Last day of the month

 Today it is the day to report in on the progress of Chooky's Churn Dash Along, the guide was to try and do 8 blocks a month. I made 3 blocks last post and today set myself up on the kitchen bench and made some more.

Eight blocks made today I am happy with that, I have made the target plus a little more for this month.

The plumbers were here Monday, they did some inside work and some outside in the carport work where the pipes are, we now have a working bath and bathroom basin and ensuite basin, the gas is connected to the cooker, we have one working toilet upstairs...progress is slowly happening. They are due back tomorrow, hopefully to finish the plumbing.

ensuite

bathroom - see those pesky gaps there!! 😠

And bath. Can't wait for it to be finished and have a good soak.

I set up the machine on the weekend and did the binding on two quilts that have been waiting for a loooong time!

I didn't make this, a lady at the Bellarine Quilters did, she makes the tops but does not quilt, I wasn't sitting on my hands the day someone was wanted to quilt and bind it!!😃

This quilt was all hand sewn and given to me by a friend after her Mum passed away. Another friend unpicked the quilt top so we had two halves, I appliqued it onto the gray and then quilted and bound it, I just have endy bits to finish off. So happy to get this one done finally.

One Pug quilt.

We have had some beautiful skies the last few nights

The photo does not really capture the colour, but it still looks wonderful.

I had better go and check on dinner and one hungry husband!

Happy stitching.

Last week

 I decided to do some more geocaching and my travels took me over to Point Lonsdale and Queenscliff

The Point Lonsdale Light house, still a working lighthouse

Looking for the lighthouse over to the pier

going to find geocache info along this track

old WW2 bunkers below the light house

looking down the pier, there is a cache out there but I have not been able to find it yet.

a ship coming in thru the heads, all ships coming in and going out need the pilot to ensure the have a safe trip thru the narrow entrance way. The pilot goes out in a bright orange boat, boards the ship and is taken off again once the ship is inside the heads.

The Queenscliff look out over the entrance looking back to Point Lonsdale, there must be a good fishing spot where those boats are anchored.

Queenscliff marina

the pilot boat dock.

Some sewing has been happening here

I took over the kitchen bench earlier in the week and sewed the binding on this quilt, not the best for the back but it was done.

I also cut up some left over fabric bits into strips

I was a bit worried whether or not I would have enough cotton

The sewing machine and iron have to share the one power point at the moment 😀

All done, quilting was done by Joan over in Portarlington. A lovely open hearts pattern,

no need to worry about the cotton!! The quilt is headed for Lismore now.

Chooky decided to have a Churn Dash along, at first I resisted as I have many other things on the go, but then like lots of others I relented and here we go!! First one laid out, here's hoping I sew them together the right way, I have a bad habit of flipping as I prepare to sew!!

Success!!

Before I packed up for the day I managed three more blocks. Yay!! Five more to go to meet this months target.

I had better be off, I am due at Adam and Beth's place to help walk the dogs!

Happy stitching.

Last Sunday

 Jill and I went over the Drysdale to the Springdale hall where the local felters were having a show.

The view as you came in the door. There were many beautiful things here, jackets, scarves, hats and some lovely containers of all shapes and sizes

this one came home with me. No idea what I am going to do with it, I just liked it, I guess it can sit on the window sill for now and be admired! 😀

Tuesday I went over to Portarlington to take a quilt to Joan to be quilted and on the way home had a wander through the newish playground there, the sculptures are done with a chainsaw and are the base  of old trees. (Newish could have been pre covid)

These dolphins are beautiful

Love this octopus chair

So clever.

A stack of crabs

These are down at the beach near where the ferry leave from for Melbourne, I think they are mussels as there is a lot of mussel farming in the bay out from here. 

Lots of work is happening here, a new wharf has been built, a covered walkway is going in for the ferry passengers and the mussel farmers can drive out to their boats if they need to.

The most amazing moon came up Tuesday night, I was told it was a strawberry full moon.

Some views from my walk yesterday

It was a windy morning.

Right I am sure there is something I should be doing, so I will go and find what it is!

Happy stitching.

House sitting

 We have spent the last 11 days looking after the house, two dogs, one elderly cat and a rabbit for Adam and Beth, who are up north enjoying a break and some sunshine. They are also renovating and the painter turned up to paint downstairs some days, those days we decamped to our house and left him to it. He didn't want the dogs inside or walking through the room he was painting, so it was just easier to stay away for the day.

So we brought the dogs here, they had a great time out in the garden, not sure some of the plants would agree though!!

This clump of plants was the favourite place to sit for Tira

She could rest or she could bark at Hank to let him know she wanted to play

Momentary calm!

Most days we walked to the boat launching ramp and back, neither dog seemed to get tired out until they came and ran in the yard here, so that was what we did and they slept well!

Some sewing happened while we were here

I was having a go at quilting and going quite well I thought until I realised I had the backing fabric folded underneath, some unsewing had to happen then.

Leaf pattern in the sashing

and in the blocks, some had flowers some didn't.

shows up better here

And the finished quilt. The top and back were offered for sale by Margaret Mew on instagram, both cost me $80, not bad for such a big quilt. All I had to do was sandwich and quilt. I used the left over fabric from the back for the binding. The quilt has now gone to a family in Lismore.

Happy stitching.

Reno update

 I have photos on my camera I wanted to share here, but the battery has gone flat, the spare worked to turn on the camera and then went flat and the battery charger is packed and I can't find where. So I am using photos from my phone.

Kitchen progress

Pantry finished

Ensuite cabinet ready for the plumber

We were going to keep our cook top, it had had some use but was still going well, but the message was not passed on to the guys who came to do the demo and went to the scrap metal dealer. So a new one had to be purchased. I was hoping for a white one but there is a 6 - 8 week delay in getting one so a stainless steel one has been bought instead. I am happy with it.

Cabinet in the bathroom - one of the things I was most adamant about when talking about what we wanted done, was that there be no small spaces between the cabinet in the bathroom and the shower, you know those spaces that you can not fit the vacuum cleaner head into??  Well that message didn't get through either and we now have a small space either side of the cabinet and other than making the cabinet smaller there is nothing that can be done about it. I don't want the cabinet smaller as we use it for towel storage. I think I will nominate hubby to clean the bathroom once it is all finished and he can see why I asked for what I asked for!!

The electrician was here yesterday and has put in the oven, changed over the lighting in the pantry for led lights and connected power points and switches once again. He has also encouraged us to change over all the lights in the kitchen, dining and lounge, all 27 of them to led lights. He says out power bill will reduce by quite a lot. We shall see. 

The bath has moved from the dining room to the bathroom, can't wait to be able to use it.

the sauna is in place, just needs final connecting.

Last look at the kitchen.

Lots of noise is going on upstairs as I type this so more is happening today.

Sounds a bit like being at the dentist! 😱

Happy stitching.