SSCS 2013

 

It is nearly time to post off my Chookyblue's SSCS 2013.

I went outside and hung the decorations on my passionfruit vine to photograph them...(disturbing a couple of tiny green frogs perched on the stem above the spot I hung the ornaments).

 

Then I tried to display the items I made for my secret sister, on the back steps in a pleasing to the eye way. (Failed miserably!). 
I normally make one BIG thing for my swap partner, but decided this year to make a lot of little things.

Now to parcel it all up and post it off on Monday.
Until next post...
Jewells

I have been away!

 Sorry I have not written on my blog for over a month, (my Christmas swap partners must have been worried about the lack of entries to my blog!), but at the end of September I made a snap decision to go to the States to attend a Statler Gammill seminar and off I went to the States for 5 weeks.

The first morning of the seminar, I will say I was "treading water" with all the information being thrown at us, then in the afternoon, I completely "drowned".  Luckily the next 2 days were a mixture of both lessons. Speaking to people who have attended every year, they say that they felt the same way I did the first year, but with experience with their machines, they found going every year beneficial.

Of course, while I was in the States, I bought up on fabric, buying 100's of yards to add to my stash.

I also went shopping... let's just say, the American economy certainly had a boost while I was there!

 
 Must tell you a funny story... the last airport I was at to come home was Los Angeles.  It has only just fully opened that day after the fatal shooting a few days earlier... well, just as I was about to go through the security body scanning X ray, I had a "hot flush" (ain't menopause something!).  Well it must have shown up during the scanning.. I was pulled aside, told to put my arms up and I was frisked, then swabs were taken from both palms of my hands and put through the drug detection machine... of course I was clear on all accounts and let go... on leaving I mentioned to the female attendant that I just had a "hot flush" and she said that it looked like I was sweating through being nervous.. something that drug mules often do.

Must keep unpacking...
Until next post...
Jewells

Knitted Cotton Rug Finished

 Finished!
Yesterday I sewed the squares together and was just about to crochet around the outside with white, then realised that it looked great without another border.

Each square is about 8" and I "just" had enough pink.  I was starting to panic that I wouldn't have the cotton for the 8 squares.  I kept weighing what I had left and silently prayed that it would be enough...and there was!  PHEW!

As mentioned before, these wonderful free patterns are found on "Down Cloverlaine's" blog.  Just click on here and it will take you to her great site.

Until next post...
Jewells

Knee Rug - Last one!

 

Mum is so happy to have finished all the cot quilts.

The colours don't come up as pretty as they really are, they look a bit drab here, but take my word for it, the colours are very rich.

 

 I used a floral quilting stitch.. sort of the same flower as in the material.

The backing is a quilt in itself, using strips of fabric from the same colour range.

Mum is a bit partial to this one and I think she wants to keep it for herself!

Until next post..
Jewells

Third King Size Quilt Finished

 

 Phew!!! 

The binding certainly takes some time to do, especially when you do it in the adds while watching TV at night time.

This is based on a log cabin design and the free pattern can be found here.

I used a yellow floral fabric for the backing.

I think we will make some small things now.. like table runners.

Until next post..
Jewells

Bright Child's Quilt

 

This is another of the cot sized quilts that I cut, Mum sewed, then I quilted.

 

The quilt has a cotton flannel front and a fleecy (stretch) on the back with wadding in between to help stabilise the stretch of the fleecy.

I thought I would try something different with the binding, so I attached the binding by the machine to the BACK of the quilt, then attached the binding to the front of the quilt using a herringbone stitch on my machine... this certainly was a quick way to attach a binding.
(I won't be using this method on large keepsake quilts, but might again on kids throw in the wash quilts).

Until next post...
Jewells

4 more squares made for baby rug

 

I have now made 8 different pink squares in cotton.

 

I now will make the same 8 squares in white cotton.

 

Funny story with the above pattern...when the lady designed the Koala, she put a tail on it, (like a rabbit's) as she is an American and hadn't seen a picture of the back of a Koala... an Aussie contacted her and the poor designer had to give the Koala a "tail-ectomy"!

 I like the squirrel the best.. so cute!

As mentioned in my last post..please pop across to my "other" blog (homework for course I am doing) and I would be chuffed if you leave a comment.

Until next post...
Jewells