What do you think?

This is the centre block of Irish Circles, I loved sewing every stitch of it. Below it is the first outer block........and it just looks blah. Do you ever pull out some fabrics, make the block, then wonder what you were thinking? It may not have helped that my entire wardrobe is strewn all over my sewing room....not the best conditions for creativity. I will keep it aside to see how it looks with the other blocks, but it's not looking promising.

On a brighter note, I am super excited about our new ensuite. It's looking great, and will hopefully have some pictures to post next week.

Hubby is away on his annual pilgrimage to the Moto GP at Phillip Island (yes he has gone away and left me in charge of the renovation).

So that means a change to routine, and lots of late nights stitching. I've finished off the Heart and Soul pincushion and made some definite plans for Christmas swaps. Two quilts basted and ready for quilting.

Happy stitching.

Susan x

Still here

I've been a bit preoccupied with our ensuite renovation this week. We have moved right out of our bedroom into the lounge room, so the house is in disarray. The builder started on Tuesday and all is progressing according to plan (so far). I'm still painting the front fence, and quite enjoying supervising rather than doing the actual renovation work for a change. I admit that I do rather like painting, I'll be doing the ensuite and all through our wardrobe too.

So not a great deal of sewing happening. I have been doing some secret sewing and fiddling with little hexies. I'm also finishing off the second pincushion that came in the Heart and Soul kit from Hatched and Patched.

And for something completely different I dyed a dress today. I bought a white linen dress on sale, and whilst I loved the dress, it was a bit see through. I bought some blue denim Dylon and today Mr 12 and I got creative in the laundry. I'm really pleased with how it turned out and astonished that the stitching is still snowy white. Mr 12's new blue socks are still drying!

I'm looking forward to Sculptures in the Garden tomorrow, and some stitching time. Hope you're having a lovely weekend.

Susan x

Stuffed!

I did get around to stuffing my Heart & Soul Pincushion. I would have to say that stuffing is my least favourite sewing activity, whether it's fibrefill or walnut shells, it's a pain in the neck. Too much, too little, sewing the opening closed........I dislike the whole process.

Having said that, I do rather like my new pincushion.

This is the last batch of Floral Beauty blocks. I have laid them all out this morning, and I am absolutely thrilled with how it looks. Hope to lay out the pieced border this afternoon. I might keep you in suspense until then.

Stitching in Cassilis tomorrow, so if you're in the area, please drop in to The Plough Inn.

Happy stitching.

Susan x

UFO

Here is my Hexagon Star as a finished flimsy. I had less than one short edge left to appliqué.....at least now it's finished. I first posted about this quilt here in January 2012, but it goes back longer than that (2008 I think). It was my first hexagon project and something of an ugly duckling for a long while. I started it mainly to practice hexagons and use up scraps. But of course then I had to buy a big enough background piece........so much for being thrifty.

I have enough batting but need to get something for the back. I had thought about a pieced back like this........

........but I just don't think it will look right. Since it's a scrap project I'm trying to avoid spending too much on the backing. What sort of backing would you look for.......striped, floral, what colour? All suggestions much appreciated.

Here is my little pincushion from last week looking a bit flat.

School holidays have started here - yippee! We are off to Bathurst tomorrow to see Man of Steel (no chick flicks with 3 boys) and visit my parents.

Happy stitching.
Susan x

Works in progress

I was inspired by May Britt'spost about what projects she is working on this year. I'm sure there will be new projects and fabrics to catch my eye, but these projects are what I'm working on for now.

Finish quilting In Full Bloom before GDITC in March.

Make a start on The Simple Life fabric pack I got for Christmas.

Finish sewing down hexie border and quilt my Hexagon Star......by the end of the year.

Make a quilt for my nephew's 18th in August. Best get a move on with this one.

Floral Beauty. Loving it, and scared of all the needleturn, at the same time.

New Day stitchery.....finish by Mothers Day.

Make two runners for my new coffee table and buffet......soon.
Finish my little hexie bag before GDITC.
Stay up to date with the Traditional Nine Patch Swap.
I'm thinking about starting a clamshell quilt, but might wait until GDITC with Sue Daley.

I'll stop now, or this will become a very long list of all the projects I'd like to do.

I'm off to find a cool spot to stitch the day away.......now what should I work on first?

Susan x

Pretty quiet....

Not a great deal to show......but I can report that my SSCS is finished! Just need to do some fancy wrapping and I'm done.

Hubby has left on his pilgrimage to Phillip Island for the GP. Better him than me sitting on a motorbike for 600km today and another 500km tomorrow! I guess it's his version of going on retreat.

Hoping to get quite a bit of sewing done while he is away. Lots of unfinished things to work on.....including this Anni Downs stitchery that I got in Sydney in June.

Hope you get some time to sit and stitch this week.

Susan x

A little gift....

Like everyone else, I am busy sewing, but not on anything that I can show.

I love patterns that are so much fun to make that I want to make multiples. This little covered notebook by Anni Downs is one such project. Out of the gift box and off to a friend.

I gave in to temptation last night and bought the downloadable pattern for Brigitte Giblins hexie bag. Now there's a dangerous development - if Hatched & Patched starts that I am in deep trouble. But I am NOT starting the bag until my SSCS is done........

On a very exciting note, there is only one week to go until I'm off to the Stitching Post Retreat at Katoomba with Ann-Marie and Sam.

Enjoying the warm Spring weather and the last of school holidays today. Hope you have a great weekend.

Susan x

A little pear.....

I came across this pile of "scraps" - not actually scraps, but all the little pieces cut out and ready to make Anni's Pear Tree Pincushion.

Some laying out.....

....a little bit of whipstitch..... and my first finish for 2012.

It's quite a big, fat juicy pear - might modify it a bit next time - but very happy with the result.

Off to do a little more stitching before the weekend is gone. Hope you're having fun with whatever you're working on.

Susan x