October Finish

A finish for October...I missed a finish in July...but otherwise I am slowly chipping away at older UFOs...still a few to go....I am hopeful I will finish most of them in 2017.

I started this in October 2013.  I was doing a "bargello" project with a group of ladies and wisely chose a smaller project - initially it was to be a runner for our outside table - but since then we have changed the table and what I had already started was then too wide to use on the table, so this will now sit on the servery between the kitchen and outside area.  I plan to make some placemats to match - but just in strips I think.   Enough bargello for now!!

I plan to have at least 3 finishes for November - I have been working on 3 quilts "in tandem" - the thought being that if I worked on just one at a time - the second and third would have been harder to keep focused on...you will see what I mean next month!!

Apart from that - there is a lot of secret stuff happening!
I'm off on a short retreat next week so maybe I can get some of it done then.

Happy Sewing to you all.

September Finish

Last Sunday was Sunday Stitchers and I took along my latest finish.

I've been working on this for a number of years...

(there is a photo in a post dated August 2012 

where I had joined a lot of squares into strips...

though back then it seems I was planning on a bright blue strip to join them)

It's a Leaders & Enders project.  

I sew 2 21/2" squares together, then 2 sets of 2 and 2 sets of 4...etc...

and total them up to 30 squares.

Then join that to a plain strip - mostly 21/2" but that bit is flexible...

depending in what I have lying around.   

I used 21/2" binding strips too so that the left over can go into the next project.

It's fun to re-visit some of the fabrics.
I am planning one that will have at least one row of fabrics from each quilt that I make in the future - or if I can do it - that I have already made.

This is destined for a nursing home or similar.

Bluebird Lane

Three of us at Sunday Stitchers have been working on Natalie Bird's Bluebird Lane.

This month's deadline was to have all the blocks finished, 

and we all managed that (nothing like a bit of peer pressure!!!)

Here is mine

I used a fat quarter bundle I bought a while back - a Helen Stubbings range and added some beiges and the teal green.
As usual (for me) I changed the layout and used birds in a block that was originally rabbits.

Here is Inca's

(had to use her instagram photo as she wasn't there on Sunday)

Inca and I are still pondering the borders - the original has stars all around.

and here is Sandi's
Sandi is thinking of making a table runner 

and some mini quilts, so she hasn't put her blocks together 

It's been great to have a team project...wonder if we will do one next year???

April Finish

I have finished my Quilty Fun Sew-a-Long Christmas Quilt.  This was a project from Lori Holt that she ran in 2014 on Instagram - some of the blocks were in her book "Quilty Fun" and some were only on IG.  I didn't do it at the time ...though I bought the book - so thought I'd better make the quilt at least.

Her pattern has a pieced border which I chose not to do and I used a strawberry block from her Farm Girl Vintage book instead of the log cabin block - more appropriate to an Australian Christmas I thought.

My oldest UFO

Back in 1988, I went to the first NSW Quilt Guild's Quilt Symposium held in Armidale NSW. It was the first of its kind and a group of us spent four days(??) doing various classes from a wide range of tutors.
One of the classes I did was machine quilting - using a walking foot - we had to pre-prepare a panel and in the class we quilted.  This was all before fabric markers that vanished, so it seems we marked in pencil.  I finished the panel at the time and it has been sitting / hiding ever since.(One interstate move and one house move)

In 2011 I joined up with Sew Its Finished and Marti's Challenge of 12 projects in a year and it was to be one of the projects that I completed that year.  When the time came I couldn't find that dratted piece anywhere...(must have had a "tidy up" binge!!)...So I found another project.

Finally, it's a cushion

September Finish

I've finished my project from FNSI last week.

As usual I don't really remember when I started this though I am sure it was more than 7 years ago.  Its about 60" square, a nice size to have over you - if it cools down a bit (32 in Brisbane today).
This is my finish for Sew Its Finished, OPAM and Aunt Marti.

Now I need to get moving on the Anni Downs Needle case for the SAL.

August Finish

For Sew It's Finished, OPAM and Aunt Marti - This is my August finished project.
It is not a long standing UFO - for a change.

I had been wanting to do one of Leanne Beasley's quilt patterns for a while but I was able to get my hands on the pattern for this one - Journey of a Quilter.

In August 2011 I was able to do a big shop hop in Sydney when I went down for a visit and found a lovely collection of 30cm pieces of William Morris fabrics.  Then in another shop I saw some Threadworx threads in the perfect colours   and in yet another shop I picked up quite a few creams and beiges.

As soon as I got back I started tracing and stitching.

Now its done.  I had it quilted.  I love it. It will go on the only wall left in my Sewing room  (when I can get "someone" to put the necessary bits up on the wall).

and how true is this ....

July Finish

I aim to finish at least one UFO a month.

And if you don't know the drill:    I joined Sew Its Finished a couple of years ago to encourage me to do this - and this year I also joined up with Peg & Kris for OPAM  and to top it off Aunt Marti issued a challenge to finish 13 projects in 2013.  Marti picks a number and we are meant to have numbered the 13 projects and do that number in that month.  Well, this month I have had to cheat a bit.  The project this month should have been #8 and that was making a cushion out  of a piece of machine quilting I did way back - I mean really way back.... I will leave the details for now....so - off I went and bought some homespun for the backing and the cushion insert....Come time to make it....Where the heck is the piece of machine quilting???? I have searched and searched...it must be here...tucked away.... so I had to find another project.

This was started in....well maybe before 2005 (shame shame.....but wait til I find the machine quilted piece....).  The top was all done  - it was sitting in its little labelled box with the backing and binding already made.  

So, now I have a spare box...wonder what I will find to go in it???   Maybe my piece of machine quilting?

Hall Stand Runner

I started these stitcheries in mid 2011 - and have taken a loooong time to find a fabric to go with them - it's not what I originally had in mind but I like it anyway.

This runner is for the hall stand in our entrance - a favourite sleeping place for the cat - both on the top and on the pile of quilts below.

Some closeup:

February Finishes

For the Stitch-A-Long project - I finished my Red Home Tote Bag.  - Love this bag for its size and I will make another one - without the embroidery - sometime.

I also finished my February Project for Aunt Marti's Challenge - 13 project in 2013 and this is also for Sew Its Finished.  This is  "Little Red House" by Marg Low - the pattern and most of the fabrics came from purchases made by my bestie on my behalf at the Sydney Craft show.  I love houses and things like that - and although this is not my normal colour palette - it's good to do things a bit different - sometimes.

 (nice of my daughter to be wearing a coordinating top when she held up the quilt for me!) 

January 2013 Finish

Just scraping in to have a finish for Sew Its Finished, Aunt Marti's 13 Projects in 2013 and OPAM.

I started this turtle quite a few months ago and finished him today.  He was fiddly to make... I think he will stay an only child . . .

September Sew Its Finished

I cut this bag out some years ago - maybe 5 years ago?? cant remember - with the idea of making it for a work colleague as she admired mine.  Finally I have given it to her.  One more off the list.

Sew It's Finished - July

Just finished my project for July for Sew It's Finished.  No rush about this project.

I knew I started this cross stitch a LONG time ago - but when I was talking with a work mate the other day - she said "Oh I remember you sewing that - before I left to have DD2".  Well DD2 is now 8 - so I finished the cross stitch part (except for the words and hair highlights) in 2004.
The original wording was "A Wild Wonderful Wacky Woman Lives Here"  but it doesn't really suit our entrance area in the house - but it's going to look great in my Sewing Space.

The pattern is 1331 - Wacky Woman Designed by Diane Arthurs from Imaginating
PS For those who don't know - my surname is Wild -makes this even more appropriate. And I hardly changed the colours - that's unusual for me.

My Sew Its Finished March Project

Over at Sew Its Finished, the goal is to finish at least one project a month - so I am doing the quicker ones since I have a few other things on the go that I don't want to become UFOs.  So I picked "Uptown Chic" bag from Faeries in My Garden (one of the GOMs I think).  It was already cut out so I put it all together and even crossed over into FMQ world - I just followed tha pattern but it was a good practice piece.

Sew Its Finished - February 2012

This year on the Sew Its Finished 2012 there is a reward for finishing at least one project a month.  So for February my finish is:
- - - - - - - -  - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

I don't remember now when I started this quilt - I selected bright balis in consultation with D#1 and did a class at my LQS. I got the top finished over a year ago and 3/4 of it quilted. So this year I have finished the quilting and done the binding so its all done now and ready to hand over to D & SIL. I hope she still likes it. (And of course it goes with the little table toppers I finished for January.) Its quite big - it easily covers the top of a queen sized bed.

a close up - and better resemblance of the colours.

The pattern was called Transitions.

And here are the little toppers I made from the leftover strips:

One more off the list

UFO - Finished

I finished my second blue & cream quilt - started last August - in time for my high school friend's "0" birthday in April.  I couldn't be in Sydney to see her open it - but she loves it and hopefully will enjoy snuggling under it as it gets cooler.

My bestest sewing mate gave me a beautifully stitched label to add to the back:

I bought quite a collection of blues creams and a bit of green to make the first "0" birthday quilt for another friend - and plannned on making two together - but I still have enough left over for a third - wonder who that will go to??

Here is a close up of some of the 'starter' fabric - its a border print but it would have been too wide to use as a border on that sized quilt so I cut it into 6" squares and made coordinating 4 patch and 9 patch squares.

and

2 More Finishes

Another two to get off the list!


Christmas Sampler - not finished in time for 2010 Christmas but at least its ready for this year.  A Nancy Halverson design - in the book "Tidings" .  I fell in love with this at the Brisbane Craft show in October last year.

Leanne Beasley's Stitchers Keeper - I just love this embroidery - it was a "Must have" as soon as I saw it.

The pattern included an iron on transfer - just love those things - so much better than tracing - and you can use a wider variety of fabrics.  So I had to test the iron on before I did the main pattern - and made a little needle case out of the pratice bit.  (That's it at the top saying "Stitchers Keeper").  I feel I also need a scissors holder with a single flower - maybe later!

One more is finished - but it will have to wait for another day.

(That's 5 finishes or me)

Take Care
Susan