BSA block for Karyli

the sneak peak of the block

the whole block

I'm a couple of days late but it is finished and in the mail to Karyli in USA

Sydney Quilt show

What I bought myself, no not fabric but a beautiful pendant

Dr Seuss  fabric to make a pillow,
an owl pattern for the girls wall and
Make it Perfect pattern with fabric 

Lisa Walton's quilt that is part of her exhibition

spending time reading, Stitch and 101 projects

Kathy Doughty's quilt, love her use of colour

Vignette and and postcards from some of the
stallholder, Make it Perfect, Saffron Craig
and Create

Yesterday we ventured into the city of Sydney for the Quilt show, Kate, Lily, Violet and grandma. We met Clare there and spent the day enjoying the show. We went to Make it Perfect, Toni Cowards talk at 10.30, she had made up from Tasmania by sharing a car from Melbourne with a total stranger. Ash cloud that had covered parts of south eastern Australian and cautious airlines made getting to the show a challenge. We made Lily try on the little uptown girl coat the Toni had as sample to see she wanted it or sprout. As you can see she chose uptown girl and grey with yellow and white butterflies on it for grandma to make, she also wanted Dr Seuss fabric, I bought half metre to make some cushions for her bedroom to sit and read her Dr Seuss books.
The next talks we went to were Reece Scannell and Kathy Doughty talking on Understanding Colour and Using it Effectively, they did this together sew we sat from 12.30 to 1.30 and listened and learnt that we all need to have lights, mediums and darks in our stashes, what a great excuse to go shopping. Kathy also did the 2pm floor walk of the quilts so we followed her around and learnt more from her as she showed us some of the wonderful quilts.
The photos of the two quilt are ones that I would love to make, I just love Lisa Walton and her quilts, she has a special exhibition of them as part of the show, the colours are wonderful and they are all hand dyed fabric by her and her husband Peter.
Kathy's quilt she used part of it in her talk, I will have to go through my stash, the only colours I think I am missing are a range of black and white fabrics. 
Towards the end of the day we watched Liz DeLuca’ of Creative Arty Facts make glass beads, Lily was fascinated so she pointed us to her stall, Lily bought a clear glass bead with yellow stripes around it and grandma bought the beautiful pendant ($45 well spent)


As we drove home I checked my emails and got a surprise to find a Hancocks free shipping email, Kate who had only spent $50 of what had to spend so was happy to do an order as was I. Now I know buying local is important, but I bought a Kona fatquarter bundle for $37 and found a lovely print for the reverse of Lily's jacket at $5 a yard and a couple of others including these.


I have one block to finish and I have completed this months projects except my Tis' the Season blocks but I am off to a conference next week and plan to take them to stitch while I listen to the speakers and any free time I get, which means they might all be finished by the end of the month.

Been sewing again

Christmas block swap from Fiona

Bee in Oz block for Munaiba

Block swap adventure block from Karyli
Arbor Window block

Star block for Sally
Quilting block swap Australia11

Christmas block swap
my block for Fiona

Mug rug swap side 1

Side 2

So I posted the photos but never really made any comments The top picture is of the block the Fiona made me for the Christmas block swap, I made a applique tree block the pattern came from the quilt Christmas cards by the Chook Shed Company. I made the quilt about 8 years ago as a BOM.
Next is my Bee in Oz block for Munaiba, the pattern is jeweled geese and was made out of Kaffe Fasset fabrics, my block for June from Karli for the block swap adventure arrive. Karli's block is the one that I have to finish over the weekend and post on Monday.
Sallys block is next she wanted any star block bright with black background, thanks to Jessica I had practice in March for her bee in oz block. It should be at her place by now.
Lastly there is the mug rug which is heading to USA, it is finished and ready to send just wanted to make one trip to the post office so will post it Monday with Karyli's block.

Go Baby!

Samelia's Mum is having a giveaway here is what she says, I have entered how about you.
Would you like to win an AccuQuilt GO! Baby fabric cutter + 3 dies of your choice?

May block from Wendy and a busy weekend

Wendy's block

My block for May arrived Friday in the mail, I emailed Wendy and said when I got time I would post a picture. It is now Tuesday morning and it has taken me this long to get round to posting a picture and an explanation why it has taken so long. It has been a long weekend, Queens birthday weekend here in eastern Australia, which means yesterday was a public holiday.

Thursday night trip to airport to pick up DD2 who has come up for the weekend for Lily's party and see the rest of the family and friends. Hope she gets home to Melbourne, with all the problems with Volcanic ash affecting airports in Australia at the moment.

Lily and aunty Beth

Friday we went into Sydney to look at the lights of Vivid, Saturday was DGD Lily's 3rd birthday party, ended up going most of the day with a group of us doing dinner together, Sunday DH Steve did a baby dedication service for a young couple not part of our church but who wanted their little girl done! Last night I did baked dinner for 11, friends whose daughter is off to London UK to teach next month is friends with our daughter up from Melbourne so both families got together to have a last meal because Jennifer goes before Elizabeth is up again.




So now it is Tuesday morning and I am home alone, time to put my sewing room back from guest room and do some sewing, this months block is waiting to be done.

MCA where you could throw paint at the building

Sydney Opera House made out of solar lights

it had been overcast so the light weren't working

Quilted basket swap

Basket I received from Antonia in Germany

The basket that I sent to Colleen in Canada

The quilted basket swap brought to us by Michele (aka Mishka) of The Quilting Gallery.
This was the second swap I participated in, the first being mug rug swap. This swap was to make a small bag/basket for Colleen and Antonia made mine for me, and someone else made one for Antonia and Colleen made hers for someone else. Lots of swaps all over the world and lots of fun.

OPAM for May

For Violet

This is a little cardigan that I finished last month for Violet, I used left over pink from her mums jumper and added a green band in the middle. Easy as start and looks so cute, I found a couple of toggles to add to the front to keep it closed but it is already in the dirty clothes pile so will sew them on when clean. Made in Cleckheaton Country Silk. Big sister Lily wants a yellow cardigan for her birthday on Thursday, I'm using Patons Bluebell and hope to have it ready for her party on Saturday. I'll show you when its finished.
OPAM for May included finishing Violets quilt, block swaps, quilted bag swap, jumper for Kate, Bee in Oz block, Tis the Season blocks and a few more hexies