Not a lot to show

I have had a very relaxing Sunday in my pyjama's all day sewing, although i don’t have a lot to show for it.

I have spent most of the day working on my “Baby Dresden” quilt, I was a little overwhelmed when I realised that for 20 plates i needed to cut out 400 petals, well i am one of those people that when I see in instructions…. Cut 560 squares I start to glaze over and look for another quilt pattern. So I’m glad I started this quilt with really no planning and was half way through when i worked it all out.

I have completed 12 plates and have all the petals cut out. I think now I may put the plates on alternate squares and make two baby quilts, will have to wait and see if this works. Maybe put X’s on the alternate block so a sort of hugs and kisses thing, I will have to figure that one out and give it a bit more thought. Any ideas gratefully accepted.

So as you can see a lot of fiddly work but not much to show!!!!

Have a great week Annie

Blissfully stitching

Just thought I would let everyone in on a great giveaway at Blissfully Stitching. Bobbie is giving away 24 skeins of hand-dyed silk and velvet ribbons. I know I could make use of that, how bout you? This is her first giveaway and I think it is very generous.

I have not made much progress on “Josephine the Jellyfish” but I just keep think it’s not a race but something to be enjoyed, Maybe I’m just kidding myself  ha ha!

I had a really nice sewing night last night at “Terrace Tear-away Quilters”. There were only about 9 of us there, I think the heat and the Australia day festivities kept a few away but those of us who came had a great night. One of the ladies is going to show us an easier cathedral window technique and I am really looking forward to that.

But before I should be thinking of that I have a school skirt to take up for the start of school tomorrow. I really don’t like that sort of sewing hence the reason it has been left to the last minute!!!!!

Enjoy your afternoon Annie

Friday Night Sew In

Hi two girls Heidi and Bobbi are hosting a Friday Night Sew-In in February and we all get to join in. You can sign up over at Heidi’s blog and join in the fun. February’s night is the 19th and you can work on any handmade project you like, blog about it and you will be entered into a giveaway.

I think that sounds like a fun way to spend a Friday night and finish off some of my WIP (works in progress). I think i might invite some friend’s around and make it a good excuse for a catch up as well.

I have finally made a start on “Josephine the Jellyfish” BOM and will hopefully have something to show next week.

I have also started a baby quilt for my cousin and as they know the sex I have decided on a Dresden plate design one of my favourite blocks.

This is just the start, I have a cute pink spot for the background blocks and the reverse for the flower centres, will keep you posted on the progress.

Have a great weekend Annie

 

The great Escape

On Friday my lovely husband and I celebrated 27 years of marriage. Now we have never made a big thing of this and the fact that it is my birthday the next day, but this year we decided to try something a bit different and go “camping”. Now if you are a real camper stop reading and go to another blog but if like me you like the idea of camping but not the practicalities, read on.

I read about some camping spots in and around Sydney a few months back and thought that one sounded interesting. Cockatoo Island is at the mouth of the Parramatta River in Sydney harbour.

This offered what I thought was a very civilised camping experience for wannabe campers that don’t even own a tent, or air beds or lanterns or an esky, well we do own an esky but not really a camping one!

We arrived on the island to rows of brown tents one with our name on it.  Plus 2 sleeping mattresses and a lantern. The first one had a family already in it and we thought it might be a bit squashy so they reassigned us tent #4. Tent #4 would be ours for 2 nights. But what we hadn’t counted on was that the cafe would close early afternoon and we didn’t have any food! eek.

So onto the ferry once again and a lovely stroll around Darling Harbour for a yummy Indian dinner before making our way back by ferry to our island home. Did I mention that Brian gets really seasick at the thought of a boat.

The next morning the cafe was open for yummy bacon and egg rolls and COFFEE. Brian and I are both caffeine fuelled individuals and need our fix.

We lazed around the campsite went on an audio tour of the island and generally did nothing much at all.

Late afternoon saw us boarding another ferry to hunt and gather around the Rocks area of Sydney for or dinner and a stroll around to the Opera House. Sydney Harbour area has a lovely cosmopolitan feel. I kept think it would be a great place for a toy society drop. I wish i had thought about it earlier.

On Saturday morning we had another delicious breakfast on Cockatoo Island and then boarded our last ferry for home. Brain was very relieved I think, he didn’t complain once. I’m not sure who this photo is of, because we are sure we don’t have that many double chins or wrinkles ha ha!

I was greeted back at home by my lovely family and lots of thoughtful birthday gifts and text messages . Thanks everyone.

Annie

Down for the count

I couldn’t resist snapping these photo’s. I think the heat wore everyone out. 

 

Even superman 

And yes that is Simply a Bloom on the bed as proof of my OPAM finish.

You might all be pleased to know I am over my tantrum about hand quilting and will keep trying. I’m sure it is a skill I should acquire.

Have a peaceful afternoon (I know I will)

Annie

 

It’s official!!!!

Not that you can really see from this picture but believe me when I say that I am Officially the worst hand quilter ever!! I have a great Thimble a great frame and I just can’t do it. I have watched U-Tube videos, and I’m just not getting it. My fingers are sore, my arm is aching and I’ve done one flower grrrrr. This is my first attempt but still……………………………….

I try to keep my posts happy but it’s 10;50pm and did I mention that my arm and fingers are sore.

Sorry

and I’m sure you are all thinking it will come with practice but I’m not so sure. I’m babysitting two active little boys tomorrow who will want my undivided attention but I’ll see if I can bring myself to take it to our Tuesday night group that starts up again tomorrow night.

So to all you hand quilters I have one thing to say 

“you are amazing, and I’m in awe of your skill”

Ok so that was two things.

Good Night Annie :)

Road Trip

Yesterday we (Mum, Lucy, Mez and her mum Julie and I) had a bit of a road trip down the F3 to Sydney for some post Christmas retail therapy.

Our first stop was Victoria’s Basement in Auburn. Wow there were so many bargains I can even say I have put some things away for next Christmas. Yes that’s right me who started shopping for “09 Christmas 10 days before the date has made a start on “10 Christmas. The trick now will be remembering this fact!

Our next stop was Ikea. This certainly lives up to the name superstore. We walked around one floor thinking this must end soon but somehow we kept finding things we hadn’t seen before. The general consensus was that it must somehow spin on it’s axis revealing new gateways.

I haven’t been to Ikea since Sam was a baby and he turns 25 in April eek am I that old? Anyway I found this lovely material in the children’s section and was wondering if anyone else has used it for quilting?

It is 100% cotton and feels like it has some quality about it, I’m no expert. These packs are 120cm wide and 300cm length and were only $15.00. I thought if nothing else they would make good quilt backing fabric.

I make small quilts for the local hospital for their delivery suite to be used for babies that are stillborn and so am always looking for good quality but affordable fabric, so this might be the answer.

These are two of the latest, that I will send off shortly. I use my scraps for the tops, the green and white one is made from the leftover triangles from a flying geese border on a quilt I made last year and the pink one is slightly bigger but just pieced using  all my pink scraps.

Thanks to the lovely people who have left comments, it is such a thrill.

Till next time Annie

Flirting with flowers

I don’t have a great track record when doing BOM’s. “Girls Day Out” took me almost 3yrs and it’s still not back from the quilters! But who could resist this cute BOM from Vicki from Tozz’s Corner.

She uses a product called Stitch n Wash which she uses for her needle turn method and once I found my fingers (instead of only thumbs) it worked out pretty easy.

This is Block 1 called Flippy Daisy

I love the lady beetle! I also downloaded “Under the Sea” BOM from Cheryl at Willowberry Designs. Both these ladies are very generous and are offering them for free. They both have great blogs as well. Thanks to you both. My fingers might not thank you but they will toughen up I’m sure (I hope).

Thanks have a great day Annie