An old UFO - SS UFO #10

In about 2006/2007, my Loose Threads group talked about making a postcard using colours that started with the same letters as our intials (SEW for me).

I no longer recall why we didn't do it, but every so often as I tidied/reorganised I discovered the started project.  Last year (2019) another group I belong to decided to make postcards as birthday gifts and I thought that I should finally finish off the UFO, which I did early this year.

I decided to add it to my Sunday Stitchers UFO list and finally this month it got its "reveal".

I went with Scarlett, Emerald and Wisteria.  I had the words machine embroidered way back (2006/07), as I didn't have an embroidery machine then.

I was lucky to have an Emerald green heart button, I painted the cotton reel buttons to match the colours and added the other doo-dads, including a very appropriate pin - "Last MInute Maker".

This is my #10 for my UFO list.

Three more UFOS to go for 2020.

FNSI - September

Wendy has very graciously organised for us to gather to sew and share our fun with all, whilst she is focused on her husband who is in hospital and hopefully doing well.

I got a FriDaySewIn- I am on retreat - yes - again!!!   This is my third retreat in about a month - that is very greedy -isn't it??? - considering many of you are in isolation or are subject to some serious restrictions.

We have a few restrictions - no shared food, everyone has their own shower & toilet - although in a shared bathroom, tables separated a bit more than normal....but that is not holding us back.

I'm only here sewing for 3 days and took a limited amount of projects to do.

Tonight I worked on this. - My Stringalong blocks which will become a colourful table cloth.

I've  decided to leave it like this for now and will do the horizontal strips at home.

I hope you are all doing OK in this strange world.  Sewing does keep us sane and - for me - is a great escape from "all that other stuff".

Thanks Wendy - I do hope Mr B is progressing well.  Sending you many hugs & lots of strength.

Loose Threads - September Birthday gifts

We have two birthdays in September.  Louise and Maureen

Lousie

Louise requested "Mint" coloured presents for her birthday.
She also likes sloths and brings her stuffed sloth along to retreat each year.

mmmm....what to make????   - all of a sudden sloths starting appearing everywhere - well in the crafty world . . . 

First I found a great stitchery pattern (Penguin & Fish) and decided to make it as a small wall hanger....

It has sloth fabric on the back too...

THEN I saw a picture on Red Boots Gang facebook page of a sloth....great I thought - so I asked Toni Alexander if it was a pattern. . . . .Well, turns out it wasn't yet a pattern.    

So I waited...and waited a bit more . . .to cut a long story short - Toni agreed to give me her "in progress, not quite finalised" pattern  . . .and the bag was born!

So, all you Red Boots gang fans - please don't harass Toni - I'm sure the pattern will be released in due course, or as we might say at work - "when capacity allows".

And following the "mint" theme, I included a bag of (Spear)mint Leaves.   (I stuck stars over the "Spear" part!!!)

Maureen

Maureen requested Pink...that is no surprise if you know her.

Getting the right thing for Maureen is more difficult - she has a lot fo the things she likes already and I wanted to stay off the "sewing" theme...besides  there isn't much to be gained by sewing something as she can sew faster and better than me . . .
Then I saw a post on Kiwikids  page....ah ha!!! perfect idea as Maureen is also very happy pottering around her garden . . .BUT could I find pink gumboots???
Aldi to the rescue - children's gum boots were available a while back - so I grabbed a pair of size 3 - the largest.....found the right sized pot and added some Petunias.

It was a hit!

I also want to share these "ugly dolls" that Lousie makes...

along with some cats that she has also made.

They are kinda fun.

I put in a "Special Order" for this one:

I gave it to DH for Fathers' Day.

September FNWF

Time to gather (in cyber space) with Cheryll.

It's been a full-on week at work and its a full-on weekend (sewing one day & Fathers Day on Sunday) and I need to squeeze some work time in too....but tonight - half an hour of Better Homes & Gardens and all of a sudden the AFL was on . . DH was out collecting dinner...so I decided a quick meal and then into my Sewing Space to de-stress from the day.

I did a bit of secret sewing - although it is getting towards the pointy end of the year . . it's not Christmas sewing - but something that is "under wraps" for now.....I did get a bit of crocheting done...

and a small amount of my current sashiko project.

I do hope you were all productive in your own way and perhaps I will find some time to go visiting the linkup here.

Thanks, Cheryll

 

August Projects

One would think that after two retreats - I would have a pile of Finished Projects . . well...not really - I did make a lot of progress . . .but limited finishes.

So, a bit of record keeping:

I made these two Snappy Pouches.  These are the "cheat" kind where you use metal tape measure for the closure...very effective and certainly cheaper than the gadgets you can buy.

I haven't made many crochet blocks either  (no travel to and from work),  I do have 6 finished.

My #5 Project for Sunday Stitchers UFO Challenge was to finish off these placemats.  The two separate sides had been made pre-retreat, so it was not too much work to join them with the brown bias strip and quilt them.   I hummed and haa'd about binding them as per the pattern but decided against it.  So did the pillowcase finish at the first retreat (and that took longer than it should have as I forgot to reverse them when cutting the backing . . drr)  and then finished them off with a quilting stitch 1/4" from the edge at home.
I am certainly happy that I went without the binding.

This is a Judy Niemeyer (Quiltworx) pattern - Tea Time Placemats - Foundation pieced.
I started them in a class in July 2018 - a relatively new project!!!

And before Retreat #1, I made 45 flowers on my embroidery machine - to use on the Challenge Project.

can I count that as 45 finished Kris???

August FNSI...plus

My post is a bit late....I’ve been on another retreat....lol

Friday I was sewing along with another 14 keen ladies.  Here is some work I may have been doing.....can’t really recall now what was Friday Night or some other time.

Some towel toppers.....I only took a small machine so will finish the bulky sewing off later

And a bag I made

We had a great weekend...sewing from Friday afternoon til Sunday night.....a bit of crafty shopping on the way there and the way home.

Nolene's Zippy Pouch

Nolene is the oldest member of my Loose Threads Group.  She is 90 and still sews lots - and gorgeous stuff too.
She may not be up to date with blogs & Facebook etc - but can happily live without it too.

It was her birthday back in March - with one thing and another (Covid = No Meetings - then retreat) it's been a long time - but finally, I can post this finish.

For OPAM I will count it as August!

Nolene asked for purple presents.  The fabric is by an Aboriginal designer and I matched the greeny/teal bits with a little spot.

Retreat 2020 - Last Day

All good things must end . .sadly

Here is the tally board at the end - a marvelous achievement from everyone. 

33 projects finished - 10 people were involved.

Today's Finishes:

Maureen's efforts for her grandsons - they will be chuffed!
Buzz Lightyear & Woody    - I'm sure you recognised them.

Bev's gorgeous quilt - she worked most of the weekend on this one.

Alison's Celtic table runner

Special Project

For many years, we (Maureen & I) organise a secret project.
The first year we did it - it was a last minute thought - I mean literally the night before we were due to leave.   I was staying at Maureen's - to get an early start and we had a "Brain Wave"...lol....a few hours later we had a kit for everyone to make a mug bag - using her fabric stash.

The next year - we were more organised and I purchased some metres of fabric in a coordinating range and we have used that fabric ever since.  (Luckily I was able to get more from a de-stash site recently.)

We try to find something that is useful as a sewing "thing" and that gives everyone the idea/technique so they can make some more if needed.

The project this year was a snappy pouch. 

I supplied some flowers to coordinate with the fabrics.
The one in the middle is made by Louise.  She has a favourite fabric that she likes her sewing "things" to be made in so we tell her what to bring ahead of time.

Belle & Pearl

The tale of Belle & Pearl

Long ago - Erica brought along two cloth dolls - Belle & Pearl - that needed finishing off - and they now come along every year....   It is the only outing they get in a year and are always very excited to be able to join us.
And each year Maureen makes them a little gift.  This year - it had to be a mask - so they each got one. . . . LOL

They sit up on the piano each year - the case behind them stores all their treasures....

We had a great time - we are booked for next year - hopefully things will be back to "normal" by then.

Thanks everyone who came and made it fun.
Thanks all my readers who have commented on the finishes.

Retreat 2020 - Saturday

We are back into the "normal" part of our retreat - this year we are self-catering morning & afternoon tea but lunch & dinner is supplied.

Today for lunch we have some bacon burgers - very nice 

Making great headway with our projects:

Maureen's North Pole quilt

Inca's Sarah Fielke bag

Sue's "Left overs" quilt

Maureen's towels

My Blue & cream "left overs" quilt

I have made 2 quilts like this before - the first one was in 2010...

Erica's dress for a granddaughter

and another one

More cushion covers from Alison

Nolene's red stitchery quilt

Inca's Willowbrook hexie quilt

And the "To Do" board:

The left hand side are the things "To Do", there right is the "Done".

There are still a lot of projects to finish.....probably not going to get them all done . . .this year...LOL

But we still have a morning & a bit.

Retreat 2020 - Friday

Another busy day.  We did take time out to visit our regular Friday lunch spot.  The Mt Alford hotel.  Another 2020 change.  Dave & Robyn used to own the hotel....it had been on the market for years....so every year we would say “See you next year”.  And they would reply that they would have sold and been off travelling.....we have no idea if they are off on their travels....we hope they are having fun, doing whatever.

Here are today’s finishes.

Erica's Poinsettia Spruce Christmas Christmas quilt.

Another bag from Lynda - she is on a roll!!

Erica's Koala & baby 

Inca's 100 Modern Quilt blocks quilt

Maureen's quilt with months of the year

Alison's celtic cushion cover

This is the view from the front of my cabin - Friday

But Saturday - we rarely get rain when we are here....but it's needed so we can't complain!

I love these containers for the tea coffee & sugar in the cabins

and this sign

Still Saturday & half of Sunday to go . . . .got to get on with it!