Chookshed Challenge #10 - April - Chapel Street Top

The wonderful Chooky "enabled" me down this rabbit hole . . .

It started in 2023 and I haven't blogged about it very much - apart from here (May 2025) when Chookshed Challenge #8 was to make progress on Chapel Street.

At the time it looked like this:

My design wall is just too small!!!!.  

The bottom picture is the bottom of the quilt, and the plan was to finish the colour wash with heading to blacks in the right-hand corner.

So, here is the top...Chookshed Challenge #10 completed.
I am thinking I will add a black border of 2 or 3", depending on the quantity of black I have left, then a wider border of fabrics used in the quilt.  A project for another day.

It's not a great picture - the holder upperer was not up to much.

Thanks Deana, for pushing us along.....I got to a point where - without the Challenge deadline I would have put it aside....I think most of you know that problem.

What will May challenge me with????  (7 or 9 would be OK...LOL)


PS:   I am trying to reply to each comment, but if I missed yours - many apologies!

DV Donation quilts (2)

#1 - Pink & Brown
At one of the groups I go to - a Machine Embroidery Social Group - the leading lady brought in some things that had belonged to a previous member who has since passed.  I don't know if I ever met the lady, but amongst the "stash" was a bag of 8" cut squares of a nursery print and some coordinating smoky pink fabric.   No one else seemed interested, so I took them home to make into a baby quilt for donation to the DV group that a few people at Sunday Stitchers support.

I had to add another fabric and found a reasonable match - a smoky brown.  I devised a layout - never the correct number of squares is there?   and cut the brown squares to enable me to complete the top.  I took it to the retreat at Warwick in March and finished the top.

The Machine Embroidery group meet on the second Thursday of the month, so I decided it needed to be quilted and bound before then, so I could have it for Show & Tell.

The KISS principle for the quilting!  Serpentine (Width 6.0, Length 2.7) across the diagonals.

Joining Binding

I will share this with you.....I know you all have your preferred method of joining binding...I have been using a method called "Liz's Lumpless Binding for so long . . . . .BUT . . . .I saw this method on Instagram a while back....have a look - you might like it too.

#2 - Blue & Green panel

I have also finished this quilt for DV.

It's a very pretty panel and I found the perfect apple green fabric to go with it.   
I may have bought the rest of the bolt at the time as that meant I saved money (by spending more???  female logic)

Both these quilts had been folded for a few days, so they are a little crumpled...
I have a few more DV quilts to pin and/or quilt...hopefully soon.

Sunday Stitchers - Challenge #10 - My Kinda Town

I started this quilt in November 2022 and made some blocks at various retreats over 2022 and 2023.
I really enjoyed the FPP & selecting the fabrics.....I did not enjoy removing the paper - even though I used newsprint it was still fiddly in those tiny bits.

I had the top finished (without borders) for my Sunday Stitchers Challenge Project in August 2024.

Then it sat for a bit...I could see I had to do something other than basic quilting ...and I am not a fan . . . .but I really wanted it finished.   I figure if I put it on a Challenge List (now a Mojo list...LOL) it will get done.

So borders added, pinned and quilted in various stages over the month - so many ends to thread in . . .so much starting and stopping . . .Overall I am happy with it - it's no show winner but I am happy to have it hanging on the wall in the family room for now.

Clayton's Scrub Stitchin' - Day 5 - Saturday

Another day in Sewing Paradise!!!

Well, really I need to be a little domestic today - washing, the floor is desperately in need of a vacuum...some shopping.....you know....the boring stuff.

While I have been sewing, I have been playing e-books from the library.  During one of Chooky's Zoom meetings, someone mentioned books by Dilly Court - so I went in search . . .My Library had all 3 books from one of her series, to which I have now listened.  They were light "reading", good company while I sewed.  (Thanks to whoever suggested them).  Unfortunately, my library only has those 3 - even though Dilly Court has written a lot of books...Oh well, on the hunt again.

I decided to pull out another DV quilt that I pinned a little while ago...got started on the quilting...

I got the central panel done.

Then dinner time and hand sewing the binding on the baby quilt...

Well, that is it for Clayton's Scrub Stitchin' I think - tomorrow the girls are leaving and travelling home.  I will be at Sunday Stitchers, so I won't count that...though of course, I will be sewing.

If you have read my posts - thanks - it is really just a bit of silly fun and I can't keep up these daily posts....

Clayton's Scrub Stitchin' - Day 4 - Friday and FNSI

A bit of a "Bits and Bobs" day - not like being on retreat - but trying to use my time wisely & productively.

I finished the quilting and the binding on the baby quilt - ready for hand sewing the binding now.  I hope to finish that by Sunday, ready for Show & Tell.

Then I figured I may as well get onto the "framing" of my March Birthday Flowers....That is the step I always put off...but again, if I take it for Show & Tell on Sunday - it will look better finished properly.

I am using stretchy hoops from that place in China that I prefer not to deal with . . .but  . . .they are cheap and surprisingly easy to use.
Just a glimpse for now - I will do a post on them another time.

What to work on now???????????????
I consulted my very long "Project" list . . . . . . . .

Ah ha - I need to prepare two more blocks for Trains Trucks Tractors" quilt.  So I converted an outline drawing of a recycling truck to an applique pattern in the right size and traced the shapes....I want this one to look like a Townsville truck - so need to sort out what colours I need to use....put that one away for now!!!

Then it was time to settle on the lounge to watch the news and then Better Homes & Gardens - until the AFL started....(erk!).  So, I retreated back to my sewing room and finished the binding on My Kinda Town.

It's still early . . . what now???
Consult the Project list again....There isn't much to do on this Cross Stitch and it is on my SS Mojo list . . . .

So, I will work on that for a bit . . .

I am looking forward to seeing the storybook characters from the Scrub Stitchin' night....not to mention the Show & Tell!

Clayton's Scrub Stitchin' - Day 3 - Thursday

Today was more quilting on My Kinda Town....I could keep adding bits here and there . . .but . . .then the borders - that was quick and no ends to thread in....YAY!!!

I trimmed and added the binding - and sewed two sides on Thursday night in front of the TV.
I only did two sides as my hand starts to hurt a bit when gripping the needle so tightly...LOL

So, back to the machine to start the quilting on a baby quilt.

You might see a red laser line.....A few years back, at a retreat, one of the girls had a Brother machine with a laser light ....very clever I thought ...machine envy . . .

I investigated adding one to my Janome - nothing was easily available.  Sometime later, I saw a Sew Q Laser light offered by an Australian retailer - at a reduced price for pre-orders, and my arm was twisted.  It sat on my desk for quite some time.   When I make these baby quilts, I stitch diagonally across a 2" x 6" rectangle.  If I eye-ball it, it isnt always good.  If I draw a line it is good.   BUT - what to draw the lines in ???    I am not a fan of Frixion pens on fabrics.   I like my Air Erasing pen....BUT...they disappear so I can only do a smallish amount at a time . . . .
It was time to install the laser light.   I am very happy with it for the quilting.
I think it will really come into its own when I do HST...another time.

I am sure all the Scrub Stitchin' girls are hard at it now - I've seen a few facebook posts, but no one is blogging!

Clayton's Scrub Stitchin' - Day 2 - Wednesday

I had one of those "faffing around" mornings...then did a bit of shopping.

I have almost finished the quilting on My Kinda Town...a couple of stars and the border to go.

Night time - more on the Birthday Flower for April - Daisies.  I have reached a roadblock, as I am missing one DMC (a light blue to fill in the petals) and I do not want to unhoop it at this stage....

I imagine everyone is now settled in at Baradine - hopefully there is a bit of sewing happening in the midst of the catch-ups!

Clayton's Scrub Stitchin' - Day 1 - Tuesday

Well, here is another year that I haven't gone to Scrub Stitchin'.
And I know it doesn't start til Wednesday - but if I had gone, I would be travelling today - so I will just call this Day 1.

I am not as well organised for my Stay at Home Claytons Scrub Stitchin' - but I have plenty of sewing to do...

I have my Sunday Stitchers Mojo Project deadline on Sunday, so I am quilting My Kinda Town.  I had the top finished in July 2024...not sure what happened to it in 2025, but this is the month to finish it.

I spent most of the day working on this...

followed by some cross stitching.

For those travelling on Tuesday - I hope the day went well and you are not having any fuel problems.