Small Wins...

A couple more project pouches have made their way into the collection...

 

I had this very very dodgy small quilt top in the box of random orphans...the piecing is super dodgy but for the back of a project pouch that is just for me, who cares and it gets it made into a something...

A bit of outline quilting and a couple of stars to decorate the front vinyl...

A while back, while zooming, Janice mentioned that mini charm packs (2 1/2" squares) are perfect for 1" hexies...mmm I had another mini charm pack on the shelf and I couldn't resist...all the hexies were made and sewn together into a fabric then what? Oh well, let's have another project pouch...

No quilting on this one because I couldn't decide just how and really it doesn't matter...

A long time half done project was cleaned up...Fig 'n Berry Creations Blitzens Tree was a project for a stitching day held by Stawell Craft Shop a few years ago...I never wanted to make the exact design of the wall hanging and had cherry picked elements, making one element twice in two different colours...and one reindeer...

I have absolutely no idea what my original plan was so let's just get it done and dusted into something...a small quilt/table mat...finished, washed and in the cupboard for Christmas...

At quilting group it was V's turn for Friendship Quilt blocks...she provided the background fabric and as her heritage is Dutch asked for anything with tulips...any technique or colours...she did say what she thought she'd use for sashing etc so I took that into account...but I became obsessed with "it has to have a windmill"...

This is design number goodness knows...I searched the interweb for tulip and windmill shapes/designs but the idea in my head was over complicated, and after I saw the blocks that were being handed to her by other members I knew I had to simplify to fit in with those...many attempts at drawing a simplified design went into the bin!  Finally I settled on this one...all that mattered was she was happy...I quite like it myself as well...small blanket stitched tulips with back-stitched detail to make petals...

 

Happy Stitching...

Stawell Quilters – 70th birthday block

At Stawell Quilters, when a member is celebrating their 70th birthday, blocks are sewn and put together into a quilt top for that member as a gift from the Group…one member does soooo much work, she works out the designs and puts the blocks into numbered bags for handing out and return to her when done and then she constructs the quilt top...a massive commitment and we are very lucky to have someone who is willing and able to do that work.This is the block I stitched...

...eventually. I made an oops when reading the instructions and thought the return date was a week after it actually was and that I might be a week late but in reality I was two weeks late…not to self: read instructions Properly!...the remaining blue lines were not to be stitched as they are pre-marked quiltling lines...the final design is a mystery to us as we stitch and will be revealed when the top is gifted...

Happy Stitching...

 

Cave Hill Creek March 2023…Angel Gifts…

March Labour Day Weekend meant heading to Cave Hill Creek for camp with Stawell Quilters…and this year I got to stay the whole weekend (not joking...I had to leave in a hurry last year).   

 

At every camp is an Angel Swap. Swapped by numbers so to be totally random, numbers are given out and then we all go up to the table and take the present with the corresponding number…it was so funny, one of the ladies I sit with said “oh I hope I get yours” and then…she came back to the table and I started laughing because she did!!!... I made a mug bag and, after standing in the shop for ages agonising, chose a pretty butterfly mug to go in...

 

The recipient was very happy with her present which makes me happy…

 

I received ... a mug bag! Ha ha ha…but it is a step up from the one I made, pretty luxe!!! It has been put to use…and a Smee Designs pattern…she actually designed my business logo and I love her drawings…not too shabby, I was very happy.

Otherwise it was three days of friendship, occasionally putting a few stitches in whatever I was doing that I can’t remember, chatting, laughing and eating – a lot!!!  Always enjoyable to spend more time with the ladies and see the members I don’t see regularly because I can’t go during the day…

 

Happy Stitching...

Cave Hill Swap...

Oh look...a draft post!...oopsie...Early-mid September was Stawell Quilters bi-annual stitchy camp at Cave Hill Creek...a venue in the hills between Raglan and Elmhurst...I arrived after work only a couple of hours after most others...so didn't miss out on too much...and just in time for tea!...

We sew in a big common room and this is the view...not so shabby...the weather was less than clement so there were no walks around the lake/grounds, good weather for bunkering down indoors...

There is a swap during the weekend... I made a Birds of the Meadow fabric storage box by Melissa Grant of One Day in May...I made the smaller size...

While hand stitching down the binding I discovered...way too late to do anything about it of course...that a section of a side seam hadn't been caught..a small crochet "flower" appliqued over the offending missed part of the seam took care of that...it was an interesting construction and turned out quite a bit bigger than I imagined so was glad i had gone for the smaller size pattern.  I do like the embroidery panel, the little bird is a scrap of flannel, nice and soft. I wanted to make something useful and it turned out to be a more practical size that I thought it would (my idea of size and reality are not always in sync! ha ha ha)...

Happy Stitching...