Some New Fabrics

Have added some lovely new fabrics to the stash that I just couldn't resist.

These are from Lynette Anderson's new range "Follow My Heart". There is some lovely blues also, so will probably add one or two of those.  The beige (top right hand corner)  has a linen look to it, and will be lovely for stitcheries.

And who can resist some new French General - some from the new La Belle Fleur range and some from their favourites range.  Mmmh now what to make with these.  Cheryl

One Christmas Item a Month

I am a little late showing you my 1 Christmas Item a Month, as I have only just joined up with Narelle at Pins and Whiskers for this, after ooohing and aahing over everyone elses lovely Christmas finishes - better late than never. And I never need any encouragement to sew Christmas.

This is a Marg Low pattern, and has a little bit of stitchery as well and finished off with a very cute handpainted Theodora Cleave button.

And as promised yesterday, this is my 50 cent garage sale find - a post and rail quilt partly put together in the most delicious flannel fabrics - the photo doesn't do the colors justice, but I look forward to finishing this.  A cooler day here today which is lovely. but off to work so won't get to enjoy an hour or two in the garden like I would love to be doing.  Thinking of everyone in fire/flood ravaged New South Wales  and flooded Queensland. Have a great week Cheryl

Some Garage Sale Finds

Don't you love a good garage sale.  This one I went to on Saturday was a treasure.

Another cupboard for my sewing room, the same size as the one we just bought at the furniture shop last week, only this one was a very expensive $5.  Will get around to painting them both at some stage, but in the meantime they are both getting rather full.

Aren't these doilies just beautiful - just $1 each. Never ceases to amaze me that people can bare to part with treasures like these. 

I did also find one other treasure - all the pieces for a post and rail quilt in beautiful flannels, partly sewn together for 50 cents.  The photo hasn't downloaded properly, so will show you that tomorrow.

My gorgeous grandie went home yesterday, so very quiet here today, but she had been dying to have a day at the beach, so we headed off for a day at Warrnambool - such a beautiful day and  she had a ball in the water and building sandcastles. not to mention shopping - going to be a shopaholic that one, lol.

 Hope you have all had a lovely Australia Day weekend. I know this crazy weather has put a damper on things on the east coast of Australia - warm and fires in Victoria, fires and floods in New South Wales and Queensland. Thinking of you all. Cheryl

A Productive Day

I had planned a day sewing today, as the grandie was going home, but I got conned into her staying an extra couple of days, not sure by whom, her or her mother lol.  So we went and bought a couple of $2.95 craft kits to keep her occupied while I did some prep work on some of the things I'm working on.  Very pleased with myself - got quite a bit done.

Block 3 of our stitchalong of Girls Day Out, all traced ready for the stitchery.

I had been dying to trace these cute little mice of Michelle's and stitch for weeks, so they are now all traced ready to go - sorry they just did not show up well enough on the light fabric to show you a decent photo.

This one is called "Vintage Poppies" and had started a little of it before Christmas, but now have the four flower borders appliqued on, and the houses, which are the cornerstones, ready to stitch also.  And I wouldn't be a good nan if I didn't show you what my grandie got up to while I was doing all this.

Flower magnets all painted and little cupcakes with lots of special decorations.  Cheryl

A Spot of Shopping

Well I couldn't let my holidays go by without a visit to a patchwork shop now could I?  A friend and I headed off to Quilters Harvest today, a lovely patchwork shop in the town of Warracknabeal.  So did I buy anything -well  thats like asking if the sun's going to come up tomorrow.  Of course I did.

These are two new additions to Rosalie Quinlan's Polka Dot Dreams - pre-printed on linen ready to stitch.  I had previously bought the 1st three in the series, so I had to add the two latest, especially as one has a very cute sewing machine and quilt on it.

I was looking for some raspberry reds for another Rosalie Quinlan project we are doing as a group project with my local craft shop. The creams will be used for this project also. The green was a "just because".

Couldn't resist this cute braid.

Cheryl

A Day Out and Some SAL Progress

Yesterday I set off nice and early to Ballarat  to meet my sister for lunch (a good half way point from Melbourne).  We enjoy similar things, so beside a lovely lunch we managed to fit in a visit to a couple of antique/collectable shops. No new additions for me, but my sister had quite a full boot for the trip home. No time for patchwork shops today, but did pick up my 6 year old grandie who had been dying to spend a few days with nan.

I am sewing Girls Day Out as a stitchalong with quite a few girls via Sharon's blog www.lilabellelane.blogspot.com.  This is my progress - I am about three-quarters of the way through the stitchery on Block 2.

Big project this, so nice to have others stitching along as encouragement.  Block 1,  I couldn't find (hence I started Block 2 first), but it has turned up in the cleanup of my sewing room. 

Might have to have a little visit to a patchwork shop tomorrow.  Like I need more supplies. Cheryl

The Clean-up Begins

I have been looking forward to having this week off for two reasons - of course to get lots of sewing done, but also to clean up this mess I call a sewing room.

I know it looks pretty bad - they are all little piles of things I've been working on. My Christmas also gets stored in this room, so I am halfway through putting this away as well (which creates a bigger mess, and I won't show you the other end).  I have been dropping hints for weeks to DH that I would love a largish cupboard with lots of shelves to store my WIP.  Leave it with me he said. Last Friday home he came all excited with a cupboard for me.

Didn't have the heart to tell him that it was a bit on the smallish side and I wasn't going to fit much in there, but it was better than nothing, so thought the only way it's going to work is to put individual projects in snap lock bags with all the associated bits and I can stack on top of each other.  So that's what I've been up to today, and the cupboard is almost full - not clean enough yet to show you an "after" shot lol.

I did find some lovely projects I've started over the years, and will enjoy finishing one day.  Also found this, which I had been searching for, for our stitchalong, all prepared ready to stitch -Block 1 of Girls Day Out.

Must admit I have been a little bit ruthless - anything I havn't looked at in the 13 years I've been here, then I probably won't and will take to the op shop.  Have a great week. Cheryl

Lots of Stitcheries Ready

As reported in my previous post, I have been getting lots of stitcheries traced from my favorite designers, ready to just pick up and stitch when time allows, or when the weather is too hot to be doing anything outside.

A lovely Marg Low bag pattern I received as a gift from Barb in the Santa Sack swap.

A new from The Birdhouse.

I couldn't help but sign up for this new Christmas Club, could I? Look at those yummy fabrics.

Now this should keep me stitching over the summer.  Couple more of my favorites still to go, so will show you soon.  Block of the Months next - there are several I would really love to finish this year, but realistically something lovely and new always comes along to sidetrack me lol.

I do apologise for being "missing in action" as I have not been able to add photos to my blog for two weeks now, and really its not very exciting reading without a photo or two. After complaining to google, it appears that anyone with internet explorer is having this problem, and recommended changing to chrome or firefox. Well I am not great on the computer (and hubby is worse), so after days of playing and trying to get things to work, I have finally managed (thankfully) to get things up and running again.  Have a great weekend (and lovely to say this) I'll be back soon. Cheryl

Lots of Stitcheries

Well it has been so hot over the past few days, so have either been under the air conditioner at work or at home. Decided to trace a few stitcheries I had on my "to do" list ready to just grab and make a start when the weather is way too hot to do anything else.

And I had full intentions of showing you what I had been doing, but for some reason my computer refuses to let me download any photos onto my blog. Mmm very frustrating.  I have a couple more from one or two of my fav designers to still do, so hopefully can show you pictures tomorrow.  Then look out - block of the months next.  Would love to get three or four blocks from each of the ones I am working on ready to just pick up and sew.  Stay tuned. Hope you are managing to stay cool wherever you are. Cheryl

Some UFOs

Had been wondering what project/ufo to begin with in the New Year. Reading Sharon's blog (www.lilabellelane.blogspot.com) has inspired me to go hunting for some old boms. Now I love boms and have several on the go (mainly ones with applique and stitchery), so would be lovely to get some of them finished. Sharon and shez are doing Libby's "Girls Day Out" as a stitchalong and I thought I would join them as this magnificent quilt is one of my ufo's also.

Now I'm sure that I've started on block one, but its not with the rest of the blocks, so is going to be interesting matching fabric if I can't find it.  (Cleaning up my sewing room is a priority during my week off shortly).

There is another one of Libby's which I also love and will put on my "to finish" list this year - "Teddy's at Play", and the list goes on - a couple of xmas ones from Viv's Creations and Lisa from FignBerry (Christmas I hear you say - yes I love xmas and will happily stitch xmas all year round), and there's a couple of Bunny Hill boms I really want to do, and a Rosalie Quinlan one I'm doing with my craft group.  Yes the list is getting out of control. Perhaps if I can work out how to do it - I should list them on my sidebar as incentive/inspiration.

But then there's always lovely new things along the way to tease and tempt. Perhaps I'd better shorten that list. Cheryl

Happy New Year

Happy New Year to you all - I'm sure this year will go just as quickly as the last one - a sign of getting older perhaps. 

Christmas Day was a bit of a mixed bag with my 6 year old granddaughter spending the day in hospital, so our family xmas lunch was a bit of a hurried affair in order to go to the hospital, but I did get to open my pressies, and I did want to show you these two gorgeous parcels I received.

A beautiful Christmas table runner from Noemia, my swap partner in Chookyblue's Secret Santa swap.

 

A closeup of the beautiful redwork stitchery centre of my new table runner. Thankyou Noemia for being my partner - my new runner is just beautiful.

I've been doubly spoilt - look at what I received from Maria

A beautiful old Meakin china plate - Maria I just love it - its so beautiful. I just love old china, so it will  be very much treasured.  Maria was my great partner in Cat's Advent Swap - this was my parcel to open on 25th December.  Have loved doing these wonderful Christmas swaps.

No time for any new sewing - have worked between xmas and New Year, all but the public holidays, so am pondering what to start next. There are things from last year I have started and need to get back to, but always tempting to start something new.  Decisions, decisions. Cheryl