Sunday Stitchers - UFO Challenge - #2 - Spool Flowers

I have "cheated".  My Project #2 was originally "Sea Creatures".  To make progress on that involved some reverse sewing of machine blanket stitch (slow going) and adding some decorations and ??? that are vague ideas in my head.

It wasn't going to happen...I am not sure when I will make it happen. 😟

So I swapped it out to finish Spool Flowers.  This is a pattern from Amy Bradley (of Quilt Diva fame).

Notes:
Leaves - Quilt #28 W:4.5 L: 2.20

SEW Cross Stitch Pouch

I saw a very appealing pouch on a Cross Stitch Facebook group that I follow....

How could I resist it????

I found the chart was available at All Threads here in Brisbane, so of course I ordered it.  It is "Sew Mini Bag by Shepherd's Bush".

It was a quick stitch and I found an easy peasy tutorial to make it into a simple pouch...(well, not so simple when you decide to include some wadding...oh well).  It finishes at about 7" x 5".

It's shame I didn't have the gingham fabric to stitch it on.  I used the dark purple on the back and the lighter mauve as the lining.

Now to fill it . . .

Quilt & Stitch, Quilt, Dream Create

My bestie (Maureen) & I have been searching for a project we can do in tandem..  

Years ago, we made a quilt  - Affirmations - we shared fabrics, we cut and preppped our pieces when we got together and then sewed at home.  We ended up with two similar quilts, each with their own personal touches.

We found two patterns from fig 'n' berry creations.  One is called QUILT, and the other is Stitch, Quilt, Dream, Create.  It wasn't exactly what we were looking for ...we are "still looking"....

I decided to combine the two into a wall hanging.  I had some fabric put aside for another project that I may never get to and Maureen gave me the grey stars and aqua/green, which toned in nicely.

I think I started this early or mid-2024.   It was a good project for group sewing days.

The letters have been stitched on the embroidery machine, 

thanks to some digitising by a friend.

Notes:
Needle Necessities 1132, Threadworx 1120, CGT 108, and a variegated green CGT??

Be My Neighbour - August

The construction workers are were on schedule and have completed Blocks 13 and 14...two to go!!!
(I wrote this this post ages ago...)

As I often say, "Patterns are just a guide"...the pattern has a yacht for Block 14 - as I don't live near the water, it's unlikely I will see a sailing boat parked on the road...so I created a slightly different house.

Surely a House quilt should have a log cabin block?

Two blocks to go, the applique to do for the flowers and birds & put it all together by 30th September.   Got to love a deadline!

Fiona's blocks are here and here.

RSC - August - Aqua

The August colour is Aqua.  Although Angela said if Aqua was too hard, do more blues...LOL.

But where does Aqua start & finish . . . and what about Turquoise & Teal??- they are all close on the colour wheel.

I did a bit of googling and found these graphics.  Interesting that both Aqua and Turquoise are "Brilliant bluish green" but Teal is "Moderate bluish green".

Aqua
Color coordinates
Hex triplet	#00FFFF
sRGBB (r, g, b)	(0, 255, 255)
HSV (h, s, v)	(180°, 100%, 100%)
CIELChuv (L, C, h)	(91, 72, 192°)
Source	HTML/CSS[1]
ISCC–NBS descriptor	Brilliant bluish green
B: Normalized to [0–255] (byte)

Turquoise
Color coordinates
Hex triplet	#40E0D0
sRGBB (r, g, b)	(64, 224, 208)
HSV (h, s, v)	(174°, 71%, 88%)
CIELChuv (L, C, h)	(81, 59, 179°)
Source	X11
ISCC–NBS descriptor	Brilliant bluish green
B: Normalized to [0–255] (byte)

Teal
Color coordinates
Hex triplet	#008080
sRGBB (r, g, b)	(0, 128, 128)
HSV (h, s, v)	(180°, 100%, 50%)
CIELChuv (L, C, h)	(48, 38, 192°)
Source	HTML/CSS[1]
ISCC–NBS descriptor	Moderate bluish green
B: Normalized to [0–255] (byte)

I also found some general info re colours:


Red: passion, physical energy, warmth, aggression, and danger.
Yellow: happiness, creativity, mental stimulation, impatience, and cowardice.
Blue: calmness, honesty, trust, stability, and responsibility.
Orange: spontaneity, adventure, dynamism, warmth, exhibitionism, and superficiality.
Green: growth, freshness, harmony, prosperity, envy, and greediness.
Purple: spirituality, imagination, mystery, royalty, wisdom, and immaturity.
Pink: unconditional love, sympathy, femininity, comfort, playfulness, and childishness.

Anyway - I raided the stash...not too many precut strips - so I cut a bunch of strips.

I made these at the recent retreat and finished the placemat bindings at home:

4 Placemats

18 Colourwash blocks

Next month is "Pastels"....wonder what I will find to use??

Chookshed Challenge #7 - DV Nature Blocks Quilt top

My August Chookshed Challenge was to finish making my Nature FPP Blocks into a top.

I had made a start and had put the blocks together at a retreat earlier in the year....So, to complete my challenge, I added the blue border and the brightly coloured squares for the outside border.

Quilting it may not happen til next year....

Only 2 projects to go - #1 and #3.... which will it be???

MARS Retreat - Day 4 - our last day!

The last day is never as productive as the other days.  A few people needed to leave early and generally there is a feeling of restlessness???

There was still some sewing happening.

Louise….our new patchwork recruit put this top together.  Sue works in the ICU unit at one of our hospitals, so she makes these comforters for the patients who may not make it home, and the family can keep them as a memory of their loved one.

It’s a very simple pattern so is ideal for this.

I made my aqua colour wash blocks….I made 18…it will have to do for this month.

Each year we have a Mystery project for everyone to do.   For various reasons, I don’t have a picture of them all….but this year, it was a Needle Case.

And the final To Do board.

Only approximately 360 days til we go back!

MARS Retreat - Day 3

We are still being productive.

Hilda has finished 20 mug rugs/coasters

We have finally convinced Louise to try some patchwork.   Sue has cut the pieces for her…and unfortunately there were a couple of pieces missing….but it’s a start!

This is what Louise normally does….fidget mats.

Maureen has been working on the third border for her long term project….Civil War Bride.

Chris has finished this baby quilt top.

I put these blocks together.  I had intended adding a row of blocks on the top….but it will wait….I lost my mojo in the afternoon…lol

Bev has finished her church block that she started last year.

Alison has done the blanket stitching on her Floral Fun quilt.

Hilda has made this quilt top.

And the “To Do” board….we are going pretty well…

MARS Retreat - Day 2

A beautiful sunny day….27 Celsius…and is supposed to be Autumn!!!!

Wendy, our hostess, had a birthday the day before we arrived, so we invited her to join us for morning tea.  I had bought a cake …added candles….and as Erica had made some birthday bunting, it was appropriate to hang it for our morning tea.

Erica finished a cushion cover

Deb has made 9 circular coasters

Alison has put her sashiko panels together

And has made up this map panel of Australia.  She will mark each trip in a different colour.

Rachel has finished her sewing I Spy quilt top

Deb finished the binding on the placemats that she had made.

Bev has completed this stunning quilt top with perfectly mitred corners

And I have completed the DV Nature blocks quilt top…..that border took quite a while!!!

Alison has made 2 tops for cushions for her caravan

Deb has also finished a top for a table runner….again with mitred corners

The progress on the “To Do” board.

 

MARS Retreat - Day 1

This year our visit to Mount Alford Lodge is mid-week.  Most of us are no longer emplpyed, so it was an easy change.

We arrived Tuesday morning and set up, then off to the Mt Alford Hotel where the manager agreed to serve meals that day - especially for us!

Back up at the Lodge and ready to get stuck into our sewing...

My plans are:

1. Aqua Placemats
2. Christmas Placemats
3. Aqua Colourwash blocks
4. FPP - Nature blocks - complete top
5. Assemble QUILT/Dream Create Stitch Quilt top 
6. DV Quilt - Animals with blue & orange - make top
7. DV Quilt - Blue stars & Animals - make top

Number 7 is definitely on the "maybe" list, as I think the rest of the projects will keep me occupied.  I also packed hand sewing & crochet... just in case  . . .LOL

I handed out the Post It Notes for everyone to write up their plans, and the "To Do" Board has started,

By the end of Day 1 I had made 4 aqua placemats

And 4 Christmas placemats

I will do the bindings at home.

Other finishes for the day include:

Sue’s quilt from last year..she finished the binding.

Chris made a baby coin quilt

Rachel completed an I Spy quilt

The To Do board at the beginning.