A Blank Canvas Awaits

Let It Sew, Let It Sew, Let It Sew!

Just a couple of last minute makes because I'm officially on holidays.  I've had an appliqued block sitting around for about 2 years that I had intended to make up into a library bag for Grandson J ... DONE!

Since I work on a Monday I rarely get to our patchwork days but as yesterday was the first day of 6 week school break ... me and my crochet made it to town. While there the girls were making lovely table runners so feeling full of inspiration, this morning I tipped out my Christmas fabric scraps and whipped up 3 small table centres and 2 place mats.

The place mats were initially also centres, but as they were shorter and wider I wasn't happy with the look. When I stitched the points down ... I was presented with the perfect cutlery pockets.

Happy Days ... Sewing while the mojo lasts.  Also going to tag ahead of time for 1 Xmas Item A Month 2018 and OPAM 2018.

Dec The Halls

Or Dining Room in my case. 

Keeping with tradition, back when my kids were in school, we always put decorations up on the first weekend in December.

November No Sew - OPAM - 1XMAS

But I did knit!  And I'm feeling positive with the end of the month only next week ... not to mention ... only 1 month till Christmas.

I might not have done any sewing this month if you don't count the 3 pairs of shorts for the Mr that needed the hem taken up (He is NOT the long short type), and mending a pair of shorts for DS.  However, in the evenings my knitting needles clicked and I finished the last 3 wash cloths for little gifts and used all the wool purchased for this purpose ... winning.

Now it's back to the crochet rug in the evenings and maybe some hand embroidery.

What else has been keeping me busy this month?  Gosh, a month is a long time to cast my mind back.  A sleepover with Grandson J; facetime with Grandson P and DD; a few extra days called into work; a business economics workshop; the usual town days for groceries, parts, etc and a full round of mustering cattle. This time was somewhat different for me as I'm back in the saddle on a lovely mare that only goes as fast as I want her to (read here - walk along behind/beside the mob and sometimes trot ... I'm no speedster).

So this is my post for 1XMAS and OPAM rolled into one.  To see what everyone else has been up to in their sewing rooms this month, click on the appropriate icons on my sidebar and enjoy your visit.

Friday Night No Go

After a couple of extra busy days, no amount of match sticks could have propped my eyelids open ... so with not a stitch made, I just had to call it an early night. Saturday wasn't favourable for stitching/knitting either but I have finally made a start on my next wash cloth.

This is my last ball of microfibe wool so wash cloths will soon come to an end ... till next year. I hope your Friday night was productive.

OPAM October

A final finish for the month of October ... this soft bundle is ready for a baby boy to snuggle into.

Feeling good with four small finishes for the month ... enjoying some simple knitting in the evenings before the weather gets too hot.

Looking back through posts, I noticed that I hadn't shared my first baby boy bundle. These bunny rugs are simple and so cuddly. I can also get a mini snuggy from the cutoff fleece.

FNSI or a Knit In

Below is my original post from Sunday evening but just before I could publish I lost interent.

This would have to be a record for me ... almost half a wash cloth knitted in an evening.  A few more rows wathcing 'Landline' (Farmers' program on ABC) at lunch and finished it off while watching an Elvis Presley movie 'Girl Happy' this afternoon ...

Storm clouds, loud thunder and crazy lightning are closing in so I'm off before the power goes.

See what other lovely pieces were being created on Friday night by clicking HERE.

So to continue on:  Still no interent ... I'm hot-spotting to my phone on limited data so this will be quick.  The wind was crazy and we also had golf ball size hail ... not much rain but our dams are all full and we just need the grass to get growing now.  I really hope others have received some much needed rain too.

Sad to say, I won't be blog hopping until connection is back to normal ... hoping everyone has a lovely week with lots of time to be creative.

FNSI Sign Up

How has a third Friday for October come around so quickly?  Rush over to Wendy's to join in for a lovely night with like minded friends.  I''ll be working on my crochet rug and maybe start on another wash cloth for my Christmas stash.

We've been fortunate to receive some lovely rain in the past week, luckily without the destructive storms that have caused heartbreak for many.  Still feeding our cows though so that they can stay strong and care for their babies. Millie tries to get the calves to play but usually the mums step in.

Well, my BAS (tax stuff) is done so mopping the floors is next on my agenda, I should stop procrastinating I guess.

Mama Mia ... FNWF

Friday night went something like this ...

Settled down in the lounge, Millie on my lap of course, crochet on the go. Yes, earlier in the week I put my thinking cap on and got back into the hook and pull through.

Enjoying virtual company of friends and tapping my toes to the awesome songs of Mama Mia the movie, when the house was plunged into silence and darkness. Enough of a storm to create a blackout but only a few drops of rain. Nothing to do but feel my way around and into bed. Yesterday I found a moment to finish the row I was on.

Thank you Cheryll for bringing us together on a Friday night.

Here are a couple other finishes I haven't yet shared.  My next wash cloth ...

This quilt top was completed on the 30th Sept, right on time. "Ruth's Quilt"

Back to  the off farm work tomorrow, squeezed in between feeding the cattle and checking waters. An upside of driving round the paddocks so often is seeing all the new babies ... will share a photo or two next time.

FNSI Quick Check In

A busy weekend and grandson J having sleepovers ... a quick snap of my progress.

I went with knitting as to crochet meant putting my thinking cap on ... loving all the different varigated combinations ... and Millie always "in my pocket". Old wool scraps are great for fencing or any reason a 4 year old might need. 😁

Off to visit blogs to see what everyone else was busy with on Friday night.

FNSI and Togetherness

Time again to join in for a lovely Friday evening, sewing, making, creating with great company. I'm thinking I might get my crochet hook into action tonight on a long awaiting rug.  Please visit Wendy's blog to sign up and read why this Friday night is extra special.

I was fortunate enough to be a lucky winner for a recent FNSI and have been slack in sharing my sweet prize.  Thank you so much Wendy for hosting this monthly get together ... friendships formed are only and always just a few key taps away. The support, inspiration and company from sharing, caring bloggers is a most precious gift indeed.

Thank you to Cheryll and all the wonderful hostesses who give the gift of their time, knowledge and sweet parcels to bring a togetherness in blogland (which often spills over to the real world). Just a few can be found on my sidebars. Sometimes slipping into the world behind the computer or tablet screen can be the haven someone is need of.

Going For Gold

How's this for a once in a lifetime opportunity? THE 2018 Melbourne Cup is visiting our little town of Mt Perry yesterday and today. 100% of the gold for this year's cup was mined at the Mt Rawdon Goldmine on the outskirts of town. 

A real goosebump moment ... very special.

This is the address to view the story behind the making of this year's cup. (Sorry I can't link)  https://vimeo.com/278493566/f0ebe00733

Back home and another gold finish for me ... Ruth's Quilt is a completed top ... love, love love it. Sitting on a queen bed, you can see it doesn't quite cover so I'm planning on adding a narrow black border and a 2nd border using the left over black/white rectangles.

My new shopping bag is also finished and holding my byo mesh fruit/vege bags. This one is from IGA ... a little paint, fabric and a doily it it has a whole new look.

Onward with the knitting needles and crochet hook ... what project will be next pst the finish post?

FNWF and Other Things

Never thought I'd be playing with paints Friday but that's where I started.

Then after dinner my black and whites called to me and I was able to finish joining all the horizontal seams on each strip.

Now I have 20 completed strips to begin joining the long side seams.

With NRL finals on the tv, I still had some time to sit and make these sweet little heart shape puffs and a couple of leaves to decorate my shopping bag.

When I went to post on Friday, I found a draft post sitting waiting so I best share here now.  This was the second dish cloth completed with the microfibre wool.

Wishing every night could be a Friday night.

FNWF

Really?  Another month has begun?  Wasn't it May yesterday?

The good thing is that I get to spend Friday night sewing with lovely Friends ... and Cheryll has some yummy slice to share too.  Not sure what to work on though. I have knitting on the needles, Ruth's Quilt is layed out on the bed and half joined. What's your choice of crafting?

FNSI Results

A short night of knitting thanks to bugs ... the achey, coughing ones! Then spent the weekend in bed most of the time but I managed a few more rows last night.

Visit here to see what others have to share from FNSI.

This is the wool I purchashed from a discount store. My current dishcloth is this microfibre ... so thick and absorbent ... love it!

FNSI Signups

Ready ... get set ... knit!

Traditional Windy August

A chilly wind is howling outside today ... so I'm staying indoors playing with wool and fleece. Fresh off my knitting needles is a new wash cloth, perhaps a baby cloth in these soft colours.

I've just put my last cloth into use at the kitchen sink and oh boy is it absorbent ... love it!

Our youngest grandson P is off to daycare once a week and DD asked if I would like to make a shaggy bag for his 'nap time' things ... then later it can become his library bag. Diving into my stash I found two packs of 5" squares ... so why not make two bags while I was at it.  Pictures show both sides of each bag with 'I Spy' fabrics.

While August seems to be the month for making progress in the sewing room, this week I found my polar fleece fabric purchased to make some more bunny rugs. I don't think I've even shown this one on my blog ... made a couple of months ago.

Makes a sweet gift set for a baby girl I think.

So I now have the fleece cut ready for 2 more bunny rugs with matching face washers.

Also, a couple months back, a local fabric shop showed a pic of a doggy print fleece she had in ... so I just had to buy some with the intention of making a new coat for Millie. This one is lined with leftover fleece from the first bunny rug so a little more stash busting as well.

Yesterday I cut out 3 more doggy coats ready for sewing.  And I still have the 2nd half of the ball of wool to knit another wash cloth.

Not forgetting that my lovely little tags for Ruth's Quilt are sitting in the draw waiting to be trimmed to size along with gorgeous black/white fat 1/4's. But I don't want to frighten away my newly refreshed mojo by jumping in the deep end.  I'll just keep floating about somewhere in the middle ... finding my balance.