March madness time.....

It rained and rained and rained...

Our fernery couldn't cope with draining....

I'm not complaining about it as we didn't get affected anything like some people had... it was just more water than we had seen at our place.

tanks are all full ( approx 70,000 litres) not been so in 6 plus years we have been here) and all the garden is very happy.  

Roads were blocked off and there was nothing else to do but stay indoors and sew....

Blocks were stitched

and sashing sewed.  The vine borders finally came to an end

I'm very happy with it all....

The pattern is for blanket stitched edges but I chose to needle-turn.... I didn't always remember when tracing so several of my pictures go a different way to the pattern ...

Now it's all folded up with some backing and the binding... and in the Quilting Queue box

Now all those vines are done I am back to sewing some of the birdhouses.... these designs were given freely to celebrate February International Embroidery month by Crab Apple Hill..

The 'Sweets' little group is up to date for February....

In the close up you can see the little touches of metallic blue and beads that have been included.  I vow to never use metallic threads again.

Hubz retired properly at the end of last year and one thing we are enjoying is cooking together and trying new recipes.  

Pork and Pumpkin Chimichuri

Recipe is HERE 

Righto, Gotto Go....

I am looking forward to planning another block for Civil War Bride .....

My special thoughts (as so many of us are having) for those affected by floods here in Australia, and by war over in Europe and still Covid worldwide.  

Take care....xx

Reverse Sewing.....

This block is finished for the second time.....

I had thought I would be clever and do it my way only to realise that the block was too short... so I had to undo it and read the instructions.  The birds would look better a bit further down but I can live with it...

This is how it was .....

So now all the main applique blocks are done...

... and now there is some pieced blocks and the sashing to sew.... I had a bit of a cutting marathon mess....

... and I have started on the applique for the borders.... vines with hearts.... miles and miles of vines....

I finished off a couple of little embroideries this week.....

I used to hate stem stitch but now I rather like it.... still working on curves and points with it...

Rain has come... wonderful and wet... perfect day for some sewing.

Widget has Covid... (widget featured on my blog when little... he's not really a widget any more.- taller than me) . he's not feeling well at all..... first of our Aussie rellies to get it.  My daughter in UK is fine now and back at work. 

Keep well everyone,

FNSI ..... and the rest of the week

I'm going backwards with my week.....

Thanks Wendy for having us for FNSI ......  always a fun time to sew and then catch up with what others have made...

I did this sweet Field Journal embroidery.....

I then continued with some birdhouses which I had started earlier this week .....

These ones were finished into tags this week....

and the applique block was finished too.....  I now have some machine sewing blocks to do and start putting the main centre together.... still some needleturn on a border...

I spotted a blue banded bee looking for food around the fernery.... hard to get a picture...

... can see it's stripes a bit better here... they are fat little bees - a bit bigger than the usual honey bee

Mr Postie swung by with a lovely gift from Michelle....

It is totally the perfect saying to be hanging in my sewing room!!!

Thank you so much my friend...

Righto, Gotto Go..... we have noticed a decent crop of olives on our tree so are going off to pick some and then next week we will start soaking in brine.  I did a try a few years ago and they tasted really good.  

Hope you all have a lovely weekend......xx

a bit of this and a bit of that

A friend Marina was doing a clean up and mentioned she had some French General fabrics ready to leave her home..... I do love love FG but don't have much so I put my hand up and this beautiful bunch of fabrics came.... I don't think there are any there that I have so it is a wonderful addition to my stash - and I have a project in mind I am longing to start with them.  Thank you so much Marina.

There was also some patterns she was rehoming and I asked for this Christmas one.  I love KS patterns and I remember lusting over this little mini when Marina made it..... so it snuggled in with the fabric... 

I finished off the February stars after doing most of the stitching on Wednesday....

I found there was enough fabric to cut 2 of each colour so I am sewing doppelgangers .....

this picture is the 8 different fabrics sewn into stars so far.... 4 more to go then the borders.  These are not sewn together so no need to be concerned about the one facing the wrong way... 

Sometimes all a busy quilt top needs is some texture and I love this watery ripple effect ....

I have been continuing with the birdhouses.... not getting to one a day but loving them

My cast on stitch flower is a bit mangled.... but I tried!

some of them are simpler (but still sweet) than others...

In the dark colour it's hard to see but this is a bullion rose (also not very good but I tried)

And I made up the first three into the little tags I want them all to become - sewed with some wadding and backing and cut to shape, blanket stitch around the edge and a piece of silk ribbon to tie (I have no idea why I have a selection of silk ribbon but I do) .  I think they will be sweet little Christmas ornaments.

This months scrap colour is teal .... so I have done a couple of teal scrappy fish.  there is not a lot of teal in my scraps so little variety but they are done.  I am not sewing them into blocks until later so I can spread out the colours as in this pattern the blocks cross over - the face of one fish may touch the tail or side  of another fish.

Another parcel arrived in the post from Maureen - she had seen the little snap purse I made with that quilted type fabric and mentioned she had some cream and would I like it....  I haven't found the cream one before so very pleased to have a piece and now she is going to help with some ideas on what to sew on it besides the daisies and french knots.  I'm not very imaginative - probably should get myself an embroidery stitches book.  Any recommendations?

I sewed the tree, grass and horizontal fence post at sewing on Tuesday and now have the other fence posts and other bits ready for sewing up this week.  this is the last block for From the Heart before tackling the border applique.

Righto, Gotto Go.... I have set up my new stitchery for tracing so that is this mornings entertainment sorted....

Hope you have a lovely week... catch up soon...xx

Hello

Only a few more days and we are half way through February....

It's been a fairly social week for me... small sewing groups which is perfect - out on Monday and Tuesday and Wednesday friends over here... as a result some of my own sewing has happened...

This is another block for From The Heart.... I now have one main block to make and then there is a fair bit for the border.... but I think it's close enough to the end to start the next needleturn project.  There will only be 3 different ones on the go...... hmmmm

I finished all the embroidery on this little piece... it started the week next to the sweet little Tilda and some Pellon.....

Another little birdhouse has been sewn...

... and another..... these are given out daily and although it is very possible to sew one a day I just don't get to it!

These are Crab Apple Hill designs given freely for February International Embroidery month.

I have done a bit of quilting for someone..... 

and yesterday I sewed up my little snap purse made from the fabric I embroidered....

It is a pretty little thing but too small for what I wanted to use it for (I can't even fit my phone in) so I have ordered some bigger snaps and will try again when they arrive (will be a while as they are coming direct from that cheap place overseas)

Tuesday was spent sewing up a Field Journal block.... I had to spend part of an evening finishing it off but now another one is done.  I picked up another lot this week so I am even further behind now!

I have joined in again for the 3rd year of these - so loving them

I made good progress on my February stars yesterday .... will fit in time to do a few more seams over the weekend.

Popstar is a free pattern from Fat Quarter shop

and I need to plan a couple more fish ...... so that's this week sorted....

I do hope you all keep well and find some time for fun this week