Sewing Go Slow

Back at work, no sewing and exhausted. It's always the same first week back, takes a bit to get back into the swing of things.

In the absence of any sewing progress, here's the fabric postcard I completed for January.

Happy Sewing

Sewing, Sewing and More Sewing

I've been having a sewing good time! Every day last week I managed to get some sewing done. Yesterday and today have been more of the same. My machine is set up with the ironing board close by and I just keep sewing . . . with a few household jobs inbetween.

I'm getting as much sewing time in as possible before I head back to a work routine this Thursday, so sadly, 'ample' sewing time is coming to an end. Then it will be back to squeezing the sewing in.

So, what have I achieved.

This log cabin quilt I'm doing as a quilt-as-you-go. I'm just about to start joining the blocks.



I finally made a start on Red Delicious. Here's block one all ironed on, ready for hand blanket stitching with some embroidery on the bird tails and cherries.



And for this T-Block quilt, I used fabrics that I'd originally bought for the log cabin but I had twice as much fabric as I needed. For more pics of the steps to this quilt, see here.

Of course this means I've added more projects to my WIP list but I do have a time frame for these two quilts so hopefully they will soon be moved to the Completed 2009 list.

So it's back to the sewing machine for me, perhaps with a cup of coffee.

Happy Sewing Days

Colour In My Garden

Or perhaps my title could have been "After The Rains". Everything looks so much fresher and happier when it's had a good drenching.

Saturday we received 2 inches of rain in an afternoon storm. The only problem was it also came with high winds which not only blew the rain under doors and in windows, it brought down a lot of branches and some trees along our road. DD and I were on our way home from town and had to sit it out in a small town along the way.

With trees down blocking the road, and gullies gushing with water, we did wonder if we might have to turn around and head back to town for the night. Luckily we have an alternate track so DH came out along that one to meet us. It hadn't received the full brunt of the storm so we made it home eventually. A 1 hour 20 minute drive home turned into 4 hours but now the dams are full and the grass is growing so I will never complain.

So getting back to my title, I took a walk around the garden yesterday with camera in hand. I'd like to share a little colour from my garden.

Enjoy,

I'm off to do some sewing with perhaps a sewing related post later today.

Don't forget, I still have room in my PIF, if you've been thinking about joining, I'd love to hear from you.

Giveaways Galore

Surfing around blogland this morning I found several exciting giveaways that I'd like to share with you.

The wonderful Jo Jo at Home Sweet Home is celebrating her 100th post with a surpirse 'Pick-a-box'. Visit Jo to find out how to enter her draw. Here is my contribution.

My embroidery scissors

My scraps tidy.

My trusty Janome.

Gorgeous fabric and a pendant expecially for Valentine's Day. Say hello to Jane for your chance to play with this bundle of fun.




How lovely are these hand made earrings? Head over to Optimistic Beauty for your chance to win them.



More beautiful fabric. One of the prizes you could win by visiting Fabric Family and Fun.

Mary has a bunch of goodies to giveaway, including about 12 yards of pretty ribbon. Check out her eye candy pic at Primitive Seasons.

Now I'm off to do some sewing. Holidays are coming to a close and I'm trying to squeeze in as much sewing as possible.

Happy Sewing

Easter Swap

Check out Mr Bunny on my side bar and clink on the link ... or click here to visit Julie and see what she's organising.

I'm off to finish the other eight of these.

The 2nd and 3rd row of darks will be different so this won't be the final layout.

Happy Sewing

Back From Shopping

Hi, I'm back from our shopping trip and don't know where to start. We had the most wonderful two days of fabric shops and great company with plenty to show for it.

Once I get caught up with the household chores, I'll unpack, take some photos and get back to posting. I just had to check emails and a couple of blogs while waiting for the next load of washing.

Don't forget I'm participating in a PIF so if you've been thinking about joining one, I'd love to send you a gift handmade by me. Please leave a comment and check my earlier post for the rules.

Happy Sewing

Try, Try Again!

These are the strips cut ready for my Log Cabin.

Here are the reds for my 'Red Delicious'

And finally picture added at 5.00pm, this is what I bought yesterday. Shocking! January 5 and already the hot cross buns are on the shelves.

PIF, Cutting Strips and Shopping

Firstly I'd like to thank Vivien for joining in on the PIF fun. You might like to pay her a visit and check out her lovely Christmas Quilt.

As for cutting strips, I spent yesterday doing exactly that. I finally made a start to the Log Cabin for my brother's quilt. All fabric is cut into long strips and the backing and wadding is squared and waiting. Hope I can make a start on actually sewing tomorrow.

Then I'm off for a couple days R & R ... rest and relaxation you think? ... well yes and no. I'm off with a few of the Mt. Perry Girls for a Retail Roadtrip. Or a Fabric Acquisition Road Trip ... if you take each Red letter what do they spell?

I'm one of those who refuse to allow retail to dictate when Christmas and Easter begins. I like to wait to do my Christmas shopping from the beginning of December and my Easter shopping a couple of weeks prior to Easter. However today I gave in and bought some of these .....

(sorry, having trouble uploading pics, will try later... can you guess what I bought?)

after all they are delish ... but I promise not to buy any more till April ... perhaps.

Also today I got the last ingredients for 'Red Delicious' so the next step is tracing and ironing, can't wait to get started.

Happy Quilting

Happy New Year 2009

I hope everyone was able to celebrate the new year as they wished. We had a lovely evening with family and friends enjoying the cool night air by our local river.

After several days of almost 40 degree C and reaching 40+ on New Years Eve Day, today we have been taking advantage of much cooler temps and showery weather since 4am this morning. What a relief! I don't care at all that I have a pile of washing; I have a dryer for the important items and the rest can wait.

Needles to say, there has been no sewing at all, just too hot! I have one more quilt to show for Finn's challenge which I was going to photograph today but that will have to wait. I've started on my shopping (fabric) list for a trip next week and have many plans for projects as well as good intentions of finishing those things on my WIP list and ?? list as part of the Get It Done Challenge for 2009.

My turn again to PIF.

I took part last year and enjoyed making new friends so after some careful consideration of 'am I trying to do too much already' I decided to play along with Daisy Quilts. After all, I have 365 days and lots of ideas. So if there are 3 lovely new or existing friends out there who would like to join ...

... here are the rules and I'd love to have a comment from you.

I will make you a handmade gift and send your gift to you within a year.

By joining up, you are agreeing to PIF with 3 others as well...

This means you will put the logo on your site and ask 3 people to play with you and make them all a handmade gift....and so it goes!

If you would like to PIF with me, please leave a comment.

Wishing you all lots of sewing time in 2009.