Sunday, December 30, 2012

Snowman Quilt coming along

 Boy oh boy is this quilt taking some time!  and here I thought it would be a quick one to make!
I have now made 6 of the appliqued blocks and have 11 to go.  But I am really enjoying making it.
 After that, I join it and then snip all the edges to rag it.
From experience, I will go outside and snip it and take regular breaks, as I know of one lady who snipped her quilt in one sitting and ended up with her wrist in a brace for a few weeks!

I used this for the first time to applique the pieces and am VERY IMPRESSED!
You iron it onto your fabric, then you peel off the paper and it sticks to the next piece of fabric.  No ironing the second time with the risk of moving it.. it sticks itself and if you aren't happy with the placement, you take it off, reposition it and it sticks there... a bit like "sticky notes".

I was hoping to get this finished before I return to work on Wednesday after having the festive season off, but I can't see that happening!

I am planning on taking down the Christmas decorations tomorrow.. they took 5 hours to put up and I hope it only takes 1 hour to take down.  I know they are meant to stay up until the New Year, but I will be back at work then and won't have lots of time on my hands when I go back.

Until next post..
Jewells

Saturday, December 29, 2012

One Block Made - 16 to go


I have just finished the first appliqued square and I just love it!

When placing the nose I realised that there was an error in the instructions.  There is only 3 of this type of Snowman in the quilt and in the picture the nose goes to the right, not the left, otherwise it didn't curl "up" right..  I checked that I had traced the pattern correctly and it did not say to reverse the tracing on this Snowman.
I also came across another error in the cutting out of the 6.5" squares... it was one short.  Again I recounted what I did and what the pattern said.  I counted the squares on the pattern and it was one short.
Very MINOR errors which shows that the "author" is only human.
 
I use to proof read patterns for a friend and I know how easy it is to miss something.  You actually "know" what it is meant to say, and sometimes you read what should be there.. when it isn't.
 
I found the safest way of proof reading a pattern was actually making the quilt as you read it.

Must get back to another square.

Until next post...
Jewells

Friday, December 28, 2012

A long time between posts.. SORRY!

 I am working on the above flannel quilt. (Yes it is summer here and I am mad to be working with flannel in the heat!).  When finished it will be about 50 x 70". So far I have made the 4 block squares and traced all the pieces onto fusible wedding.  I used a whole roll of fusible webbing ("Appli-Kay Wonder") which was 18" x 3 yards!
 Before Christmas I was knitting these Santa dish cloths.  It doesn't show very well with the variegated cotton, but the solid colours, especially the red, shows up very well.  These are the left overs after giving them as part of my friend's gifts.
 Many years ago, I was in a Christmas Churn Dash Swap, and here is what I made up with many of the squares, and with the left over ones.....
 I made a table cloth.
Hope everyone had a great Christmas, and all enjoy the coming New Year.

Until next post...
Jewells

Sunday, December 16, 2012

Aussie Christmas Lights


Last Friday night I went to the Hunter Valley Garden's Christmas Lights and was very impressed.
The above shot was taken at the water feature there,

But the most impressive part (I thought) was the area that had the 12 days of Christmas:


These lights were pulsed to the music of the 12 days of Christmas and the lights were on 3 sides of the sucken garden on the tall hedge of trees.  As each day was mentioned, only that lot of lights lit up, then as the countdown of the days was sung, they would light up, then go out until it was mentioned again.. I sat and watched it a few times (much to my partner's disgust!)

Managed to sew 3 lots of curtains this weekend for our house.

Christmas will be with us soon!

Until next post..
Jewells

Sunday, November 4, 2012

Aprons



More items for my craft stall.  

I made these aprons for last year's sale and all but one sold, so I got in and made more for this year.
This is my favourite one (I made 2 of these).
The centre piece is meant to be a fat quarter cut into a square, but I used a "cushion panel" for this one, and only have to cut it down a bit.

I will be using this model for the display at the sale.  I found last year, whatever was on the model sold first.. I had to keep re-dressing the model!
The following are more aprons finished.
Folded up ready to sell
Wish I didn't have to go back to work on Monday!
Until next post..
Jewells

Friday, November 2, 2012

Cushions for my Stall

As mentioned last post, I have been "resting" by doing some sewing.  

 I am having my annual Patchwork & Craft Sale on the 8th December, so I thought I had better get in and make some items for sale.

Today I was making & finishing off these cushions:
Christmas Cushions

Christmas & Snoopy Cushions
Snoopy Cushions
All piled up!

Will post again tomorrow with more of what I am doing for the stall.

Until next post...
Jewells

Thursday, November 1, 2012

Flowers, Fish, Jewellery

Still showing you some Fiji photos

These are some of the beautiful flowers in bloom while I was there:


The blue star fish and the colourful fish:

 This is my grand daughters braids... it took 3 hours for the 91 braids to me done
This is how bingo is played over there.. with rocks!

Then I spoilt myself with these 2 pieces of jewellery
Made from Coconuts

Black fresh water pearls


While I was over there I felt unwell for a couple of days, not the tummy bug, but very sore throat, tired, aching arms & legs and VERY tired (slept for a day and half solid, only getting up to "try" to eat).  I put it down to the air conditioning and all the walking & stairs climbing I was doing, so I thought I would shake it off when I got back, but my throat got worse.  I eventually made a doctor's appointment yesterday, only to find out I have Glandular Fever.
I am on medication to reduce the swelling and the inflammation.  But the cure is rest.

So what does a quilter/patch worker do for rest?  SEW!!
Tomorrow I will show you what I have been up to!

Until next post...
Jewells

Monday, October 29, 2012

Fabric from Fiji


After saying I didn't need more fabric, what do I go and do???

I bought over 20 metres of fabric at one shop in Fiji.
 
So after seeing it, can you blame me?

Until next post...
Jewells

Back from Fiji

 
I'm back! ....  and look what I got up to on my last day in Fiji!
 
That's me parasailing!  It was AWESOME!

 

What a friendly place Fiji is!

 
So serene and peaceful

 
This photo was taken from inside my room, looking out over my balcony THROUGH the fly screen door.

I bought about 20 metres of fabric while I was there too (I will photograph it and show you later).... and here I said before I left, I do NOT need anymore fabric!

Now back to reality, washing, ironing and work.

Until next post...
Jewells

Friday, October 19, 2012

The Difference Paint Makes!

Here are some shots of before and after:

ALL of the inside had the white/green/freeze/plum, but the freeze was ripped in places and the rooms looked so dark with that colour scheme.

So we had all the inside painted with off white/deep cream.
Now the house is so light!

Before, the outside had a green roof and yellow walls.
Now it has a brownish roof (called "Jasper"), "Chocolate" awnings & posts and Creamy/Yellow ("Malacoota") walls.

That is "Dusty", my man's faithful dog.  She has not got a mean bone in her body and is wonderful.  Her only fault is: she moults!  She only has to stand there and it falls off her, even straight after brushing her or bathing her, it just sheds and sheds...it is a wonder she is not bald!  She reminds me of "Pig Pen" in the "Charlie Brown" comics.  He had the filth falling off him like the hair falls off Dusty.

My man has been into the gardens, but still has a long way to go before it is up to his liking.  He spent the first couple of days, digging out trees with his bulldozer and pruning others with his chainsaw!

Well, this afternoon I am off to Fiji for a week with my daughter, SIL, and 2 grand children.  My man will NOT fly or go on water, so he will be at our new home "re-arranging" while I am gone.

Until next post

Jewells

Wednesday, October 10, 2012

Finally I did some sewing!

Sorry I have been so long since my last post, but I have now moved into my new place.  As I type this, the plumber is here, but we have had the builders, plumbers, painters and the electricians... looked like a Home Reno TV show some mornings with everyone here and doing their own thing.  I will post some photos another time of how the house has been revamped!
I have been really missing not being able to sew, so last Sunday I grabbed the first "little" project to sew and made this in a few hours.  The pinning of the 3 layers took me the longest, as I don't usually do any quilting, I send the quilts off to a quilter for that, but I thought I would try something different and see how I went... now I know why I send to a quilter!



I had bought this kit in the States last Christmas and I am very happy with how it turned out.
I was looking for a "different" table and chairs for the garden at our new place, and I saw these and fell in love with them.  The maker has made about 5 sets, all different and says he won't be making any more as they were too time consuming.  So I was happy to pay the $400 (gulp!) as I have a one of a kind and it looks good under the tree out the front.



 Believe it or not, the chairs are much heavier that the table!


Time to get to work.... until next post...
Jewells

Tuesday, September 11, 2012

Need to make Library Bags

I'm going to Fiji with my daughter and her family in about 5 weeks and we are taking a whole heap of things to give away to small school children while we are there.

Apparently we take a train trip to a small school and hand out gifts, such as exercise books, pencils, books, games etc.

We have bought lots of stationery and toys and I was thinking I might make up some library bags, but I have never made any.

I was thinking of sewing up the sides of a pretty fabric, make a casing up the top edge with a slight opening to thread thru a cord.

Is that what you would do?  PLEASE HELP!

Until next post...

Cheers...Jewells

Sunday, September 9, 2012

Before I move in

Sorry I have been a bit slack on posting this last month, but with buying and selling a home, I have been busy busy busy.

Last Thursday we finally became the owners of a 5 bedroom home on a 16 acre block.  We wanted to have it painted before we moved in and decided to get a couple of things fixed before hand.

A "couple of things" has turned into something bigger than Ben Hur! 

I have taken down all the curtains and after washing them I realise that I need to replace most of them..I think the dirt was holding them together!

The room above is going to be my sewing room, and the 3 mirrored-door built in has been changed to all shelving for my fabric.  Light switches have been moved and all switches throughout the house have been changed as I didn't like the timber & brass ones.

Light fittings have been changed, old ceiling fans removed & replaced by modern ones, fly screens replaced, front door replaced,  one toilet removed & replaced with a new one and it keeps going on and on.

Last Friday it looked like a TV remodelling show as there were: 2 builders, 2 painters, 2 electricians and my partner and I all there doing things!

I spent 3 hours cleaning the oven today, only to find out that when I turned it on to get rid of the smell, it doesn't work!

It will be worth it when we move in a couple of weeks!

Until next post...

Cheers...Jewells

Tuesday, August 7, 2012

Jelly Roll Quilt Race

I have been told by a frind from the States about this new craze going on over there.... a quilt top made in under an hour!
Here is the link to the Video clip:

42 strips - size without border 48" x 64 ( 3yrds total fabric)
55 strips - size without border 55" x 84
69 strips - size without border 70" x 84"
82 strips - size without border 78" x 88"
96 strips - size without border 88" x 92"

Cut 18" off the first strip, this will be extra.
Sew all strips together on a diagonal on one selvage end ( like binding)
fold strips on top of each other and sew on right side, cut the fold when
you get to the bottom end. Open and place right sides together and repeat
for a total of 5 times (for 42 strips). More repeats are needed when using
more strips.
You can press as you go or you can press when you are completely done.

I think I might be using this idea to use up a lot of my fabric ends... doesn't have to be only Jelly Rolls!

What do you think?

Until next post...
Cheers...Jewells



Birthday present made


It feels good to make something instead of buying it for a friend's 1 year old boy.

As, I am sure, he has plenty of pyjamas to fit him for the rest of this winter, I have made them as a size 2, so he can have some nice new ones for next winter.

Until next post..

Cheers...Jewells

Monday, August 6, 2012

Bobsey Twins & Amish

Home today as it is "Mechanic's Picnic Day"... ok, ok, I'm not a mechanic, but I am the secretary at a mechanical workshop!
So, I slept in, then did the washing of the linen, cooked a vegetable & bacon quiche and cut out 2 pairs of size 2 pyjamas for a birthday present in a few weeks, plus.......
 I have started cleaning out my cupboards for my big move and I came across this set of books I bought from an Antique Shop while I was in the States last year.


It is the first 12 books in the "Bobbsey Twins" series by Laura Lee Hope.  I don't think they were read that much here in Australia, but I could be wrong, as I was not a reader when I was young, only started reading later in life.   Has anyone read these books?

...... talking of my trip to the States, I bought the 2 Amish dolls a couple of visits ago, and the last time I found this "Nancy Noel" print of an Amish girl against a quilt.  They are on permanent display in my dining room.
 

Must go and sew up the pyjamas.

Until next post...

Cheers...Jewells



           

Friday, July 27, 2012

For Sale

My home has now been on the market for a couple of weeks and the Real Estate Agent has taken 2 lots of people through it, but no offers yet.
My house is the cream one behind the trees, that is my neighbour's house with the red roof and white walls.

This is what is what is on my wall, but hidden behind one of those trees!
They are sooo cute, and I will be taking them to my new home... where I will have real cows too! However, we will only be running about 4 steers... and I have already named them!
Stroganoff, T-Bone, Stew & Hamburger.

They are going to make a farm girl out of me yet! LOL!

Until next post..
Cheers...Jewells

Thursday, July 19, 2012

Another Quilt Finished

Phew!! Just finished another quilt.  
I bought this one as a kit.  It was so easy, yet it looks effective!
After many people asking me "where was your stall at the Film Festival?", (I didn't have one this year)  I decided to have a Quilt & Craft Sale this Saturday and this quilt will be in it.

I just got all the stuff out for the sale... there are quilts, knitted dishcloths, herb marking spoons, pyjamas, lemon curd, lime cordial and tea towels.


Until next post..


Cheers..Jewells

Saturday, June 30, 2012

IT'S OURS!

Well the "Sold" sign went over the "For Sale" sign yesterday... it is now official, my boyfriend and I have bought a place together and we will be moving into it about mid September!
The house sits on 16 acres of land.  There is 4 bedrooms, a study, a double car garage with a loft, plus a 5 garage shed (where my boyfriend's tractors, and all his boy's toys will go).

I am "decluttering" my home to sell it and my boyfriend can't beleive the amount of books and magazines I have to move (we don't live together) .. wait till he sees my fabric stash!


Until next post...
Cheers...Jewells

Tuesday, June 26, 2012

Finished BARGAIN Quilt


A few weeks ago, at a garage sale, I picked up a plastic bag that contained fabric.  It had $3 on the bag.  Upon inspection I saw that there seemed to be a quilt had been started and heaps of pieces and templates included. 
The lady who was selling it said that there was the makings of a 40" square quilt in the bag that was started but never finished.  I thought to myself that the fabric alone was well worth the asking price of $3, so I bought it and took it home.


 
An old photo of Mum at the machine
Mum has been staying with me for a few weeks and I showed her the started quilt and she decided she would see if she would be able to finish piecing it.  My Mum is a perfectionist and always has beautiful seams, and she pain stakingly matches the corners, but this proved to be quite a challenge as the pre-cut pieces weren't cut with a lot of care and she had trouble  matching corners. She managed to get every corner but one to meet, but who can see that?
I raided my stash for the outside yellow border and also the matching red binding to make the quilt larger. 
I am VERY happy with the finished quilt (and so is Mum).
Until next post...
Cheers...Jewells