Lots Of Animals.
Posted on May 27, 2019 | 10 Comments
The Aussie animal blocks have come together to make a quilt top.
There are still no eyes but that will happen when the quilting is done.
This is the Land Down Under pattern from the Red Boots Quilt Company.
I was also able to stitch the banner together that was in my last post. All ready to display at the end of the year.
That’s it. Short and sweet for today.
I am taking a break from my blog but will be back in a few weeks. I may get to check on your posts but not sure if there will be time to comment.
Catch up soon. Cheers, Karen
Mostly Christmas Bits.
Posted on May 15, 2019 | 16 Comments
Lots of Christmas projects are being worked on and some even finished. It must be the colder weather that makes me think Christmas. Who knows?
A few little decorations have been finished. I made some of these last year, but gave them all away, so figured I should make a few to keep.
I also tried my hand at a couple of these.
The snowies theme keeps going with these goodies from Bonnie Sullivan for a banner.
I still need to choose a fabric to string them together.
I have caught up with the stitcheries from April for Gail Pan’s BOM.
Just noticed that the bird needs an eye. Glad to spot that before stitching it all together.
I couldn’t leave the camper wool mat alone. I decided to add a grey ric-rac to the edge and attach it with french knots.
And I thought a few snowflake buttons could be added, too.
Last of all, a little bit of crochet. Perfect for when the days turn cold.
This is the one that is cropping up on many sites and is the Sweet Pea blanket by Lucy from Attic 24. I am about a third of the way along. The colours are delightful.
I am missing making quilts but we have building work going on so it is not easy to have a lot of fabric out at the moment. I will try to be patient. Glad I still have smaller projects on the go.
Cheers for now, Karen
May Begins.
Posted on May 2, 2019 | 14 Comments
Today seems to be the first chance to stay at home for quite a while and I am appreciating the quiet and slow pace of it. A lovely chance to post on the blog, read a few comments and start some stitching.
First up a wool mat finish.
It is by Buttermilk Basin and is called Vintage Campers All Round.
This one came a s a kit. I did add a few extra threads but for once did keep close to the design.
After seeing these photos I realise I need to use the lint brush on this mat.
Good to have this project ready for Christmas.
Keeping the Christmas theme going, I have also completed the March stitcheries from Gail Pan.
I was feeling great because I was catching up – I have one and a half of the April stitcheries done. But then the May email came through with new ones. I will just have to keep pushing on.
I am hoping to get back to some quilting this week. The last couple of months have been extra busy with helping my 90 YO mother to move. Packing up her unit has been a big effort but she is now happily settled in with family in the city. And I can see a few free days ahead.
Hope you also have some stitching time planned.
Cheers, Karen
Apple Harvest.
Posted on April 16, 2019 | 10 Comments
Most of my posts of late are embroideries and stitcheries. I am working on several quilts but none are near completion as yet. So this is a mixed post in that it is embroidery but is part of a quilt.
This is the first block for a design from Fig N Berry named Round The Garden Path.
There are 9 blocks in all and each one is a different design. This one was obviously apples and caterpillars.
The next one has lots of lady bugs.
Each one has the circle of hexagons. I was able to sneak some Liberty print into this as well.
That’s it from me today. Enjoy your stitching and have a lovely week.
Cheers, Karen
Stitching Along In April.
Posted on April 9, 2019 | 9 Comments
Stitching along slowly. Not a lot of big finishes, but several small ones.
This is the second block for Dancing Chickens and Flying Pigs.
I have also completed the February blocks for the Gail Pan BOM.
I have nearly completed the March blocks so I am not too far behind.
School holidays have started here in Victoria so it is time for fun with grand children sleeping over and lots of playing. And of course there is some rain – always part of the holidays.
Hope you have a great week. Cheers, Karen
A Cotton Crochet finish.
Posted on April 2, 2019 | 12 Comments
Back in November I was working on a crochet blanket which contained a variety of blocks. I was distracted when one of the colourways really appealed to me as a possibility for a full blanket.
So of course I went off on a tangent and made a block to try it out.
The more it grew the more I liked it.
You can see where it is going now.
I completed the twenty five blocks, stitched it together and added the simple border.
The pattern is from a Patons book, Colourful Crochet – number 108. It is simply called Mandala Motif Blanket.
I used an 8 ply cotton from Bendigo Woollen Mills. It was a lovey yarn to work with in the blanket.
It has ended up as a 125cm square.
My next crochet distraction is the Sweet pea blanket that is a CAL from Attic 24.
After a crazy cold weekend we are back to lovely sunny Autumn days. Perfect for time in the garden during the day, and stitching inside in the evenings. Have a great week.
Cheers, Karen
March Hares.
Posted on March 12, 2019 | 17 Comments
There’s always something that makes me think of Alice In Wonderland when I see hares. I am not sure if these are supposed to be rabbits or hares but the ears say hares to me.
This is another design from Wendy Williams. It is a block from her Hidden Treasures quilt. I am really not sure how I am going to use this yet – either as a separate piece or part of a small quilt. No need to rush the decision.
This is the other one that is part of the set.
The are work in felt on a fabric background. The threads are a mixture of DMC, Cosmo and Sue Spargo.
It has been a mixed week after the fires. Our weather is crazy and only two days after the worst of the bush fire we had a hailstorm. There was also light snow on the nearby mountains.
The main part of the fire near us is under control but there are still quite a few fires continuing to burn in the eastern part of our state. Sadly 29 homes were lost in the fire near us. There have been some wonderful posts on Facebook showing how well the firies worked to save homes and how close the fires got without damaging the houses. I am still in awe of the work they do.
We had an extra long weekend with Monday as a holiday and I am planning to have a quiet week. Hope yours goes well.
Cheers, Karen
March Fires.
Posted on March 5, 2019 | 15 Comments
It has been a hot and hair raising start to March in our area. Lightning strikes started several fires in the state park only a few kilometers from where we live.
This was the view from the car when I first spotted the smoke.
By the time I had arrived home the view had changed drastically.
An hour later the sky was black. The fire near us was in the Bunyip State Park. Unfortunately it moved into farm areas and at least seven homes were lost.
The fire is still burning but thankfully has slowed and no properties are facing any danger. It looks like it will take weeks to put out and there is no rain in sight. It is a credit to all fighting the fires that no lives were lost. They are amazing in the work they do.
We seem to be on the flight path for all the helicopters travelling to and from the area. We hear one every 15 minutes. Thankfully rail lines and freeways were able to reopen today.
Sadly there are still 17 fires burning in Gippsland so the worst is not yet over.
Okay. Time to look at something on the stitching side. I have managed to make progress with The Gail Pan embroideries. This is one from January. I still need to remove some of the guide marks.
I have also started a quilt from Hatched and Patched called Dancing Chickens and Flying Pigs.
This is the first block.
No, the outside lines are not crooked. I just didn’t smooth the block flat.
I am now looking forward to a cooler week as are many in our area.
Cheers, Karen
Finding Fabric For A Finish.
Posted on February 19, 2019 | 19 Comments
Quite an alliterative title. But not intended that way.
I had completed the three panels for my wall hanging and had auditioned fabrics for the border. Both were tone on tone – one green, one blue. Both were lovely and I was having a hard time deciding. So I took my project to my sewing session ready to finally choose and stitch away. Before I had even unpacked I saw a new fabric range and one fabric jumped out at me. It was a Liberty type print in greens and blues in just the right shade. So of course I bought it and used it then and there. Here is the result.
The fabric matched the idea I had in my head some time ago but of course I couldn’t find any when I first looked. I am so pleased it turned up when it did. Here are the completed blocks.
Bird.
Caravan.
Heart.
I had the right sized piece of fabric for the backing – Aussie place names. I had used this as a backing on my cat quilt last year.
Now I need to find the right hooks for hanging.
These are all from Patterns by Wendy Williams called Travel Threads. I hope to make more of these designs as they are delightful.
For a change of pace we went to see the Escher Exhibit in Melbourne today. My head is still spinning with the amazing designs he made. And it was lovely to enjoy the city on a cool day.
Enjoy your week. Cheers, Karen
P.S. Marina, my replies to you are bouncing back again. Send me an email directly and I will see if that works properly.
Summer Sewing.
Posted on February 12, 2019 | 18 Comments
When you live in or near Melbourne you do get used to the changeable weather. We have already had temps in the 40s this month and our aircon has worked overtime. This week we have returned to cooler days in the low 20s (70s). But today decided to play tricks with us and warmed up to a lovely 21c before rapidly dropping to 14 at lunchtime when a storm blew through. Who knows what the rest of the day will bring?
On to far more important things – stitching. Lots of bits and pieces on the go. I have completed the stitching on the little caravan.
I am now ready to put the three pieces together into a wall hanging.
Next up I am following Gail Pan’s BOM of Christmas stitcheries. I am going at my own pace and have finished one of the January designs.
I am also back to working on my McKenna Ryan quilt blocks. I have six completed and three to go. It was time to sew some of them together.
The top four blocks are together and I am now working on the one to the right of them to fill that gap. It will be a little trickier than the rest as it has a lot of pieces overlapping other blocks as well as the border.
Hopefully it will be finished when Christmas arrives this year. (No pressure!)
All my group activities have started up again for the year and it has been delightful catching up with everyone. I hope you are enjoying your week, too.
Cheers, Karen
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