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).

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.

RSC 2025 April - Red

Red is another colour that I do not have a lot of . . .but I found enough to make 3 placemats

and 20 Colourwash blocks

That will do for now.

Chookshed Challenge #2 - Placemats for Meals on Wheels

My #2 for the Chookshed Challenge was to make placemats to donate to Meals on Wheels.  I didn't specify a number, but wanted to use a pile of fabrics that had been lingering . . .

I made 6 of these:

and 7 of these

Thanks Deanna for hosting our challenge...it is really motivating!

RSC 2025 March - Yellow

Yellow is a hard one for me - I do not have a lot of yellow (or red or orange).  But I raided the strip collection and made two placemats - luckily someone had recently gifted me some fabrics they no longer wanted and there were a few larger yellow pieces so that helped with the backings and bindings of these.

Then I used the left over strips to start on the colourwash blocks.  I had to cut some pieces from my very limited stash of yellow.  I ended up with 24, so it will do for now.

NOTE - UPDATE
The problem I was having where I wasn't getting emails when you comment. seems to have been resolved.,...I am blaming the cyclone!

Chookshed Stitchers 2024 Challenge - #7 - Placemats for Meals on Wheels

This was a pretty open-ended project...Placemats...I didn't specify how many....so it was easy to reach my goal...LOL

I did need to finish off these 4 that were started in a LQS workshop - giving us 4 ways to add binding.  I picked up a few tips - shared a tip with the instructor (LOL) and finally finished them.
I had done the poped/flanged binding before...but I make the contrast narrower. (Kits were provided with strip cut etc).  The one I had not tried before was the blue one - where you bring the backing over to the front to form a frame.  Good for placemats and wall hangings.  Not sure I would do it for a quilt...but at least I have the technique now.

Then I raided the bag where I had pieces cut, partly made placemats etc.  I dedicated about 2 days to the task and got 10 of the yellow/florally ones done - I still have more of that fabric..cut to size ready to go - but I want to get some backing fabric for those.

In the "Placemats' box, I also found some blocks that came from a lady who had passed away. There was no pattern or additional fabric with these blocks, so I put them aside for placemats.  I lost some of the points, but the colours are good - especially for men.

So Project #7 can be ticked as "DONE".
If we do the Challenge again in 2025, I will make "Placemats for Meals on Wheels" one of my items.  I still have a bit in that box!

Thanks Deana for suggesting this challenge - it has really helped move some things along the line....one project to go...guess we don't need to "wonder" what that will be . . . .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!

FNSI - August - and SS Retreat

Lucky to be on a real retreat for FNSI - August with some of the "Sunday Stitchers" ladies.

I started sewing mid afternoon - and quilted these pieces - ready to be made into placemats.
My employer gives us two Volunteer Leave days a year - so I used one of them to sew for charity and saved a day of Annual Leave.

Great to share my progress with Wendy and fellow FNSI'ers.

A lot of my fellow sewers were finishing off charity quilts and I think a bit of my Saturday morning was spent discussing them as well as a bit more quilting and starting on making the placemats.

After lunch - it was Mystery Project time.   Helen and I had been selected to think up a project for the retreat and as we have been quite focused on charity projects lately . . .and we had been able to secure some unusual fabric (ie not suitable for quilts, but still useable), we decided that the project could be placemats to give to Meals on Wheels.
A few weeks ago we had cut the tops, wadding and backings - everyone had been asked to bring a walking foot if possible and green & burgundy thread.

We handed out 2 to each sewing person and by Saturday night we had a stack of 14 finished mats.

After that, I was able to finish off my set of 7 (odd number I know - there will be more)

Then I moved onto a "Secret Project"

Overall, it was a great fun weekend - we were in a new venue - the lighting wasn't excellent, but I had taken a light (fortunately).

Most of the crew sewed charity things all weekend - I forgot to do a tally - but at least 4 jelly roll race tops were finished, one quilt top of squares and many tops had borders added.

There was time set aside for Morning & Afternoon teas and lunch - dinner was a bit of "eat whenever you want to".

Two retreats in a month??? - easy in some ways as I really only had to pack & organise once - but also a bit too close to each other.   Nevermind, rather have too many than none.

FNWF & Retreat Day1

What a great way to join in FNWF - on a retreat!

Hope all my cyber sewing friends had a great night!

Day 1 projects:

Maureen added a border to this cube quilt - ready for a charity donation

I made 8 coasters and a scrap bucket

Sue made a bag to use for work

Inca made 6 placemats - these will be donated to Meals on Wheels

Maureen has added sone yo yos - some very tiny - to this top

Helen put this quilt top together

Alison has made a jelly roll quilt - for charity donation

and the To Do/ Done board at the end of the day (or early morning)

Highfields Retreat

The Qld Covid gods were smiling the last weekend of August and we were able to have our Sunday Stitchers Highfields Retreat.

We had 14 people gathered and started sewing sometime Friday afternoon and went until Sunday night.

I had a few things planned and was able to achieve all of it.

First up was to make a collection of left over bits into a quilt top.  
This is the result of 2 main quilts I made many years ago (in  2011) - plus one more that is "just sitting".  I made that one in 2020.
It's not very big (30" x 42")
If I find something I can add to it I might do that - else I may keep it to finish off as a doll quilt for Miss Adorable Grand Daughter.

I had reserved Saturday for a "Volunteer Leave" day.  My employer gives us 2 days a year that we can do volunteer work - what better way for me to use a day of it than sewing??
This year I made placemats to give to Meals on Wheels - yes more than 7 hours of work and I'm very grateful to Norreen for finishing the bindings for me.

They carried over into Sunday as we made our Secret Project on Saturday afternoon.

Directions and instructions were kindly passed on by Marilyn.

This is mine (it looks a bit wishy-washy here - better in the next picture)

and this is the group of them - what a colourful bunch!

I had taken a bundle of blocks and fabric along as Helen had volunteered to turn it into a child's quilt - the SS group are donating quilts to a Domestic Violence Shelter and we thought this would be a good one for a child.   So I helped a bit with that - three rows had been joined - but this is mainly Helen's work.

I also did some hand stitching and some crochet to fill in a bit of time.

A really lovely fun weekend and we are all grateful that we were able to go.