April and May completed

What a saga my last two projects were!

I finished the three stitcheries for the April project in March. Then I lost the pattern. Then I found the pattern. Then I lost the stitcheries. I've searched and searched for them. To no avail. Thought about doing them again, but then couldn't find the pattern.

I have a bit of an excuse - the builders were here fixing the damage to the house from the fire we had on New Years Eve. So a whole rom had to be packed and cleaned out as the fire had damaged the wall and floor.

May came along. A busy month. My 6 monthly scrap booking retreat was on and my second son was a partner in a debutante ball. So slightly busier than usual in our house hold.

This week, I was back to sorting my craft out so that I can get some organisation back into the new room and my craft room - which was used as a storage room while the builders were here. I was packing away the latest BoM package I'd received in the mail and here was the stitcheries. Yay!!

This was my prompt to get going and get up to date with the monthly projects. So yesterday, I put together the mini wall hanging and made the bag. I've bought linen to make onenwith the stitchery but realised that this was going to be unrealisitic. So for now, I've taken the option of making the bag without the stitchery. It's a lovely pattern and a nice little bag.

Here are the pictures:

The Stitchery.

The bag.

Not great photos. But I decided it was more important to write the blog and post the oictures than to get the best photos.

So, Chooky, can you mark me off for April and May. I'll make a start on the June project this weekend.

Cheers

Marg

A Finish for April

My first scarf for 2013. I love making these through winter. Love the rhythm of the knitting. I love the colours. I really enjoy knitting - taught by my mother before I started school, but ive never been a great knitter, so have usually stuck to simpler patterns such as scarves, rugs, etc. Since I've found these scarves, I've knitted quite a few.

My almost teenage daughter has already claimed this one.

Tonight I'm working on stitching this BoM from Quilt Fabric Delights - "Twas the night before Christmas". Its been a fun project to work on.

Apart from this, these school holidays have been spent card making and scrap booking.

Cheers

March Finish

Another finish for March. So excited. Started last year so this counts as a Sew its Finished as well!

And another OPAM.

Yay!! Very pleased with colours.

Marg

Chenille Table Centre

This week we made a table centre. It's chenilled. Hasnt fluffed up really well but another wash and dry and it should be much better. I made it to sit with me Blue Willow China.

A fun little project.

March Finished

It's the 10th March and I've finished my project. Wow!

It's such a cute little pin cushion.

I'm making a start on the stitcheries for April as I know how easily time can get away. We'll have two weeks of school holidays thrown in there, too.

Cheers

Marg H

Projects for a long weekend

Well, it's been a wet weekend in our part of Queensland. Where we are we dont have to worry about floods but it must have been very scary for other people.

While cleaning and sorting was on my agenda I wanted to spend some time sewing.

Saturday afternoon I spent working on scrap books. I'd had photos printed and really wanted to get some of those sorted. I had bought a mini Christmas album with pre-designed pages - just insert photos, journalling and a few embellishments. Creative Memories publish them.

In about an hour I had Christmas Morning sorted.

I then went on and put together the main part of our big Christmas album for last year and made a start on my daughter's graduation. A very successful afternoon.

Yesterday I spent time sorting DVDs and found lots that had been used and not returned to their cases! Mostly by that person who dwells in our house and causes lots of trouble but is yet to be seen by anyone - "Someone else"!

Saturday night we watched a re-run of Legally Blond 2. And while this was on, I made a start on the first Project from the Little Things Club. I've subscribed to this through Quilt Fabric Delights. All English Paper Piecing. I think all by Sue Daley. The first one is clam shells. I've done lots of hexies but never tried these.

I spent Saturday night glueing and last night sewed the clams together and got started on appliqueing the rows.

Love the colours Sarah chose. It's a great hand sewing project. Looking forward to month 2 - which I know is coming soon!

The sun is shining here this morning. Although they say the rain hasn't completely gone but even a little bit of sunshine is welcome at the moment.

A big week of craft here - Sewing Guild tomorrow, monthly sewing project on Wednesday, scrapbooking tonight and card making on Thursday! All come together in the one week.

Cheers

Marg

March - Pin Cushion

After making such a late finish for the February project for the SAL group, I decided to trace the pin cushion stitchery tonight and make a start on it. Surprising myself, i completed the stichery. I have the 1 1/2 inch squares cut. Maybe an early finish. Wow!!

Here's the stitchery.

Very happy. How exciting to get this far and its not even March.

Marg H

February Bag Finished

At 2.30pm today, I put the last stitch into the Tote bag for February. Yay! Tick me off the list, Chooky. Timed so well as our littlest one finishes Prep at 2.40pm.

Very happy with the result. Here it is:

We're going away this weekend so I'm tracing the pin cushion stitchery this afternoon. Really liking this SAL - getting things completed. Thanks Chooky for the organising.

Cheers

Marg

Finished the stitchery.

Tonight i finished the stitchery. While watching "Downton Abbey". I've been trying to complete a bock of my Dear Jane each week while Downton is on, but priority to the SAL this week. Going to be a close one again, but I will get there.

Might even cut the fabric tonight!

Not the best photo, but it is the stitchery! I shoud have done satin stitch butbits not my best stitch. And i was stitching at the hospital so forgot about the applique. Duh! These things happen.

Cheers

Marg H

February Tote Bag

I'm still stitching away. Nearly finished the stitchery. Here are my fabrics. Hoping to use them in a few of these projects.

Life continues to be hectic, but its amazing what even 30 minutes of stitching a day can accomplish. Would like to get the bag finished this weekend? Maybe.

Been fabulous seeing all the other finishes. Some stunning fabrics. Inspiring me to keep going.

Marg H

O

Second Dear Jane Block Completed.

Hi

After a very eventful week with a 48 hour stay in hospital with my 9 year old - appendix operation. Then my 14 year old got tripped at school so back we went to get his broken knee looked at.

Not a lot of time for sewing.

However, "Downton Abbey" episode 2 was on last night. I had A-2 Block from Dear Jane ready to go, but decided the brain needed simplicity and not lots of triangles. So, I went with A-6. A simple one, but its done. Another tick.

Here it is.

Still working on the tote bag for the SAL. I bought fabric for it last Monday - but that seems a life time ago. I spent today trying to sort out computers and craft room. Getting there.

Cheers

Marg H

Slowly, slowly!

Just wanted to let everyone know I'm still stitching away. Sorry - no pictures. Hope to have some tomorrow.

I've been spending quite a bit of time in hospital waiting rooms. Firstly with my son getting his broken leg/torn ligament sorted out and then with my second youngest daughter getting her appendix out. Its been quite a year.

I've selected the fabric - stayed with reds and bought bigger pieces than needed so thatni can use the same fsbric with some of the other projects. No photo of that either. Big plams to do lots today, but managed to get a replacement specialist appointment for another son - cancelled because of the appendix op. Now that's out of the way, I'm hoping to get some things sorted out tomorrow.

Cheers

Marg H

First block completed

I received my fabric pack of Dear Jane Fabrics late January. Finally this afternoon i cut my first block. A1. Lets start at the very beginning as the song says.

Here is the result:

Not trimmed but that is the block.

Ive cut out A2 and A6. A6 has no triangles. Thought I needed one a little but easier!

Tonight was the return of "Downton Abbey". Over the Christmas break we've caught up with the first two series on DVD. As much as I hate the thought of trying to keep up woth a tv series, I'm hooked and just had to see if Mary and Matthew would really make it to the altar! They did! And throughout I stitched my Dear Jane. And through another episode
of "Castle".

cheers

Marg H

February Project

I've made a start on the February project of the Tote Bag.

This was the stitchery when i arrived at the Mater Hospital with my son to get his broken leg looked at:

After two sessions at the hospital, this is it:

Definitely prgogress. Ive just stitched this on tea stained home spun. Happy with the look, but today i bought some linen for another project. Wow! Forgotten how beautiful that fabric is, so I'm tempted to try it using the linen -which is recommended anyway.

I just love the fabric Natalie has used in her sample. So thinking of sticking to these colours. Will sort these fabrics next week.

Cheers

Marg

January projects completed

Well, its been a bit of a week. We went away for the long weekend - a bit rushed at the end. So I only took Gardeners Journal stitching with me. Unfortunately, i got caught in the floods in
the Wide Bay area of Queensland. Once the rain stopped and the wind died down we were fine (although the wind and rain was very scary!). But we then had to sit and wait until they opened up the highway to the south of us.

I ran out of DMC thread for the GJ blocks. DH didn't seem to think it likely that this could be declared an emergency and have them helicoptered in. I got a little panicky then. All this time and no sewing. Ahhh! Luckily, I have a few things stashed away in Childers. So I started on an English Paper piecing table runner by Sue Daly. That is coming along quite nicely. I haven't a photo on here to use so that will have to come later.

We managed to drive home yesterday. Not too bad a drive but the flooding was just amazing. The heights the water had reached. Incredible.

Today was the day. I made two thread catchers. They were incredibly easy and lots of fun. I can see me making a few more. Very handy little items. I finished this about midday - hours before the deadline. Lol!

Here they are:

Not the best photo but they are done. I still have the shoe bag almost complete. Will get that done in February. But i can tick January off with a few hours to spare. Yay!!

Cheers

Marg

Getting Started

I'm on holidays, so a sewing machine is not readily available. But, i've still made a start on the SAL. This is it:

Ready to be stitched onto the shoe bag.

"Red Home" has been ordered and my DIL tells me that its waiting for me at home. So hopefully I can join the thread catcher addiction very soon.

Ive also been stitching some more Gardener's Journal. I didnt join this SAL, but was so impressed by all the beautiful quilts that I just had to start. I've done lots this holidays to many other blocks. I'm picking one coloured thread and working on that on all the blocks I have traced. Nearly there on quite a few. All my sashing fabric has been selected. More progress tomorrow.

The heat wave seems to have eased a little. Quite pleasant nights and warm days. But we do need rain! None of the storms predicted came to anything in our part of the world.

Cheers

Marg

My Favourite Things - Finished

It's finished! The top is finished. I'm so thrilled with it. Now to quilt, bind and label. Totally completed bynthe end of January.

But, I've done enough to join the 2013 SAL! Big Yay for that!

Cheers

Marg

My Favourite Things - Finished

It's finished! The top is finished. I'm so thrilled with it. Now to quilt, bind and label. Totally completed bynthe end of January.

But, I've done enough to join the 2013 SAL! Big Yay for that!

Cheers

Marg

My Favourite Things - Finished

It's finished! The top is finished. I'm so thrilled with it. Now to quilt, bind and label. Totally completed bynthe end of January.

But, I've done enough to join the 2013 SAL! Big Yay for that!

Cheers

Marg

Sew it's finished - 2013

I still have many, many UFOs - some not even started. I managed to achieve a few last year - hoping to cross some more off my list in 2013.

Here's to a productive year. Thanks Dawn and Wendy for hosting.

Cheers

Marg H

Almost there

A big day today, but I'm almost over the line. Just top and bottom borders to go.

I'm taking the quilt on holidays with us - thinking about taking it to the local quilt shop and getting it quilted there. That way if they can do it in the time frame, i can put the binding on while away. When i come home it will just be the label!

Here it is:

Not great photos, but you get the idea!

Thanks to all for the inspiration and the pushing. I'm quite happy with the result and very glad I've got here.

There are sqeals of excitement - just little ones - dont want to wake the kids!!

Cheers

Marg

Two columns sew together

I am absolutely delighted to be able to report that I have two columns of My Favourite Things Quilt sewn together. I've almost finished the third.

No photos as I need to go to bed. But there will be photos tomorrow!

Thanks to Chooky Blue and all the SAL girls. I would never have kept going with this quilt without the peer presssure - just seeing what everyone else was doding made me want to keep going!

I'm going to get there.

Cheers

Marg

Another block completed

Only one block totally finished today. Another three to put finishing touches to. Plan was for some rows to come together today - that didn't happen. Tomorrow it will. Looks like holidays won't start until Monday. So a few more days. Would like my quilt top together before we go.

Plans, plans, plans!!

Another two blocks finished

I've finished the hand stitching on another two blocks for Some Kind of Wonderful stitch-a-long. Here they are:

Hope to start sewing some rows together tomorrow.

Update tomorrow night.

Another fire

It was only last October that I wrote about a fire in eldest DS' bedroom. On New Years Eve, one of our children lit a fire in a bag of tea towells and it went into the wall of the house and into the flooringof our family room above. Quite a scary time. Damage to the house.

We were just finishing the repairs to the bedroom. Lots of stuff had been stored in the room that was damaged this time and I was so looking forward to getting all that sorted and the room could be used again. Now its a waiting game to get insurance finalised, etc.

The good news is that everyone is safe and no one got hurt. We still have a house to live in. Unfortunately, we have a very troubled child to cope with as well.

2013 is going to be a fantastic year. Lots of projects planned - as always, lots of finishing on my lists. But a few new ones will sneak in as well.

Marg