Table Runners

I found this pattern in an old magazine and had to make it.  

The hardest part was choosing which fabric to sew.

 

 but... I bought this wonderful 60 degree ruler while in the States a couple of months ago.. unfortunately it arrived home broken, but my handy "other half" was able to glue it back together with no bumps, so my rotary cutter is still able to glide over it.

I experimented with it on 2 other fabrics first (making a runner from each fabric), then made up 4 table runners from this lovely light house fabric.

The slowest part is sewing on the binding.  I have only finished these 2 runners so far and have another 5 runners to bind.

 I can't do anymore at the moment, as I have a hole in my finger from pushing the needle through..
 I wish I could use a thimble, then I could just keep on binding!

Just another reminder about my Australia Day Swap... taking names closes on 6th January.

Until next post...
Jewells

SSCS 2013 opened at long last

 It is now nearing the end of Christmas Day here in Australia.
All presents have been opened, HUGE lunch has been eaten and washed down with champagne.
Family has now departed and gone to their home and now I am here going through my presents again.

Amongst the gifts is the SSCS 2013 parcel from Sharon Z.  It was such a surprise to receive so many gorgeous items crammed packed into that tin box!

Thank you Sharon so much and also thanks to Chookyblue for hosting the swap.

MERRY CHRISTMAS to all.

Until next post..
Jewells
PS: Don't forget to join up for the Australia Day Swap!

Santa Sack Swap

 

 Gone Stitch' held a Santa Sack Swap and  Tracee Forster and I were swap partners.

We are now allowed to open our gifts and look what I received!

 The table runner is on the nest of 3 tables in the lounge room
The red place mat is under a Santa cookie jar
The 2 ornaments are hanging on the tree
The 2 red & white dishes are washed and put with my Christmas table items
The red bird & candle is sitting on the table runner
The 2 tea towels are in the wash basket so they will be ready to use on Christmas Day
The box of chocolates have already been sampled and the rest (not many) are in the fridge
The craft book has been thoroughly pawed and now in my craft book case
The ribbon & fabric used for wrapping is tucked away in the sewing room.

THANK YOU Tracee... I am soooo spoilt!

Until next post...Jewells
PS: Don't forget to join my Australia Day Swap!

Had to Laugh & Aussie Swap

I received my gift from "Sharon" in Jelly Wares swap and had to laugh..

Why???

Here is my gift from Sharon (I don't think she has a blog) ... 

and here is my gift to the person I sent to. (Won't say her name, as she might not have received it yet)

 

Goes to show that we must follow the same blogs!  Thanks Sharon, as I don't actually have one of my own, I now have it on my kitchen sink to use.

Now onto my Australia Day Swap


I have 6 names so far (including myself), but would love a lot more to join.
PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE join up and have some Aussie spirit, patriotic ism, FUN!
I will stop taking names on the 6th January, email all of you with your swap partner's details in time for you to post on the 16th January. (You WON'T be sending to the same person that sends to you).
All details are here or scroll back to my last posting.
Please email me your name, snail mail address, and blog (if you have one).  AND/OR leave a comment and I will get back to you.

Until next post..
Jewells

Aussie Aussie Aussie ... Oi! Oi! Oi!

G'DAY!

Australia Day is approaching (26 January) and I feel, as an Aussie, I should host an

AUSTRALIA DAY SWAP.

I sometimes feel that us Aussies aren't as patriotic as we should be and I want to play a part in some sort of good old "mate ship" and show some kindness to a fellow person and give some lovin'.

The way I thought we could "celebrate" is to send 9 items to a fellow swapper.  Now the way these items are to be chosen are – they have to start with each letter in "Australia".

For EXAMPLE:

A – Australian Made item (you could make it)

U – Utensil, Ugly fabric

S – Sunflower seeds, Smiley fabric

T – Tea Towel, Trims

R – Ribbon

A – Apron

L – Lilac, Lavender, Lolly

I – Ink pen

A – Apple fabric

That is just some ideas I have come up with on the spur of the moment… but I am sure you all can come up with others.

Anyone interested?   Leave a comment or email me. 

Aussie, Aussie, Aussie.

Oi!  Oi!  Oi!

Julie 
PS: A couple have asked about "posting date"... 16th January .. 
PSS: Sign up closes on the 6th January..
PPSS: Only open to Australian residents (sorry to overseas people!), due to there being so many items, it could be too heavy to post..

SSCS 2013 Has Arrived!

 

 Look what came in the mail!

I had just come home from a full day of visiting Mum in hospital, to see this parcel sitting on my kitchen table.

I ripped opened the satchel to find this inside. (Forgot to photograph the package before opening it!)

 

My SSCS2013 Secret Santa is Sharon Z.

 Isn't the presentation of the present beautiful?

My "other half" whisked it away and hid it before I had time to finish squeezing and prodding it to work out what was inside!

 

 So, I was left with this package to open now.

Isn't it just adorable?
I must get my decorations up, but after driving 90 mins each way, every day, to the hospital to visit Mum, I just collapse in the chair when I get home.
Poor Mum, has been on the waiting list for surgery since Sunday night and is still waiting... she was all gowned up, nil by mouth,  ready to go yesterday...all day... but  never got there.. they gave her something to eat at 7pm... and it will all happen again today...waiting, waiting...
They are going to put a "stent" from her kidney to her bladder, then 6 weeks later, she is to go back to have the kidney stone dissolved.. well that is what I was told "last time".

Until next post..
Jewells

A posting on my blog "at last"

Life just seems to be whizzing by and I keep thinking that I must post on my blog, but then realise I haven't done a stitch of sewing for quite a while (until 2 days ago), so thought I had nothing to post about... then I read a message from Chookyblue this morning, to all the SSCS2013 members saying that some of us aren't posting on our blogs enough... I felt guilty... so with camera in hand I raced up to the sewing room and took a couple of photos.

The first is a Santa kit I bought while in the States in October.  I started working on it a couple of days ago.  Felt good to finally get back to the machine.  It is a simple kit to make up, and it is so cheery and bright.  Just love it!

 The second photo is a quilt that Mum is making.  She was going along great, working on it each day, until 2 nights ago when she doubled over in pain.  Unfortunately, there were no doctors on call at my local hospital, so an ambulance took her to the nearest hospital, 45 mins away, where she stayed in emergency for 18 hours, having blood tests & x-rays and then was sent by another ambulance to another hospital, (now 1.5 hours away from here).  Mum was meant to have surgery straight away, but due to other emergencies greater than hers, she ended up having a "band aid" fix late last night and is scheduled for surgery "sometime" in the next couple of days....
her illness is due to a KIDNEY STONE!  You can't imagine how much pain one little itsy bitsy stone can make...  Mum is 81 years old.  Thank goodness for morphine!

Until next post...
Jewells