can't seem to change it)

My Favourite Things......

I do love scented flowers though I was a bit surprised that these had already opened

I think they are narcissus? so sweet

doesn't my pretty little coaster from Shez look perfect for them?

It has been such fun being part of an online StitchALong ..... this one started at the end of last year and Chookyblue has set parts to be done each month......

These are the blocks for July .....

I have got a little bit ahead and done my blocks for August  ....

and put them all together

This is my new favourite place for photographing quilt tops - I love the stained glass window effect and if you look closely you can see all my loose threads at the back too!!

there is so much to look at on this quilt.... such a lot of fun

it is so like me too... I have so many favourite things (including a wooden chair)

The rest of the StitchALong ladies are so encouraging

it's a great way to make a quilt

Righto, Gotto Go, .... I'm stitching butterflies...

I do hope you all  have an awesome weekend ... whatever you get to do

Miscellaneous ............

Cathy hosts our Christmas Block swaps and we had a Christmas in July little swap and this is what I sent my partner Jeneta (no blog) ... it has arrived in WA so now I can show you....

Happy little dancing gingerbread peoples.....

This is one of Allie's lovely designs..... there are 7 different ones found HERE - I know I will be making some more of these.... 

Thanks Cathy for organising this fun mid year swap and thanks Allie for the pattern

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The army pirate has had his birthday party.... I thought I would show you this magnificent cake made by my daughter ......

I'm not at all biased but I do think it is awesome

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I have also finished last months block from Michelle..... which is lucky because the next one is out ....

... and the blocks so far ....

they are all so sweet..... thanks Michelle.... by the way Michelle has just put out her first book... Fusion Folk Art.... it is just lovely and you can see it HERE ..... so of course I have to have one..... I have been stalking Mr Postie.... then the problem will be which one to start first!!!

Well done Michelle and all the very best for the success of your book......

Meantime I have fallen in love with this idea

Fusion Blanket Crochet

there is a Flickr group HERE with pictures

I haven't even started yet and I want to do some stitching and applique on the blocks first

oh dear... why do I do this?

I'm trying to loose some weight - I keep hoping the sewing will distract me from thinking about food

Righto.... Gotto Go....stitcheries to trace, salad to dream about

New York Beauty ......

I have spent the weekend concentrating on my New York Beauty project which is Foundation Paper Pieced....
This was started as a Quilt A Long which I didn't manage to keep up with 

Block 6's tutorial found HERE

Block 7's tutorial found HERE

Block 8's tutorial found HERE

A quick shuffle of the blocks so far......

.... a bit of Colourful Chaos ......

All the block patterns are found HERE

The other blocks can be found in THIS post and THIS post... and the links to their tutorials

I'm up to 298 pieces in this one!!

Of course I still need to do some handsewing in the evenings and I have caught up on the Home Sweet Home Penny Rug by Melody

I did make a change to the little snowman Melody did - up here where I live in Queensland we don't get snow... in fact I have only seen snow one visit to the UK.... and this is what happened......

Grandiboy had to go in the blizzard with Nana

Thanks Melody.... the patterns are in her side bar if you would like...never too late!

My daughter likes to give me a challenge every now and then.... this is her latest

(not sure where she found this picture but I love it)

no... I'm not going to try that one but isn't it a lot of fun?  It does make me wish I knew something about upholstery....

Righto.... Gotto Go... there are still 4 more sets of blocks... but I'll give it a bit of a break now