Hello March!

 "Marj ... the rains are here!"  Who remembers seeing this advertisement on the TV? 

Well the rains are here!  I've had to cancel the car going to the mechanic on Monday and won't be able to attend our patchwork day either ... there's no way I'll be taking on our dirt roads and creeks. So I'll just sit and sew at home. I was out in the craftervan tonight sewing on my Meadow Mist Mystery blocks but even with the screens, little flying insects managed to invade so I've given up on that and will get back to sewing in the morning.

Almost completed now

These blocks were also what I was working on for FNWF. Yesterday I finished the Butterfly quilt top and am just waiting for some backing fabric and it will be off to the quilter.

While I was sewing today I played a game of bobbin roulette ... gotta love a win sometimes.

Chookshed Challenge for Feb was #8 A Merry Christmas Garden. With the Butterfly quilt being a priority, I decided to put it on hold and will squeeze it in sometime soon. 

Now March is upon us and my challenge project for #2 is "ABC Wall Hanging".  I'll take this one out to the craftervan where I can leave it out to work on when I need something different.

Time to go for a visit around blogland and catch up with what everyone's been creating lately ... see you soon xx

FNWF and Sunday Snippets

First FNWF for 2026 ... I had an early start working on and finishing off the Meadow Mist Mystery blocks for December and January.

I think I read a comment that we start to put our blocks together next month so I'm looking forward to the reveal.

After dinner I got stuck into the extra optional blocks for the Murder Mystery Quilt ... not as they seam as the initial 8 blocks were then cut ... 

and turned into 4 of these.  I also managed to sew them into their rows in the quilt so another step closer to a finished top.

My decluttering is a work in progress and I think always will be ... but progress is progress.

Declutter Day 6 - Archives

Is what was once a keepsake still a keepsake ... or is it time to let it go?

Declutter Day 7 - Hot Spot or Rest Day

We could choose to have a break from declutter ... attack a 'hot spot' ... or revisit one of the previous days.

Declutter Day 8 - Cutting Tools

I have a toolbox where I keep my cutters and spare blades but I do need to do a roundup of all those little pairs of scissors left in strategic places and maybe some snips. Also dispose of those that I have to find the 'sweet spot' to make a good cut or snip.

Declutter Day 9 - Threads

After rehoming the thread stand, my sewing threads are all in a thread box and their bobbins are in one of those bobbin stands. If I'm sewing a scrappy quilt, I like to use up reels or bobbins that are getting close to empty. While I was playing with my embroidery machine the other day, I went through my embroidery threads, sorthing them into colours and noting which colours I'm short of so that was a bonus headstart when Day 9 came around.

On Sunday's I like to make sure I get out in the garden and give everything a good drink.  Well ... no need for that today with the wet stuff falling from the sky nearly all day ... 

Our mustering has been put on hold as we're expecting much more rain over the next few days.

Stay safe everyone with the fires, cyclone and flooding 💕

Busy Doing Everyday Stuff

 Just like that ... December is almost at the end and I don't think the hot weather helps either.

So for a quick wrap up of December this far ... our little Patchwork group had our Christmas breakup in the first week with everyone bringing a treat for morning/afternoon tea and we enjoyed a lovely lunch at the local cafe.  We also bundled up 55 placemats for donation to Meals on Wheels in the next town over, which also services our little town.  This was my last one made.

I'm still working on the remaining 50 December units for the Meadow Mist Mystery and hoping these might be the last of half square triangels.

The Murder Mystery Quilt layout has also been released and requires a few more steps to complete. Here is my layout so far ... I've joined the top/bottom, centre and side blocks with 4 more blocks to be made to fill the spaces. Then there are 2 narrow borders and a piano key border to finish ... phew!

Lastly I have my Temperature Tree Cross Stitch leaves added up to the 20th and have added a colour/temp key on either side of the trunk.

Christmas Lunch is at our home this year so it's time to tick off the last few things that need doing and anything else will happen or not. We also had grandsons staying over last week so not much sewing happens but plenty of baking.

I would like to wish everyone a Merry Christmas xx

Give your loved ones an extra tight hug this year 💞💞

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 😊