K4BN (Knitting for Brisbane's Needy)

or in my case C4BN - Crocheting for Brisbane's Needy.

I've been knitting and crocheting blocks for a long time now - to hand over to Maria who - along with a very generous band of workers - make blankets for the cold poor people in Brisbane.

Really I have no idea of how many I have given her - but I would guess at least 100.

I have decided to keep a tally here - just for curiosity's sake.
I don't really like sitting and doing nothing with my hands - usually I would be sewing while watching TV - but sewing is not always easy to do - so that's when I crochet.
I crochet on the way to and from work (I am the passenger not the driver), I crochet at the hairdressers, or whilst having a pedicure, whilst waiting for appointments and there may be a few other times when my mind is busy listening, but my hands are idle . . . .(I'll leave you to work that one out.)   I buy the cheaper 8 ply yarns   - usually acrylic at Spotlight or the Discount shops - as long as it is soft to the feel.

K4BN has a never ending requirement for red black & yellow - so I often use those colours - but every so often I get bored with that and pick up a "pretty" colour - or two.

My tally for the July handover - 13

FNWF - July

Cyber sewing time again - thanks Cheryll for hosting us again!!

I did do some secret sewing and some preparation for my upcoming retreat (34 sleeps - who's counting???) and today - being the first Saturday of the month was a Loose Threads sewing day - I continued to work on these - a new tag for Ruth's Quilt (Scrub Stitchin') and some of the blocks for the Gail Pan i Stitch club project.

I also wanted to show these - These are unofficially called "taggies" - though I believe that is a brand name - the idea being that babies will feel them and play with the different textures and this can help soothe them.  They are also good for older children on the autism scale.

Hope everyone had a fun productive time - and maybe you were able to keep on sewing all weekend!

June OPAM

Two finishes for me this month.

Baby Quilt

I have made this for a work colleague - I used some fabric I found in Townsville last December, added a border and some machine embroidered alphabet blocks and 4 patches.

The backing & binding - animal sounds - sadly not for the animals on the front but a fun print.

Cross Stitched Beach House

I purchased this at the last craft show in Brisbane (OMGosh - that was 7th June - this month!!!!) - that must be some sort of record for a quick start & finish!

This is now on the wall of the "powder room" with some of the other smaller beach house decorations.

There are more pictures of that room here.  (Yes - its all a bit different to the norm!)

Thanks Peg & Kris for continuing OPAM and giving us incentive to finish and show case our work!

Blog Comments

A huge thank you to Shez

She has published a solution to our problem about blog comments not coming through to our emails

Go here:

After you do what she recommends - you should get an email asking you to confirm the change you made (ie that emails will go to your account).  If you don't get that email it might be because you didn't save your settings after you originally deleted your email address.
Could be worth trying again.

AND then the comments after that should drop into your email as before!!

It has worked for me - hallelujah!!  

FNSI - June

Here we are again - gathered at Wendy's place - sewing, crafting, having a drink or two perhaps?
Thanks Wendy - sending more hugs.

But First - a new(?) use for Binding Clips

DD2 and her partner are now on the property ladder and tomorrow is moving day.  I thought I could help by providing some sustenance for the helpers...and I can just do the easy things like filling kitchen drawers or something.
So, I had to delay my venture into the sewing space to make two almond and orange brownies (from Lorena Uriate's blog <>) and my renowned Nutty Nibble Mix.

I lined the tin for the brownies - but the paper didn't want to stick - ah ha I thought - I know the solution to that!!!

(Best to remember to remove them before placing tray in oven!)

Brownies & Nuts made - sewing time . . .

I traced the rest of the May and the June blocks from Gail Pan's I Stitch club.  3 easy stitcheries each month - bonus projects each month too.
These are in preparation for my sewing day on Sunday at Sunday Stitchers.
The tracing is very hard to see in the photo but hopefully I can see it enough to stitch!

I also did a bit of the binding on this quilt - it needs to be handed over to the new mum & baby soon.  Finishing it might happen Saturday night...fingers crossed.

Thanks Wendy - I love the "excuse" for sewing.  I'll do my best to visit others over the weekend...or next week!
Hope you all had fun.

FNWF - June

This month's FNWF was delayed a little - perhaps because all of a sudden it was June & Friday!!

Nevermind - it doesn't matter when it happens - just a great idea to sew!

On Thursday I went to the Brisbane Craft Show - although it was small, it was more relaxed than the bigger one in October and some cross stitch kits jumped into my bag.

One of them was this: - a cute little beach house to add to my collection .  It is meant to be a coaster and it came with the plastic coaster "frame".   Not much more to stitch on it.  Hope to finish it this weekend.

As to when I get ot the others - well . . . wait & see!

Thanks again Cheryll for hosting and coordinating.  Pop over here for the linky of everyone who joined in.

Thanks for commenting - if you do - and I will do my best to reply.

Sunday at the Chookshed Party

I managed a bit of sewing - but not so much - after all I need to do grocery shopping if we are going to eat for the next week... 😡  (Well I could manage from the pantry but maybe not 4 of us....) and the "domestic" side of life needed a bit of attention . . .

I did some more quilting on the baby quilt - I am going to need hours to feed in all the "loose threads" but it's easy enough.   And I did some cross stitching.

This is the third of a set - I did #1 years ago and started #2 back here.  I still need to finish off the back stitching on that one....

Thanks Chooky for hosting a cyber party - not quite as good as a real one - but less travel!!

Life returns to "normal" now.

Saturday at the Chookshed Party

Today at Loose Threads - I took my Best Friends Forever project - one of those long term - pick it up when nothing else is ready - projects.

I didn't get a lot done as for some of the day some of us helped one of the group who makes stoles for Communions - so we sewed some decorations on for her.

Tonight I did a bit more on Jingle - put a few more bits together....

and then decided I better get quilting a baby quilt that will be due to be delivered sometime this month.

Wonder if I will be able to sneak in any more sewing tomorrow??

I am sure the real party goers are having a ball - hopefully they are sewing as much as they are talking and drinking!!!!

Chookshed Party Time

Chookyblue is having a Chookshed Party this weekend - and has invited all to participate via blogland.

Who needs an excuse to sew?? especially on a Friday night ???

I indulged in a bit of cross stitch whilst watching Better Homes & Gardens

Then into SSS I drifted...

I decided to put all the blocks for Jingle All the Way up to work out what extra bits need to go where - naturally I could have stuck to the pattern and the kit - but - me?? nah - I do like to challenge myself!!!!

I started here:

and sewed a few together and cut some of the extra bits and stuck them up on the design "wall".

I would say to Chooky & friends - Have a great time!!! - but I know they will be - drinks, nibbles, good food & good company and hopefully plenty of sewing.
Tomorrow is Group #1 (Loose Threads) sewing day so more sewing on the horizon.

Final May Finish - Sew Together Bag

I have made 3 of these Sew Together Bags and thought it was time for one for me.  I do like my sewing things to be "matchy matchy" ....usually...but was very tempted by some Tula Pink fabrics I picked up in Victoria last year (I think), so I used them - added a couple - got some very colourful zips and here it is:

I have to say that each one you make gets easier.....It's not really difficult but you do need to stay alert when you are making the inside pockets.