Home again

 I am happily home again, even though I had a very happy time away.

I had two lots of happy mail awaiting my return, well three, but one was the DVD of the NZ movie Baby Done, which I watched yesterday and enjoyed.

This box of beautiful goodies was sent to me by Julie from the beautiful blog My Threadbear Life. It smells absolutely wonderful from the lavender soap and holder. Julie always wraps her gifts beautifully, but I have already opened all these up!

How cute is this mouse pincushion Julie made

I am not sure I can stick pins in it to be honest.

There was also this beautiful fabric

special pins

and quilting themed cards. Thank you so very much Julie, you made my day!

This lovely wrapped bundle was next. I saw these on Instagram and had to treat myself to two, actually they went really quickly once offered for sale.

Two beautiful old spoons with words stamped on them!  Mel of Coastal Market place stamps spoons, knives and forks, they look amazing. Bringing life back to old things that might no longer be used.

I am off to sort out this mess, too many things have been dumped in here to be tidied later...now it is later!!

Happy stitching.

Retreat day 3

My last Schoolgirl Sampler block for the retreat, the Sawtooth Star.

 

I managed to make the half Le Moyne Stars for the next section of Betty's Medallion and join them in.

The resident deciding whether to talk to the interloper or not, she later let me brush her, I was very honoured!

Another few heart blocks joined the group. I don't know how these are going to go together but will keep making blocks for the time being.

Home tomorrow.

Happy stitching.

 

Retreat Day 2

Lots of sewing and unsewing happened yesterday,  most blocks turned out ok but one had been particularly stubborn, I can not see where I am going  wrong.

I started sewing outdoors in the morning,  such a beautiful,place to sit and stitch for a while.

Blogger has rearranged the photos so they are muddled and I can't be bothered doing them again!!

I created a new block called Dogs Breakfast!!😂😂😂 it has been unpicked twice and still isn't right!!

I have made 6 blocks for the Schoolgirl Sampler, they vary in size from the required 4 and a half inches to 5 inches!! Mmmmmmmm.......

Here is the stubborn block, third time lucky I thought , but no one piece is a quarter of and inch out and we cannot work out why. I think when I go home I will cut another one and try again.

Here is the quilt top Ingrid made yesterday, it will have borders in a few days.

And bringing up the rear, even though it should have been in second place, a strip of Old Time Kaleidoscope I joined yesterday morning.

I am off to do some fpp, hopefully it will be less stressful that the Schoolgirl Sampler blocks from yesterday.

Happy stitching.

Retreat day 1

It js beautiful here and the view from my sewing spot is very distracting

We did enjoy a swim late in the afternoon  it was cool to get into but wonderful once in.

Ingrid has everything set up, cutting table on the left, iron in the far side of the room and sewing at the dining table.

I completed, after some unsewing ,this quilt top, the borders went on after dinner, so I need to take a photo this morning.

This is the view from my bedroom window, so nice to wake up to in the morning.

Quilt top finished.

Off for a dip and then some hand sewing I think.

Happy stitching.

Progress

Some more Schoolgirl Sampler blocks have been made

Diamond in the Rough

Ribbon Star

Spool and Bobbin

Today I have cut several blocks and made half square triangles for a quilt top. I am off to Ingrid's house for the weekend for our little retreat, so I have many projects ready to go.

Last night I finished the last Old Time Kaleidoscope block

Two lengths of blocks have been sewn together, now for the long joining the rows.

Tonight I have labels to sew onto 5 quilts made by Guild ladies for the oncology ward.

The waterlily has its first flower, I forgot they close up once the sun goes off them, another two are on the way.

It is now that time of the day!

Happy stitching.

 

I didn't think

I had done much sewing since my last post, it is surprising what you see when you look at your photos

Another Schoolgirl Sampler block called Cake Stand

Not sewing but happy mail from Ingrid so I can have lots of choice for the Schoolgirl Sampler and the lovely table topper she made here early in January.

Also happy mail from Raewyn, posted 11th December, I think it went on a tiki tour getting here! Love the Tomte and the hand made card.

Another block for the Schoolgirl Sampler, this one Crosses and Losses.

Here is the first row joined together, this took a lot of stitching and unstitching and persuading to go where I wanted it to! I need to be more careful of my background fabric as I see I have several the same together.

After more sewing and unsewing the centre panel is finished for the Schoolgirl Sampler, my centre was a quarter of an inch too small on one side so I had to do some new sashings.

I have cut the pieces for the half stars for Betty's Medallion, I have not been brave enough to sew them together yet!! 😉

Monday I went to the meeting of the Bellarine Quilters and saw one of the members cutting out her pieces for the Old Time Kaleidoscope block, that motivated me to get on with this last block of mine. Yesterday I sewed the white sections together, now they need to be sewn to the main block. Then I can start the joining the blocks together.

Today I have made two boiled fruit cakes, they look a bit over done but seem to be ok inside, they smell wonderful, especially as I poured brandy over the top when they came out of the oven.

I gathered the last of the plums of the tree this morning, the birds have eaten the rest!

More happy mail this morning, I had this book on order from the library but I was 175 in the queue so decided to lash out and buy it instead.

The flowering gum out the front is blooming beautifully and is full of bees.

The view down the road is wonderful today, the far gum tree dropped a branch two days ago and landed with a thump and a crunch taking out part of the neighbours fence with it. It was a quite non windy morning about 5.30 when it dropped.

No sewing the last couple of days I because of this, I started another one!

I recently received these two cute ducks from Ingrid

This orchid has been sitting in the lounge room for a while, I repotted it and this year it has a flower spike, pretty special.

Are you still awake?? I hope I didn't put you to sleep.

I am off now for a cuppa and might go visit the sewing machine.

Happy stitching.

 

This tried my patience

I am normally a very patient person but working on this centre star for Betty's Medallion the pieces very nearly ended up in the bin! I think there was a print error as the instructions say to cut the light coloured squares 2 1/2" but the instructions say to sew in a 2 5/8' square. We got over that one but then I didn't understand the illustrations for adding the triangles

and ended up with bits that did not join together. After a few blue words and lots of un picking I got it back together

not perfect, the centre is not aligned and there is a bit of a gap but I am calling it finished!! No doubt I will go back and try to fix it at some stage.

Some happy mail was dropped at the front door by the postie today, this one must have had a few days rest at biosecurity control!

This photo is out of order but it is what I ordered from  Shiny Happy World early in December.

These panels are so cute, they are for cushion covers but I think I will make them into a quilt.

This was what was in the mailing bag before I opened it.

Second happy mail was from a pen pal in the US, I got the best penpal award for 2020 😁 kindly made and sent by Laura. How cute are the little mice!

I haven't done much today as it is very hot today, a sewing friend came for a visit and a cuppa and a chat and the rest of the day I have been reading this book, which is now finished. Large print makes for a quick read!

I had better be off and see to dinner, hubby is watching footie highlights 😢 (again) so that needs to be changed quick smart!!

Happy stitching.