The Block I made for a Block Swap

I am a member of an Australian Block Swap and I was asked to make a "Crazy" paper pieced block for a new member who joined earlier this month. My swap partner asked for a certain block, but it was only 7", therefore I had to adapt it into a 12" block. So I reduced the pattern by 91% to make it a 6" block, then made 4 of them, joined them and came up with a 12" block!



Hope my partner likes it... I am posting the block tomorrow to her.

Until next post..

Cheers...Jewells

Angel Wash Cloth

I have been experimenting with another wash cloth and have designed an ANGEL CLOTH. Here is the same pattern knitted with 2 different sized needles.

When I knitted on 4.5 (7) needles the cloth ended up being 9.5" x 10.5" and the cloth knitted on 4 (8) needles came out at 8.5" x 9.5".



If you click on the photo, it will show you a clearer picture.

I used Canadian "Bernat Handicrafter" Cotton.

If you want a copy of the pattern, let me know and I will email it to you, and if many ask for it, I will post it on my blog.

Until next post...

Cheers...Jewells

I received my 3-2-1 Tote Bag Swap from Peg!

Look what arrived in the mail for me late last week... a delightful package from one of my swap partners in the 3-2-1 Tote Bag Swap. The parcel arrived at my workplace, I was going to photograph it before I opened it, but I couldn't wait until lunch time for that, (hopeless aren't I?), so each parcel was unwrapped and this is what Peg sent me:

My bag has wooden handles and a delightful wool embroidery, depicting a farm scene with a house, water tank, fruit trees, sheep, fish, birds, flowers and pine trees all being under the glorious sun.


Next is the rotary cutter holder, mug mat and pin cushion, all again beautifully hand embroidered and in antique colours.

Then this black paper bag came with "winter needs" and that included a sachet each of Latte, Chai Latte, Caramel Latte (can't wait to try this one!), a box of Ferrero chocolates and a nice smelling hand cream.

The recipe is a coffee/chocolate/caramel slice that sounds just "yummy"!

Thank you Peg for such a wonderful gift.

Until next post...

Cheers...Jewells

Help needed please and another Wood Embroidery

A friend of mine loves black & white cows and has ornaments of them all over her house, so I embroidered this on wood and framed it. I might keep it for myself!



Now for the help needed.... as mentioned earlier, I have been on annual leave and have had my Mum with me while I was tripping around, as Mum is finding it hard after the passing of my Dad in April,(they were married for 60 years and 1 month!) and now she is by herself again in her hometown, that is 450 kilometres from me. She loved looking over my shoulder while I was on the computer and marveled at the blogs and swaps I am in, but she is not computer minded at all.

What I was hoping to do with your help out there is to surprise her with lovely cards and letters from complete strangers telling her that people do care. As she would freak out if I gave out her snail mail address, I was wondering if you emailed me or left a comment so I could get back to you, I could give you MY snail mail address and I would pass them onto her.

Imagine her surprise and tears over strangers contacting her... this might even inspire her to join some of the swaps I am in as she is a patch worker (quilter) as well as me...who do you think I learnt it from?

This is Mum:



Until next post.

Cheers...Jewells

Learnt at Sewing Retreat

Well I am home... for 2 days, then off again, but here is what I learnt and made:
Believe it or not, this is machine embroidery on WOOD....



This is embroidery with a twin needle and ordinary needle.. great for making napkins:



and now here is applique with an embroidery design:



This can be turned into a doily or a Christmas ornament... I just have to place it into a tub of cold water and the plastic stuff will melt away and just leave the thread in that design:



We embroidered on a towel:



and I also embroidered 20 x 12" blocks "on point" and now I have to sew another 20 patchwork blocks to make into a queen sized quilt... it is a quilt as you go ....



So, as you can see, I was quite busy while I was away... I have learnt a lot and hopefully haven't forgotten all of it!!

Until next post...

Cheers...Jewells

Block Swap and Sewing Retreat

I am in the Quilting Block Swap - Australia, and this month it was my turn to make a block for Leona with some flying geese in the block.. I "sort of" followed a pattern, then added my own touch to it and came up with this block... I like it so much, I think I might make more of these blocks to make a quilt.



Tomorrow, Mum and I are going to a sewing retreat for a week and this is just my "sewing" pile (machine included)....



and here is Mum's neat pile to go...



I have started getting a few more "supplies" out to take too....



Sorry I haven't been posting much, but I am in the middle of 5 week's annual leave and I don't own a lap top, so I can only post on the few days I am home.

Until next post..

Cheers...Jewells

Quilting I have Done in the Past

As I can't show you what I am making at the moment as it is for my Secret Santa Swaps, I thought I would show you a few things I have made.
The following is a dog quilt I saw in an American magazine, fell in love with it and made it much bigger that the pattern designed... it even got published in their letters to the editor ...was quite chuffed!
My daughter wanted me to make a wall hanging for my grand daughter's wall in Winnie the Pooh... I decided to make a set of three:




Today was my last day at work for 5 weeks...YAH!!!... I am now on annual leave.

Until next post...


Cheers...Jewells