August Challenge

 

My first part of the challenge is completed

This quilt was started June 2021, it was a challenge from Ingrid. The hexies are all sewn by hand, the border machine appliqued on and binding sewn by machine too. It was quilted by Tracee from Hummingbird quilting, I am sure I said that in the last post! I am very happy to have it completed.

I have also finished 2 blankets, sewn the squares together and finished off with a crochet edge. One more to do and then they will go to KOGO.

That is me up to date, I hope to start on an Aussie Hero quilt tomorrow afternoon, but there is a call to the garden, David is putting in a wooden edge and the weeds have to be removed first and guess who needs to be going that! So far I have spent 6 hours out there - good to do when it is fine and sunny but think of all that wasted sewing time!!!

Happy stitching.

August Chook Shed Stitchers Challenge

 Another new month and another challenge, this month it is

Number three.

For me that is EPP and the Tea and Cake quilt.

I have been quietly stitching away at this when I had the time and last week I took the finished quilt top along on retreat and Tracee of Hummingbird Quilting very kindly quilted it for me so it was finished by the time I came home. How is that for wonderful service!!

Tracee has quilted with bees

aren't they great!

So now I need to trim and bind.

This month I am also going to try and make an Aussie Hero quilt, waiting to hear back about that.

Ok I am off now to trim the quilt then a cuppa and a little time with the wasgij.

Happy stitching.

So.....

 what has been happening since I last did a blog post?

Today has been a Guild meeting, the first for a while and finally we had the AGM and committee changeover, we still need a Treasurer, but hopefully someone will put their hand up for that soon.

Yesterday I went to see Tracee in Gisborne, she is now Hummingbird Quilting and working from home, She quilted my Sylvia's Bridal Sampler Quilt, with a beautiful meandering butterfly pattern

Anthology blocks from two weeks ago

Tidying up in the sewing room I found some two and a half inch squares that had been sewn together plus some mini charm packs, so they were sewn together as well

and then some more

and they became a quilt top, thank you Maria for your prompt and encouragement! Bloggy friends are the best!

this top was made form the left over blocks, they have moved from the "Do something with this" pile to the waiting to be quilted pile! At least they look a little tidier!! 😁

I had to go into Geelong one day so on the way home decided to have a wander around the Botanical Gardens, it was hot but a very enjoyable morning

I love the bollards along the Geelong waterfront and these two, the founder of the gardens and a young woman who has gathered a couple of flowers for her flower press, are wonderful to see as well.

A beautiful tree, it had enormous seed pods on it, but sadly none with in easy reach 😉

Beautiful big trees and a clear blue sky

I think these used to be down in the town but kept being pinched so they live in the gardens now.

Lovely colours.

Last week I made a fiddle blanket for the Geelong Royal Show, they are having a virtual show this year as we can't go in person. I do have to deliver this soon though.

This weeks Anthology block, well a poor excuse really, I thought I was going ok until I sewed all the bits together and boy it is wonky. Me and three quarter inch pieces are not good friends!! One day I might re do this, or then I might not!!

I think that is enough from me for now.

Happy stitching.

February 4th

 I can not believe how fast January went by! One minute it was starting the next it was done!

I am trying to think what I have been doing......one more Anthology block has been made

I have made four knitted dishcloths, Adam and Beth have decided they like using them too, so two will go to their house

some stitching on the cropped diamonds has been done in the evenings

I have ridden the bike most days, except when it is humid and sticky hot

Low tide and windy today

I made a blunder the other day, moved the pin holder and forgot it was magnetised and put it on the container with the safety pins........you can see what happened! 

I bought some beautiful painted buttons from Barb Smith of Theodora designs and decided to make a wall hanging so the buttons didn't stay in the drawer somewhere

a special fuzzy photo!!

I had a road trip to Gisborne yesterday to visit Tracee in her new studio, Hummingbird Quilting.

Tracee had quilted two quilts for me

I am very happy to have these off to to be quilted pile and into the binding pile!! 😁 Tracee's quilting is beautiful.

We had a lovely visit and then I headed back home. I drove through many rain showers on the way there and back, it was 12 deg C in Gisborne and 18 when I got back home, no rain fell here all day!

Tonight is FNWF

An evening of virtual stitching along with others, you can sign up here, Cheryll is hosting.

I have some fabric scraps Jill gave me that I am going to stamp and cut out tonight, well that is the plan!

I have managed to start another new project, something I was NOT going to do this year and am thinking of starting another...I need to get back to the scrappy blocks and get them sorted not just a heap on the desk. (and avoid those pesky squirrels that keep appearing!)

Right I am off to get out the stamp!

Happy stitching.

FNWF

 and the start of the weekend. Friday night I did some cutting of fabric for blocks

I managed to get them all cut out, nine fat quarters which grew to eleven as I made a mistake on two and had to start again! Possibly not the best time to be cutting! I was a bit tired as a friend and I had driven to Gisborne and back to pick up a quilt Tracee had quilted for me.

Later that evening I sat with my feet up and glued these hexies ready for sewing.

A little view of the Star quilt after Tracee quilted it, Tracee is now operating as Humming Bird Quilting in Gisborne.

Yesterday I sewed the blocks together and then the blocks into rows, today it needs a border added to bring it up to the required size.

I have made a little progress with the Wasgij, found the top border and a few faces are coming together, currently searching for the bottom border pieces. 

I have been trying to walk every day and am seeing some lovely plants in gardens around the area. 

We have had some lovely spring days and some overcast rainy days

It is still good to walk along the beach

This wisteria is going to be stunning when it is fully in flower.

I had better go and get ready for todays walk, the sun is trying to come out at the moment, although I think the forecast is for showers.

Happy stitching.

Once again catching up

 The last couple of weeks has seen me with my nose in a book, I read Spring Cottage by Mary Ellen Taylor and then found there were 2 other books in the series, Winter Cottage and Honeysuckle Season, so decided to read then too.

Some sewing has been happening, Anthology blocks

Last weeks and

This weeks.

Flying geese left over from the quilt were joined together

into two pieces and quilted.

After some worrying SLOW mail delivery these beautiful machine embroideries arrived from Tracee of Hummingbird Quilting. This is the start of an Aussie hero quilt.

I made some flying geese to go with them

and did some baking, slightly over cooked on the edges, but it tastes good, biscuit base with nuts and condensed milk on the top.

This week I had to get moving as I had a mailing deadline to meet, this is the start of the Aussie Hero quilt, requested by a submariner. He wanted old school naval tattoos.

Luckily we had a fine morning in the week and I could sandwich outside.

The  squirrel popped up in the week and I made a zippy bag from the quilted flying geese pieces quilted last week

blogger decided this photo needed to be turned around

and inside.

the Aussie Hero quilt is finished, and this morning it went into the post, one day before the due date. Phew!!!

Just love Tracee's machine embroideries.

Slow stitching is happening on Tea and Cake, I have lots of hexies to join together here.

And in between times more hexies are being made for the Mystery hexie quilt.

Tonight is Friday Night with Friends

a lovely evening of a virtual sewing with friends.

You can sign up here.

I am off to sort out what I will do this evening.

Happy stitching.