September Stitching Round Up

Here we are at the end of yet another month, with the year three quarters over.  Where has it gone?  

Time to check in to see how I went with this month’s stitching goals.  You can read about them here.  All I can say is that my goals didn’t go well.  

Once again, the main reason is that my sewing room has turned into a big hot mess.  That always does it.  I find it too overwhelming to sort out and just avoid it.  Funnily, I was reading back to this time last year and I could nearly do a copy and paste of that post.

Having said that, I still have been doing bits and pieces.  Let’s see how I went.

ONE MONTHLY GOAL AND CHOOKSHED STITCHERS’ CHALLENGE

As I shared previously, I did get the quilt top made while at Baradine.  Then it just sat until yesterday.  

I finally started to make some headway in sorting things out, excavated Monique, and actually pieced a backing and got the quilt loaded.  (Photo taken to show the tidy side of the room.  We won’t look at the other side.)

I started basting the edges and noticed the thread was unravelling after going through the tension discs.  We tried everything we could think of and have now put in a call to the serviceman to see if he can give me some guidance.  Therefore, despite my best last minute efforts, I have failed to get this quilt completed in September.  Not to worry.  It will get done, all in good time.

Pop over to Deana’s blog to see how the other girls went.

RAINBOW SCRAP CHALLENGE

The colour this month was black.  Not something I want to work with in the split nine patches or hexies.  It would work for the Fish Quilt, as this month is tropical fish.  Well, I printed off the fish pattern…….and that’s as far as I have got.

BATIK FISH

Ditto.  I have the pattern, but have not gone any further…..see above…..the sewing room was too messy.

OTHER STITCHING GOALS

June Chookshed Goal - Koala Baby Quilt - I kitted up two quilts from the fabric I had and got the tops made at Baradine.  Once I get the current quilt finished I will quilt them.  Then I will be up to date with Deana’s challenge.

Quilt Laundry Basket Mystery Quilt - I want to try out a feather pantograph on one of the koala quilts before using it on this one.  Obviously, that hasn’t happened yet.

Deconstruct the crochet rug - that didn’t happen either.

Add the sashings to the Sashiko table runner - nope.

Hand stitching hexies - YES!!! LOTS!!!  This has ended up being my main stitching project for September.  I have made 23 one inch hexy flowers and one two inch hexy flower.  I have now made a total of 53 of the one inch flowers, so nearly half way. The quilt needs 111 one inch flowers and 8 two inch flowers.  I have also started to appliqué some onto their background fabrics and have several more glue basted ready to stitch down.  I’ve used up all the obvious small suitable fabric scraps, so now have to cut into some fat quarters.  I’m really enjoying working on this project…..more than I thought I would.  It also is the perfect project to take to my stitching mornings.

GROUP QUILT BLOCK

Our patchwork group are making a quilt and 12 inch blocks were requested.  I made one at the end of last month and have now made a second one.  The hardest part is to decide on a block design.  This was a fun block to make.

CRUMB BLOCKS

These were made while I was at Baradine.  They are great fun and use up some of those tiny scraps.  No idea what I will do with them.

UNPLANNED PROJECT

While I was at Baradine, Mick went to a garage sale in the street behind us and the lady had some fabric for sale.  He phoned me and did a wander showing us what was there.  

He bought a few pieces and one was a Dr Seuss panel.

After I returned home I wandered up to see what else she had left. One piece is now being used as the backing on the quilt that is currently on Monique.  

She had been making fabric masks during the COVID lockdowns and had a bag of cut out pieces.  She gave them to me.  I sorted them into types.  The solids will go into something at some stage, the batiks are from the same range as the ones I’ve been using for the fish, so they will get used and then there were some nice bright colours, but what would I do with them?  I had a brain wave.

Firstly, I cut them into pieces to make the best use of the fabric.  Somewhat of a time waster, but fun to see the odd shapes transform into something usable.

Then I added one inch borders to the Dr Seuss panels.

Before using the bright scraps for sashing and border.  I’m loving it.  I still felt it needed a border to add some size to it.  Fortunately, I found a suitable fabric in my stash.  That hasn’t been added yet.  It has now been put aside for the minute, until I get all those quilts quilted.

It was such a lovely day that I dug out my baby Elna Stella and set myself up on the back verandah to sew.

AND ALSO….

I nearly forgot that I made the little swap gift for Spring in the Scrub.

And that about sums up what I have been getting up to on the sewing front.

15 MINUTES A DAY

Apart from one day, I have done some stitching every day.

September = 29/30

Year to date = 250/274

Success rate = 91.24%

I’m happy with that.

So, all things considered, despite not achieving many goals, I still have a bit to show for the month.  We’ll see how we go next month.

Scrub Stitchin’ - Swaps and Shopping

 An integral part of the retreat is the “Make it or fake it” swap.  It is such fun on the Saturday night seeing what everyone has gifted and received.

I had fun this year making a little sewing pouch with bits and bobs inside. It was all inspired by the random cute strawberry fat quarter I recently found.  The pouch is a combination of a couple of patterns from Anni Downs.  

I found the perfect coloured vintage ric rac in my stash.

It was a bit of a challenge to add the ric rac around the label, as I was using machine buttonhole, but we got there in the end, with lots of pins.

Betty of Rainbow Connections Quilter was the recipient of this little collection.

The gift I received was a fat quarter bundle of rustic, country style fabrics.  They will work well to make a blokey quilt.  This gift came from Sue.

Now to the shopping…… there always has to be a little retail therapy.

The only shopping plan I had was to buy the jelly roll ruler for the braided quilt that many would make during the retreat and to get one more batik fabric to add to the fish quilt I am making.  

I didn’t make the braided quilt on the weekend, but I have pulled out a junior jellyroll and coordinating fabrics to make a cot quilt at some stage.  Another one for the list……

Our first stop on the way up was Crafters Cottage in Coonabarabran.  As we had taken longer to get up there than planned, and we were to be giving Chooky a hand to set things up, I only called in very briefly, but did come out with a suitable grubby brown batik.  The best bit was that I ran into Jenny of Bird on the Border while there.

The other purchases were all made from the pop up shop that Deb from Crafters Cottage set up at Scrub Stitchin’.  Having that shop on site is such a bonus for us, and I’m also guessing for Deb.  Win, win.

I even brought home a gift for Monique.  I was delighted to see that there were bobbin cases to hold “M” sized bobbins, which are what Monique uses.  My bobbins were just thrown in a small tub beforehand.  This is so much better, and something I had been on the lookout for.

Pins with caravans on them are not something that was on my shopping list, but how could I resist?

Also, I didn’t NEED any more fat quarters, but when I saw that she had the same Tilda fabric that was used in our bag that we made from last year’s retreat I bought some more with a matching project in mind……..now I just have to make it.

The other fat quarters are just ones that I know will be incorporated in something.  You can never have too many low volumes for a scrappy background, which I always prefer to just a single fabric.

Wrapping Up December

It is the second last day of the year and time to do a recap of the rest of December. Firstly, I will start with my stitching.

There isn't a lot to report, but I have completed a further four blocks of my Spiked Granny Rug.  This has been a great project to pick up at a moment's notice and do a little on.  I threaded in the ends this morning on yet another Zoom get together with the Chookshed Stitchers.  

It was a lovely sunny morning, so I set myself up on the little verandah outside the sewing room.  I didn't realise, but Mick snuck a couple of photos.  Joey was settled in his favourite morning spot.

Once the threads were tidied I picked up my ongoing stitchery.  I am finally starting to see some progress with this one.  I stitched most of the leaves today.  I now feel a little more enthused to finish it off.

This isn't my stitching, but my Christmas ornament from Lou arrived in the mail, just a tad late for this Christmas, thanks to the slow mail.  Isn't he a cutey.  He will be put away, ready to hang on my handmade ornament tree next year.

I will do my final report on my Fifteen Minutes a Day and make the assumption that I will work on something tomorrow.

15 Minutes/December = 27/31 - I think that is about my worst month.

15 Minutes/2023 = 341/365

Success Rate = 93.42%

That is so much better than I had expected.  The challenge really keeps me motivated and if I haven’t done anything during the day, Mick will also remind me to do my 15 minutes.  I’m looking forward to keeping this going next year.

What else did we get up to that I haven't reported?

Not very exciting, but we have had our internet connection updated so that we have fibre to the house rather than copper.  It was only connected yesterday and we can really see the improvement in speed.  

With my little goals, I actually found time to read a book.  It was a very quick and easy read.

I did make two new recipes, but forgot to take a photo of both of them.  Firstly, I found a recipe in the paper for a Pineapple and Coconut cake which used a can of crushed pineapple, juice and all.  It turned out fine, but did make a rather large cake, so ended up being a cake and a few muffins.

Secondly, I made some chicken meatballs from a new recipe for our neighbourhood Christmas party.  Some of the mix was saved and used as chicken rissoles.  They were very tasty.

There was a local hotrod display as a fund raiser at the start of the month, so we had a little look.

I joined a couple of friends for lunch at O'Connell and the village had a lot of gingerbread men decorating the fences beside the road.  They were each sponsored and were a fund raiser for the local primary school.  It was so bright and cheery.

Mick is really enjoying playing lawn bowls and has started to volunteer looking after the gardens.  As a part of that he has offered to restore and repair the fountain out the front of the clubhouse.  He is enjoying the challenge.

Some friends, knowing how Mick likes to watch the Boxing Day Test cricket match sent us a gnome for a Christmas present.  Mick loves it.  He looks so sweet and innocent here, as if he wouldn’t tell anyone to go away. Well, just try interrupting his cricket and you may get told.

Here it is, doing a fine job.

While Mick was watching the cricket I finally got out a jigsaw to work on.  This one came from the white elephant stall last year.  I knew it was a stack of quilts, but didn't realise until I got it out that they are actually Christmas quilts.  How appropriate.

Mum has never been a sporty person, but during the summer she liked nothing better than watching the test cricket and tennis and doing a large jigsaw.  When working on them, she always spread the pieces out on several trays.  Those trays now live here, so I used them for this puzzle.  I can't really remember them being used for anything other than jigsaws, so it was a nice trip down memory lane.  I don't think I realised that the two top trays actually have the same decal on them.  The roses on the beige one are hand painted.  The draught horses were always my favourites.

This is where I am up to now.  The easier parts are completed and I have to concentrate a bit more.  Hopefully, I will have it finished in the next few days.

Lots has been happening in the garden, but I will leave that for another time.

That just about wraps up December’s going ons.  Tomorrow, I will do a post looking back over the year, which I always find interesting to prepare.

Merry Christmas

It’s Christmas Eve and I think that I have everything done that I can in readiness for the big day tomorrow.  We will be having my Mum and my brother and his family here for lunch, before we then travel to Mick’s nephew’s to see his family and then on to some good friends’ place for a relaxed evening.

All our Christmas parties are now over. We had our usual neighbourhood get together at our house last Sunday, which was a good opportunity to welcome a new family to the street.  Both my stitching groups have had a nice lunch and there was a Christmas lunch at Mum’s aged care facility, complete with a visit from Santa. Add to this dinners with friends and we have been very social.

Mum’s Christmas tree in her room showcases her collection of hand made decorations.  She has been making decorations for many years.

Here are some of our decorations, which are very similar to last year.

The mantle piece is always a nice place to decorate.

I always think of Joey as a tiny kitten climbing this tree.  That was sixteen years ago and he is slowing down now.

The teddies are looking fine in the sunshine.

We have our usual lights outside, but they are looking rather washed out in this photo.

Our street is still well lit up.  While a couple of houses that used to really go all out have toned it down, some more are adding a few lights and one is making a great display.

I have a few new ornaments on our stick tree, in addition to the ones I showed previously.  

The hexy one is a gift from Lou.

These clever crochet baubles were made by one of my old work colleagues.  She does the most amazing crochet pieces and these were a lovely surprise.

This final bauble was bought in Alice Springs when we visited and I forgot to hang it last year.  It is hard to see, but the designs on the inside of the folds is aboriginal artwork.

While I’m on the subject of ornaments, this is the one I made and sent to Lou this year.  It was fun to revisit some blackwork.  I haven’t done any since I was in high school.

Today, I finished off the Crossroads Quilt, while watching a couple of corny Christmas movies. Happy dance!  A lovely way to spend the afternoon.  I will have a separate post for the big Ta Da.

So, on that note, I wish everyone all the very best for this season and a Happy New Year.