camera bag

Took 4 of the crumb blocks out of their tin and used them to make myself a camera bag ... my camera came with a grey bag but with my dininished vision I cannot see it so decided to male one that I CAN see ;->)
Trevor had my finished items for this week on his tray, he managed to look elseqhere so the camera did not catch him looking at me.
went to a massive 75% off Christmas fabric sale today so hopefully the Christmas tablecloth will be finished soon. Am hoping to get the lilac quilt blocks out of the bag they are hiding in tomorrow and have a look at where the progress stalled.
Next week is my first eye surgery so dont think I'll be doing too much "good" sewing till the recovery from that is done.


The photo of Trevor somehow got stretched, sure have a lot to learn.

Sunday

This pile of poly sheeting squares is maybe about 1/4 of the pile my mother gave me to use.

These days I do not want to sew them into quilts, so decided instead to make them into shopping bags - or grocery sacks as they are referred to in the design I use.

Takes 20 of these squares to make each lined bag so hopefully tomorrow I'll have some bags completed.

Friday and Saturday

Grandpa had his 88th birthday on Friday - so what's a man to do but check out the fabric swap that arrived in the mail!
Then Saturday was Australia Day so friend Leanne came dressed in her finery to share some cheer with Trevor.

Christmas tablecloth

By posting here I am hoping to make myself more accountable this year.
This is a Christmas tablecloth that I made from an online table runner pattern with a group prior to Christmas.
The tablecloth is not quite long enough to be comfortable on the table at my dad's place so
had found this batik fabric online and it arrived yesterday.
Hopefully it will soon be added to the top - then I'll start to think about the back of it .

Made the back for Noah's quilt today so finishing that quilt is now a bit closer.

quilting disappearing 9 patch

this is my quilting outlining the blocks on the disapearing 9 patch.

Want to do sprigs of leaves in the "sashings" will however wait till after at least my first eye op and maybe after the second eye has the cataract removed before tackling that part.

Must admit am really enjoying the hand quilting instead of wrestling the sandwich through the sewing machine

Certainly no great work of art but am hopeful of the quilt going to a hospital where it can offer comfort to a sick child.

dusappearing 9 patches

As there has been talk of dissapearing nine patches online thought I would post my example.
The birdhouse print was used in the corners and a small print in green for the centre with the other 4 squares being a brown colour which is a hand dye fabric.
Currently hand quilting this quilt, calling it "Home Tweet Home"
At the moment it is full of safety pins - makes me feel like a punk .. grin

crumb blocks

I put some of my latest crumb blocks out on the table and just as I got the camera ready ... whoosh!!! off they all went - the wind would not let up then so took a pic of them in a heap!

I always call them 'mile a minute' blocks.

Have made quilts from then in the past, good for teens etc as the variety of fabrics and colours 'hide' things like coffee stains.

The current collection of blocks though are destined to make covers for the pedestal fan and room heater which collect dust - and are hard to clean - in the 'off' seasons for them.

Thought I would be able to add the next border to my stay at home no mail round robin alack and alas I have left it all at home so now will have to wait till Wednesday to be able to get to it. Drat.

sudoku table mat

This is the photo that I could not upload last night.

sudoku table mat

Today I almost finished making my table mat top, just a few finishing bits to go on the top before sandwiching and quilting.
Want to make a matching mug mat with the 'code' on it - will also put the code on the labal on the back
Managed to make 7 tissue pack covers from some upholstery samples by using them as the leaders and enders.
Blogger does not seem to want to upload any photos tonight ... will try again tomorrow.

no mail round robin started

This is an interesting concept to me:- doing a round robin but at home and according to a "recipe" given at intervals.
First off it was to have a 6+1/2" unfinished size block, so instead of starting something new I chose to use a leftover block that I made for a blue/green swap. Then the first border required four fabrics - first an accent so I chose a burgundyish hand dye, then a commercial batik/dyed look alike and a green of my own and a blue butterfly print that I had 'hanging' around which never quite seemed to fit in anything else I worked on.
Though the photo shows I hadn't pressed the block properly am really pleased about how it is looking.
The next border recipe should be posted in a few days.
Never been involved in round robins before.
Think this project will be about a table mat size when complete, at this stage I'm thinking it might instead become a cushion. We'll see.
Interested to get other's comments on this.

The customs people are ever vigilant in Australia, friend in New Zealand sent me some fabric squares, the package was intercepted by the customs when repackaging it they included a brochure on what can and cannot be imported.

This fabric will go into an "African" quilt for DH who lived in South and East Africa for a number of years and remembers the time with great fondness.

Bonnie Hunter has now posted the final layout for Carolina Crossroads so am anxious to get that all together, but first I absolutely MUST get Noah's quilt finished.

This is the lined tote bag I made for a young friend, she called in this week so I was able to give it to her.

As a tiger lover she really liked the bag .. whew!!!

When I make something always get the feelings of .. will whoever it is for like it?

This is a pic of the yellow blocks done as the alternates for Noah's baby quilt, hope to have this quilt finished this week.

no photos today

The blogger upload has been out of action/not responding both yesterday and today so will have to try again tomorrow.
Did get some more blocks made for my Carolina Crossroads quilt - it's a mystery quilt happening on Bonnie Hunters quiltville blog, over a thousand quilters doing the same quilt in different colours all over the world - quite an amazing experience!
My version is using scraps of blues and lights with solid black as the accent however am already planning the colours for my next version ....
No wonder I get into a mess - I start far too many projects!

mariners compass

My husband had always wanted a mariners compass quilt esp as he was in the Royal Navy.
I never did manage to make him one but found this top for sale on the net.
Needs to be quilted and then it will be done.
It has been on the back of the recliner that he sits in so he has been able to enjoy it.

A W.I.P.

hmmmm.. my plans for posting *something* each day have gone awry.

My camera has dead batteries as well so this is a pic of a giraffe applique I'm stitching down to make a cushion for a giraffe loving grand daughter. The background fabric is one of my hand dyes.

We are at our own little cottage just now, just hubby and me, every thing is very dry, another extremely hot day today so will have to make sure we keep the water intake up, promise of a cooler day tomorrow so if we get through today we will be fine - going back to Trevors tomorrow.

A high bushfire risk today and I didn't manage to get all the dry grass cut down so will hope there are no arsonists around about.

My friend Lisa has found this blog and as she had reminded me of a lilac quilt I'm making for a niece I'll dig it out of it's bag today and see how much more needs to be done, take it back to Trevor's with us and work on finishing it there so it can go to Lisa and Roy's Blackbird Quiltery they have a wonderful flair of adding special quilting on my tops.

Together they transform the humdrum to the stunning.

my scrap organisation

Nothing like the size of Bonnie's scrap bins on quiltville, but this is the system that works for me!
A stack of ice cream containers holds squares cut in 1/2" increments from 1 1/2" - 6"
The tins and strong boxes have prevented fading from the strong sunlight that comes in here.

my first ever postcard

made my first ever postcard today - guess I have a long way to go, but at last I have started - prcrastination taken to the nnnth degree

in the garden

Apart from the more common pink hollyhocks we have this single plant which produces flowers of almost black colouring.