Block for Cathy........

my partner in this months block swap adventure was Cathy from SA.  Cathy wanted autumn tones log cabin, the last round are from my Japanese fabrics I liked the texture it added to the block. Colours aren't great in the photo,  I finished the block just as the sun was going down, that's why I took the photo out on the grass.

Autumn tones

cream/neutrals

finished block on the grass

March already........

for my February finishes I did my mug rug swap, Bee in Oz blocks, Block swap adventure blocks, knitted a Caressa express cardigan and a dozen or so hexagons. The fabric in the second photo came from a friend, Karen. She had cleaned her sewing room a had a pile of scrap fabric did I want it, who would say no. Anything that was cotton I cut into hexagon shapes, all the dress, fancy fabric I gave to Kate for playgroup, MOPS, or Girls Brigade to use.

The beginning of something, using up scraps, all the centres
are the same bone fabric from IKEA 

This is all cut ready to sew, fabric from a friend

from this

to this

I knitted the first cardigan for Kate in 2008 and took it to London when we went to visited them. It came home never worn as I had forgotten to adjust the button holes for my 5' 11" (180cm) daughter. So last month we pulled it to pieces, unknitted it and re-knitted it into the second one. The colour of the wool is that of the first cardigan. When I can I will take a photo of Kate in the cardigan but given she is 3 months off having baby number 2 and it is still very warm that could be a while. I am very pleased with how it looks - just like the book.

Where to start

OK so it's been a while.

I have been crafting a little, stitching some, buying fabrics Patchwork Heart at Penrith had some lovely half price fabrics, but mainly not accomplishing anything major. Where to begin - after 14 months of having DD1 Kate, SIL Graeme and now 2 yo DGD Lily living with us they finally have keys to their new home and will move in over the next couple of weeks. I will miss the evening kiss and cuddle after she has had a bath and the grandma where is Big and Little Ted (my bears, as in Playschool bears).

I will have a sewing room again even if it is part of the rumpus room and space to leave tops on the floor as I piece them together.

So what have I been doing - Hunter Hill quilt show was on last weekend Di and Sarah both wrote about it. The Camden Quilt show was the first weekend of the month and it was up to its usual high standard. Munaiba wrote about it and has lovely pictures.

I do have photos somewhere but haven't downloaded them yet - told you I have been slack.

We drove to Melbourne in July down the coast, stayed in Eden on Thursday night and then drove onto Orbost, Lakes Entrance and finally reaching Melbourne to meet DD2 Elizabeth who lives down there as she finished work. We stayed at a wonderful serviced apartments on Punt Road, we went to TGIF for dinner in Chapel St and I was glad we had to walk back to the car I was full.

Penrith played Melbourne (rugby league) and the Quilt show was on what great timing. While Steve and Elizabeth spent Saturday morning doing father daughter stuff I spent 3 hours wandering around looking a Victorian Quilt Show - there were some lovely Winding Ways quilts that caught my fancy, they were stunning. I also took the finished bag (Rosies bag No1) that I bought the kit for at the Sydney quilt show, from Indgo Niche. It was the first time she had written a pattern so was please to see it turned out OK and was easy to follow.

We won't talk about the footy!!!!!! the stadium is cool.

Sunday we went to St Kilda markets, met Elizabeth after she was finished at church and had lunch in a really nice cafe in South Melbourne, wandered around the shops and headed back out to Docklands where church is held in the pub of an evening. Left Melbourne Monday morning driving through much of the country that was burnt on "Black Saturday" - I love the area around Kinglake, back roads and lunch at Beechworth at around 3pm is always the nicest possible way to drive back to Sydney.

In the middle of June, did you go to the Sydney quilt show - I did with my friend Clare. We both bought fabric and kits and admired the quilts, wondering if either of us would ever be THAT good. Saw my SIL Jo with her walking buddies.

So in my last post I showed you a couple of quilt tops, Lily got hers finished for her 2nd birthday, although I am still not sure there is enough quilting in it - I hand quilted it with yellow, purple and orange Cotton Perle.

I will download those photos and show you my finished projects and maybe even the fabrics I bought on special. I will try to blog more regularly and remember just what else I have been doing.

I know I did do quiet a bit of work May and June - in store demo work, but I've not had any the last month or so. I do need to go find something regular 20hrs a week.

Until next time

Sue

Finished cardigan and new quilt blocks

The first 2 blocks of this years class.

This is the detail of the band which was knitted separately and then sewn on, the front band was also knitted separately. I was supposed to be pick up stitches on the cardigan and knitted sideways but I decided to do it the other way and yes they are three quarter sleeves, I think maybe they should have been slightly shorter but I still really like the way it turned out.

Sewing, knitting and work

So it goes another month is near its end and what have I been doing. I've made Bella-boo for Lily for Easter even if she is already playing with her. She is in Melly and Me's book, Kaleidoscope bought at Craftexpo when it was on at Sydney Olympic Park Homebush. I have had an order put in for Bubbles the Unicorn from her mummy for her 30th birthday in August.

I've made BAGuette by Natalie Lymer of Cinderberry Stitches that was in Homespun 78. It just needs handles/straps I still can't decide what I want but the bag is finished. I think I want red leather ones like Natalie's one in Homespun. I used a variety of remnants bought from Craft Depot at Pennant Hills. I did the stitcheries in DMC linen threads, they are so nice to stitch with and were a present sent to me from DD Kate when she lived in London.

Drum roll the bargain buy of last winter was 20 balls of Patons Merino Deluxe DK for $20. I've knitted the fitted cardigan in Jo Sharps book Saturday. Oh did I say 20 balls I actually bought 50, 20 in colour 2 chestnut, 30 in colour 1 beige. That said the wool is selling at yarnsgalore for $7.60 a ball.

There will be a photo tomorrow when the sun comes out of the finished cardigan, I'm very pleased with it, if I do say so myself.

Have you seen advertised "Dynamo to go" it's a instant stain remover you can carry in your handbag. You know when you spill the last of that coffee on your nice cream shirt well this little pen will help you get through the day without looking a complete dag. Have picked up the sales pitch yet, this is the latest instore promotion that I am doing , mostly in south west and western Sydney, 3 hours spilling coffee and red wine on small white squares of fabric for people to try out the pens. Its interesting work and helps pay the bills but I would rather be sewing. Its a good thing that Supermarkets don't want you in there stores this week because of Easter, meant that I got more stitching and knitting finished that I had hoped for.

By the way must remember to show you the first 2 blocks of a quilt that I have just started, I do a class once a month with Barbara Gower and I am making her design called Steps and Ladders, it's in Batiks that I bought in London in 2008 at the Knitting and Stitching show.

OPAM - February

So here we are almost at the end of February and after almost no casual work for 12 months I have work this week, 4x4 hour shift demonstrating Pacific West Asian snacks, which means I had to get this months projects finished before Wednesday night. This is the second month of Peg and Kris's One Project a Month (OPAM)

I am very proud of myself cause I finished 3 projects and still have time to maybe add some more.

First off I saw Elizabeth over at Oh,Fransson made this great little ironing table. I went what a great idea for someone who has little sewing space at the moment. The next week Aldi had TV trays on special for $14.99. I went and bought one and have made my own sweet little ironing table. I used some heavy weight check I bought from Spotlight a while back as the top and leftover batting. I really like the way it turned out. Thanks Elizabeth for a great idea.

My daughter Elizabeth was up from Melbourne over the weekend so I got the chance to have her dress made. I bought the fabric Christmas eve but didn't get the chance to have it made for over the Christmas, New Year when she was up. She'd picked pattern 6776 from New Look and lovely crisp white fabric, the blue star fabric in the sash was on special so we bought the rest of that as well and that is still to be made up when she decides what she wants out of it.

And to finish I made a Double Irish Chain quilt 12 months ago, had it quilted, did the binding and it was finished, or so I thought. The 8" white squares looked lonely, it needed something more - hearts, flowers, hands!!!!

I traced everyones hands including both of Lily's and then chain stitched around them. They all look really neat, there are still 6 white squares with nothing in them and that might become another project if I decide that they need something too, but for now it is finished and on my bed. It is quite a wide quilt it almost comes to the floor on the sides (this means I still have some in the morning). It was made from 2 jelly rolls, Blossom by Urban Chicks - I just love the fabric and all the hands are embroidered in DMC cotton perle no.8