Chookshed Challenge - #8 - February - Trains Trucks & Tractors - Progress

My eldest daughter has two boys (just 7 and 3.5).  They are typical boys - love trucks, construction vehicles, garbage trucks and any sort of vehicle really.

She saw this quilt pattern and thought I could make it for the boys....I am not getting into the "one quilt for two boys" scenario...I've discussed it with her - it will be her issue...LOL).  They don't use quilts on their beds as they live in Townsville.

And in case you want to be enabled....its available here.
Or in your Local Quilt Shop - an Australian Designer (Chris Hill).

Last October, when she was here, she did a quick raid on my fabrics and selected some that she thought would be good.  A starting point at least.

I put this one on my Chookshed Challenge so that I would make a start - probably good it came up early in the year...there is a lot of tracing and cutting before the applique starts..

Like her mother, "Patterns are just a guide" - she wants it narrower - and she doesn't want blocks - she wants rows!  I will make the train the full width of the finished top and put two vehicles on each row for the rest of the top.  We already have a panel to put on the back, so that is my guide for width.

This is my small amount of progress - creating the excavator and train.   I may make all the vehicles before I start putting them on strips for the backgrounds.  Mostly it will be sky and road or grass (for the tractor), or train tracks (thinking black & white stripes).

I plan to add "Townsville branded" garbage and recycling trucks. When I get some photos.

As a side note, I have long thought that it would be handy to have a light box that I could iron on....Sometimes when I move my carefully placed pieces to the ironing board/mat, they move, even if I use one of those silicone mats.
I recently purchased a cheap A4 sized light box as the A3 one is sometimes too big for the space I am working in (and I can take it to retreats without too much hassle)....and recently Aldi had a pack of 2 glass cutting boards.
I have been able to construct these pieces using the cutting board over the light box and feel happy to leave the iron there long enough to fix the bits in place....I wouldn't leave it too long, but it's enough so that the pieces don't move.   The packaging does say not to use it on a direct heat source...so I best be a bit careful!

Thanks Deana for continuing the Chookshed Challenge for 2026.  It really helps me make sure I do what ever it is that I should be doing, and it binds the whole Chooky tribe together.

Still not getting my comments to emails, so I can't reply to everyone, though I am trying!!!   (Yes, my husband will say very trying.)

Milo's Birthday presents

Earlier in the year - in March - I made a hooded towel and reading pillow for Luka.

Now it's Milo's turn to have a birthday and of course he needs a hooded towel and reading pillow - this time featuring Thomas the Tank Engine.

I needed a few conversations with my daughter to remind me of bits about the towel construction - so this time I have made a lot more notes...I am sure there will be more hooded towels to make.

Milo opened his presents today - I think he was far more interested in the remote control train and other toys that we gave him....LOL...all good - he is just a kid after all!

Christmas Snow Globes / Baubles for Grandchildren

I started a tradition in 2019 - the first Christmas that I had a grandchild - and made a "Snow Globe" with his picture. 

In 2020 - there was still only one grandchild.

2021?? - I missed that year (2 Grandchildren by then) - but made up for it in 2022 (3 Grandchildren)

2023?? - I missed that again!!!! - but have caught up!

Here are the boys for 2023 and 2024

and the girls for 2023 and 2024

Maybe I can keep up to date in 2025???

Milo's Quilt - RSC 2023

My grandchildren get an I Spy quilt when they turn 2.
Luka's is here and Peyton's is here

Now it's Milo's turn.

in 2023 - for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge, I made two blocks of novelty fabrics in each colour with a plan to make these into quilts for Milo and Montana.

Making the blocks was relatively easy - though I had to 'beg" a few fabrics in some colours.  Then I had to add 144 3.5" squares!!!   I have a fairly large collection of novelty fabrics, a friend gave me all of her collection....but I was still struggling to get enough...(remember I was making 2 quilts....)...and I found a lady on Facebook who was selling pre-cut squares, so I purchased a bunch from her.  As I was finishing the quilt, I found a few repeats, so swapped them out....but I stopped looking closely in case I found more!

Although Milo turned 2 in August - he lives in Townsville and I wasn't keen on trusting the quilt to the postal service if I could avoid it.  We are off to Townsville on Tuesday for some Nana & Pa cuddles, so the deadline was set! 

For the backing, I chose an alphabet panel showing various fish and sea creatures (Milo's dad is a keen fisherman) and an indigenous-inspired pattern that looks a bit like waves...(well, in my mind)

The fish panel is "Deep Blue Sea by Stephanie Peterson Jones" 

and includes some questionably named fish....

Cowfish, Lumpfish, IcebBlue Zebra fish, Unicornfish, Rabbitfish,
Quillback rockfish.  I googled them and they really do exist!
(Fortunately)

The backing:

I have less than 12 months to make the second one like this for Montana.  Wonder what I will find for backing for her...her dad is also a keen fisherman.

Mount Alford Retreat 2024

It was finally time for the Mount Alford retreat.

Warning:  a long post…

We normally start our retreat on Friday, go through to Sunday and then most stay an extra day or two.
But this year we had to have our extra days at the beginning, so there were only 4 of us to kick it off.  And then to make matters worse, Energex decided to do some major maintenance work in the area on our first day - Wednesday - so no power until 3 in the afternoon.  No power means no lights or machines of course - but it also means no water as it is all tank water - no toilets, no coffee!!!
So we had to plan our arrival for 3PM. (normally we would be there about 10...)

NOT HAPPY JAN!!! 

The four of us met earlier for lunch, a wander around the town of Boonah, and some shopping including a small old-style haberdashery store - everything from pyjamas, boots and hats to patchwork supplies!!!

We were all settled in by about 5 and got cracking on the projects that we had brought along.  This is a BYO thing...there are no classes or workshops.....although there is always a "Secret Project' to make...more about that later . . 

I had a "To Do" list, originally conceived & all prepared before I knew we would lose a lot of Wednesday...and then...another project had to be added to the list....one might think I was there for 2 weeks...

I was far less disciplined doing blog posts too….normally there is a blog post every day with a picture of the To Do board….oh well….

I have some photos of things worked on by the others:

Chris….cute little dogs she makes for a shop at the hospital 

She also made some bunnies for the  shop

Helen made a cover for her machine from a gorgeous Tula Pink fabric

and a mug bag...though I have no photo.

Alison made 5 flower blocks for the project that De is working on for the charity quilt for Sunday Stitchers.

Cheryl made this top which will be a quilt for the Spinal Unit at a Brisbane hospital 

Cheryl also made up some hankies

and a flower for the same project as Alison

Erica made a skirt for herself

And a red skirt for one of her granddaughters….there was also a blue one for the other granddaughter...but no picture

Sue put this top together

and made up a bag

Maureen made serviette holders for a Quilt Show and fete that is coming up

And two sets of placemats

And 14 cute little Tooth Fairy hangers

Louise made this lovely pink bunny door stopper

Bev worked on a few projects - but mostly on these.  She recently attended a three-day workshop with Rachel Daisy.

Leanne put this top together 

And finished the binding on this quilt

What did I do?

I made two foundation paper pieced blocks to go with the blocks I made last retreat <here>

I made a drawstring bag, coaster and scrap bucket for my Sunday Stitchers meetings

I worked on two shop blocks

I put my I Spy quilt top together….this was my Rainbow Scrap Challenge project from 2023….this is Milo’s quilt for his second birthday which is soon.

I made this Pansy quilt top….this will be a charity quilt for DV….the plan is to add a 1” coloured border….maybe green, purple, pink…???…then a 4” blue border….need to check the charity stash…

So, my list now looks like this - I realised I only needed two more FPP blocks, so crossed one out and the two shops were partly done....not too bad really - If we had arrived at 10 on Wednesday I think I would have finished the lot..

This is the To Do board at the end….mostly we didn’t get everything done….but as usual we provide for the possible situation where we may get flooded in and need to stay for another few weeks….lol

 Challenge Project

Each year since 2014, Maureen and I have organised a project for the girls. From 2015, we have used the same fabric….with some coordinating fabrics so that we keep it going for as long as possible.

This year's project was a small drawstring bag….it would hold a few reels of thread, binding clips etc.

Here are all the projects from 2015.

And the class shot!

A big thanks to everyone for making this a fun-filled time.
And a BIG thanks to Wendy who runs the place - 

the location is gorgeous, the venue is very pleasant 

and Wendy herself is very accommodating and a lot of fun.

How many sleeps time next time?
approx 386.

Milo Tag - Give Thanks Hanging

Many years ago I made the Give Thanks hanging designed by Jenny of Elefantz) and gifted it to DD1.

It was posted here.  OMGosh - it was January 2011!!!!!

I did the second one in February - here 

and so far I have found one more post about it - in 2016 - here.

But I know I have made many more, so I asked DD1 for a picture of all of them.

The special ones I have made have been for her boys - Luka

and now one for Milo.

ABC Book ~ Alphabet Book

This is the 7th ABC book I have made.   When I look back at the first one - for Luka - it is quite simple - generally one or two images per letter.

These days they are a lot more interesting (I hope) and full of images.

I do enjoy making them - and I now have a few "buddies" who are making them too.

Here is the latest one for Milo - Luka's brother.