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 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!

Sunday Stitchers - July - UFO Challenge #4 - My Kinda Town top

For my birthday in 2022, I was gifted the pattern for My Kinda Town, a pattern by Laura Heine and Peggy Larsen...Happily enough the birthday celebration was early in the month and I had enough time to get the fabrics ready to make two blocks at the retreat that I went to in November 2022.

Then - at another retreat in June 2023, I made two blocks...I made another two in July  2023 when I should've been at a retreat...
By November 2023 (again at a retreat) I had all the blocks made.   

BUT look at those grey pieces....and the words!

I know...we should read each pattern thoroughly before we start....but do we? 
Not always & not in this case

So, working all that out got pushed to the side....I am still very disappointed that a pattern could be written like this.

When we decided to do the Challenge at SS - My Kinda Town had to be included. I have "filled the gaps" and the top is complete.

I really enjoyed making this.

I did NOT enjoy removing the paper...LOL

Quilting??  that may have to wait til 2025!

Needle Girls Retreat @ Glenrose - Part 2

Now for the more serious part of the retreat...after the silliness of the challenge.

For three years now we have had a stocking swap at retreat.  We started with a Nancy Halvorsen pattern and for the last 2 years, we used a design from her set of patterns.  There are 12 in total so there is a fair bit of choice.

Last year I suggested we could stay with the same shape - but maybe do a different design - everyone was happy with that idea.

This year I made this stocking - using a machine embroidery design - it went to Lynda.

I received this one - from Nor.  I love the dimensional look.

This is the collection of stockings

My first priority was to make the last two blocks for My Kinda Town.

Here are all the blocks together - there are some "filler" bits needed.
I have to say I do not know why the blocks weren't designed with the "filler" bits added.  Not all blocks need extra bits...It's a bit annoying...but I will sort it out...in due course.

Overall, I'm very happy with it.  

My second project was for DD1.  She had asked me - a while back - to make a cover for her Cricut...She lives in Townsville and I don't have one, so found a pattern - got some measurements, and made this one.   Bit boring in white!!   The pockets I added are too short to hold the things she wants to put in them, so we will call this one the prototype!!

Then I moved onto working on the RSC I Spy blocks for 2023.   I didn't get very far, but did get the borders onto 3 sets.  There are a gazillion 3.5" squares to go around these blocks....

What the others did:

This is a top made by De - the Daisy Queen

and a bag made by Sandi

De also put this top together.  Very effective with just squares.

Nor worked on these blocks for a quilt - featuring sewing notions.  I missed a few of the blocks - one is a sewing machine and another one is an iron.

Sandi worked on several Lori Holt blocks

Chooky worked on a few projects simultaneously - the ones on the left for Chapel Street and the ones on the right for Starburst.

I am also planning on making Chapel Street and we have been sharing fabrics where possible.   I had a stash of Kaffe Fassets and Tula Pinks which I took, so she cut pieces from those fabrics - kindly cutting mine at the same time.

There was a lot of laughing, chatting, solving problems (???), eating, some shopping.

It is always a fun time with these girls.

My Claytons Retreat (aka Sunday Stitchers At Boonah Retreat) Day 3

I continued working with the construction crew and groundsmen and together we have finished 2 blocks - my goal for this retreat!!

Van Winkle House

and Amelia's Cottage

That is the top row almost done (there are some filler pieces to be added- so I will leave them til the end) of My Kinda Town.
I did the second row in June

Here are all 4 blocks

I need to change the top of the door to the church 

and replace the yellow door with brown.

 

I have another retreat (!!!!!) in 2 weeks so will do another row then and a final retreat for the year in November when I plan to do the last row.
Well, that is the plan!

My Claytons Retreat (aka Sunday Stitchers At Boonah Retreat) Day 2

Well, I am supposed to be in Boonah - on retreat with some of the Sunday Stitchers Group - but a bad cough has kept me at home.  I feel OK - especially during the day - but late nights, early mornings - well a lot of coughing...

Anyway, things happen ....so I am retreating at home.

My plan for this retreat was to make 2 more blocks for "My Kinda Town" and as many string blocks as I could.  There is also a "mystery" project to be done...

Early today I decided I needed something different to do before I began the house blocks.
I have joined a Cross Stitch SAL - here.
So, as I am eager to start - but no pattern is available until August 11 - I decided to get the threads ready.

Then, I could delay no more - time to construct houses.
I worked on this block for most of the day/night.  Although during that time there were numerous chats concerning design, colour choices for a project, extra numerous chats with the retreat girls about any number of things....The "benefit" of social media I guess.

And I had to unpick one section - unpicking stitches sewn at 1.8 is slow...
The building is not complete...tomorrows job....then to add the tree on the side and move onto the second block. 

The wrong one:

All fixed....

The retreat goes til Tuesday afternoon - then add in travel time . . .I should be right to continue sewing til dinner time on Tuesday, and since I don't need to unpack much...I will just keep going til bed time....LOL

Glenrose Retreat with Sunday Stitchers

I was invited along to this retreat - as Helen couldn't go.  "Taking one for the Team"  LOL.

So, this means 3 retreats in 3 months (June, July & August)...a bit of overkill??? - Not at all . . .LOL
At least once I have prepped stuff - the leftovers can go on the list for the next retreat!

After a day at Sunday Stitchers, we started the road trip out to Warwick (About 2 hours) - arriving as the sun was going down.

My plans were:

• 17 yellow/gold placemats (for Meals on Wheels)
• 2 blue/green placemats (for Meals on Wheels)
• 42 x 10" red, black & white strippy blocks (for a DV quilt)
• 3 Sparrow blocks
• 2 My Kinda Town blocks 
  

And in reserve . . .

• Green Coin Quilt (for a DV quilt)
• Crochet
• Sashiko tree

Well, that was very optimistic!

I did 4 placemats - but decided they are much easier to make at home on the bigger machine.

14 red, black & white strippy blocks (one got left on the cutting table..LOL)

3 Sparrow blocks

2 My Kinda Town blocks

On Thursday morning we need to leave by 9.30 - so the plan each year is to have brunch at Gardens Galore - the food is always beautifully presented and delicious.
As I was the substitute for Helen - I decided to order what she would have selected;  French Toast - it didn't disappoint!

Then there was a bit of shopping at Shelley's and the drive home.

I had a great time - stayed up late - ate "some" bad food, chatted, and laughed.
Thanks for inviting me along girls!

And I still have plenty of projects for the next retreat on July 21st!

Needle Girls Retreat - November 13 - 17

It's that time of the year again!!!

Be warned - long post. 
Off to Glenrose for a few days of sewing laughing chatting drinking eating shopping etc.

This year - the options have changed, so we arrived late Sunday afternoon - unpacked and got set up - then had a nibbles & drinks dinner.  Cheeses, meats, crackers, smoked salmon on blinis, and a few treats . . .

Food & Fun

I had bought a couple of bottles of bubbles to share - I bought these based on name only - fingers crossed they tasted OK - they did, fortunately - Chookyblue also bought a bottle based on the label.  (mine are Born Wild and Rewild - Chooky's is in the middle with the chook label - seriously we really do have good taste!!!)

I took a baked camembert and this Scottish Cheddar.

Sewing

My first project was to complete the top of the next baby quilt.  I had the pieces all cut, so it was relatively simple to put it all together.

and I was able to pin it late one night when the table was clear.

Then I added the sashing to my Rainbow Scrap Challenge blocks - it has turned out quite big - about 72" square . . . 
From a random / crazy thought - and mostly from my stash - it has come together reasonably well - I did miss one month's colour - a blue before the lime green - but I needed to keep the blocks to a maximum of 20.5"

I used this as my "Volunteer Leave day" from work - it will be a donation once it's finished.

The Thursday before the retreat I was gifted a pattern (early Birthday present) - from my SIMS group - My Kinda Town - it is meant to be very scrappy - and I am planning on resisting the urge to buy new fabrics for it . . but - I am on retreat - at a patchwork shop - with another one nearby - so - I had to buy a few bits for it.

I am using whites/greys as the backgrounds and I was able to sort the bits for these blocks to make on retreat.  Two stars and two trees - a church goes in the middle.

I also helped Helen (a little bit - sorry Helen - I did mean to do more) with some stockings she is making for donation.

Swap

We have a swap each year - so we repeated the same as last year and each made a stocking and added a pin - we did a random draw to share them around.

Here are all 6 stockings with their pins.

I made this one - it went to Sandi:

and I received this one from Maureen

Challenge

We also set a "Challenge" last year to make a zippy pouch - any shape and size as it was for ourselves.

We decided last year we needed a logo - and after a lot of messing around earlier in the year Sandi machine embroidered them for us - We had to include the logo in our pouch.

Here is the group of pouches

and this one is mine.

The challenge for 2023 is to make some matching coordinating accessories.  Since I am a matchy-matchy person - this is not hard for me.  We have spare embroidered logos so I will use them in my extras....I already have a list of what I might do.

Birthday

Last year the girls surprised me with a big birthday celebration - it was a 0 one . . LOL - so I figured this year it was not going to be a "thing" - wrong!!!
I received this lovely glass - it goes well with the zippy pouch I made - so it will become my "retreat" glass

and some lovely coasters.

(very spoilt...thanks girls)

Out & About

Eating and Shopping is always a big part of this retreat.
Monday was lunch at Warwick Garden Centre - by this time of the year - the front of the shop is full of Christmas decorations.   
The food is amazing....my lunch

Tuesday night was take-away from Charchy's.
Maureen and I had discussed Chicko rolls on the way to Warwick so we each ordered one of them - along with other things such as Sweet Potato scallops and onion rings...really healthy stuff!

Wednesday - we went out of town to 

This time a smaller lunch so I could fit in some cake afterward...I had a bacon banana and cheese melt.    I am not a fan of cooked banana, but this was good - the banana was just warmed so not mushy

On Thursday we had to leave before 9 - so after farewelling most of the group

We (Maureen, Chookyblue & Miss Jules) ventured out to Stanthorpe to visit the shop that was Canning Town and is now Busy Bee - via The Christmas Farm at Applethorpe - heaps of Christmas decorations there.

and a lovely little cafe.   I had to try the apple & rhubarb crumble.

Chookyblue & Miss Jules had the passionfruit tart - how beautifuly presented.

(Shame about the takeaway cups and bamboo cutlery)

Purchases

I tried to resist - but "resistance is futile"!!!

I bought a bit of monkey fabric and a lightly sparkled cream, some Christmassy fat quarters and a novelty piece, a white with black for My Kinda Town and some flannels - suitable for a baby quilt or ....something baby...again that word "Wild" seems to crop up from time to time.

 There might have been a few more odds & sods . . . 

It was a wonderful few days - we are booked to do it all again in 2023