Time to catch up again

 The days are rushing by here, so what have I been doing? Some packing and sorting, some sewing, some bike riding and some preserving...lets have a look

Three weeks of Anthology blocks,

Epp was finished

It was supposed to be made into a cushion top, but I had another idea which I can show later. I don't understand why I didn't finish this sooner, it really didn't take very long.

Hexies have been cut and glued for Tea and Cake, I now have 420 made, but need 480 and have run out of fabric. Hopefully I can get more next week.

a small bag of fabric is now a bunch of cropped diamonds ready for sewing

A large group of galahs flew in and settled on the power lines over the road, lots of chattering was going on. I like to think they are still unhappy with the tree removal from next door, but that is probably me and not them!!

Such lovely birds.

I was sewing the binding onto this quilt last night and had a very nearly not enough binding moment, thankfully I had about 2 inches spare.

Sylvia's Bridal Sampler is finished, binding completed Wednesday evening.

I bought this pattern recently from a friend, I have made it slightly bigger than the pattern, I still need to add borders.

And when I was sorting things in the sewing room I came across a pile of mostly 6 inch squares - these came with another quilters stash, some were a bit over 6inches and some under, I had to cut a few myself to replace the smaller ones and by late afternoon I had a quilt top, great for an I Spy quilt. The borders used up fabric from my stash. 

This morning a brew of fig paste went into the crock pot and cooked away all day, it tastes and smells heaps better than it looks here!! It is all in jars now and ready to go into the fridge.

We went shopping yesterday and have purchased most of what is needed for the renovations, we just need a kitchen sink, we like the old fashioned type that has a drainer at both sides of the sink and a double sink, so we have to find one, we also need to get a new oven. Hopefully everything will then progress as planned...fingers crossed!

I think I need a cuppa, have been avoiding the TV as the footie season has started again! Oh boy!

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.

Here I am

 once again catching up. I don't know where the days go, now we are free from covid restrictions groups have started up again and days just seem to be busy and go by super quickly.

Some things I have been doing

Last weeks Anthology block

I decided to make a poppy mini quilt, I don't know why, maybe because it was ANZAC day coming up, although poppies are more for Remembrance Day I think. I just had the urge! I am happy with how it turned out. I have a lot of poppy fabric bought over time for Aussie Hero quilts, one day I will get to use it.

Four Schoolgirl Sampler blocks were made last week, I am still way behind but will get there in the fullness of time!

Two Saturday's ago I went over to the Leopold Library to but the book Dear Mum and meet Samuel Johnson, at one stage he rode his pink unicycle around the car park, he is still fundraising for breast cancer which took the life of his younger sister Connie.

He is such a friendly person and has a chat to you in a very quiet voice up close, he said he was a bit of a goose in his younger days and now makes much better use of his life.  The whole atmosphere is one of happiness around him, his sister and partner and anyone working with him, when I said that to him, he replied well no one wants to come and see a miserable person!

We had a laugh and then he moved on to the next people in the queue. I was impressed how Samuel gave everyone what felt like their own private conversation.

I was speaking to one of the library staff who was in front of me in the queue, it turns out she went to Gisborne Secondary College where I used to work, although I don't' think we were there at the same time and she didn't often use the library. Another staff member came out to have a chat and she used to manage the Gisborne Library for the Macedon Ranges Library Corp and knows the woman I used to job share with, it is a very small world!

This week I put together a pink pixilated heart quilt top

Put a border on Bettys Medallion

Finished another row on Sylvia's Bridal Sampler

Yesterday I cut and laid out a pixilated heart blue top

and by last night it was sewn together. Today I need to cut backing and wadding and do some sandwiching, but first the washing need to to be hung out, it is sunny here today and windy so drying should be no problem.

Happy stitching.

Packing in anticipation

 I have spent the last few days cutting and preparing for a sewing retreat at Baradine with the Scrub Stitchin' girls. Sadly Raewyn can't get over here this year, I was going with hubby but he has returned from a weekend wargaming in Adelaide with what we think is a chest infection, so I am venturing of on my own. 

I decided to join some of the Sylvia's blocks together, as I have 64 made and think that is enough for a quilt top now, first row done.

Two more Anthology blocks are done

Hank came to stay Friday and Saturday, we enjoyed walks on the beach and playing ball in the back yard.

Lots of cutting happened for Betty's Medallion, the next row are Log Cabin blocks made with foundation paper piecing.

Bag packed, four projects in there, wonder if I have enough to do???

Might pack some hand sewing too, you can never have enough, just in case.

Happy stitching.

Another week

 has flown by. I have been quilting and making blocks this week, going to sewing group and going swimming, no wonder the days go by fast. 

Anthology blocks for this week

We woke up Thursday morning to the noise of trucks and machinery

The beautiful big trees at the front gate of next door were going to be cut down. I know gum trees are bad for dropping branches and the far one dropped one a couple of months ago and took out part of the fence, but lots of birds live in there, I wonder where they will go.

One gone and onto the second one

This is what was left at the end of the first day of work, some galahs turned up not long before sunset and watched from the power lined over the road, some rainbow lorikeets came and sat on the ends of cut branches looking at what was left.

Meanwhile some Bridal sampler blocks were being made

Jack didn't visit this week thank goodness!

A little fruity number!

Friday morning the big remaining tree came down, then they went down the back of the house and cut down the last remaining big gum on the block. 

This week I have quilted and bound two of Fiona's quilt tops

this was a big one, the photo does not do the colours justice

and here are the last blocks for the Schoolgirl Sampler, waiting to be sewn together.

Today I went into Geelong to see and exhibition by Rone a local man who is a well know street artist. We went to see his paintings on the old Geelong cement works a few years back, sadly they have been pulled down and are no longer there.

His art was on display at the Geelong Art Gallery, one area was set up as an old disused mansion with very haunting music being played by the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra,

This was a recreation of a work Rone did in an old inner Melbourne city house before it was demolished

Part of the display, lovely old teddy. Well worth a look at this exhibition.

I think it might be G & T time, might even read a bit, I am reading a book about Doc Halliday back in the Wild West, it is really good so far.

Happy stitching.