A Flamingo And Some Extras.
Posted on September 29, 2026 | No Comments
Time to say good bye to September. And time to get moving with sewing plans. I seem to have a lot of projects on the go so I need a bit of an effort to finish some. First up is my flamingo embroidery.
This is another of Wendy Williams Travel Threads patterns. Wool felt circles are used in the body, then stitched with perle cotton. The rest is filled with embroidery stitching.
I first saw flamingos at Sea World in Florida and have love their stunning colour ever since.
The hoop used for one this one is the new 3D printed type where it is the inner ring of the hoop that winds in and out to tighten the fabric. This one is 20cm. I am impressed with how well it works.
The next finish is a small quilt.
This is a pattern I first saw on Nancy’s blog. It is called Woven and is by Cluck, Cluck, Sew. I had a number of fabrics that worked well together and thankfully had the right amount of yardage. This was a very easy design to work on.
These are all fabrics left from other projects, so I was lucky to amounts worked for the pattern. I do like those blue dragonflies.
I also had enough yardage (just) for the backing of this delicate white and blue print. The binding was from an older Denyse Schmidt collection. I find it really interesting the way a fabric pattern can create an illusion. Look at the wavy lines in the binding that makes everything look crooked and wonky, even though we know it is not the case.
Next up are the cards I made when I got together with a group of friends. I was running low on birthday days, so that was my priority for the day. They are not quite finished as they each need a greeting, but that is all that is left to do.
I think I am still playing catch up to a certain degree, but every bit of progress helps. I am thinking through plans for Christmas and am stepping back what I normally do. Just using a bit of common sense about the number of hours in the day. Took me a while to work that one out! I have to laugh at myself over that one.
Our Spring weather is perfect at the moment. What a delight it is to sit outside in the mornings for breakfast and enjoy the sun.
Hope all is going well for everyone. Cheers, Karen
Slim Pickings.
Posted on September 12, 2026 | 7 Comments
As far as my blog is concerned, I had disappeared into a black hole for six weeks. The same goes for my sewing room, hence the title, Slim Pickings, because I have made only a few small items.
August is normally a busy month for us with lots of family birthdays, but throw in the mix some hospital stays (all good), basketball finals, book festivals and every specialist appointment landing at the same time and you get the picture. We did not have a single day without a commitment. But the positive out of all of that is that it is all over and done with. Hooray.
Because of limited time, I stayed with easy to manage projects. This is a very simple baby quilt.
I have a pack of 10 inch squares from this range and plan to make several other baby quilts. This one focused on the mainly blue blocks, as I had some yardage that I could use from the same range in the borders. I am think it is time to start making a few of these to put aside for later years when the older grandchildren start having families. Or am I getting ahead of myself?
The close up pictures give a better idea of the colours and the design.
I still had some of the cute giraffe fabric to use as the backing, and I used a soft blue stripe for the binding.
I next turned to a small fabric pack that I had stashed away for some years. It turned out to be enough to make a quilt from Villa Rosa Designs called Maid Marian. It has ended up as a very bright quilt.
Bright reds and teals.
I found a blue piece that matched in well for the backing and again added a striped binding, this one more in a teal colour.
As I was looking through a few items, I found a Christmas UFO. A very odd one. It is a Santa hanging upside down as a hanger for a quilt of a banner. Here is a rather crooked photo to show you how it ended up.
I am not quite sure how I feel about this one, or where I should hang it if I do keep it.
For those who are avid readers and live in Victoria, the Festival of Stories is held on Phillip Island every year, and is getting better every year, This year some of the speakers were Markus Zusak ( The Book Thief), Chris Hammer (Scrublands, Silver, Treasure and Dirt), Jane Edmanson( Gardening Australia), Sean Dooley (Birdman), Andrew Rule (Underworld crime), and another dozen writers. Brian Nankervis provided wonderful entertainment one evening with his Beach House story. Can’t wait for next year.
Hopefully I can now get back into some regular stitching time. Although with our lovely Spring weather, I can hear the garden calling. But just for fun, here are some flowers that don’t need a lot of work at all.
Cheers, Karen.
Some Sunny Quilts.
Posted on August 2, 2026 | 8 Comments
We are having a lovely, sunny day here, so I took the opportunity to take some photos outside in the sunshine. Even the breeze gave me a break, now and then. I have been enjoying making these Honey Bouquet quilts from Villa Rosa Designs after seeing all the lovely ones that Nancy has been making. They work so well as a small baby or toddler quick, coming in at 36 X 45 inches in size.
This one is a combination of some fabrics from different lines designed by Rosalie Quinlan/Decker.
I had more of the fabric range for the backing.
I found a soft blue and white stripe for the binding.
I am pleased with the end result for this one in such a simple design.
The next two use the same fabrics for the fronts.
I had a fun RWB flag fabric for the backing.
And a terrific stripe for the binding from the same range of fabrics on the front.
This is the second variation with the RWB fabrics.
I had to piece a backing for this one.
I found a different stripe for the binding.
The next one is a bit of fun with mixing up some fabrics. I found I had a few smaller pieces of the monkey and the spaceship fabrics, as well as the bright circle pieces. They all ended up in together.
To keep the fun theme going I used a piece of Cat In The Hat fabric for the backing.
This one is finished off with rainbow binding.
Four more to add to the donation collection.
Time to head back outside while we have this unusually warm day and spend some time in the garden.
Cheers, Karen
Planning A Picnic.
Posted on July 19, 2026 | 7 Comments
I had a request for a couple of quilts suitable to use for picnics. I love the way family come up with these ideas. One was to be for Summer picnics and one for the cooler months.
This one is light and bright, so it can be for Summer.
I had three charm packs so was easily able to pull this one together. It is roughly 50 inches square. I used a plain green for the binding. The backing is a mix of fabric, with only the floral being part of the range.
The sun was shining, but you get the idea.
The next one was wanted for cooler days, and not necessarily to sit on. More likely to be wrapped around someone when watching the footy.
I did not sew all those squares together. They actually came as yardage. I simply added a checked border. The binding was a stripe that I had on hand.
And you can see that I have used a Japanese style print on the back.
I figure these darker colours will work better if the ground is a little damp or dirty.
That’s the quilts done. Now a quick pic of the orchids in front of the quilts. These are the first two pots to flower. I move them so I can see them from the windows when they are in bloom. There are several more pots with spikes, but they are a later blooming variety.
Last week I spent a few days away with friends in Paynesville, a small coastal town. Nearby is Raymond Island. To access the island we walked down to the ferry and took a short ride across the water.
We then walked around the island, following the koala trail. We spotted quite a few koalas high up in their trees.
This one was curled up fast asleep.
But this one was wide awake and watching us while it munched on the leaves.
Nothing quite as exciting planned for this week.
Cheers, Karen
Small Quilts
Posted on July 7, 2026 | 9 Comments
Happy Hippos and Zebras. I only had a few small pieces but managed to turn out a small quilt.
I have been working my way through some of the children’s fabric in my stash to make a few quilts.
This ended up around 40 by 55 inches. Black and white spot for the binding.
I had some more pieces from the same range and was able to match a few fabrics to frame the blocks,
I have no idea why there was some leopard print in my stash from a lifetime ago, but it has now found a home in the border for this quilt.This ended up about 40 inches square.
Keeping the jungle theme going, this one is a simple panel quilt. I was fortunate that there was enough of the leaf print for a border.
It should work okay as a baby floor play mat.
I did have to go shopping for some new blues to use in the border and binding, but no complaints about having to do that.
When talking with a friend recently we discussed the fabric that was in our stash that was no longer needed or wanted. Tastes change and many fabrics were constantly being passed over. So, on one of the colder days, I set to work in one of my fabric cupboards and sorted out all that I knew I was unlikely to use. I have bagged it up into colour ways and have it ready to be donated. It has ended up filling two large storage tubs.
The bonus from all of this is that the shelves are ridiculously tidy and I can easy find what I am after.
I wonder how long that will last?
In amongst the sort out, I found some more charm squares and now have a picnic rug planned. Keeps me thinking of Summer.
Enjoy your week. Cheers, Karen
A Woolly Finish.
Posted on May 29, 2026 | 9 Comments
It has taken a while, But my Sue Spargo quilt, Tinsel, has been completed. It didn’t take too long to complete each of the blocks and even sew the blocks together. But when it came to the quilting, I was a bit stumped. It was around the time my machine was playing up and didn’t want to stitch on wool. So it went in the too hard basket. When my machine was back in working order, other priorities had taken over. We all know about that.
Anyway, it finally came out and was completed in no time at all. Even the binding is done.
The quilting in the blocks is bubbles or pebbles. Not quite sure that the borders had a particular pattern name. Just squiggly..
So, on to the next thing. I have started to use some lovely threads around the snow people.
That is going to be a slow process. Perfect for Winter.
And Winter is the time that our citrus trees like to shine. The oranges are looking great, but still too early to pick. They are still very tart and will need a month or more to sweeten up. But it is lovely to see the colour in the garden.
That’s it for me. Short and sharp today. Lots planned for the weekend including a show and stay over in the city.
Cheers, Karen
Keeping Busy.
Posted on May 22, 2026 | 5 Comments
I have been keeping busy with quite a few projects, but it has taken a while to achieve a finish. That’s fine and of course with the cold Winter weather arriving, I am sure the finishes will follow. Cold equals time inside sewing!
I have been hunting out all the charm packs that have been squirreled away. I want to use them in projects. This quilt is made from 2 charm packs of A Breath of Avignon..
The centre stars are made from the neutral fabrics, leaving the brights for the outsides. I used a red and white spot for the sashing and backing, and a red and white stripe for the binding. The quilt ended up at 45 inches square.
It may not yet be the middle of the year, but some charity groups are getting organised for Christmas already. One that works solely with children were asking for Santa Sacks. These are simple drawstring bags made to hold Christmas gifts. I realised that I had a lot of Christmas fabric that my Grandies had grown out of, but would suit younger children.
They start off with a piece of fabric cut 1m by 60cm. Seams are stitched, the top sewn to hold a cord and the bottom is bagged. Very easy to do. Then I realised that most of my pieces were one metre cuts and I would have 40cm left over. It seemed a shame to waste that, so I started adding suitable colours to the tops and bottoms of each leftover piece to make more sacks. I think I like the accidental ones even more. I have ended up with 14 to donate.
My next finish is only a part finish. I have embroidered the final piece for Sue Spargo’s Homegrown. The real finish will be when it is sewn together and quilted,but I am still celebrating the final embroidery being done.
This is the last border and the corner blocks.
The original pattern does not have corner blocks as they are part of the borders, However, the fabric that I received from a shop was not long enough for the complete border, so the easy solution was to make the corners as separate blocks.
Obviously if I have finished one lot of embroidery, I need to start something new, so I am working on a Bonnie Sullivan project call Seven Snowmen. I am only at the stage where I am appliqueing the pieces. The embroidery will follow.
Yes, I will give the last one a snowball head.
That’s about it for me. Enjoy your weekend.
Cheers, Karen.
Bunches Or Bouquets.
Posted on April 16, 2026 | 7 Comments
I have been working on using up left over fabric from particular collections. And I was inspired by Nancy’s ( Grace and Peace) use of a particular pattern, Honey Bouquet (Villa Rosa Designs).
My aim was to use up left over fabric from Leesa Chandler. These are the three quilts I have made so far.
The first quilt is from the Under The Australian Sun range. It is 54 by 60 inches.
This pattern is great for using up smaller pieces. I had a lovely piece for the backing, but not from the same range. The binding was pieced from several reds in Leesa’s range.
The next one is also from the Under The Australian Sun range, but has been made slightly larger by adding a 2 inch border all round. The same border fabric was used for binding.
Another stray piece was found for the backing and matched well.
The third one was also mostly from a range by Leesa Chandler named Melba. It was a little harder to photograph in the sun.
I had several cushion sized panels I was able to sew together for a backing for this one.
I used a small grey and white dot for binding.
This might give a better idea of colours.
Thanks, Nancy, for the inspiration.
It probably comes as no surprise that I still have some more Leesa fabric to work on – butterflies and flannel flowers. They will have their turn. Prior to these quilts, I have made 5 others that are bed sized using these fabric ranges.
In keeping with my aim to finish off older quilt UFOs, I have worked on a very old one.
Do you remember the original Gardening Angel from back in the 90s?
I was only just starting to work with stitcheries and hadn’t made a quilt yet, when this was done.
I didn’t know what to do with the finished embroideries, so I used a running stitch to attach them to a background fabric. I then made a backing like a pillow cover. And that is how it stayed.
I decided to take it out so that I could quilt it, then also made a hanging sleeve. I have yet to decide on quilting inside the stitchery panels.
And this one is a give away as to how long ago I made this.
I still look back and enjoy this one, but I am also very pleased that my skills have improved since then.
So that is another one off the list.
The weekend is coming around quickly. I have a stitching day with friends on Sunday, so have plenty to look forward to.
Cheers, Karen.
New And Old Collections.
Posted on April 3, 2026 | 5 Comments
I have a new little Easter collection – this delightful group of felt Easter eggs.
These have all been made using designs from Needle Finery, Elegant eggs.
They are all made from wool felt and appliqued with DMC.
Just out of interest, does anyone know of the origins of the designs with the rabbit carrying the basket on its back?
I have often seen it used, so guess there is some folk art background, but not sure.
The original designs are made as a bauble, but I needed mine to be flatter, for postage, so I kept them 2 sided.
There are several more designs in the pattern, as well as variations for each design.
The next collection I have been working on are stitcheries for Christmas from The Birdhouse.
These are all pre-printed panels.
They have all been stitched using different variegated threads from Cottage Garden Threads.
I have been collecting these for a while and knew I had to get on to them. I have no more in my collection. At least that is another item out of storage.
These three can now be displayed with the other two that I finished back in 2017. That is a long time to wait in between completing them all!
So that is Easter and Christmas sorted out. For now. Haha!
Have a wonderful Easter. Cheers, Karen.
Working On Finishes.
Posted on March 28, 2026 | 5 Comments
The blocks for this quilt were made back in 2011. I finished a larger quilt with these blocks in 2012.
I put a lot of the leftover blocks aside until later that year, then turned them into a smaller quilt top.
And that’s the way it stayed until this month. It was one of my UFO collection. It has now seen the light of day again and has been backed, quilted and bound. At last.
This version has ended up at 52 X 52 inches.
The design is called Country Garden Maze and was from the Irish Quit and Craft Magazine.
I still have the first one, so this one can be a donation. The interlocking blocks were made using a jelly roll plus some blue yardage. Quilting is a simple meander.
Backing was a piece from my stash, as was a suitable blue for the binding.
Great to see another UFO bite the dust!
I managed to get enough granny squares crocheted to make a small knee rug. Some colours ran out during rounds, but it is supposed to be scrappy, so I just joined in another color. The yarns are all leftovers from various Attic 24 blankets.
I took the same approach with the border and added in colours as others ran out.
A great way to use yarn left overs.
It has been a good week catching up with friends and family. And Easter is only a week away.
Enjoy your weekend. Cheers, Karen
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