Goodnight 2020

 Blessed to be with family at Christmas.

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.

FNSI Wrapped Up

 Tonight was the night for a sew in hosted by Wendy HERE. I signed up last minute and managed to make this vine block for A Merry Christmas Garden.

Busy day tomorrow mustering so I'm off to find my pillow. Hope to pop back tomorrow evening and see who else has been sewing.

FNWF Early Start

My Friday night began as a Fri-Day With Friends when 2 lovely friends came to visit me in the craftavan. A lot of chatting including grandson P who wasn't shy for long, and some hand sewing, I worked on block 6 of A Merry Christmas Garden.

Then I spent the rest of the evening reading the latest Elm Creek Quilt novel, "The Christmas Boutique".  Can't get enough of this series.

Thank you Cheryll for bringing us altogether each month ... happy sewing.

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

Yep ... Still Crazy Busy

 SIL has had his first knee op so we're one step closer there. A little evening stitching goes on and I have block 5 now complete. Tick for 1Xmas and WOOFA ... little goals are achievable.

We had our first sleepover baby sitting with Grandson M (7 1/2 months) and his big brother Grandson J ... all went well. This was the same weekend Chooky had another zoom stitching so sadly I missed out and this ... hopefully next time.

Just breath deeply and take that next step.

Driving home from town yesterday afternoon ... fire season already?

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.

FNWF .. Tonight!

It dawned on me today that it's the first Friday of the month so ....

Time to click over to Cheryll's and sign up ... I've already started with a little bit of prepping.

May I Please ...

May I please have a chance to catch my breath?  A full household and crazy at work and I'm exhausted by evening. It's taken me way too long to finish the binding on Flynn's quilt but last night was it.  Photo shoot this afternoon.

Older brother joined in with his quilt. Not much grass cover ... It's forgotten how to rain.

Block 4 of A Merry Christmas Garden should have been finished too but I've only managed the final prep.

Can I please tick off for OPAM, WOOFA and 1XMAS ... follow the links on sidebars to share the love of creating.

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.

Friday Night Sew In With Friends

I've been slack and not made it back here after our 2nd FNWF to share my big finish.  So to use "2 for the price of 1" ... after last Friday Night ... and Saturday ... and Sunday ... I put the final stitch to 'Little Maccas Farm'  aka  'Little Flynn's Farm'

Thank you Cheryll for hosting our 2nd night with friends, was just the motivation I needed.

Now it's time to get ready for a FNSI with Wendy and I've been busy prepping on block 4 of  'A Merry Christmas Garden' ... which just also happens to tie in with WOOFA and 1XMAS.

Staying home ... staying safe ... and enjoying sewing with wonderful friends.

Friday Night Feline

This little kitty is showing off his brand new whiskers with a proud 'meow'.

With all his new friends, my little farm is growing, but now I have to wait for the mail lady to bring a parcel of cottons in order to finish the stitching.

If you missed this Friday night as I almost did, head over HERE and be ready for an extra Friday Night With Friends ... thank you Cheryll.

FNWF

What better way to spend a Friday night than with friends...even when I almost forgot.

Life on the "FARM" is stitching along and Kitty is next in line for the hoop.

A purr-fect evening ahead.

FNSI and a WOOFA

Before the insects drove me away from the sewing machine, I managed to give sight to 3 farm animals. Then reteating to the lounge my Christmas Garden grew ... green stems.

Saturdat night the leaves sprouted ...

Today the berries ripened ...

A little trim, a few seems and block 3 of A Merry Christmas Garden is complete. Thanks Wendy for a lovely Friday night sewing and I have good progress on my number 1. WOOFA

FNSI Plans

Busy busy week so I've been planning what I can work on this afternoon and tonight. I have 12 animals needing eyes appliqued and stems needing needle turn. Wendy's planning an Irish get together so lucky I'm working on some greenery :)

Goodness to share from a much needed lovely outing last weekend but that will need to wait ... the farm is calling.

FNWF Reporting

My plans changed a little and some prep and stitching happened on A Merry Christmas Garden...

Before that I finished my February block for a Murder Mystery Quilt ...

The evening was rounded off with a little knitting to finish a much needed dishcloth.

Thank you Cheryll and friends for a lovely evening.

I Missed February??!!

I know it's a short month and all but ... really??  A lot of "stuff" has been happening and if I start now I won't get any sewing done this afternoon to get a start on Friday Night With Friends.

This year I'm taking part in a Murder Mystery Quilt and the Feb block is due so that's a must to finish. Then onto another animal for 'Little Flynn's Farm' (my take on Little Maccas Farm).  I've increased hours at my town job this year to help the budget but it's eating away at my sewing time.

We have been fortunate to receive some rain and are now in a "green" drought ... lots of weeds, not much feed, some dams need a lot more and it's still going to be a long haul through this but we'll keep on keeping on.

Ok ... I'm off to sew, trace, iron, trim, iron some more ... woohoo ... see you tonight.

WOOFA and OPAM January

It's always good to have that little push to get things done.  Being on school holidays, I try to make the most of spare time. Sadly not a lot of that while surviving through this drought but sewing is always my sanity. A couple of finishes for OPAM ... thanks Kris.

A tote bag for Grandson J's farm animals.

A portable change mat for DIL

and a couple of neck scarves for working in the dusty cattle yards.

I also got to spend a day with good friends at our little patchwork group and worked on a WOOFA ... thanks Cheryll.

A few blocks of needle turn applique towards block 3 of A Merry Christmas Garden.

Please click on my sidebar links if you'd like to know or see more from these two inspirational circle of friends.