August Wrap ~ September Challenge

 One leaf and one row was all it took to wrap up for August. First is my Temperature Tree up to date ... time to get that September branch finished and ready for some leaves.

Second finish was my "Granny Ripple" Crochet Rug. I mentioned last post that I ran out of white for the last row ... my friends white was stark against mine so I ended up finishing with my off white ... Shhh! No one will notice.  This rug was also #5 for the Chookshed Challenge so I can tick that one off. I was using leftover wool from a previous rug and only purchased the pinky colour.

Now onto September's Challenge #3 ... I have a confession to make on my "Happy Houses" blocks ... I still haven't found them. This might have to be the month I turn my sewing stashes upside down and inside out and if the blocks don't turn up, I'll have to write them off!

For now I'll keep working on #9 "Strips and Curves" and hopefully get it into a completed top ... I made some progress yesterday on piecing the blocks ... using lots of pins and sewing slowly on those curved seams.

One more crochet rug to finish and then that will be that for working with wool ... I just can't manage it once the weather warms up so I'll be back to stitching Sashiko blocks in the evenings.

Pop over to Deana's and you can follow what fellow Chookshed Stitchers have been working on.

Chookshed Challenge April Wrap

 I've been missing out on skipping around blogland to catch up with everyone ... I can only cross my fingers for May as I have a couple of quilting deadlines to try and meet. I should never say 'next week is looking quiet' because that's when something crops up!

Very happy with Challenge #4 which was my 2023 Temperature Quilt.  The flying geese were made but not joined ... then I machine appliqued the lettering on the top and bottom borders ... ta da! Top done and added to the "quilting" pile. Link to Chookshed Challenge HERE:

So loved the colours in this one, the fabrics are from the Grunge range.  I was hoping to also get #2 Sashiko panel finished for April but ... now my left hand is giving me some issues and I'm limited with what I can do. Hubby had to peg the washing out this morning ... It was a hard not to give corrective advise ... you know how it is when it's not done how you would do it? It was much appreciated.

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.

March Chookshed Challenge and a Finish

Frustrating!  I wrote this post yesterday and while I was adding in photos from my phone I ended up losing it all ... fresh start this morning.

So Saturday and Sunday I hid in the craftavan out of this horrid wind (thanks Cyclone Alfred) and completed all 6 Flower Pot cards.  A little bit of special 'fertilizer' and beautiful blossoms appeared ... the sentiments aren't glued down as I want to be able to mix and match those as the need arises. Mum is 80 this month and I also have 2 sister-in-laws turning 70 in April and June so now I have some lovely handmade cards to gift.

Deana's number selector chose #2 for our Chookshed Challenge in March ... checked my list and clapped my hands for some Sashiko. I'm looking forward to some stitching at night in front of the TV.

Tomorrow our group of patchwork girls are meeting up in Childers for their Annual Quilt Display. After lunch Mum and I will have a visit through the Chad Morgan Memorial Room ... Chad was mum's favourite country singer.

Chookshed Challenge Feb Wrap

In by the skin of my teeth ... I got so into playing with scraps that I almost ran out of days for Challenge #10 - Card Making

Off to the craftavan with all my bits and pieces and the 2 little stitcheries from Challenge #6 ... before lunch I had 2 cards completed.

Then this afternoon I had a little production line going ... measure ... cut ... etc. I thought I had kept my original card but can't put my hand on it so I've added a photo of an earlier card to show the flowers.

This is my favourite design having made a few previously ... 6 Flower Pots awaiting plantings.  I think I'll leave the sentiments off for now and add those when the occasion arrises ... that way they can be multi purpose as required or hope to be able to make and sell a few as well. I promise to finish them in March.

Thank you Deana and Chooky for this challenge ... I'm certainly achieving more than I would under my own steam ... wonder which number will be drawn tomorrow?

Chookshed Challenge and a UFO

 How lucky am I?  In January I swapped my number #6 for item #10 so that I could have some little embroideries done for when it came time to mark cards.

Hey presto and February's number is #10 so I get to switch back for item #6 and make cards. As well as popping those little cross stitches into cards, I plan to make a few other flowery cards with my Stampin Up bits and pieces.

My sewing 'stuff' is spread between 2 spare bedrooms and the 'craftavan' so I've been busy trying to sort, rearrange, condense etc etc and get down to the van and 1 spare bedroom. Some bits and pieces I'm taking straight to the van to be dealt with ... enter a UFO!

Tucked away in a take-away container were the completed embroidery 4.5" squares, 4 sewn strips and lots of various strips of fabrics. Scrolling back through my blog, I first mention this project in March 2011. It was called "Home Sweet Home BOM" by Paula ... unfortunately when I click on the links they no longer work.

So using the strips in the container along with 1 or 2 strips from stash ... this is what I came up with and now have a completed wall hanger top. I've even managed to remove 1 set of small shelves from one room and open up a little bit more space for when Mum visits ... winning.

New Year ... New Challenge

 

Have you heard the saying "What you do on New Year's Day ... you do all year"?  Well ... I sewed!

I added the last 3 days of December to Row 9 of 2024 Temperature Quilt. Monday I appliqued "2024" to the top left corner and yesterday joined the last couple of horizontal seams. Now the bottom right piece needs location name which I've decided to hand embroider.

Chookshed Challenge #6

My number 6 project is Card Making, however my number 10 is small embroidery kits which I thought I could incorporate into my cards. I have allowed myself to switch #6 and #10 so I'll be working on the embroideries instead and have chosen this little rose.

My last finish for 2024 was a Diamond Dot Art I began when I was resting up with a sprained ankle. It's been finished for a few weeks and was awaiting a frame. Initially I thought this would be my first and last but now that it's done I reckon I could do another.

Tonight I have begun the Temp Quilt embroidery while watching TV and listening to the rain on the roof.

Chookshed Challenge 2025

 

Thank you ladies for once again leading the Challenge for 2025.  I am always so much more motivated to achieve when in a group or challenge. I've been working on my list today and unlike last year ... I should find the projects before adding them to my list ... rooky error!

#1.  Fishpond Quilt  ~  Quilt and Bind

#2.  Sashiko  ~  I have a printed panel and thread purchased from ??? Quilt Show

#3.  Happy Houses or ???  ~  I still haven't found the HH blocks so I will continue to look. If that fails then I will choose another UFO

#4.  Strips n Curves Quilt  ~  (Couldn't find it last year either)  I did find this one by accident only this month.

#5.  2023 Temperature Quilt  ~  Hasn't changed since January this year. I'll decide if it needs a sashing before the Flying Geese Temperature Key.

#6.  Card Making  ~  I have Stampin Up gadgets and materials and need to use it more! These are my Xmas Cards made at the December lesson.

#7.  Iron Bag  ~  I had all the materials ready and just didn't get "around2it".

#8.  King Bed Quilt  ~  One of those projects that just needs to be prodded along!

#9.  Crochet Rugs  ~  I have the 'Granny Ripple' started but the weather just got too hot. Then I also have the pattern for the 'Cat Rug' I'd like to do this Winter.

#10. Embroidery Kits  ~  I have several small kits that can be done and placed into the cards I make. (So I possibly may have to switch #6 and #10 depending on which is drawn first)

Happy Finishes in 2025

October Rolls In ... Next Challenge

 Not much happening in the land of sewing or any crafting I'm afraid ... I've lost my mojo and don't know where to even start looking for it ... think I'll just leave it alone and it will find it's own way home.

September Chookshed Challenge was my Scrappy Wall Hanger but with grandies visiting before and during school holidays ... bathroom reno ... Throw in an absess forming after what I'm thinking was a spider bite on my back while gardening with Grandson F ... much driving to and fro for medical ... and my wall hanging is still as is. He chose the violas to go with our tomato plants and later I snuck in some gladiolas.

I was eager to finish my first every granny square rug early in September and am very happy with how it turned out.  Great for wool scrap busting as I managed 3 rugs from 2 wool kits and only purchased the white wool for last row of each square and joining.

October Challenge is whatever project was left on my list which is "King Bed Quilt".  I'll keep plugging along on this one as I really want it finished and on my bed. Not to mention the machine has been set up on the dining table so I have room to work on the long rows.

Thank you Deana and Chooky for this Chookshed Challenge.  I started the year with flying colours and while I've let slide on a couple of challenges, I for sure would not have achieved what I have without being challenged.

Challenges and Progress

Happy Birthday to all the Horses out there  ... August 1st in Australia is the official birth date for our horses. This young lady is officially 5 today.

Now for the Chookshed Challenge.  My project for July was to quilt and bind a wedding quilt .... welllll ... the quilt was dropped off to the quilters on Monday so I'm claiming that as a win ... (I know... it's a stretch but it's better than still sitting in my cupboard)

August #3 -  to finish off my Happy Houses Wall Hanger.  These were from a swap way back in 2011 and I know if Chooky looks closely she may just recognise a house or 2.  Now I said join and quilt so I'll see how far I can get ... 

My 2024 Temperature Quilt has another row completed, Row 5 which took me to July 20 and a couple of below 0 temps ... brrrrr!

I still have some wool left over from the Round Knitted Rug and Zig Zag Rugs so now I'm working on Granny Squares to use up the remainder ... I did purchase the white.

There is another Scrappy Quilt in progress that I work on at our Patchwork Days so that's about it for me. Keeping busy on the farm, visiting grandies and crafting whenever xx