Singles And Doubles.
Posted on August 22, 2025 | 8 Comments
The single refers to the hat I have knitted. It matches the jumper in my last post. Because the balls of wool from Bendigo are 200grams, I often find there is enough left over for a scarf or a hat.
I am hoping to deliver the jumper and hat this evening when we go to watch a basketball game.
The doubles refers to two quilts made with almost identical fabric.
The centre fabric continues the surf theme.
The only difference is in the yellow outer borders, but that doesn’t really show up in the photos. To help distinguish them, I chose to do different quilting on each one.
As you can see, I chose a very busy and bright backing.
The teal inner border was also used for the binding, keeping the bright theme going.
That’s all for this week.
I have a dilemma with a purchase I want to make. I need to buy the beads for the eyes for my giraffe embroidery. If I buy from the designer in South Africa, I can buy 5 beads for $6, but the postage is over $60! If I buy from USA, I have to buy 100 beads for around $17 with postage around $25. I don’t want 100 beads, but I don’t want to pay crazy postage for 5. Not really a big world problem, but I have to sort something out.
Hope you have wonderful plans for your weekend.
Cheers, Karen
Lots Of Progress, But Only One Finish.
Posted on August 8, 2025 | 7 Comments
I often wonder if the Winter weather makes me take on projects that take a while to finish. Do I choose ones that are going to keep me inside where it is warm? Maybe I sub-consciously do.
I have been keeping the needles working in the evenings to finish this jumper for Miss 10yo. She has already seen the yarn and very much approved of the colour.
The yarn is machine washable wool from Bendigo Woollen Mills. It is from the Prism range and the shade is Fairy Tale.
This is a closer look at the colour gradations.
It is a great way to knit up a jumper without having to change balls of yarn. Love the result.
That was my one finish.
All my other work is going to take quite a while. This is where I am up to on my giraffe.
I have also completed the first border of my Homegrown quilt.
There is so much detail in each section.
I am glad to be back working on this one.
And last of all, my Tussie Mussie inspired blocks. I have gone well past a cushion top in size, so now I am aiming at a small lap quilt.
Even though it is still cold – we have had a few overnight zeros – there is a feeling of Spring on the way. Lots of bulbs are popping up and the birds are getting rather noisy.
Enjoy your weekend, regardless of the weather.
Cheers, Karen
Small Steps.
Posted on July 31, 2025 | 3 Comments
I have been keeping busy, but not necessarily achieving a lot of finishes. Lots of knitting and hand stitching being done, so slow progress there. But for a change of pace I decided to complete a few donation quilt requests. This way I can get some finishes and still keep working on the slow stitching.
I had a small amount left of the surf fabric with cars and surfboards, so decided to use it in a strippie quilt.
I also wanted to share a photo of the orchids that are in bloom.
Here is a closer shot of the quilt.
The fabric strips.
The fabric with spots is part of the same range.
I also found a light backing which seems to work.
The binding is a lovely blue with random white spots.
The next one is also from the same fabric range.
I have really enjoyed the combinations and will be sad to see all this fabric finally used up.
A different backing for this one.
I had some fabric left over from another quilt that was suitable for the binding.
And last of all a request to use these Christmas fabrics in a small lap quilt.
The whole thing.
Lots of red in the backing.
I used the same fabric for the binding.
I will have to do a bit of thinking as to where I can take my next quilt photos. Our pergola is being taken down tomorrow, and that is where I normally hang the quilts. It will be a few weeks before a new one is built, and I am not sure if it will work the same. Not a big problem by world views, so I am sure it will work out.
Enjoy your weekend.
Cheers, Karen
Sea Creatures.
Posted on July 11, 2025 | 4 Comments
Sue Spargo put together a fabric bundle of sea creatures, coral and kelp in black, white and a tiny touch of blue. I bought a bundle with the plan to make a very simple quilt with the addition of some more blue.
I have given up trying to avoid the wind when taking photos. Yes, it makes the quilt look like the sides are astray, but I know they are fine.
I have combined a few design ideas in the quilt with alternating light and dark diagonal lines, as well as a double diamond pattern using the blue.
Lots of fun with the fabrics.
I also found a fun piece for the backing.
The binding is another piece with black and white.
I think there will be times that I put the quilt on the bed reverse side just to enjoy that design, too.
We have enjoyed a lovely week with grandchildren staying here. Now I am planning to head to a sewing day with friends over the weekend. I hope you have some enjoyable plans, too.
Cheers, Karen
Neptune.
Posted on June 20, 2025 | 5 Comments
I think that is the name of the fabric in this quilt. I know I bought it quite some time ago, maybe 10 years?
Not totally sure.
I found a pattern designed for layer cakes, but also altered for charm packs. That was what I had in my pile and thankfully there was enough to make this quilt. It ended up at 40 X 54 inches.
The pattern is a free one from The Fat Quarter Shop and is called Layer Cake Crepe. Sometimes I have pre cut fabrics that I am not sure how to use, so this might be a pattern to use again.
I used a soft green thread to quilt the teardrop design. It hides on most of the blocks, but I do like seeing it on the darker backgrounds.
This gives a better representation of the quilting.
The backing is another of the fabrics I bought at a closing down sale.
Yes, the lemons on the tree are ripening up.
I found green and black fabric to use for the binding, and all was done.
A couple of smaller projects have also been completed.
This is a little wool felt hoop project from Fig’n’Berry. There is a tape measure hiding on the side to show how small it is.
Next up is a little Easter ornament.
This is from a pattern by Needle Finery called Elegant Eggs.
It has been very cold here, but every now and then we get some lovely sunshine. On this particular day we were visited by many of our native birds. We had king parrots, crimson rosellas and these ones – maybe eastern rosellas or lorikeets. I need to get my bird book back out.
They do help to brighten the day.
( I have just had a good laugh at spell check – it wants to change rosellas to lacrosse, and lorikeets to strikeouts. Oh dear!)
I hope you all have a good weekend planned. I have lunch with friends and a sewing afternoon tomorrow, and then a catch up with my sisters and our mum on Sunday. And son, DIL and grandies and Monday. That should keep me going for a while.
Cheers, Karen
Paris Again.
Posted on June 13, 2025 | 7 Comments
Paris the fabric, not the city. Although I would enjoy being in Paris.
I have been using the left over Dance in Paris fabric. I made another quilt over two years ago but still had a fair bit left from the fat quarter bundle. There was enough to make this quilt. It is called Fat Quarter Fancy and is a free pattern through Sew Can She.
I think I changed the size to make it slightly smaller so that I could use the fabric I had left- only maybe half an inch off .
It is a very easy pattern to adjust.
I didn’t do a lot of quilting, just straight lines following the seams.
I had enough of one of the green fabrics to do the binding.
I had this bird fabric that I liked, so this quilt was the lucky recipient.
It was one that I didn’t want to cut up, so a backing was the perfect way to use it.
I like it when I can get two good sized quilts out of a fat quarter pack.
Next up, I am playing with hexagons. This is very unusual for me, but the bug has bitten.
I saw a design called Tussie Mussie by Emma Jean Janson, and loved the colours and the different backgrounds. This is my progress so far.
I will need to sort some backgrounds soon to go with these.
Heading in a different direction now, our citrus trees have been very productive this year. We have started picking the ripe mandarins by the bucketful. For a small tree they produce a lot of fruit. We are giving lots away so that they are not wasted.
I love being able to pick fresh fruit in Winter. In another month our oranges should be ready.
Have a lovely weekend. Cheers, Karen
Welcome To Winter.
Posted on June 7, 2025 | 7 Comments
Brrr. It is a holiday weekend here as well as the first weekend of Winter. I think my holiday will be staying at home and keeping warm.
My trees are still in Autumn, but with the winds we are having, I am sure the leaves will be gone very soon.
My taxi driving requests are slowing, so I am able to return to some regular sewing time. As a result I have completed a soft and subtle blue and white log cabin quilt.
It measures about 54inches square and is made with two inch strips, all from my scraps and stash. These pics give and idea of the range of fabrics.
I seem to have used them in many projects over the years.
I did a simple meander for the quilting.
The backing is a dragonfly print.
And the binding is a soft blue and white stripe.
We have managed a short weekend trip away last month to Bendigo to see the Frida Kahlo exhibition.
The gallery there always comes up with exciting displays. Very informative and inspiring.
Of course we made a side trip to the Woollen mills for some purchases. Can’t go to Bendigo without doing that.
Well, I could go outside to rake up the leaves, or I could stay inside and sew.
No decision yet.
Cheers, Karen
Catching Up, Again!
Posted on May 9, 2025 | 7 Comments
I feel a bit like a stranger who has been gone too long. I know I have been busy, but hadn’t realised I had missed a whole month. Plenty of medical issues have kept me busy and none of them were mine. Lots of time has been spent in waiting rooms and next to hospital beds, and being a taxi driver. As a result, sewing has slowed, but knitting and embroidery have kept me company. So now it is time to catch up.
Meet my little cheer squad.
I had run out of my gift supply of knitted monkeys and koalas, so they were a perfect carry along project. There is one more koala waiting to be completed.
I reached a small milestone with my Sue Spargo quilt, Homegrown. The centre panel is now complete.
I have now manged to sew all the houses together and they are waiting for some work with an iron.
The only machine sewing was this small child’s quilt made in the style of the jelly roll race.
Many thanks to Nancy from Grace and Peace Quilting. Nancy gave me the measurements and directions to make the quilt this size – 40 X 50 inches. Greatly appreciated. I had admired hers for quite a while. What a great way to use up lots of left over strips.
The backing is a fine white pin dot on blue. And a striped binding.
It feels good to have caught up, just a little bit!
Mother’s Day weekend is coming up. Hope all the mothers have a lovely and special day.
Cheers, Karen
Adding To The Collection.
Posted on April 6, 2025 | 8 Comments
I am getting towards the end of this burst of donation quilts. The collection is steadily growing. I will now get back to a few of my own quilts, which are waiting impatiently on the sidelines.
This little lap quilt is made from leftover charm squares from the Sherbet Pips fabric line. I had to add in a couple of strays to make up the numbers.
I have been lucky to pick up a few fabrics at a closing down sale that work well as backings. This one with the blue crabs is rather cute.
Next up is another Strippie variation. I had pieces of different fabrics from this range and managed to cobble them together to make suitable sized pieces for a quilt.
And last of all, another group of the little teddy quilts. These are a great way to use up a lot of smaller pieces, both front and back.
Small cuts of flannel fabrics made up the backings.
That’s where I am up to.
I am really enjoying our cooler Autumn days and especially the nights.
And I am looking forward to Grandchildren visiting and Easter.
Cheers, Karen
A Little Catching Up.
Posted on March 22, 2025 | 7 Comments
I had set aside several projects prior to Christmas, but now I have decided they need finishing.
First up, I completed the 4th, 5th and 6th of the Christmas decorations from Fig’n’Berry Creations.
They are a delightful set. Here they are together.
Next up, I need to move on with the centre block from my Sue Spargo quilt, Homegrown. I have managed to complete the inner section and have attached the applique pieces to the border. Now for the embroidery.
I have only completed one of the five flowers, so still a fair bit to go.
And this last picture will look slightly familiar. Yes, another strippie, and yes, another surf quilt.
This time I have made it without borders, so it is slightly smaller. Works well as a bed topper. This goes with the others in the donation collection.
It seems to be a busy time here, so not as much sewing as I would like, but it is nice to be out enjoying the Autumn days. Enjoy your weekend.
Cheers, Karen
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