What does one do when it is 42C outside???

Today is a stay indoors day with the air conditioner on as it is 42 degrees Celsius outside.

So what do I do???

Make children's fleecy winter pyjamas that I sell closer to winter...

I'm an idiot!

Until next post...

Jewells

 

Customer Quilting

Last week, a customer arrived with 5 quilts for me to quilt.  One of the quilts was from a group effort making a baby's quilt, another quilt was from a lady who makes about 2 a year, and the other 3 quilts were from a lady who makes lots of quilts.

The baby quilt was mentioned in my last post and here are the other quilts all folded, ready to go :

I also made these cute cushions:

Now I am busy cutting out children's winter pyjamas from fleecy fabric.

Until next post...

Jewells

Jam, Quilt & Book

Yesterday I made another batch of Fig Jam & I also made a batch of Zucchini Pickles.  I sell more than I can make!

Then today, I quilted & bound a quilt for a customer who brought 5 quilts to be quilted, but she really wanted this one ASAP:

I offer to bind the quilts (for a fee) if they want...however it is sewn by machine front & back...not enough would be paid if I had to hand catch the binding once sewn on one side by machine!)

I also finished reading this book:

It is a very old book published in 1961, written by Margaret Sidney.  I found it at a garage sale and as I wasn't a reader when I was young, I have been reading classics every now & again!

Until next post...

Jewells

FINALLY Finished!

About 5 years ago, I started on an embroidery, but it sort of got put aside.  Then about 6 months ago, I finally finished the hand work and put it aside again to be sewn into something "later".

Today, after making a batch of Fig Jam, I decided to get in and finish it once & for all.

Presenting......

it even has a rod pocket in the back!

Now I'm off to cook another batch of Zucchini Pickles.

Until next post...

Jewells

Another "Mum & I" Cot Quilt Finished

I found a wonderful free pattern on Pinterest and had to make it up.

Here is the link to the pattern and this is what it is meant to look like:

 However, I used fabric from my stash and this is what we came up with:

 I was cutting another 2 borders to go on after the yellow border, but Mum and I agreed that it looked just right as is.

Until next post.
Jewells

2017 Aussie Swap

Hibiscus Stitches hosted an Australia Day swap and this is what I received this morning in the post:

We had to send 5 items that started with a letter in the word "AUSTRALIA", with one item showing the Australian Flag.

and when I unwrapped them this is what I got:

S = Soap

T= Tea in a tin

R = Red Buttons

L = Lace Doily

A = Australian Flag sewn in a mat.

The swap partner who sent to me was: Krafty Kaylee

THANK YOU Kaylee.

Until next post

Jewells

Preserving

My hubby has a wonderful green thumb and today I decided to make some:

 Zucchini Pickles

old photo..forgot to take one for today!

 & Fig Jam

then what am I to do with all these cucumbers & button squash?

There is a limit to how many cucumber sandwiches one can eat!

Until next post...

Jewells

Pyjamas

In my last post I mentioned I had cut out some children's pyjamas and hoped to sew the the next day...well "life" got in the way and I finally finished them today.

From this:

 to this...and...

 these.

I then decided to make a pair of Australian themed pillowcases, using an American pattern (their pillowcases don't have the inside flap that you "tuck" the pillow in with) and made these:

At the same time, I have been keeping Mum busy with a cute cot quilt that I saw on Pinterest.  She has finished sewing it and now I have to quilt & bind it before I take a photo.

Until next post...

Jewells

Dish Cloth & Pyjamas

It was an "inside" day today, with the air conditioner on, as the temperature reached 41C outside.

Tomorrow it is meant to be cooler at 30C.

 

This morning I knitted another dish cloth:

Then this afternoon I cut out 7 pairs of pyjamas to (hopefully) sew tomorrow.

Until next post...

Jewells

Tidying Linen Cupboards, Making Pickles & Finishing Books

Today I finished re-organizing my 2 linen cupboards:

 How many towels does a girl need? as well as the towels in the above picture, there is another shelf on the very top of the cupboard that is full to the top with towels.  I have even disposed of over 20 towels!

 All the sheets & doona covers are neatly folded...I wonder how long it will last.

This morning I soaked the vegetables and then cooked zucchini pickles this afternoon.

The back 3 bottles are the normal recipe, then the front 4 bottle are "diabetic" pickles.  As I sell my preserves, I am forever asked if I make diabetic pickles or jam...so I bought a bottle of "Stevia" (a diabetic sweetener) and will see if it sells, as my figs are starting to ripen and I will be making HEAPS of Fig Jam soon....normal & diabetic.

Lastly, tonight, I finished book 3 (the last in the series) in the Amish Murder Mysteries.  I am a slow reader and only can read flat on my back, otherwise I kink my neck.  I won't pick up another book for a few weeks as all I want to do is finish the book....and when there are 3 to the series, I finish one & start the next straight away.  Nothing much got done when I read the Billabong series that had 15 books!

Must do some sewing tomorrow.

Until next post...

Jewells

I had visitors

Since my last post, I have had my daughter & 2 grand children stay here for a few days, so I have been busy with them and not craft.

They left this morning, and what a difference getting up 2 hours earlier than normal does!  I was up early to see them off, so after 3 loads of washing (sheets & towels),

 I got in and quilted 2 customer quilts.

Front of quilt 1

Back of quilt 1

Front of quilt 2

Back of quilt 2

I also sewed in the ends & pressed the 2 dish cloths I knitted

 at night time while they were here.

Think it will be an early night for me tonight!

Until next post...

Jewells

Secret seweing & 2 panels finished

As mentioned last post, I joined Cheryll's Initial Swap for Valentines Day, so I got in and made the gift for my partner.
As it is a secret, I am not showing you all of the item...

Also today I decided to quilt 2 of the hundreds of panels I have...

 (well, yes I might be exaggerating a tad).

It is so satisfying to be able to start & finish a quilt in a day on my Gammill quilting machine.

Firstly I quilted this panel 

(I have 3 more of the same panel still in my stash to to something with!)

 Then I made up this gorgeous Horse Christmas Panel.

Both bound & will be packed away for my stall at Quiltarama which is in the second half of the year.

Until next post...

Jewells

I joined another swap!

Yes...I joined another swap ... this time it is a Valentine Swap, run by Cheryll and is called 

Initial Heart Swap... I'm on a roll!

Today I finished the Easter Bon-Bons:

 So...like hanging a stocking out for Santa Claus to fill.....

 ...you can put an Easter Bon-Bon out for Easter Bunny to fill.

Then after the eggs have all gone, you can fill the bon-bons with all sorts of things...

 ...like cotton balls, cotton buds, lip sticks...

...or a thread catcher beside your sewing machine!

Until next post...

Jewells

Welcome 2017

WELCOME to 2017

Last year I let my blogging slip a bit, so this year I "hope" to post more on my blog, instead of always using Facebook and neglecting my blog.

I have started by joining Cheryl's Fat Quarter Birthday Club:

 and...

 Joining Anthea's 2017 Australia Day Swap: 

Then I thought I would try and take a photograph of what I have made when it is finished:

...so... today I finished making these zippered bags for Easter:

Cross Stitches used in a couple of bags.

Beatrix Potter's Panel came in handy

Used up all of the "egg" fabric as the feature square

Sun Bonnet Sue Embroidered Figures were put to use

and more Peter Rabbit fabric

and the last of the Peter Rabbit Panel

 Tomorrow I hope to finish the Easter Bon-Bons.

I advertise my items for sale on a "local" Facebook site.

Until next post...

Jewells