Sunday This and That

In between helping out with cattle work, I've been tucked away in the craftervan ... out of the cold wind. Friday I made up the September blocks for MMQ.

This year's Murder Mystery Quilt (MMQ) is set in Peru. Each month we receive a new block or choice of blocks and the next chapter in a Murder Mystery novel. Clues to "who done it?" can be found in the chapters and blocks as well as bonus clues, but I'm no Miss Marple.

Saturday I finally managed to jump on Zoom with Chooky and friends. I've been missing out on connecting with this lovely group of ladies and it was the best start to my day. While listening and chatting I joined 3 rows on my Strips n Curves.

Later after more cattle work, I finished joining all rows. Now for a peeper and a border  ... I'm auditioning a blue peeper bottom left or pink/red on the right.

Last night I put the last treble crochet in my C2C rug. It's only small at about 35" square but I love how the varigated wool worked out.

This morning another sourdough loaf baked and some sourdough crumpets for smoko.

I may have also started another monthly Mystery Quilt from Meadow Mist Designs ... 1st month is this hourglass blocks so this is my project for tomorrow at our Patchwork Day.

I couldn't help myself and was able to pull fabrics from my stash ... 2 down and 54 to go.

Happy Sunday 😊 

FNwF

 Thank you Cheryll and friends for a lovely Friday night.  I managed to get a head start earlier in the day with a block for my Murder Mystery Quilt.  Back in March I made the FPP Lama block but now that I've been playing with layout, it's the only animal block I've chosen to make so ....

I went back and made the alternative block for March.

In the evening I sewed a couple of blocks for 'Strips n Curves'.  

A few more were made yesterday and I've only got a couple left to sew today, then I can play with layout.

After dinner I spent some time with wool and hook and added a few more rows to my C2C rug. It won't be as big as my other rugs but it will still keep the knees warm.

Enjoy you weekend 🌞

Um ... Slow March, FNWF and April Challenge

 After riding the mojo wave in January/February, March went flat! ...

 I couldn't find the Sashiko panel that I had only just photographed for Chookshed Challenge ... got a sinus infection that hung on for over 2 weeks ... 

Bought a Sashiko Panel at the Childers Quilt Show so I eventually put needle and thread to work ...

I'll continue on this at night and will be my FNWF project this Friday.

Couple of items I did manage to finish were the Feb and Mar blocks for the Murder Mystery Quilt. Soooo many pieces of FPP in the Lama but I'm happy with how it turned out and the sun block also used FPP.

Did a catchup of some leaves on the March branch of Temperature Tree.

End of March saw a lot of visitors and trips into town for one thing and another including special "0" birthday lunches. I can't complain about all this wet weather even though it creates headaches for us here on our property ... nothing compared to the devastation unfolding out in Central and Western Queensland.

Ooops ... before heading off I just remembers it's a new month and a new Chookshed Challenge Number ... #4 is completing the top for 2023 Temperature Quilt

So I need to go make a cuppa and then hit the bookwork first, so I can spend some time today playing with my new sewing machine that I picked up last Friday for my birthday.

FNSI and 2 Mysteries

I will be joining with Wendy and friends for some Friday Night sewing and decided to get a headstart with a little bit of prep and sewing today.

This year I've signed up for another Murder Mystery Quilt and am off to Machu Picchu... thanks to some morning sewing, block #1 is now complete.

Best place on a hot day is in my craftavan with the aircon so I've also been cutting scraps into 1.5" squares for my 2nd Mystery Quilt.  This one is a Scrappy Mystery using 2 colour ways so I've chosen blue and yellow. Instructions so far call for 9 patches and half square triangles.

Now and then I go through my scraps and cut them into varying sizes ready for that "one day" project. I heard the perfect term for these precuts ... Quilt Candy!

So now it's back to making more candy perhaps ... oh and I almost forgot ... tonight for FNSI I'll be working on my Temperature Tree.

At Last It Grows and FNWF

 I'm not daring to look back at the year of starting this crochet rug, I'll just concentrate on the finish as I'm really glad I could pick up (and remember how!) where I had left off. Friday night I managed to full rows of colour, each colour is 2 rows. A total of 6.75 rows since picking it up again last Monday.

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It's sets of 3 treble crochet with 1 chain between each ... in the 1st row of a colour, the middle one of each set hooks down to the previous row. I was given the  pattern from mum and she called it 'Cat's Tail' ... it may have other names like 'Houndstooth'.

This coming week will reveal the next block of my Murder Mystery Quilt. So far this year I've been completing the blocks before the end of each month ... last year I'd be rushing to get them done as the next one was being released ... so here is April's block (2 blocks of applique).

This quilt will be my 3rd mystery quilt and my favourite.

Thank you Cheryll for another lovely Friday Night.

A Perfect Afternoon

This afternoon had everything I needed for a lazy public holiday on this Australia Day. A cuppa, a snack and some lovely friends to zoom with. It is honestly just like sitting around together at a sewing day, stitching and chatting, catching up with good friends and making new friendships. Thank you Chooky for getting us together.

I was able to join in after lunch and managed a couple of small projects.  2 pair of sock protectors for Grandsons J and P, on J's request. 

Hubby had also requested alterations to 2 work shirts ... long sleeves to short sleeves.  Now for next time I need to find myself a Zoom Project that I can pick up where I left off. Also forgot to share a pic of the finished Murder Mystery Quilt top  ... 2020 Egypt.

Have to go ... the kettle has boiled and I need to share the computer.  It's back to work now for the next 10 weeks so I'll be grabbing sewing time where I can in the craftavan. 

All Wrapped Up

 A timely wrap up of my sewing for the year.  Thanks to Cheryll and her WOOFA Challenge, I kept stitching away at A Merry Christmas Garden (picture in previous post) and plan to have it quilted and binding finished to gift to my daughter for Christmas 2021.  That might be a long way off but I have a lot of quilting lined up for next year.  So with the help of Cheryll, I will accept next year's WOOFA Challenge and aim high.

Thank you also to our little group of Elves over at 1XmasItemAMonth ... it's always much more fun to sew with friends.

My last finish for Christmas was a wall hanging for our Patchwork Group Santa Swap and Break-up on Monday. 

The Murder Mystery Quilt will be wrapping up in January. December's task was adding some lotus buds.

We've managed a few good showers of rain and a green tinge is appearing but hoping for a lot more rain yet to fill dams and the underground water.  Hoping 2021 is much kinder to everyone.

Still Here and Sewing

 I've been fortunate enough to squeeze in a few extra sewing hours this last week (add in a couple late nights) and have managed not 1 but 2 completed tops.  The first is "Mother Goose" by Kookaburra Cottage, a quilt for grandson no. 4 who will be turning 1 in early January so I've been pushing to get this one done and off to a quilter.

Next I only needed the borders added to "A Merry Christmas Garden" after finishing block 6 and joining them together. This one goes into my stash awaiting quilting ... maybe 2021 will be my quilting year.

So today instead of making a start on a wall hanging for a Christmas Swap, I pulled out the fabrics for November block of the Murder Mystery Quilt and hey presto ... a pyramid.

Looking back I haven't shared a photo of the finished beetles for September or October's borders.

Just one more block to bring this mystery to an end. Of course I couldn't help myself and had to sign up for next year's Murder Mystery in the Caribbean.

Quick Update

 Managed a moment in the craftavan on Sunday and have an almost finished cow applique.

Yesterday I enjoyed a lovely day out with the local patchwork group and worked on this guy. He's part of the September blocks for my Murder Mystery Quilt.

I'm only able to join the girls in the school holidays and it's always so nice to catch up with what they have on their machines.  Today I bottled my homemade feta cheese into a brine and added some to a salad for lunch...yumm!

Also put a batch of sourdough bread makings aside for it's 1st rise. Enjoy your week xx

July Murder Mystery Blocks

Got busy yesterday between washing, tidying (helping hubby when needed) and preparing dinner to finish my blocks for July.

Hoping to do some more machine applique on the Mother Goose quilt this weekend ... stay tuned.

Crazy Busy Times

By end of June I did manage to finish block 4

and made a start on prepping and stitching block 5.

In the school holidays I managed a sewing day with friends and completed June blocks for a Murder Mystery Quilt.

My treasures 💙

Especially in these uncertain times ... make time to care for yourself so that you can continue to care for others.

FNWF Results and a Party!

In my previous pic last night, everything in the centre piece was only placed. Now all the pieces are trimmed and pinned ready for hand applique with needle turn. 

I've also joined the outer blocks ready to join to the centre. Thank you Cheryll and friends for a lovely evening.

Today my sewing machine has been working out ... putting together the May block of Murder Mystery Quilt.

This afternoon I'm planning on a date with Humpty Dumpty and some machine applique. Chookyblue is having a party ... want to know more ... head to HERE https://chookyblue.blogspot.com to find out more.

April Catch Up

Ok, so I lost track of April but that's alright...lots of good happened even in this crazy time of social distancing.

FNSI, 1XMAS and WOOFA ... Way back on the night of FNSI I made some good progress on 'A Merry Christmas Garden'.

Mid April our Daughter, Son-in-Law and Grandsons (one 3 year old and one 5 month old) came to live while SIL awaits a knee reconstruction. As my sewing is spread between the 2 spare bedrooms, I've had to pack, store and tidy and have small projects out.

A little crafting and cooking for Anzac Day as we remembered those who served and continue to serve.

I did finish Little Flynn's Farm and was lucky enough that when I took it to a quilter yesterday, the lady had a free spot, loaded it on the frame and I was able to bring it back home yesterday afternoon. Now to get the binding machined on 1 side so I can sit and hand stitch the binding down.

Then on with 'Mother Goose Nursery' for grandson no. 4 between living in a busy household and going to work 3 days a week ... never a dull moment.

Ooops!  I've also forgotten to share pics of March blocks for my Murder Mystery Quilt

and April blocks which was adding onto March blocks.