UFO Top Finished

Yeah-I'm pleased to say I spent the weekend doing chores but with the sewing machine up
on the kitchen table as it has more light and I can more to the laundry and iron as I go more
easily.

My Babushka Quilt Top is nearly finished.  It's about 1 year old and I did the dolls by 'buttonhole'

stitch.  I did run out of material and had to search the internet for ' Flower Sugar' by Leican.
Didn't get exactly what I wanted but used up quite a bit.  I did have 1 applique block left over
and decided to add another row down the left side of the quilt.   I didn't have enough green spot
so I have an IMPERFECTION - can you spot it.....

I was thinking of just putting a white border around the quilt and then binding it in the small
green floral as I have enough to bind the quilt.  The backing is made up of large pieces of materials
left over from the collection.  At least I am using up the materials. I had this thing about not

using the bits for the backing and would go and buy MORE to match the top of the quilt but really

 

that is an extravagance nowadays and then it goes in the cupboard and I don't use it.

While sorting out the sewing cupboard I found this backing - I love it and haven't used it yet.
They are little 'arrows' but look like 'ANTS' running about the fabric.  Luckily we had sunshine
this morning (Sunday) so quickly gave it another wash as it was in the plastic container for
about 4/5 years should be able to use this on another 15 year old UFO.... more on that
next time

Off to iron the material and see how much I have and elve into the quilt cupboard and see what's next to finish off........

Is Spring Coming...

Spring is getting closer in Sydney. Lorakeets feeding on my Grevilla

 Have been busy having a clean out.  In particular the TV wall unit - how many cd's dvd's and old

videos can you have..  Started with the old VHS videos as I no longer have a VHS machine and
found old children's Ninja Turtles and cartoons, tapes I wanted to keep, Diana's Wedding. Old cassette
tapes and CD's that are old and will never use.  Sorted through my old LP's - that was a trip down
memory lane and have kept all of them also with the 45's. 
A lot went to a charity shop and boxed up the rest and now neat and tidy.l  Will have to load up the IPOD with the old songs.  When will I do this....
Craft Cupboard - sewing room (spare room).  Wardrobe is full of craft and decided to use clear

boxes and sort out all the materials and equipment again and label the boxes, so much easier now

Another ocean rock pool - this time at Freshwater Sydney.

Lunch a couple of weeks ago at Manly looking across at Manly Wharf where the ferries come

in from City of Sydney.
Last  night walking along the beach front going to dinner with a girl friend and a girly LONG chat.

This is the 'Cardinal's Palace - at Manly which was originally a Catholic Seminary for new
Catholic Brothers and Priests.  Have been there for a Catholic Mass in the small chapel and
many weddings are held there now.  Very expensive but what a view. You have make it out
in the background of the ocean pics above.  Beautiful grounds and is now an International School for Cooking where students come from all over the world.
                                                                  POT HOLDERS
I have been making little gifts of Pot Holders as a friend saw one of my basic ones and wanted to
buy some and I have been making some for little gifts to add to G/Friends presents.  I try and make

at least 1 handmade gift when giving presents.

Front and Back of Oriental Fabric Pot Holders.

I found these to be a good size for holding the handles or wrapping around the handles of saucepans and quick and easy strip piecing.  I used wool batting and Insulbrite batting. Put the Insulbrite on the back layer.

WHILE THE PICTURES ARE DOWNLOADING I'M ON THE LAPTOP DOWNLOADING

SOME FREE BOOKS FOR MY KOBO.  No wonder my head aches.

A cupcake Pot Holder which was a bit fiddly but got the hang of it.  It was a bit loose, so sewing a line down each side of the top(icing) so my hand wouldn't slip which is a lot safer.  Thought the colours

where good too.  Not a brown person but loved these fabrics - which are also in the 'striped pot holder'

My best girlfriend in Melbourne has become a grandma for the 6th time.

Her youngest daughter Rachel have birth to a boy named Joshua Robert so had better

knit faster as I am knitting a rug for him to snuggle up in along with his 2 brothers!

Lots of different coloured stripes and various widths.  It's in 5 ply so going to take a while but can't sit idle while I watch television and at least it's plain knitting.

I picked up this old cane sewing basket on Ebay last week and it arrived at the post office this morning. I intend to put my cottons, pins, scissors and various needle cases in it on the end of the lounge instead of in various parts of the family room and sewing room.  I have a small cane one from my childhood and still in good condition.  Bit small for all the bits and pieces so it's put away.  This should be really handy and when I go away or

out for the day - picnic etc. I always throw a bag of craft in just in case, whilst sitting.

 

My little Cup Cake Needle and Pin Holder

Off to make Lasagne for dinner and hope you enjoyed the Spring Update

Sunday Sewing & Ocean Walk with Lola the Labrador

  After reading the Sunday papers, a bit of gardening, cutting the blocks for my quilt and then an afternoon     walk along our beautiful shores - along the boardwalk next to the ocean at Curl Curl in Sydney with Lola - great afternoon with the sun coming out finally.

                  

  Our Rock Pools filled by the ocean - where I learnt to swim. Most beaches have these pools with a smaller pool for the younger children.

Morning's work and borders around the doll block

               Birdhouses from the kitchen window

Saturday 4 June 2011

                                   By the end of last Sunday nite I had placed all the embroidery and circles
                                                        and pinned onto the 4 patch squares

                                                         .
The weather in Sydney is dull and overcast so have the new knitted rug on the end of the bed. I can add
on more strips if I want to but it is quite heavy.  This project was good while watching the television, but I certainly had to watch the pattern.

This sits on the lounge a well used knee rug made from different techniques.

                    .Cup Cake Oven Mit from Hot Cakes.  Hand goes in the top - wadding is 2 layers of Insul Bright. I added a sewing line on either side of the top part so my hand fits more snugly and won't slip off!

                          A Work in Progress (WIP) Babushka Doll Applique for a bright floral quilt

         It's a Rosalie Quinlan Design   Finished the applique during the week and will cut out

the blocks tomorrow. 

Running around the house taking photos of quilts/craft

Sunday and very dull & cold - ready to rain in Sydney for the next 5 days.
Have uploaded computer with bits and pieces and have been sewing the last
2 Sundays on my 'Life is Beautiful' quilt which I started early 2010.

This is a 'Hugs and Kisses' quilt with 4 x 4 blocks and stitchery circles interspersed
with smaller matching block circles to be added into every 2nd block and on the
joins of the 'tramlines'.

It's in the Moda 'French General' collection which I love and have been mulling over

the 'tramlines' and selected a greenish brown from the Le Petite Ecole range.

31 Large circles will be interspersed onto every second  4 patch block

32 Embroidery-applique circles

Now back to the quilt and sort out where I want all the circles and then

hand sew onto 4 patch blocks which will be a good night job for the next week.

I then have to decide how to quilt it -

Quilt as you Go - Haven't done this method before but a great tutorial

from Hugs and Kisses - Life is Beautiful site.

Add the embrodery circles and cut wadding and backing and then quilt around the circles.

From what I looked at on the internet looks this may be the way to go. Then sew the

borders onto back and front and nearly finished.

The INSPIRATIONS ON THE APPLIQUE were inspiring as I started this quilt after having a breast removed from breast cancer. Didn't think I was going to do the quilt but realised I could take it with me to Chemo for the 12 months and keep myself occupied for 7 hrs over the 1st 6 months and then 4 hrs over the following 6 months.  Also it was a good way to get to talk to the staff and other patients as they always

wanted to know what I was doing and talk about the inspirations and what other staff and patients were involved in and where and when they started sewing, craft, painting etc.  It was a way of getting the blocks done every 3 weeks so I could take the next one in to show everyone.I have left the blocks for the last couple of months but really want to finish it now.

                           Left over pieces of the French General Material for my sewing caddy.

                Needle Case, embroidery thread bag and large carry all for my embroidery blocks

      I wasn't happy with the blue and pale beige material, so used them up with assorted items to hold everything in and stay all together for the LIB project.