Chookshed Challenge #9 - Fishy Business - Top

My RSC project for 2024 was to make fish blocks with the aim of finishing them for a DV donation quilt.

Wanting it to progress to at least a top stage...I gave it #9 on the Chookshed Challenge list.

The top is finished - I think I have managed to turn some of my fish upside down...so it's a very unregulated school of fish!

It's fate is "under advisement".  My husband thinks it would make a good raffle quilt at his Mens Shed....

Only 3 projects to go - what number will Deanna find for August??

Christmas in July at Queensland Quilters

I go to the nighttime meetings of Queensland Quilters.  This July, the organisers decided to have a Christmas postcard swap.

I made this one:

A machine embroidery design.

and received this one - "Three Wise Cats"

In December, we have decided to do another postcard swap - this time with the theme "Winter in Queensland".
mmm....still thinking about that  . . .we don't get snow - we have had a cooler than normal winter, but still not really cold...a cup of soup?, a scarf?, a thermometer showing the lowest and highest temperatures?  Ideas gratefully accepted.

RSC 2025 July - Purple

Purple!!!    An easy colour for me...
I didn't have too many pre-cut strips, so I tackled the purple drawer.  I cut placemat backings, bindings & strips from some older fabrics that I had collected many years ago as part of a subscription to AP&Q.  Then I cut strips from most of the fabrics in the drawer and did a general tidy up.  For once, the drawer is not chock-a-block!!!

I ended up with 6 placemats

and 28 colourwash blocks

Next month is Aqua (I may include teal).

Montana's Quilt - RSC 2023

In 2023 - for RSC - I chose to make I Spy blocks...I made two of each month's colour with the plan that they would be the quilts for the two younger grandchildren when they turned 2.

It is now Montana's turn to get hers...

I found this fabulous Red Tractor fabric at Shelley's at Warwick.   
As Montana has cows in the yard where she lives, it seemed appropriate!

Milo's quilt (very similar) is posted here.

At the moment there are 4 grandchildren and they each have an I Spy quilt.  It's unlikely there will be more...so I will need to start thinking about other quilts for when they are older.

Cross Stitch Summer & Winter Shops

Starting mid-2023 - Spruce Craft Co presented Little Summer Shops and then followed it up with Little Winter Shops.  Of course I was tempted.  Both were a Block of the Month project and I think mostly I stayed up to date.

I finished them both and put them together in January this year.  So I thought it was time to get  them onto the blog...

Now there is Little Christmas Shops.....so, yep, I had to sign up for that!!!

More Beach Houses

Natalie Bird has produced a stitchery panel - "Sunkissed Sojourn".  It features beach scenes - and the bottom stitchery was 3 Beach Houses....well, of course I HAD to have it....and I re-discovered it recently.

Not sure if I will use the other designs...but the Beach Houses were quick!

DMCs used:
30, 32, 304, 704, 725, 797, 799, 891, 893, 894, 3847, 3851.

 
"

Be My Neighbour - July

I am working on this quilt with the fabulous Fiona - and she is always finished before me . . .but this time I was first cab off the rank.   No, it's not a race...it just suited me to work on this project and get Blocks 11 & 12 done.   (12/16 blocks done = 75%)

Block 11 was 6 separate small houses - so I selected some fabrics that represented things I like.  (Trees, Pansies, Sydney, Sewing Machine, Beach Houses and Family.)

Edited to add - Janet O said they are like windows to my soul.

  

 I will link up with Fiona - when she finally gets to these blocks...LOL.....just kidding Fiona!

RSC 2025 June - Orange

The colour for June was Orange.  There weren't too many "scraps" in the container, but after a bit of cutting to make scraps, I managed to get enough to make 25 Orange Colourwash blocks, which I made on retreat last week.

and 4 placemats.

Ready for RSC - July . . .what will it be???

Oh!!!   I just checked - Purple!!!    my favourite.

Chookshed Challenge #5 - Mini House

Bestie Maureen gifted this to me in 2022 as part of an Advent Swap we did.
So, I thought it was time to get it done - it didn't really take long once I started.

And ready for Christmas!

Glad to have Chookshed Challenge #5 project done & dusted - thanks Deanna for keeping us on track!

Sunday Stitchers - UFO Challenge - #7 - Progress on Willowbrook

My #7 Challenge for Sunday Stitchers was "progress" on my Willowbrook top....

I started it back in September 2019 - here
I worked on it on and off over a period of time - By April 2020 - here - I had them finished.
Then in November 2020 - here - I started putting them together
No idea when I had finished that job.

So, I needed to add the borders and had decided I would applique the hexie edges by hand.  Before that I needed to turn under the 1/4" as these had been hand pieced...not EPP method.
I ironed under the 1/4" and tacked them.  Then I cut 6.5" wide strips and pinned the edges

It didn't take as long as I had thought so have finished the top.

Here are a couple of the stitcheries....gotta love the cows.

I know how I want it quilted....just need to work up the enthusiasm....might be a SS Challenge project for 2026.