Ta Dah!...Scrub Stitchin' 2023 Drawstring Bag...

I started the embroidery for the drawstring bag kit that was in our goody bag at Scrub Stitchin' while I was there...

This was starting off...I did get all the words stitched before the early exit.

 

It didn't get any further until I was back home because, well, sick with the plague, when I slowly slowly did a few extra bits and then while zooming for what ended up being the day with Chooky and Chookshed Stitcher friends Saturday week ago I finished the applique/stitchery panel..

This last Saturday I made a start on preparing the rest of the kit and slowly slowly over the course of the day (because still sooooooo tired...it definitely would not normally take an entire day to put together)...ta dah! the finished bag...

  

 

It's very cute I must say and surprisingly roomy...and very soft and light because it has no interfacing or batting...I think it lends itself to also being made with a bit more structure (interfacing/batting and a template plastic base) so potentially options...this is one pattern I feel might get at least a second outing sometime in the future (with a change to the Scrub Stitchin' words)...I like it a lot...

Happy Stitching...

Scrub Stitchin' Early Exit...Tooraweenah

Scrub Stitchin' ended abruptly for me Saturday morning, along with my plans for after Scrub Stitchin' which included more silo hunting and visiting my friends in the ACT.  My annual leave turned into sick leave and that's it for me for holidays for a long time, certainly I doubt I'll be able to have any more attempts this year.

When I felt up to going for a wander around where I was hunkered down until I was well enough to drive I checked out the murals around the place...a very geographically limited version of silo/public art hunting! ha ha ha...setting out from my temporary home and its cheerful emu logo...

The sites are marked with cheerful emu too...

Murals decorating walls and fences...

 ...and garden sculptures...

If I had to be stuck anywhere I have to say Tooraweenah wasn't too shabby an environment to have to put up with...

Happy stitching...

Scrub Stitchin'...Swap, Presents, Prizes and Goody Bag...

There were presents, prizes and goodies galore that came home from Scrub Stitchin'...

First up...what was in those goody bags on the tables??...well, goodies indeed!...

There were a number of different Australian flora designs on the mugs...mine has Banksia.  Jo made the wee cushion with Australiana fabric and designed to store binding clips around the flange edge - clever idea - with an Australia themed wooden button (mine is a kangaroo) just held on by a pin. The two wee mini one block quilts were made by Sylvia, so they travelled all the way from Germany, and each has a magnet enclosed, another clever idea...a kit and pattern for a drawstring bag designed by Anni Downs of Hatched and Patched with a modification especially for us - the words "forever friends" on her regular pattern changed to "Scrub Stitching 2023"...the highlight I have to say is the calico bag, on the back are listed all this year's Scrub Stitchin' stitchers and where we come from!...and what would a goody bag without chocolate, there were more Caramello koalas but they didn't survive until the photo shoot *LOL*...all the clever and thoughtful details in this goodie bag, thank you Chooky and your conspirators.

 

The "Make It Bake It Fake It" swap was held Friday night at dinner.  Everyone was given a number, the numbers were called out and the corresponding present went to that person - it went well, only one person had the number for their own present so it was easy to just switch with the other number that was called at the same time...I received Harriett's gift (the "Kim" of the Kath & Kim double act)...a lovely quilted zippered pouch with an essential oil blend spray inside...very pretty, I love the fabric, and will be most useful, thanks Harriett...

I made another mug bag the same as the one I made for the Stawell Quilter's Cave Hill Creek camp Angel Swap...yes, I production lined as I needed two swap presents in quick succession...

 

but the mug was made by a friend especially for Scrub Stitchin'...

 

Maureen received my gift - she has a great sense of humour and laughed at the mug which was entirely my intent...

During dinner on Friday night I won a prize for correctly guessing what Chooky's outfit represented - the sky!...which incidentally was part of my outfit as well!!! lucky me the prize was a lovely bundle of pink fat eigths...Chooky also ran another prize giving where she asked whoever she nominated to pick a number and then go up and select a prize...I found a lovely bundle of bright fat quarters in the parcel I chose which will go very nicely into the "Alice" project...

 

Sylvia, who is a one woman industry I swear, made the most gorgeous snail pincushion for her swap gift and I was lucky enough to be gifted one from her as well...

I have it leant up against the camera case for the picture but will glue to it to a wooden base so it stands up by itself as instructed by Sylvia - I have some bits broken off the apple tree that I think will be most appropriate if I can cut up a right sized piece...isn't it just gorgeous...

 

That calico bag was stuffed full of treasures for the trip home!

Happy Stitching...