Alphabet Book - Jo

This was the second ABC/ Alphabet Book I made. It was gifted to one of my Eldest Daughter's Bridesmaids - in 2019 sometime   (she told me) - it seems I have no blog record at all of this book...I am posting this in September 2022 - for record-keeping purposes - I certainly put a lot more pictures in them these days.

I asked Jo for some pictures of each page.

Birthday Fat Quarter Swap

I joined in with Cheryll for a Birthday Fat Quarter Swap.  It was just a fat quarter and a small gift of something that started with the letter of our name.

Here are the lovely goodies I received:

From Cheryll:  red dotty fabric, Sweetpea thread and Sewing Needles
From Julie:  baby panel and an alphabet with children on it and SEW Bandages  (very clever)
From Asta:  Orange fabric, Shopping List (very useful) and Wattle thread

From Anthea - red & orange dotty fabric, orange dotty fabric, a Scrubtastic and a gorgeous pair of Eiffel Tower scissors (sorry for the glare)
From Georgina - some prints with children/ children theme and a lovely smelling sachet
From Ilene - orange stripey fabric and santa/stocking buttons

I think these ladies have a spy - Orange, Yellow and Red are the colours I have the least of,so they will come in handy.

Thanks all - and especially Cheryll for organising.

Birthday Post Cards

Today was our SIMS meeting - so time for me to celebrate my Birthday (early) and collect my Postcards.
Sadly we were only SMS today as Inca was unwell...

Nevertheless - some delectable delights for morning tea - (sorry no picture!!!), a lunch out with a glass of bubbly, and two Birthday postcards:

Maureen's shows a Sewing Machine, Emerald Wool, Wooden Knitting Needles (The back has Starfish and Shells...(but IT issues prevent  me posting that photo.)

Sue's has Sapphires, Spider, Emeralds, Wooden Window and a Spider's Web

Pretty clever girls - thanks a bunch - I love them!!!

Updated:

I have now received my Postcard from Inca:

It is so pretty.  It features Emerlad & Wisteria in the coloured thread.  The stitchery is in waves, and the words that are embroidered are;  Embroidery, Sky, Wishart, Sampler, Embellishment, Wine, Sea, Water, Stripe, Earrings, Waves and Sydney.
All words that relate to me in one way or the other.....I think this is very clever. 

Glenrose Retreat

I am very fortunate to be able to get off work for a week and go and "hide" at Glenrose Retreat.

Of all the retreats I go to - it is by far the prettiest venue and the best suited to sewing.

I was able to put together the blocks I completed in the Gail Pan "Send My Love" BOM for 2018.
In all there were 36 blocks, but I chose to do only 32 and I liked the layout of Ruth's Quilt so much I copied it for this one.   As there are a number of design walls at Glenrose - it was an idea opportunity to lay out where all the fabric and stitcheries were going and to try to balance it.  (with some input from the others...)

I had prepped a lot of blocks for My Small World.  The hot air balloon is not part of the pattern, however I'd seen one on the Instagram group I am following and had to buy the pattern  . .  .

The "Plan" for the IG group is a set number of blcoks per month - so this finishes almost all of the blocks for Month 2 (mid October - mid November) and is a good start on Month 3 (mid November - mid December).
My next step is to start laying them out so I can see how the colours are going...and I may start working in sections from this point on - which is what a lot of the others are now doing...

And I made one baby quilt top.  (I did have a second one but didn't make a lot of progress on that one.)

There was some shopping time . . .some eating out time . . . .and of course some eating in time.

I made a Brie Twist - well with a few changes...LOL...I used a Camembert and instead of tomato chutney I used Baxters Date Fig & balsamic chutney - gorgeous stuff even by itself.

Thanks to the Tuesday Girls for inviting me along.

October Finishes

I am not doing so well in my UFO Finishes this year....not that I am sitting around twiddling my thumbs...but I do have progress....

I managed 5 crochet blocks this month - not a lot but it all helps.

I made a taggie for a friend of my eldest daughter for her second baby due early 2020.

And for the same friend - 

I finished one of the Alphabet books that I have on the list for this year:

I really enjoy making these - finding the right fabric for the right letter, 

making little mini quilts for "Q".  

and I use a picture of the recipient's cat or dog for "C" and "D".

And I finished Welcome Home in Spring.  This was an extravagant purchase - it came as a precut kit - the fusible webbing attached and all I had to do (all???) was place the bits on...sew it ..and make the quilt.   I had the blocks all together by retreat time in 2018...so for me - it's not too long ago!

Most people know I do not do things by the pattern and I have rarely bought a kit.  But, true to form I did change a couple of things - I replaced the horizontal sashing and I used the border fabric for the binding instead of the supplied check fabric....but really there wasn't a lot of scope for variation.
It has been beautifully quilted by Fiona.  I like that it is not overly quilted...but it is not a soft & cuddly quilt due to all the fusible webbing...now to hang it for a while...where ????

Still a lot of "To Dos", but a few ticked off the list.

Birthday Postcard #3

In my SIMS group - we have 3 birthday months in a row.  So this time it was time for Sue's.  She has only 2 initials...S & W
I mentioned a few posts back that I had decided what I was going to do....but then I got a few comments suggesting other things...so my mind went off track and as Maria had suggested Sea & Waves....I ended up with this:

It became a Guessing Competition...it became apparent there was far more than one S and one W.
again, I will give you a moment to think....and think about the front, back & wrapping.

>
>
>
>
>
>
Here it all is - some of it is a bit of a stretch...but if you are going to have a game - it may as well be silly:

Sky
Seagulls
Surf
Sand
Sunhat
Sun-Shade (umbrella)
Stitches
Soft drink
Serving bowl / Saucer
Star
Square


Water
Waves
Woven towel
Wooden tables & chairs
Webbed feet

Wild time in the Sand

Star Wrapping paper from Starlight Foundation with Silver ribbon and Sticky Tape

On the day, we added a few more!

Here is the group of 3 - second one is Sailing boat, sun & window, waves
Bottom one is Sequins, Waratah & Wattle.

 

That's it for me for the year - I get 3 next month...

FNSI - October

Sigh . . .the months roll around so quickly.

I have a very busy weekend so made the most of my Friday Night sewing with my cyber friends.
I finished off the binding of my Welcome Home in Spring and I added the "Welcome" sign

Sorry - no picture for now . . .

I also did some more cutting for My Small World as I plan to take it on retreat very soon.  It's all packed up now ready to go...so again you will have to trust me!

My post is a bit late...Saturday I went off to the Brisbane Craft& Quilt show.....although we are getting some new retailers - some are dropping off - probably the most notable was Punch with Judy - their stand is always busy, so maybe its a one off for this year...maybe not - and although there wasn't anything from there that I needed....it's worrying that it is a sign of the times.

I had a list and was able to get most of it - plus some extras...my bag was full, my purse emptier! 

Thanks Wendy and thanks everyone for the cyber company!   See you next month  , . . . getting closer to that "secret sewing season"!

FNWF - October

I had another late night in the city - nails and pedicure were due...but I joined you in spirit and worked on my crochet while my feet were being beautified.  

When I got home I worked on a secret project - sorry this is all I am showing . . it is that post card I mentioned before.....so I can't even show a bit of it.....

Thanks Cheryl for continuing to organsie us all even though you are constantly dragged away to go on holidays!..Pop over here to have a look at look at the others who joined in...

Stringalong - September

It's past time for the monthly post on String-along blocks.

I made 17 blocks in September - I had a sewing day - 2 boxes of strips and just went for it....I had a goal to finish them off - and I did.  That makes 88 blocks completed.  That will make a table cloth of 8 x 11 blocks.   

Letting out a little cheer!!!

I think this has been the easier part of the project.
Next step is to arrange them.  As I am making this reversible and there are 11 different fabrics on the backs and anywhere from 2 - 12 blocks of each fabric...  (using what I had)....I need to come up with some sort of pattern for the back, whilst keeping the front nice....could be difficult.

Then I need to sash the sides of the blocks...make rows...then join the rows.
That is not going to happen this year.

Then add the binding.

It's been a lot of fun sewing along with sewers from all over the world and I am happy I joined in with Lori.
You can have a look at some of the other participants here.   Some amazing projects.
And even if you don't want to look at the other stringalong projects - Lori has been camping - the wintery landscape shots are stunning - especially as we do not see anything like that in most of Australia - well probably not anywhere in Australia!!!

September Finishes

Not a lot . . .but I do have a bit to show:

14 crochet blocks for the cold & needy.   A bit monotonous - but this yarn is quite popular as it is red & yellow - and a dark blue which sort of looks black  (the Indigenous colours of course)

and my Little Patchwork Village Quilt - designed by Gail Pan...made some time ago - but beautifully quilted by Fiona....so it was a quick finish to add the binding.

Not great photos - I will try for some better ones on the weekend.....

There has been a fair bit of busyness happening here . . . .

all my blue blocks are done - a bit ahead of schedule - 

and I have Stringalong blocks - next post!