Unusal Knitted Neck Scarf

In November, I went to a Blog Weekend in Bathurst and among all the fun I saw a scarf that a "Mum" had knitted, but there was no pattern.  

 So with tape measure, pad & pen I worked out the pattern, came home & knitted it.

I used wool from my stash..this is Wangaratta 60% Wool/40% Acrylic 8 ply.

..and here it is!

I made it while I was watching the "Ashes Cricket".

I think I will be making more of these to sell online & my stall.

Until next post...

Jewells

3 Bon Bons made today

I couldn't help myself, these 3 items were among the cut fabrics I have ready to take away with me to the Blog weekend.  All the rest of these Bon Bons are in Christmas fabrics, so I thought I would just make these up.

...so cute...

I can see them filled with baby toiletries (baby powder, soap, cotton buds) and given as a gift at a baby shower or birth. 

I am so glad I bought a computerized quilting machine, as I am still able to sew while a row is being quilted on my machine!

Until next post...

Jewells

Preparing for Blog Weekend

I must think I am an over-achiever...

I have 5 projects cut and ready to take to the "Blog Weekend" in Bathurst to make...

Pink Cot Quilt, Blue Cot Quilt, Zippered Bags, Bon-Bons & Knee Rug...

 I really am being a bit optimistic, don't you think?? LOL!

Plus I bought this 37" wide roll of soft, but fairly sturdy vinyl/plastic(?) at a price I couldn't refuse...it is sort of like what you would put on an outside table for a bar b q or picnic..... well what can I make out of it?

 Today I quilted & sewed on the binding on 2 of these cot quilt panels.  I bought quite a few of this design as they have been selling very well.

This morning at 9am, I was up to date with customer quilts, however by 3pm this afternoon, I have 7 quilts waiting to be quilted.... no more "free time" for a while.

Until next post...

Jewells

2 quilts from 1 kit

Here is a quilt I made earlier this year:

So cute and about single bed size.

However, when the quilt was finished, I had a lot of left over "scraps", so instead of "filing" them away in my stash, to be used "one day" (that never comes), I decided you make up a smaller quilt, only using a plain black & a plain red from my stash.

 The photo doesn't do it justice, it really is cuter than it looks. 

 It is 48" x 53".

Now I must start on quilting the 3 customer quilts that arrived in the last 24 hours!

Until next post....

Jewells

I have always said "No"..but...

Way back when photos were taken on film, I use to earn my living as a Wedding/Portrait Photographer, being half owner of a very successful Photography Studio.

However, when digital cameras were the "norm" I retired from that industry and went back to pushing paper & money around (as a Secretary) for someone else. 

(Yes, this is me as a secretary..dressed up one Halloween as a joke!).

Over the years, I have been approached to give talks on Photography to schools & camera clubs, and I have always said "thank you, but no thanks" as I was never comfortable when asked about aperture, f-stops, lens, types of camera etc, as I felt I didn't know enough about the technical stuff.  I knew how to pose people, how to "frame" the picture in the view finder, how to set MY camera to the light reading that MY light metre told me was the available light...but to answer those probing questions from a keen budding photographer...NO WAY!

So, why did I say "OK" this time?...well... it was my sister who asked me to give a talk on Photography to the CWA branch she was in... a small group of 15 people Julie, they won't ask hard questions Julie, they probably won't ask any questions Julie, please Julie, I said you would do it for our next meeting......

So, I have spent many hours preparing the first and last informative, but tongue in cheek talk with lots of props, to present next Thursday.

Wish me luck!

Until next post...

Jewells

Shoe-boxes for Kids!

When I was in America, the person I was staying with, showed me how her friends were filling "shoe-boxes" to send to children in poor countries at Christmas time. I was happy to find out, that we are doing the same thing in Australia AND also, here in Dungog, there is a contact for the charity....so....with items I have made & bought, I have filled (overfilled actually) 5 "shoe-boxes" ...now I just have to make it all fit into the boxes!

Until next post...

Jewells

A new plan!

Today I got a "loan" of a treadmill so I can see if walking on it is easier for me and my knees.

I "plan" to get up each morning, throw on some clothes and "walk" for 30mins in front of the TV.  Then I will shower and eat my breakfast. 

I NEVER watch morning TV, so this will be interesting.

I am hoping that this new routine will be easier to stick to, then going walking "the streets" in the afternoons.

 

Until next post...

Jewells

The joys of living in a country town!

I have to walk 30mins a day, 5 days a week...doctor's orders...I am into the 7th day now and EVERY day someone stops and offers me a lift.... my body says "YES PLEASE!" but what comes out of my mouth is "No, thanks, Doctor's orders".....

Now you don't get that in the city!

Until next post...

Jewells

Today's Finishes

Today was spent finishing off some of my items.

First is my AUSTRALIAN CALENDAR QUILT 

that I had to source patterns from the internet & books to design it myself.

 This is how "I" interpret this quilt:
January (Ship) First Fleet Discovered Australia- Australia Day
February (Heart) -Valentines Day
March (Leaf) - Beginning of Autumn
April (Bunny & Eggs) - Easter
May (Basket of Flowers) - Mothers Day
June (House) - Start of Winter (Stay indoors!)
July (Snowman) - Winter really here
August (Cockatoo) - They eat all the left over fruit on trees
September (Flower) - Start of Spring
October (Pumpkin) - Halloween
November (Horse) - Melbourne Cup
December (Santa) - Christmas

Next is one lot of table runners: 

(I still have 2 more lots to finish in different fabrics)

 and lastly is this lined zippered bag I made for a friend's grand daughter.

No, I didn't do the cross stitch...

I bought the cross stitch at a flea market for $5 and made it into this bag.  

It measures 13" x 20.5".

Time to leave the sewing room & hit the kitchen to prepare dinner.

Until next post...

Jewells

2 more quilts finished

In between customer's quilts, I managed to quilt 2 of my own quilts. 

The baby Disney cot quilt had a flaw in the outside border on the panel, so I cut it off and added matching fabric, then quilted it. 

 

The Christmas quilt was embroidered over some time, then pieced and quilted. 

Yes, they both go into my "For Sale" stash.

 ...now onto another customer's quilt!

Until next post...

Jewells

I've been away

Before Easter, my two grand kids flew down from Queensland to spend a week with me. 

A couple of things we did while they were here was go to see Beauty and the Beast followed by Ten Pin Bowling. 

 Then after a week, Mum went for a 2 week stay in respite (her wishes) & I drove my grand kids back to their home and spent a week with the family.

We all went to visit the Cobb & Co Museum to see the exhibition on Play School. Man! did that bring back memories!

 Remember the clock that showed us what the story was going to be about?

Well here it is...

 and apparently, this is what it looks like today:

Then, there were the windows we looked through way back when we were kids:

and here are what they look through today:

Now...who can forget Big Ted, Little Ted, Humpty & Jemima?

 

 

I had a wonderful time reminiscing!

After a week I traveled half way home and stayed with my friend out in the bush.  

She doesn't believe in TV, radio, newspapers or eating meat and is surrounded by animals and bush.

It is certainly a withdrawal from the rat race there and "my" batteries were recharged after a week.

When I returned home, I got in and quilted some of the quilts that arrived while I was away.  I managed to quilt 4 for one lady over the couple of days I had before picking Mum up from Respite.

 

 It is always fun matching the pattern with the quilting.

 plus making some backs as interesting as the panel on the front.

Always great to go away and just as great to come home ...to normality!

Until next post...

Jewells

Customer's Quilt

Just love seeing customer's quilts come in and go out.

They are all so different and on lots occasions...inspiring.

I also love trying to match fabric with a stitching pattern that I have.

Here is a block in the quilt, that was duplicated in various colours:

and here is the stitch I used .... this is the back of the quilt, as the stitching shows up better.

Perfect!

Until next post...

Jewells

Another Christmas Quilt

Mum & I have been churning out the quilts lately.

Here is a Christmas Quilt ready for sale.

 It is 46" x 58.5"

Another panel to which borders have been added.

I manage to get some of my quilts quilted AFTER I have finished the customer's quilts.

Until next post...

Jewells

2 more quilts finished

Firstly...

a Mum & Me Quilt

...using ALL Christmas fabric...called "Stacked Coins".
This was started in June last year.
(As you can see...straight sewing for Mum!)
It is a large quilt measuring 77" x 85"

 The close up shows the "Jingle Bells" stitching

and the backing is fabric I have had for YEARS and never knew what to do with it:

Now the other quilt:

the "CHEAT'S" quilt...56" x 66"
I saw this "panel"on the wall in a quilt shop in the States last June and asked to buy it, only to be told it was not for sale.... In the States (probably here too) a quilt is designed by using a range of fabrics, then the finished quilt is photographed and scanned onto a 60" wide cloth , then sent to the fabric shops, along with the pattern. I did some heavy grovelling (and heavy spending!) and eventually the lady agreed to sell it to me after 6 months...so at Christmas time the shop in the States contacted me & told me she bought a new one for me as her sample was no longer suitable to sell.

 even the stitching I used has Cowboy Boots & Hats!

I am REAL happy on how it turned out.

Until next post...

Jewells

Last Weekend's Cooking

I was busy over the weekend. I bought a bucket of lemons at a garage sale (as mine aren't ready for picking yet) and made up:

Fig Jam (last of my figs), Fig & (frozen) Mixed Berry Jam, Dried Apricot with Apple Juice Jam & Lemon Cordial.

I still have 19 lemons left over, so I will make Lemon Curd/Spread & another lot of cordial ...but first, I have to buy some more sugar!

Until next post...
Jewells

Christmas Quilt Finished

As mentioned last blog, I am now getting Mum to just sew straight lines.

Here is what I got her to make:

 The Christmas tree was a skinny long panel, so I added the red, then matching cream, then red again to make it wider, red on top, then the black all the way around.

Finished off with the red binding.

I used a star pattern when I quilted it.

Now Mum is making a "Stacked Coins" Christmas Quilt... again, all straight sewing.

Until next post...

Jewells

Bugs Galore!

Just finished quilting & binding this quilt. I bought the kit in the States last June. It is 50" x 60". Another "Mum & Me" effort. 

 Unfortunately, Mum's dementia is getting pretty bad, so she won't be doing much more sewing... she now can't do applique and found this quilt hard to comprehend how the borders went around each square...so it looks like straight sewing from now on, until she forgets how to do that...sad...very sad.

Until next post...

Jewells