One More for August OPAM...

One more mini pochette bag done and dusted...

First day of Spring tomorrow - gotta be happy 'bout that :)


Happy Stitching...

Comments Bouncing? Problem Fixed....

There has been a problem with comments bouncing back to visitors and randomly getting through to me...sometimes they do, sometimes they don't....it has been a bit of a puzzle...with the help of the lovely Chookyblue and much searching and searching I've Finally found the problem - eerr...that would be where I typed an email address on automatic pilot and added .au ...oops!...

Anyway, it should be all better now and comments have been given a stern talking to and should now behave properly and not be anti-social and refuse to speak to visitors.

I'm sorry if you have been trying to leave a message and it hasn't got through...

Happy Stitching...

August OPAM...2...3...

Remember the pile of mini pochette bags I created a few weeks ago when I had mini pochette bag production line in full swing...they've reached the finishing section of the factory...two are ticked off as done...

The caramel/pink one doesn't stand up as well - the fabric range is quite soft and fine, quality control recommends using a bit of interfacing in the gusset with that quality of fabic next time, it's beautiful to work with but drape really isn't what is needed in this project...a modification to be filed away for future reference.

And two more are still in production...I need to handstitch the binding down on one (the first one I put the binding on) as I wasn't thinking and stitched it to the top like a quilt which was an oops as I need to top stitch the second edge down not bottom stitch it, it wouldn't be neat on the top...only made that mistake once!  See, I can learn from my mistakes - occassionally...

That leaves one with the binding to be sewn on....it's half pinned but I have to change the thread colour as it is totally different to the others and I couldn't be bothered and went to bed...next time...

Happy Stitching...

Swap, Swap, Swappity, Swap...

Resolve at beginning 2010 that no swaps this year with the exception of two if the lovely hostesses had the time and energy to host them again...amazingly resolve kept until August...then one of the specific swaps announced...Wahoo!!! and I'm in....I'm so excited for the first time I've managed not to miss the sign-up deadline (now closed) for...

Chookyblue's Secret Santa Christmas Swap (SCCS) - yay!!!!

I've wanted to play in this swap for the past two years but managed to miss the sign-up deadline both times but not this year...no pouting for me...I get to play!! Happy dance....

Resolve still intact then yesterday...I'm visiting Chookyblue's blog and what do I spy on her sidebar but a pretty blog button for a pincushion swap...

...and I couldn't help myself I had to click and find out where it took me...It took me to here...and a morning of "I want to play" "no, no swaps this year" "I want to play" "no, no swaps this year" and you can guess what won the fight can't you...yes..."I want to play"...so I'm in...so excited...Jeannet's blog is written in Dutch (fair enough for she does live in Holland) so the translate button was employed (which can make for very funny reading sometimes).  Jeannet's Pincushion Swap is open for sign-ups until 5 September 2010.


I'm looking forward to receiving my partners' details so I can visit their blogs and start planning what to make for them...


Happy Stitching...

August OPAM...

If you recall, back in April I trekked over to Adelaide to attend Inspired Stitches with GF Ms K and GF Ms G...where the lovely Natalie Ross inspired us with her design "Strawberry Frenzy"...well, Saturday night after I had scared myself silly by finishing my August Stitch-A-Long block 2/3rds of the way through August, I went looking for something different to tackle and the Inspired Stitches projects put their little hands up and waved madly...to my absolute surprise I had actually finished the handstitching on this one and all I really needed to do was construct the bag...so yesterday that was exactly what I did and ta dah!....Strawberry Frenzy bucket bag...cute huh!

It's a really useful size, big enough to have on a table or by a chair with a stitching (or knitting or any other) project neat and tidy and small enough to tote that same project on an expedition outside the sewing room...the pattern called for iron-on pellon but I went with using bag batting in the body and base for that stand-up-by-itself-ility and it has worked a treat...

I purchased the finishing kit put together by the lovely Sarah at Quilt Fabric Delights and I have to say I wasn't disappointed...you know how sometimes when you buy a kit there is "just enough" of everything to make the project...one tiny little snip wrong and you have to run back to the shop and buy more fabric 'coz you can't get it wrong by even one thread? Well, I have to say that isn't the case with a Sarah kit...good value with sufficient fabric not to induce a panic attack over cutting into it and lovely presentation...

Finishing this bucket bag has inspired me to get cracking on the stitchery for Natalie Lymer's projects from the same weekend...not quite as far advanced with the handwork for that one...half a stitchery to go...

Hope your weekened was inspiring...

Happy Stitching...

D = Done...

Block D of A Gardener's Journal...the block Chief Motivator of the GJ Stitch-A-Long, Chookyblue, nominated for the month of August...

Drum Roll please....Ta Dah!...

...not only within the specified month but before the month ran out of days....it's an August miracle!! (ha ha ha)

This block went together like a dream...no unsewing...no what the?...nothing...just sew and iron...easy peasy...hope the rest of the blocks have taken notes from this one on how to behave!

Happy stitching...

Friday Night was Sew-In...

and I almost missed it...I got in just in time...meaning no time for preparation, so I went with continuing A Gardner's Journal for the Stitch-A-Long...the second stitchery for the August block, Block D...

OK, I admit it...I didn't do ALL the stitchery last night...it was already half done and I finished it off today, but Friday Night Sew-In certainly contributed to getting it done. Next step is to construct the block...I had a bit of a calendar challenge on Friday and thought that it was the end of August already and I was in danger of being behind again...but nope, that would be Next Week so crisis averted...I don't have an OPAM finish for August either...better get my skates on...

Thanks again to Heidi and Bobbi for again hosting Friday Night Sew-In.

Happy Stitching...

Can You Say...Hexagon...

I sure can - I've channelled my inner OCD (sorry inner ADD you are out this week) and prepared the hexies for  the remaining six diamonds that make up the centre medallion for Bumb'le Bee...

Of course this doesn't include the sashing hexies to join the "diamonds" and make up the medallion but that is for another week...they can wait to be prepared once these ones are constructed into their diamonds.

I had a lovely crafty mail box day this week...along with the next instalment of Karen Cunningham's Irish Circles my mail box also held a post pak from the lovely Sarah at Quilt Fabric Delights containing these three new projects...

I wanted the two bag patterns while playing at Inspired Stitches in April but decided they were for later.  Then Natalie introduced us to Flat Nat on her blog and she quickly went on the wish list.  While playing in the Christmas In July on-line event that Sarah held I could resist no longer and quickly placed my order for all three.  Happy dance :)

Well the wind is howling but at least it isn't raining today - yet!  Definitely good stitching weather here.

Happy Stitching...

A Bit of This...A Bit of That...

Where does the week go...oh yeah, work stuff and the like...not a lot of achieving to report stitchy wise...

Friday morning (my day off - yay!) our local quilting group hosted an interesting talk by the Quilters World Travelling School Bus...I figured that was 2 1/2 to 3 hours of uninterrupted stitchy time while I listened (I was the only one sewing but that didn't stop me...I was sitting at the back and the chair next to me was vacant so I had a "table" as well - he he he)...so...

A bit of this...

the vegie patch is growing...one of the two stitcheries for the August block for the A Gardener's Journal Stitch-A-Long.

And seeing the light of day again...a couple of my Karen Cunningham quilts in progress from Summer School in Wodonga...

From 2009...a bit of this...

the centre of Yorkshire Dales...don't get too excited it was only a little bit, all except one diamond and the three circley shapes (technical term there, circley shapes) were already appliqued on...and one of the circley shapes still isn't *LOL*


Today a very pleasant day was had at the VicQuilters Winter Gathering & AGM held in the Box Hill Town Hall, a lovely art deco building.  Very relaxing it was to sit with good company, listen to an interesting speaker and look at her beautiful quilts and stitch on...


from 2010...

some more towards the hexagon centre medallion for Bum'bel-bee.  Again, don't get too excited...not only were the hexagons already tacked over the papers but both hexagon diamonds were already in the throes of construction and the green one...the little seams? well, they aren't all stitched together.


As you can see I'm back to my usual slow, distracted, jumping all over the place and getting nowhere fast self so GF Ms K can I please be readmitted to the non-achievers table? Ha ha ha, as if I'd ever make it across to the room to the over achievers for more than 10 seconds (or want to for that matter!)...


Happy Stitching...

At last...I'm on track with the A Gardener's Journal Stitch-A-Long timetable...wahoo!!!

The tradies finished the fence and packed up their tools on the biggest stitchery, the house...so finally...Block C for June...

Block C - A Gardener's Journal

and...

Block H for July...

Block H - A Gardener's Journal

and they were completed with an hour to go before August kicked in!  Yay!!!

Hoping to keep on track each month now...well, you gotta have hope, doesn't mean it will actually happen...but it is a theory....about half way through the first stitchery for the August block (helped by actually making it to Monday sewing group for a couple of hours for a change yesterday morning), which only has two stitcheries...after the house block all the rest are downhill...good strategy employed there by the Chief Motivator Chookyblue.

And what do we have here?  A pile of ponchettes...

A pile of ponchettes waiting for binding

...production line sewing *LOL*...ready for their binding.  Only snag in that plan is that I haven't made it yet...and I was over the production line at this point so moved on to sitting on the couch and hand stitching.

Hope your weekend was productive...

Happy Stitching....