MARS Retreat - Day 1

This year our visit to Mount Alford Lodge is mid-week.  Most of us are no longer emplpyed, so it was an easy change.

We arrived Tuesday morning and set up, then off to the Mt Alford Hotel where the manager agreed to serve meals that day - especially for us!

Back up at the Lodge and ready to get stuck into our sewing...

My plans are:

1. Aqua Placemats
2. Christmas Placemats
3. Aqua Colourwash blocks
4. FPP - Nature blocks - complete top
5. Assemble QUILT/Dream Create Stitch Quilt top 
6. DV Quilt - Animals with blue & orange - make top
7. DV Quilt - Blue stars & Animals - make top

Number 7 is definitely on the "maybe" list, as I think the rest of the projects will keep me occupied.  I also packed hand sewing & crochet... just in case  . . .LOL

I handed out the Post It Notes for everyone to write up their plans, and the "To Do" Board has started,

By the end of Day 1 I had made 4 aqua placemats

And 4 Christmas placemats

I will do the bindings at home.

Other finishes for the day include:

Sue’s quilt from last year..she finished the binding.

Chris made a baby coin quilt

Rachel completed an I Spy quilt

The To Do board at the beginning.

Boro Zippered Purse

I am not a fan of Boro (or Kawandi), but it seems to be the flavour of the 2020's, so when I spied this little kit at Indigo Niche, I decided to have a go.

The kit comes with a pre-made felt outer and a pocket piece.  It is a very simple process to layout the (supplied) pieces, fussy cutting a couple, tack them on, then stitch with the (supplied) thread - though I added a few others for some variety.  Then its just sewn around the edge on the machine. Easy Peasy project.  Still not a fan.

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!

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!