Last Wednesday...

I fogot to share these photos of stitching at Hobbysew last week.Isn't this the loveliest little lavender bag completed by one of the Wednesday ladies? It has been stitched on aida band and then  filled with lavender to hang in your wardrobe.

Paddy has been busy appliqueing the pictures for her applique bag. Lovely fabrics!

Cathy gave us a sneak peek at her centre block of the Mystery quilt which is running monthly at the shop. I had to wait till after Friday, when the first class ran, to show it to you. Wish I had time to make a large quilt! I just love this block and the fabrics that Cathy has used.

Stitching Journal

I recently started to use this lovely journal that was sent to me by my Stitcher's Angel, Gladys, last year. I am a LIST maker and have kept a notebook recording my stitching progress and my plans and even wish lists for years. My last book started to fall apart so it was time to start a new one. This book and its beautifully stitched cover is going to be my stitching journal for the next few years. I love to tick off when parts of things are done and use it as I plan classes and stitching days to keep a record of even small achievements.

Here is a typical page and I do love it when all the spaces left are ticked! It did give me a shock to check through the old book and see how many things were stitched and not made up. I am hoping to finish some of the smaller projects starting with one each week. This is just one page! I think I wrote up about 6 pages of BOMs and other things that need doing!

This blog is wonderful too as a record of work completed but I still do like my little journal.

Painting.....

On Monday, I couldn't wait to get these out and paint! This is not something I am normally keen on but I really wanted to do these 2 little projects. Here are the paints.

Here is Laraine's button painted and ready to use. I have been sketching and planning a little project that we might do next term.

Here is my other painting sneek peek. It is a bit easy to see what it is but what am I using it for? You'll have to wait for our "Stitching on the Lake" day or our Queanbeayan day and perhaps even a day in Batemans Bay too.

Here are the special wooden shapes all cut and ready to be painted.

A wonderful tree button and some stitching finished

Isn't this a lovely tree button? Laraine from "Up in Annies room" gave it to me last week and I can't wait to play with it. I am planning to paint it and then think up a project using it for term 2 classes. It is such a lovely button, Laraine. Thank you for letting me play with it.

I had some time stitching on the weekend and finished the second block in the Cinderberry Stitches Christmas pattern I am making. It is so easy just working with one colour.

I have also completed the largest block of Anni Down's lovely Gardener's Journal quilt. There was a lot of stitching in this one but it is a lovely block.

Just had to iron on the next Christmas block in case there is time to stitch. Natalie's stitcheries come with an iron on transfer which has a very fine line. I don't usually use these as I don't like it if there are lazy daisies to cover but as these don't have any, they are working well and are very easy.

The backing pieced and some balloons

I managed to get going and pieced the backing for my "World as it should be" quilt and am ready to send it to the quilters. I should do it myself but haven't the inclination and would rather do other things. Sue, a fellow blogger, suggested that we think of it as "doing the bit you love and giving someone else the opportunity to do they bit they love doing. In the end, it is better to have a finished quilt that you can use and enjoy, than one which is just a top and stuck away in a cupboard somewhere! After all, this is meant to be fun isn't it?" I so agree, Sue, and am planning to ring Robyn today. Here is the back.

I traced some of the pictures from the book to start the label.

Had to share these hot air balloons with you even though I was asleep and didn't see them. Hubby was up and about and took these photos near our place.

I remember how shocked we were the first time we heard them flying over this house as they make quite an unusual noise and we didn't know what it was.

A useful bag and some stitching

Jenny had this very useful little bag/ pencil case with her last week. It is so clever and would be fun to make though you do have to put in a zipper. There was a very good tutorial on putting zips in at Natalie's blog. Looks quite easy compared to my memories if putting zippers into clothing many years ago. Jenny had her pencils and pigma pens in this bag.

I have been slowly stitching on the largest block in Anni Downs' book "A Gardener's Journal". I am doing this slowly this year as my own BOM and this was February's block. The rest are smaller so that's always good! I no doubt will finish all the stitching and then procrastinate about putting it together. I am off to finish putting the back together for the "World as it should be" quilt THIS afternoon, after a coffee break, of course. Then it will be off to Robyn for quilting!

For those who know my dear sister in law, Janelle, it is good to report that she came home, a little reluctantly, yesterday (which was the day after surgery) and is doing really well. We popped in to see her today and she is up and about and is quite comfortable. 

More show and tell from the shop

How gorgeous is this hobby horse that Jo has made from a Melly and Me pattern? She is just so special. Jo hasn't any grandies yet but they will be lucky to have her as their grandma one day!

This lovely girly quilt is all finished ready for another special grandchild.

Paddy has finished her Country home hanging. It has turned out so well. Your fabrics look so good, Paddy.

Here is a closeup of one of the beautiful bee buttons that Paddy is going to stitch onto her hanging. It is one of Laraine's from "Up in Annie's room". We stock some of her lovely buttons at Hobbysew.

Show and Tell from the shop

Thursday is here again and I have had a lovely busy couple of days at Hobbysew, working, stitching and teaching. I do enjoy Tuesdays and Wednesdays at the shop especially as I can see what everyone is making. The Tuesday morning social group are always busy creating. One of the newer ladies brought along some of her lovely dolls to visit the shop.

Barbara was working on some weaving. She called this pin weaving. That brings back memories for me of the 70's when my sister in law, Janelle (think of her today please as she is having an operation possibly now), came to visit me when we lived in Moruya and we made large woven hangings on a large loom with all sorts of homespun and interesting wools. We both had them on our walls for many years.

Here are another set of special dolls.

Jacqui is working on this applique which will become a sewing machine cover. Great colours and I especially like the flowers over the fence. I'm not sure if they are buttons or little lace pieces.

Today is a little quieter and I may get some sewing done this afternoon. I really should sew the backing together for my "World as it should be" quilt and then it can go and be quilted. I decided to use some spare blocks and piece the back. Shouldn't take long but hasn't been done yet! 

The postman has been

It was so exciting last week to open a package that arrived on the front verandah. It had these lovely books and some fabric in it. I have been a little naughty on the internet. This book is by one of my favourite designers , Barri Sue Gaudet of Bareroots fame. It has such a lot of beautiful projects in it. Can't wait to make some of them.

I also couldn't resist Nancy Halverson's new book with lovely sewing accessories in it. It has some really special patterns in it.

I also ordered a little of Nancy's fabrics. Two of them are from her new range and they do look lovely and will go with my stash of her fabrics very well. I also bought the sample squares of the I Believe range as they are such nice fabrics.

I had a lovely email today from Tudy in the US, who won my Giveaway recently. Thankfully the package arrived safely. Christine has also received hers her in Australia. Thank you, Tudy and Christine, for reading my blog and for commenting on the giveaway.

Wicked!

We had a wonderful night in Sydney on Saturday and went to see Wicked. It was fabulous and such fun to go to a live show again. We went with friends and had dinner in China town and hadn't even realised it was Chinese New year. There were lots of people and we sat outside, getting a little rained on, eating and "soaking" in the atmosphere. Here are the posters outside the theatre.

Bert Newton was the wizard and I didn't realise he could sing so well!

Lots of people were having these great cocktails in a glass that lit up! We opted for a choc top, which was delicious.

We stayed at ma and Pa's and spent Sunday morning and lunch with them and then headed home. I did manage to get another design started and stitched a bit in the car. Can't waste all those hours! Here is a peek.

Stitching on Friday night

It was good fun, as always, to catch up with the Friday night stitching girls. We chat, laugh, gossip and eat and occassionally do a little stitching. We were so lucky to be at Audrey's place as she made the most delicious sticky date pudding. The rest of us brought chocolate so we really had a good night!
It is great to see what the girls are stitching. This wonderfully, embroidered, scissor keeper was made by Najelle's aunt for her, for Christmas. What a fabulous gift. There is so much stitching on it and it is so beautiful. This is one side.

This is the other side.

Audrey has finished this terrific stitchery from Anni Down's book, A Boy's Story. She is going to frame it for a gift. If you haven't read Anni's blog for a while she has posted about a small error in the cutting directions for one of the quilts in the Boy Story book. Check her blog for the details.

A new project underway

I have just finished stitching this little pot of flowers for a special project.

Here is is stitched onto something!

I wonder what it will be?

Another stitching Wednesday

Wednesday was full of stitching and chatting as usual. It was good to see the ladies at social stitching at the shop and at the classes. Jan has a lovely new grandson and has made him a beautiful blanket.

In the afternoon class, Jill had this very handy bag with her. It had been made by her sister and has so many great pockets. We all loved the plaited handles.

Jill finished her pin cushion and it looks so good. It is a lovely big one and so very useful.

In the evening, Danielle brought along 2 great bags she has made for gifts. They are such a good size and are reversible too. I am sure the birthday girls will love them.

Borders and a little stitching

Over the weekend I finally put the borders on the "World as it should be" quilt. It really didn't take long and as usual, I wondered why I put these things off. I am planning to use some of the spare blocks and put them into the backing once I decide which fabric to use.

I have been doing some work on projects for the stitching days in the coming months. Here are a couple of sneak peeks. It has been fun to work with felt again.

Wonderful quilt of memories

It was so lovely to see Caroline's wonderful quilt of her family's trip around Australia all quilted and finished. It is such a great quilt to remember a fantastic trip around Australia in their campervan. They designed and stitched the blocks as they travelled. She has had it quilted but Robyn at Plain and Fancy and Robyn has done a wonderful job.

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Here is a map of their trip. There are arrows to show the way they travelled around Australia.

This is their hardy campervan.

And here are some of the wonderful sights they saw. Doesn't the quilting add to the feel of each block?

Well done Caroline and daughter Emily. You have created a fabulous quilt and great memory of your holiday. We certainly live in a country of great contrasts.