Batiks By The Bay

I Love this Book

2012-01-18T19:19:00.000-08:00

I bought this book online from fishpond without ever actually seeing it and I love love it. I want to make the cover quilt and my daughter loves it so hopefully I will make it for her.

I also love this one. Deb and I decided that we should start with a small project first so we will be making this cushion below.

However I could not wait so I made this cushion from a bag pattern. I really like how it turned out. I used some dark Kona charms with Kona Natural and Black.

I only wanted to use scraps as I am saving my black for 2 city quilts I plan/hope to make so I pieced the back with leftovers from the charms. My husband prefers the back!

When skill does not meet expectation

2012-01-11T17:41:00.000-08:00

So what do you do when your skill does not meet your expectations. I usually try to change the pattern slightly. I decided to make the stacked coin quilt by crazy mom quilts from moda bakeshop. Once I had the coins assembled in rows I realised that my rows were different lengths. My cutting and sewing were not entirely accurate. If I had have thought of it before I started I would have used different widths of coins but it was too late for that. I knew it would drive me nuts when I sewed the columns because I would see that the coins did not line up. Sooo I cut 1 inch from the top of row 1,3 and 5 and cut 1 inch from the bottom of row 2 and 4. This is a bit weird as all the other coins are the same size but it works for me because it takes the pressure of matching seams. I had planned to make two of these exactly the same for my 3 year old twin nieces but not sure now. I think I might find a new pattern to try.

It looks alright but I don't think I will make 2. I think I will use this one to practice quilting and give it to a charity.

I just found the perfect coin quilt for me. It is the sliced coin quilt at Don't Call Me Betsy.

We are back in the Bay

2012-01-08T20:19:00.000-08:00

We have just got home from three great weeks in Perth. We caught up with family and friends and did some tourist things too. The only sewing thing I have to show is the wall hanging I made mum. It is from a patchwork and stitching magazine. It is meant to be applique but I stitched it instead.

Here are a few photos of some of the things we did.

Christmas Stuff

2011-12-20T17:42:00.000-08:00

I made two mug rugs to go with a table runner I made a couple of years ago so I could give them to my parents this year. The only problem is I lost a mug rug. I cleaned my sewing room and now it has disappeared. This is what happens when you clean up!
The mug rug is a free design using this tutorial by Megan. It was part of the mug rug madness holiday addition over at Erin's blog, Two More Seconds.

Ready to be trimmed

2011-12-17T17:29:00.000-08:00

I got an early Christmas present of a charm packs and decided to make half square triangles. There are so many quilts I want to make using these that I will decide later what to do. I will probably make some more with fabric from my stash before making any decisions.

An early Christmas present and a summer quilt

2011-12-04T01:04:00.001-08:00

I decided to give Dave a canvas of a photo he took of the Golden Gate Bridge when we were in San Francisco for Christmas. I was so excited at how it turned out that I had to give it to him early. I came up with many excuses to justify it but really I just could not wait! It is not often that I think of something he will love. I had the photo put on a canvas in black and white. The only problem is that I think it would look better on a different colour wall.

I decided to try something different with my jelly roll race quilt and make it a summer quilt. I did not use batting and put a green flannel on the back ( it does not show up in the photo). I love how it feels. I t is so light and drapes beautifully. I now want to try using flannel instead of batting. I quilted it with straight lines along the seams.

I could not resist taking a photo with Brittanys new dog. It is solar powered and wags it tail in the sun.

Ready For The Quilter!

2011-11-17T21:57:00.001-08:00

I added the borders to this quilt in anticipation of going to a quilt shop with a friend and leaving it with a quilter. The photo does not do the fabric justice and it will make a great wall hanging. I bought a kit in Paducah (oh so long ago) from Fern Hill. The fabric and quilts Stephanie designs and makes are amazing.

It is nearly Brittany's birthday and I like to make her something. She has a great quilt cover which is white with a black desk and dog silhouette on it. I would take a picture but her room is a bit scary. I will make this into a cushion for her bed.

I wanted to make something quick and easy so I made this zippered pouch. I used the Lazy girls design perfect pouches pattern. Not sure what I will do with it but the fabric looks great.

More of the same and something a little different

2011-10-24T18:34:00.000-07:00

I loved the last table runner I made so I decided to make another one with scraps from my Jelly Roll Sampler Quilt Along. This one is a little wider than the figgy pudding one and looks great.

I really wanted to make something with different colours. I decided to use the tutorial for the Geometric Quilted Table Runner over at Sew We Quilt. I love the pattern, not so sure about the colours.

I took a photo outside to try and show the colours.

I have so many things I want to make that I don't know where to start and I have so many UFOs that I don't know where to start to finish!

Christmas leftovers

2011-10-09T01:24:00.000-07:00

Of the fabric kind.

This table runner is made with the scraps from this quilt. The pattern is a Moda Bake Shop called City Windows.The fabric is 12 days of Christmas by Kate Spain. It is a gorgeous range.

I love this one. It is the scraps from a schnibbles I made in 2009 with Figgy Pudding. I love Figgy Pudding and I love how this one turned out. It is lots of little scraps cut off while making this quilt. I got the idea from the Skinny Verna pattern once again at Moda Bake Shop. I still have 2 charm packs of figgy pudding that I am saving for something special but I don't know what yet.

Another One Ready to be Quilted

2011-09-26T21:00:00.000-07:00

I put a plain snow border on my whirly gig quilt using the tutorial over at Hyacinth Quilt Designs. This is a great blog with gorgeous quilts and helpful hints. Cindy has written a few books too which are full of beautiful quilts.

I actually quilted another table runner I made last year but the photo was crap so I will blog about that next time.

Spring came and then left

2011-09-11T00:54:00.000-07:00

We had some beautiful spring weather this week and then it got cold and wet again!!! I decided to try and finish some UFOs but instead started some new projects. However I did finish one.

I love table runner It is the ziggy zaggy mini quilt from a tutorial by Kaye at Miss-Print. It was very quick and easy (which is why I actually managed to finish it).It uses charm squares with background fabric so is a great thing for scraps. I can see me making more of these.

I used some aboriginal fabric and black for the back.

I also started a whirly gig quilt. I used another tutorial. This one is here at Quilting on Turtle Hill.

Between Charming Friends

2011-09-03T00:56:00.000-07:00

I finally finished my quilt from the between charming friends quilt along last year! I used a Tula Pink charm pack and love how it turned out although it is a little too pink for me so I am not sure what I will do with it. Of course because it took me so long to finish I could not get any fabric from the same range for the binding. I ended up using some green from Tula Pinks latest range Prince Charming which looks good. The quilt is quite small. It measures just under 30 x 36 inches.

I am quite happy with the quilting which I kept very simple and easy.

A Cushion and Sashiko

2011-08-23T01:04:00.000-07:00

I made this cute little cushion last week. I used the wonky star tutorial by the Silly BooDilly.

I used an idea I saw on Quilt Dad for the back. The binding finished off the back nicely.

My main purchase at the craft fair on the weekend was some fabric to make a sashiko table runner. I love how it looks and it is very easy. Unfortunately it is very expensive. The fabric cost more than the usual quilting fabric! I got the sashiko fabric, sashiko thread, sashiko needle and some fabric for the borders at a great little stand called BeBe Bold. The lady who runs the store was lovely and gave a little tutorial to help us get started. I can see me getting addicted to this.

Shopping Bag

2011-08-18T02:21:00.000-07:00

I finished this shopping bag from the love...Quilting book in time to take with me on Sunday when I finally get to a quilt show. It is a big bag with plenty of room for purchases and

a big pocket for a water bottle.

This book arrived a couple of days ago and it is even better than I thought. It has instructions for using jelly rolls and scraps. Once again many projects on my to do list.

I have been sewing but....

2011-08-06T16:43:00.000-07:00

I have had to do some sewing this week but unfortunately it has been costumes for B's music festival. This has been very time consuming and not fun. I now know why quilters use 100% cotton. I am also very glad we are not a dancing family!!!

There is a reason why patterns advise you to read the whole thing before you start a project. I was so excited when I saw this hand pieced house pattern in a magazine included a paper pieced option. I made one block without reading the pattern and then realised the 4 sections had to be hand pieced. I once started a hand pieced table topper. It looks like I will be pulling it out to practice so I can finish this cute little house.

A Christmas Present

2011-07-31T01:22:00.001-07:00

I finally finished a Christmas Present. It is the January Table Runner from the Fresh and Fancy series by Cotton Way. This will be for one of my brothers. Not sure which one yet! There is three to choose from after all.

This is the back. I used a darker grey on the back and quilted it as it was shown in the pattern picture.

Had to finish with this shot of Rhani and B.

A New Book

2011-07-14T23:03:00.000-07:00

Whenever I go to Newcastle I check out the bookshops on the hope of finding a quilt book. I found this book the other day which I have never heard of. It has patterns designed by Marion Patterson, Sally Ablett and Sue Warren. There are some great designs and I could not resist buying it. These are now added to my never ending list of projects I want to do!

I went to see the last Harry Potter today. Another good movie although I always like the books more.

Everyones a winner baby

2011-07-12T16:12:00.000-07:00

Well maybe not everyone but I am. YAY! I won the Scrap Basket Sensations book by Kim Brackett from the Fat Quarter Shop. I love the Fat Quarter Shop. I always have a shopping cart on the go with many things I would love to buy, then when I cant resist anymore I place an order. The service is always great.

I really miss living near quilt shops and being able to browse and buy fabrics and books. I love quilt books (and Magazines) and read them over and over dreaming of what I will make.

Manly Table runner 2

2011-07-07T19:10:00.000-07:00

I need to make some manly things. I have decided to try and make Christmas gifts this year and with three brothers some of them will need to be manly! This is a Cotton Way pattern, the January Table Runner for the Fresh and Fancy series. I really like how it looks in batiks. Now to quilt it.

It's been a while!

2011-07-05T16:37:00.000-07:00

I managed to finish my cherry house quilt along quilt and am happy with how it looks. I think it might be a good baby quilt for a little boy. I have a pregnant friend who it would be good for, if she has a boy, of course.

I made a cute pincushion for a friend and forgot to take a photo. I might try and take one next time I am at her house. It is not good to forget to take photos when you are sewing so little. It is school holidays so with some luck I will have more photos soon.

It is very windy here today but still not very cold. We have been having a very mild winter which is a good thing!!!

Races

2011-05-17T02:40:00.000-07:00

We had our outrigger regatta a few weeks ago. It was a great weekend with a lot of canoes from all over NSW and one from Victoria.

I finally made my jelly roll race quilt although it took several weeks so hardly a race. I love how these quilts look and it was very quick except for the first seam which took forever. I did it again. Messed up with the background fabric. I decided to make a hugs and kisses from the park quilt by Melissa Corey at Moda Bakeshop. I used the pink lemonade fat quarters I had which my husband picked so I thought I would make it for him. As I had plenty of print fabric I made extra blocks for a bigger quilt and then realised I didn't have enough background. I used a black batik but it is different from every other black batik I have (of course). I think I will have enough to finish if I make all the strips 2inches instead of 2.5 or maybe all the sashing 2.5 and 2 inch borders. I will have to measure and work it out exactly before I cut it out so I am putting it off. I thought about using less blocks and adding a print border but Dave really likes it without borders.

I will not be sewing much over the next few weeks as I will be working a lot. Bummer. Last weekend we went to one of the surf beaches to check out the big surf that has been around lately and saw some dolphins surfing in the waves. It was amazing but we did not have a camera with us. From now on we will take the camera every time we go to the beach.

An award and a runner

2011-05-10T19:59:00.000-07:00

Erin of Whittle Stitches has kindly tagged me with the Stylish Blogger Award!!!!!!!Thanks Erin.

When you get this award you need to

1.Thank and link back to the person who gave you the award.
2.Share 7 things about yourself.
3.Pass the award on to newly discovered bloggers.
4.Contact these bloggers and let them know they have won the award.

OK so 7 things about me ( I am not very exciting).

1. I was born in Perth, Western Australia and lived there until I was 21 when I left to backpack around Australia. I have not lived in Perth since but go back as much as possible to visit family.
2.I still love moving and recently lived in the US for 3 years.
3.I worked in hospitals for many years until I did a DipEd and I now work as a high school science teacher.
4.I believe you should exercise everyday although I am not as obsessive now and can handle missing a day. I vary what I do and my latest sport is paddling in the outrigger canoes which I have been doing for just over 1 year.
5.I also believe you should have coffee and chocolate everyday (one reason why I need to exercise everyday).
6.I met my husband at a P party. He was a priest and I was a party.
7. I am domestically challenged. I cant find the time to do housework everyday as I have to many other commitments.lol

I finally finished something. This is my runner made with the Disappearing 4 patch tutorial from love laugh quilt. I really like what Marlene did with her blocks too.

I am on the look out for new blogs to tag with the Stylish Blogger Award.

Just Because

2011-04-23T20:42:00.001-07:00

I love Just Because presents! They are unexpected and a great surprise. Miss Nancy sent me these gorgeous mug rugs last week. They are gorgeous pastel batiks which look amazing and definitely remind me of summer days at the beach as she planned. The kids love them and picked which ones they wanted to use. They better not spill anything on them.

I admired the disappearing 4 patch a while ago and after seeing them again on Marlenes blog Under the rose I decided to make one.

I used this tutorial at Love Laugh Quilt. I used fat quarters so I will probably make two more and make a small table runner.

What do you think Gran?

2011-04-17T20:30:00.001-07:00

I made this mug rug for my mum. Now I just have to post it. Do you like it Gran?

I got the idea from Erin's Blog two more seconds. She has links to lots of great mug rug tutorials. This one is based on Terri's scrappy colour mug rug found on her blog Sew Fantastic. I made it narrower as I like to use mine on the arms of couches to keep them clean.

We went to Sydney last weekend and had a great day at Taronga Zoo. This giraffe loves having his photo taken and

we found the Loch Ness Monster. This sea lion was having a great time. Couldn't resist another photo of Rhani.

Another project?

2011-04-02T21:10:00.000-07:00

I am thinking of joining the Naked Bed Challenge. I have never made a quilt bigger than a lap quilt and I have a million things I want to do but why not add one more!

Little things and close encounters

2011-04-02T20:34:00.001-07:00

Deb and I have not been able to get together so the quilt along and jelly roll race are on hold for a couple of weeks. I decided to make a mug rug using paper pieced flying geese from piece by number. I have seen a similar mug rug on Flickr by liz h2.

I used some Australian fabrics to match this mug rug. I want to make some cushions to go in the lounge room with the Australian Fabrics.

Yes I started another one. This is A Ritzy Cracker from Moda Bakeshop using fandango and medium grey.

I have had some close encounters with wild life lately. My daughter does swimming training at a pool in a golf course complex. Driving there far too early one morning I had to stop the car so four or five kangaroos could cross the road!!!! Then when I was out in the outrigger canoe on Sunday morning, three dolphins came right up to the canoe. We actually had to stop paddling because we were afraid we might hit them. It was great to see them so close!!!!!

? Better photos

2011-03-27T02:00:00.001-07:00

The last photos were taken inside on a cloudy day so I tried to get a better shot today. The colours aren't great but are closer to real life in these photos.

quilted and the binding on

2011-03-26T00:41:00.000-07:00

You better sit down! Yes it is amazing, I actually quilted something within a week. I kept it simple (and Probably boring) and quilted in the ditch. Not exciting but I can do it and it looks good. I just used a light grey Kona on the back as it is a wall hanging and no one should see the back.

Rhani is still very naughty-lucky she is gorgeous. She is allowed on the old chairs and loves them.

Cherri House Quilt Along

2011-03-11T22:50:00.000-08:00

Well this quilt along is actually finished but I have finally picked my fabrics and plan to get together with a friend on Tuesday and finally start it. I could not resist using batiks with some grey Kona.

What do you think? The last colour is a pale grey but not as pale as it looks in the photo.

About Time

2011-03-10T22:38:00.000-08:00

So I have finally managed to get some sewing done. This is the baby quilt from the pattern "There's a Square in There" by Kate Conklin Designs. I love this pattern but I did not have enough pale grey so I had to make the borders thinner. I really like it but I think I would like it more if I could have followed the pattern exactly. I want to quilt this quickly and hang it on the wall. Kate is a great designer and I follow her blog so I knew to buy the latest Homespun magazine which features another of her designs on my wish list.

Little things

2011-02-05T20:16:00.000-08:00

What do you do when you need to sew borders on a quilt. Why make some little things instead of course.

I made this mug rug using a tutorial over at I'm just a guy who quilts. I used some of my Australian fabrics and I love how it turned out.
I made this mini using a tutorial over at Oh Fransson. This one is 16 inches square.I can see making this again in a larger size. It is very easy and looks great. Edited to add-I got the idea for this mini from a cushion on one of the many blogs I read. I have no idea which blog though!!!

I had to include this photo of Rhani. She is 10 months old and is so naughty. Lucky for her she is gorgeous and has a beautiful, loving nature as she is not a good dog!!!!!!

Finished???

2011-01-20T01:48:00.000-08:00

I made these blocks years ago and finally put them together. The quilt is finished according to the pattern but as my friend Deb pointed out if I add a border it will be a better size for a single bed.

I just happened to buy some fabric on sale at Hancocks of Paducah which will make a good border. What do you think?

I cant help but remember what 2 borders Pat always says- yeh funnily enough you should have 2 borders. So do I put a narrow border of the pale background on first?

I bought myself some Australia thongs for Australia Day.

These are what we call thongs. What did you think I meant?

City Quilts

2011-01-16T01:45:00.000-08:00

When I went to Sydney to see Miss Nancy I went to a book shop recommended to me by a Friend here. This book shop had the best range of quilting books I have seen since we moved back to Australia. It had all the quilt books I have seen on blogs that are hard to find here. I have wanted the book City Quilts forever. I was so excited to find it. I could not decide which quilt to make so I made a cushion from City Green. I love it! We had a great weekend. The waves were very big and we headed to One Mile Beach, our favourite surf beach.

The waves were big on the surf side but the water was flat and beautiful on the Bay side. I had a great paddle in the outrigger to Little Beach , where we stopped for a rest before heading back. While we were standing in the water, two dolphins came in very close to the beach. It is great to see them so close.

2011-01-13T01:17:00.000-08:00

I have spent a lot of time this week watching updates on TV of the floods in Queensland. It is devastating. There is not only widespread flooding but there has been some unbelievable flash flooding and then some places where people have moved back and started the clean up have been hit again. It has been heartbreaking to watch. As always there are a lot of bloggers trying to help. Two that I know of are Toni of make it perfect and the girls at Among the Gum Trees.

If anyone wishes to make a donation they can do so at the Premiers flood relief appeal site.

It is a small world. Last week I caught up with one of my good friends from Missouri for lunch in Sydney. Yes Miss Nancy was in Sydney visiting her son so I had to go down and see her. We met at the steps of the Opera House and of course took the obligatory harbour photo with the Opera House in the background.

We had some lunch next to Circular Quay and then explored some shops in the Rocks. It was great to see Nancy and I was sad to say good bye- although if her son stays in Australia for much longer I am sure she will be back.

Miss Nancy has been very busy buying a new house and getting that just right before she came. It is probably a good thing she came to Australia for Christmas or she would not have stopped working. Anyway she makes the most beautiful quilts and her stitching is exquisite. She found the time to stitch this for me. Miss Nancy doesn't like purple but she knows I do!!!

I have been having fun sewing some little things. Some were for Miss Nancy. I had to keep them small so she could squish them into her bags without them getting too heavy.

Oh the joys of travelling. A pin cushion

Some coasters A mug rug.

And a little bag to hold scraps or whatever!

I have been doing some sewing for me too!!

A mug rug

A table topper.

I don't usually make a new years resolution but his year I have. I am going to finish some things and start some new ones. I think I will be able to stick to this one.

A beautiful Day

2010-12-29T16:44:00.001-08:00

We were lucky with gorgeous weather on Christmas Day. We had brunch on the beach with friends as the rest of our family are on the other side of Australia.

B got a camera so all photos were taken by her. We all had a great day relaxing and playing with our new toys. I got an Ipad which is great and perfect for reading blogs and emails. We decided on Pavlova for dessert.

And Rhani had a great day with lots of presents in her new stocking.

A Stocking For Rhani

2010-12-23T12:19:00.000-08:00

The new addition to the family needed her own Christmas Stocking. Too Cute. The pattern is the Christmas Stocking Tutorial from FabricWorm. It is very easy.

I have been telling everyone for months that I want an iPad for Christmas so Debbie made me a cover in anticipation of me getting my wish. Now Dave has to deliver.

I made Gran and Grumpy mug rugs to match their quilts although Grumpy's is a little large-he can have large snacks.

I finished my Christmas Star. It is going to be a wall hanging but it doesn't have a sleeve so it will have to be a table runner for now.I quickly quilted around the borders to make this a couple of years ago. Yes, a dog Christmas wall hanging.

My First Mug Rug

2010-12-03T01:42:00.000-08:00

First an update of Rhani. Isn't she gorgeous!I made a mini Christmas tree skirt for B. She loves dogs and has a mini Christmas tree with dog ornaments that this will be perfect for. It was a great and easy tutorial on a blog I follow but I cant remember whose.

I also made my first mug rug with left over blocks from a table runner I am making, using left over charm squares from the Charming Stars Quilt I am making. I haven't finished either of these but I have finished the mug rug and found a mug to go with it.

Not a lot of sewing

2010-11-22T11:00:00.001-08:00

Not much time for sewing at the moment. I made this mini to practice free motion quilting but ended up using a walking foot. I got the idea for the quilting from Leah Day's blog-I just cheated and used a walking foot.

I love this and cant wait to finish. It is from Moda Bakeshop. The pattern is Charming Stars. I love the pattern and want to make a full size quilt. This one is made with 12 days of Christmas by Kate Spain. It is a gorgeous range and I am making a table runner with the left over charms.

Giveaway

2010-11-05T22:45:00.000-07:00

There is another giveaway for a go!!!!
Wouldn't you love to win one.

Go visit Linda at Lavender Ridge and you too can have a chance to win.

Manly Table runner

2010-10-31T02:37:00.000-07:00

I decided to make a table runner for one of my brothers. This will go well with his kitchen.He goes to Bali a lot so batiks were perfect. I used red, black,white and grey with no flowers on the hope it would turn out Manly.

The pattern is in this book which I love. Like all Atkinson designs the projects are quick and easy to follow with great results.

I also finished this one from the book last year.

And here is another waiting to be quilted. How unusual for me!!!

2010-10-21T14:29:00.000-07:00

L and I loved this show when we lived in the US. It has not been on TV here so I was amazed when it was for sale in a shop here. We had to buy and we had a Psych weekend last weekend and will be continuing tonight!!! I am not sure why it has an M rating as it is a great show for 10+.

While watching Psych I sewed the binding on this quilt. I love how it worked out.

Here is the back.

Love it

2010-10-08T21:59:00.000-07:00

I love this pattern. I would love to make the quilt but I know I do not have the patience. The pattern is by Cara from CaraQuilts and can be found here at Burgundy buttons. I made a table runner and I love it.

The black sashing is a half inch finished so I might quilt up the middle of each sash or should I try to quilt close to the edge on each side of the sashing like stained glass quilts?

Just Lucky

2010-10-03T15:34:00.001-07:00

I must be very lucky because I have managed to get chicken pox for a second time. This doesn't happen to just anyone. I got chicken pox 13 years ago and thought I was so lucky to only get a mild dose. Turns out this is not such a good thing as you don't build a good immunity and get it again! Once again it is a mild dose. I hope this doesn't mean I can get it again!!!!! I don't feel too bad. Mainly tired and grumpy and I am taking it easy.

I have been trying to free motion quilting with limited success. I find it easier to follow shapes so have been doing applique to practice my free motion skills. I quite like this little Frangipani.
I have way too many quilts waiting to be quilted so decided to try something different with this one. My friend is doing a mini version with Amy Butler fabrics and hand quilting squares so I thought I will do squares with a walking foot because I can do that. My husband suggested putting the squares on a 45 degree angle which I think looks good.

The back shows the quilting better. I am showing it now as I have to order fabric for the binding. I thought I would use black but it is too stark. The pattern is Charm Squares Baby Quilt from Oh Fransson.

Exciting Stuff

2010-09-29T14:52:00.000-07:00

YAY. I won this fabulous fat quarter from the giveaway at the Robert Kaufman blog, the Swatch and Stitch. I love it. If I was going to buy a fat quarter bundle it would be this one. Now I have to get a copy of city quilts because I know I want to make one of Cherri's quilts with this bundle of joy.

Another exciting development is that after unpicking two lots of quilting I have worked out a way I can quilt this. Hope to show it soon.

What do you think?

2010-09-25T21:57:00.000-07:00

I do not make anything bigger than a lap quilt. So I bought this quilt cover for our bed as I thought it would look good with the wall quilt. It is creased etc as I may have to repack it depending on what I decide. I found a nice quilt today that is just plain blue similar to the outer two strips which I like but is maybe a bit boring.
I think it looks good with the quilt above the bed.

However it looks awful with the cushions I made! My hubby tells me it doesn't matter cos I can make new ones. What do you think? Sounds like a good excuse to makes some more to me.

Who knows one day I may make a big quilt for the bed!

Not much sewing today as shopping instead.

I thought I was finished.

2010-09-25T02:41:00.000-07:00

I thought I had finished. I was wrong.There is one block which needs to be changed. See it there in the third row. Lucky I have some extras so I can swap it.Once I change that block I can add it to the "to be quilted pile". I have been practicing my free motion quilting but I am still really bad. I better improve soon as this pile is already big enough.

A Beautiful Day

2010-09-12T21:26:00.001-07:00

Well Spring has sprung! We have had the most amazing weather. I am lucky enough to belong to an outrigger canoe club and managed to go out twice this week. It has been warm and the water flat and crystal clear. And to make it even better we saw dolphins both days. Unfortunately I did not have my camera with me so no photos of the dolphins.This is the marina where we leave the canoes and paddle from.

This is where we paddle.

My machine is having a service so hand sewing for me. I have jumped on the hexie bandwagon. I used scraps from these quilts I made for my mum.
I really need to get a better photo of this one! I got the idea for the hexie layout from this blog called Sunshine Creations I discovered by searching hexie images in Flickr.

What a Week

2010-09-10T00:10:00.001-07:00

Before I tell you more you should know there is a happy ending.

Lucky for her she is so gorgeous as she has been a little trouble this week. When I got home from work on Tuesday she was inside the house! This is not where she should be. A door was left open and she had a wonderful time inside all day.
It would have been very funny except there was a pin cushion, stuffing and pins scattered over two rooms. OH NO. So of course we called the vet and took her in for a xray. Who knows maybe she didn't swallow one. We wait in the waiting room.Yeh she did.

You couldn't tell from the xray exactly where it was. The best option seemed to be to make her vomit and hope it was still in the stomach. We wait. NO it is in the small intestine. What should we do. Do we say operate or do we wait and see. I decided I did not want to operate unless absolutely necessary. So we left her at the vet so they could monitor her and operate if needed. 24 hours later-GREAT NEWS- it had gone through her digestive system without damaging anything. She did not experience any pain and thinks she had a sleepover.

Not a lot of sewing done! These are some blocks for my table runner from the make scattered prayers by Cara at CaraQuilts.

I have made all the blocks for this quilt. I just have to put them together.

A Good Day

2010-09-04T01:34:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was a good day. I got my order from the fat quarter shop. Some charm packs!
Some batiks to make scattered prayers by Cara at CaraQuilts. I am going to make a table runner.

Some of the latest by Deb Strain to see if I can find a border for this quilt. There are a few that will work- I just have to pick one!

Some Pure and Fandango- just because I want them.

I also got my prize from Jenny at Elefantz. How cool are these labels. I will have to think of something really good to make with these.

Go

2010-08-21T22:08:00.001-07:00

Win a go over at Jackies blog, Canton Village Quilt Works. It is a great blog and a great prize.

Quilt along

2010-08-20T20:02:00.000-07:00

Yep I am doing another quilt along. I joined the flickr group in anticipation. This one is over at Traceyjay quilts. She is doing a king size. I am not that crazy/ambitious.

2010-08-20T13:42:00.000-07:00

I made a small version of crazy moms quilts zig zag without piecing triangles. The tutorial can be found here. It is a great quilt to make and I really want to make a bigger version now. I will just add it to the list! This one is about 20 inches square and will make a nice little table topper.

I decided to make a quick market bag. I used this tutorial over at Nancy's Blog. It is very quick and easy-no lining and my first ever french seams. B is going to use it as a sleepover bag.

Here is a close up of the fabric. It is a little heavier than the usual cotton. I got in from the bargain bin at Joannes last year.

I am going to make a quilt with my friend Debbie when we both have the same day off-so far not much success. We are using completely different fabrics for the same pattern. I cant wait to see how they turn out.

Blocks Done

2010-08-12T04:05:00.000-07:00

Yay I have finished all my blocks for the jelly roll quilt along. I really enjoyed doing this and like all the completed blocks.I don't know how I am going to finish it. I have enough background and left over jelly rolls for the sashing and cornerstones but I don't have anything for the borders.

Thanks Moose on the Porch Quilts for a great quilt along.

A new rug

2010-08-11T03:16:00.000-07:00

Even though the winters here are very mild, our house with all the tiles was a little chilly. I decided we needed a new rug in family room. I love this rug and can think of a million quilts to make with the colours. I think one of the City Quilts from Cherri at Cherry house quilts is calling my name!I started playing with a log cabin quilt a while ago and decided it was the perfect choice for a cushion in the family room. However now we have Rhani and she is allowed in all the areas of the house with tiles I am having second thoughts about where to put it.

I forgot to post a photo of the pyjamas I made B. They are very cute with dog fabric-perfect.

Rhani

2010-08-04T16:41:00.001-07:00

Life just got more complicated. We picked up this gorgeous girl on Monday night from Dog Rescue Newcastle. She is 4-5 months old and we are not quite sure what breeds. The kids love her and she has settled in very quickly. She is snoring on her bed as I write this.

Finished?

2010-07-29T03:22:00.000-07:00

This is the first block from the Daisy-Do BOM from Jenni at Elefantz. I thought I had seed beads the right colour-I didn't. I thought I bought enough buttons-I didn't. This is as finished as it will be until I get into Newcastle.This is a wall hanging from an Australian Patchwork and Quilting magazine. I love the pattern but I think I need to use a background with some colour or do some stippling. As the free motion quilting is not going anywhere at the moment-this is finished for now.

This was to try raw edge applique with hand blanket stitch in preparation for doing this

Jelly Roll Quilt A Long

2010-07-28T03:11:00.000-07:00

Two more blocks from the Jelly Roll Quilt Along at Moose on the Porch Quilts.

Block 10

Block 11

Cushions

2010-07-18T23:16:00.000-07:00

Another cushion in the blue/purple combo. I think it is time to move onto something else.
What about some PJ's? I went shopping with a Friend and we got some fabric to make pyjamas. We are getting together tomorrow so B and I should have some new PJ's soon.

Another One

2010-07-11T13:43:00.000-07:00

Another cushion.

This one is from Moda Bakeshop. It is one of the cushions from Cushion Couture by Julie and John. I plan to make more.

I also made another mini triangle with the charm squares I had left from Grans mini. This is a tutorial from Oh Fransson.

The Block

2010-07-07T15:42:00.000-07:00

Cindy from Hyacinth Quilt Design has a tutorial for the block. When I saw it I thought it would make a great cushion. Turns out I was right. Thanks Cindy.

Minis For Gran

2010-07-06T00:44:00.000-07:00

I sent these to my mum last week. I kept the quilting very simple so I would be able to do it.

Here is the back.I am getting better at the straight line quilting. I cant say the same about stippling though.

Block 9

2010-07-04T23:49:00.001-07:00

Here is Block 9 of the Jelly Roll Quilt Along at Moose on the Porch Quilts. Only 3 to go!

Quilt Alongs

2010-07-04T01:35:00.000-07:00

Here is my completed quilt top for the Charming Girls Quilt Along. I need to practice my free motion quilting before I do this. So of course I should be concentrating on that and not starting anything new.
So here is what I am doing. First a sew along with the Nancys. I used to sew with Nancy and Miss Nancy when I lived in the states. Sometimes we just met and sewed, other times we all made the same project. We have decided to do the same project from a far. We are going to do a disappearing 9 patch with a difference that Nancy spotted at Jo's Country Junction. You end up with what looks like charm squares with sashing and cornerstones. I am using orientals with grey sashing and black cornerstones.
OK the next 2 things are over at Elefantz. Jenni has lots of great patterns and ideas. I am going to do her little bird challenge.

And her Daisy-Do BOM. This is the thread and fabric I have chosen.

I have finally starting reading Twilight and must admit to being hooked so reading now instead of sewing!!

Charming Girls

2010-06-30T13:28:00.000-07:00

Here is my nearly completed quilt top for the Charming Girls Quilt Along.

I ran out of time! I plan to add the second border over the weekend.

2010-06-22T02:50:00.000-07:00

I have made my 16 patch blocks for the Charming Girls Quilt Along.This means I am up to date and ready for the next set of instructions.

No Willpower.

2010-06-18T15:22:00.000-07:00

I have no willpower. I have always been tempted by the many quilt alongs but I have so many things in progress and planned that I don't think I should start any of them. Then I saw the Jelly Roll Quilt Along at Moose on the Porch Quilts and started that as it was only 1 block every 2 weeks. This is doable but I still fell behind and had to catch up last week.

Anyway I have been looking at the Charming Chatter Between Charming Friends Quilt Along and have been very tempted and finally gave in.

I am using Eva by basic grey. I love their designs.

I have completed the four patch blocks. I still haven't finished the cutting but I just had to make some blocks.

Block 8 and Scattered Dots

2010-06-15T15:55:00.001-07:00

Here is block 8. I am actually up to date now as the next block comes out next Monday-well actually it is Tuesday here.

I decided to try raw edge applique and stippling. I must confess I am suprised at just how bad my stippling was. I cant even show it on the blog. I think a big part of the problemis the randomness. I am going to search Leahs great blog 365 days of free motion quilting for a design I can use all over that has a pattern to follow. Wish me luck!

So instead I made this little quilt from Amys blog During quiet time. She has a tutorial for this design called scattered dots. My husband loves it and wants it as a placemat. The quilting is far from perfect but I am happy with it. I did use the walking foot for the straight lines though.

Catch up

2010-06-09T01:34:00.000-07:00

One block every 2 weeks is doable , unless you don't, which for some reason I didn't.
What I am saying is that I fell behind the Jelly Roll Quilt Along at Moose on the Porch Quilts. I now have to finish block 8 within the next 2 weeks to stay on track. Block 7

Block 6

Block 5-the correct way!

Giveaway

2010-06-08T12:51:00.000-07:00

There is a great giveaway over at cluck cluck sew. Check it out. It is worth it.

For Gran

2010-06-05T14:26:00.001-07:00

I made this mini for my mum. I love it. I have some charm squares left so I may have to make one for me too. The idea is from Oh Fransson. I get a lot of ideas from Elizabeth's blog. This is one of four minis featured on Sew Mama Sew.

Think Spring

2010-05-30T02:25:00.000-07:00

I have finally finished a quilt. It seems to have been a long time between finishes. This is Welcome Spring by Cherri House over at Moda Bakeshop. It went together very quickly. I don't know what I am going to do with it. I love the pattern and the fabric but it is not my usual style and I did not have anyone in mind when I made it. I have decided sometimes to make things just because I want to.

The photo of the back didn't work very well. I used a floral with a strip of snow to match the front.

This will be for you Gran. My mum asked me to make a Small quilt for her newly renovated kitchen. I have not seen it so I have no idea if this will look good but I love making small quilt so I will keep making them until I get it right. I wanted to quilt this today but I cant as the globe in my machine has blown. I have been using a floor light or desk light to see when I am sewing and that works well except when I want to quilt in the ditch which is how I want to quilt this. It is an hours drive to the shop that sells machine globes so I am not sure when I will get there. Maybe I should try to free motion quilt it instead!

Purple Squares

2010-05-19T02:40:00.000-07:00

Love it!!!

I have finished another top of the Charm Squares Baby Quilt by Elizabeth at Oh Fransson. I added a charm and a half to each row to make the quilt 39.5 by 40 inches as I am going to use it as a table topper. Charm Squares Baby Quilt was very quick and easy to put together. For the first one I used a charm pack of Bistro by Deb Strain. This time I made charm squares with some fat quarters and scraps. I love how this quilt looks and how quickly it goes together.

Give Away

2010-05-16T15:15:00.000-07:00

I won a giveaway last year from an Australian designer and we decided it would be silly to send it to the US for me to bring it back so she didn't send it until last week.

This is the kit to make this quilt. The fabrics are gorgeous. And hopefully is will soon look like this! Well as close as I can get to this.

Isn't it beautiful!

This is from Emma at Sampaguita Quilts. She is a very talented quilter you should check out her blog for some ideas and inspiration. I particularly like this one. There is a series of them and I am tempted to make them all.

You can buy the patterns from her etsy shop. Guess what she is giving away the same kit today. Make sure you check out her blog for a chance to win.

2010-05-06T13:08:00.000-07:00

The latest block from the Jelly Roll Quilt Along at Moose on the Porch Quilts is easy and effective but if you are very talented, you can still get it wrong. When I lived in the states Nancy and Miss Nancy taught me a lot and were always ready to help me and even from the other side of the world they are still helping me. They both commented on my last post that the block did not look right. I would like to think I would have noticed eventually! Looks like I will be doing a little reverse sewing.

2010-05-05T21:10:00.000-07:00

I finished the latest blocks from the Jelly Roll Quilt Along at Moose on the Porch Quilts. Once again a very easy but effective block.I also finished the top of my Charm Squares Baby Quilt by Elizabeth at Oh Fransson. This is a great blog with lots of great ideas and patterns. I have a long to do list from this blog. Charm Squares Baby Quilt was very quick and easy to put together. Now I have to quilt it!!!

I used Bistro by Deb Strain and it looks great but I really want to do a batik version. I have picked out some fat Quarters and scraps to use but I am not starting until I quilt at least one top. No really I am not.

I don't believe it

2010-04-25T00:38:00.000-07:00

I decided to try and complete an entire quilt this weekend, including the quilting. Usually I finish the top and then leave it for a while.It is a 3 day weekend and I found a great quick pattern with very easy quilting instructions included.Here it is. Welcome Spring by Cherri House over at Moda Bakeshop. It went together very quickly. I pieced the back ready and went to get the batting and guess what. I only have warm and natural and I really want to use a white batting so I am stuck. How typical.

Detail shot of the fabric. It is Pack your bags by Arrin Turnmire. I used the blue and green strips in a bag and thought the left over pinks were perfect for this quilt.

Jell Roll Quilt ALong

2010-04-17T19:47:00.000-07:00

I have completed the 2 latest blocks from the Jelly Roll Quilt Along at Moose on the Porch Quilts.

I decided to use some of the background fabric in each block instead of all jelly roll. This is a great quilt along. I am really enjoying it.

Perth

2010-04-14T02:48:00.001-07:00

We just got back from visiting family and friends in Perth. It had been over 3 years between visits. We had a great time.

When we first saw these Meerkats at Perth zoo we thought it was one fat Meerkat. I couldn't resist adding this photo.

I finally got to give my parents the lap quilts I made them.

Grumpys (my dads)

Grans, Sorry it is a terrible photo.

A Finish

2010-03-31T01:30:00.000-07:00

OK it is a small one but it is still a finish.

I finally finished my version of the Dreaming of South Carolina Table Runner at moda bakeshop.
I didn't make it with the prairie points as I am lazy!

I made this for my brother who has a flat overlooking a beach in Perth. It is very small but so is his balcony.

Block Two

2010-03-18T01:37:00.000-07:00

Here is block 2 from the Jelly Roll Quilt Along at Moose on the Porch Quilts. This is a great quilt along as 1 block every 2 weeks is do-able.

I have joined a Outrigger Canoe Club and today was one of those perfect days on the water. The water was flat and crystal clear. Unfortunately I did not have a camera with me.

We stopped out in the channel to look for sharks. I am not sure what we would have done if we saw one.

What do you do when.....

2010-03-14T14:40:00.000-07:00

What do you do when you have a house full of boxes to unpack?

Why you go to Sydney for the weekend of course.

Block One

2010-03-09T22:47:00.000-08:00

I finished Block one of the Jelly Roll Quilt Along at Moose on the Porch. I really like this block. I have used Fabulous Fall by Deb Strain and Kona Snow.

A bit of a Mess

2010-03-06T15:11:00.001-08:00

Our sea freight has finally arrived. This is great because we have all our things now which means I have all my fabric etc. Yay. The bad news is the house is full of boxes. This is my sewing room with some of the mess. Unfortunately the rest of the house looks just like this.

Does this mean I cant sew until it is organised. NO. I have found my Fabulous Fall Jelly Roll so I am ready to join the Jelly Roll Quilt Along.

2010-02-28T00:56:00.000-08:00

Cindy from Hyacinth Blog has a pattern over at Moda Bakeshop. It is a great Tumbling Spools Friendship Quilt. Her quilt designs are great.

This is one of her patterns I made which is still waiting to be quilted.

There are many quilt alongs I want to join at the moment. One is a Jelly Roll Quilt Along at Moose on the Porch. I also want to do Rachael's pinwheel sampler quilt along and the pinwheel party at Twiddletails. My last pinwheel centres were actually quite good for me, especially since the first one I ever did looked nothing like a pinwheel. I was not happy with the blocks when I added the borders. Anyway the best way to improve is to practice so I am still considering doing these quilt alongs. Notice the commitment lol.

Pinwheels

2010-02-26T21:05:00.000-08:00

I love Pinwheels and although I am not the most accurate sewer I like to occasionally make something with triangles. I decided to make a pinwheel table runner based on this one from Jodi at Pleasant Home. Well, when I put the first border on I was very unhappy with my points or lack of and am now rethinking the whole pinwheel thing. This is a shame because I also wanted to do Rachael's pinwheel sampler quilt along and the pinwheel party at Twiddletails. I am not sure what I will do.

Anyway while I decide what to do about the whole pinwheel thing I am going to do a schnibble. There is not a quilt shop near here and I am not organised enough to be doing the February schnibble from the Year of Schnibbles. Here is a link to the January Parade at Pink Pincushion and A quilting Life.

So I am doing the next best thing. My own schnibble and charm packs from my stash. I think Eva and Xrated will work well.

Debbie came over on Tuesday afternoon and worked on a kit she bought at a Sydney show before I left for the US. It is going to be gorgeous.

Tuesdays with Debbie

2010-02-19T23:21:00.000-08:00

Tuesday was the first afternoon I met with Debbie to do some sewing. Debbie is the person responsible for introducing me to quilting. I had to ditch Nancy and Miss Nancy as it is too far to travel to their houses. They have moved on without me anyway. Check out their blogs to see the civil war blocks they are working on.

I forgot to take my camera so I cant show you what Debbie did but I worked on my second and sadly last kit from Fern Hill.

I love love love this fabric.

No Borders

2010-02-10T01:06:00.000-08:00

I thought I better post some sewing stuff as it has been a while so I decided to show the things I am working on now without their borders because who knows when I will actually get them on.This one will not get borders until we get our sea freight as I do not have any fabric that will go at the moment. The pattern is from moda bakeshop. It is the Dreaming of South Caroline Table Runner although I did not like some of the charms I had so mine is a little smaller.

This is a kit I bought in Paducah. It came with all the fabric for borders too so no excuses for not getting it done. The kit is from Fern Hill. I love all the their kits and could have bought every kit at the booth.

Home

2010-01-29T11:07:00.000-08:00

We have been home for almost a month. It has taken a long time to get our Internet service. You do not want to hear the whole sorry saga.
It is great to be back. It is the first time we have returned to the same place and it makes the move very easy. This is the beach we call the boat beach. It is the closest to our house and takes less then 5 minutes to walk too. I love this beach.

It is lucky everything is close as I still do not have a car. At first I said I can do without a car as everything is so close but I was forgetting how hot it can be and how much it rains at times. A car would be a good thing!

Hawaii-The Big Island

2009-12-25T18:36:00.000-08:00

San Francisco

2009-12-22T08:01:00.000-08:00

San Francisco is

Amazing!

My Last Post.... from St Charles

2009-12-13T08:25:00.000-08:00

It cant be my last post ever because the reason I started this blog was to keep in touch with friends from the US.

Last week before I gave my machine away I started a new project. I decided to do a small log cabin quilt.

Yes Nancy I can see you look in horror. I am paper piecing. I started with 1 inch strips and I am not the most accurate 1/4 inch sewer so I decided to go the paper piecing way. This project has been put away in the shipping boxes never to be seen again. Seriously I hope to see it again but who knows when the boxes will arrive and how long it will take to unpack my sewing stuff.

The movers arrive tomorrow. I am not looking forward to the next few days. I hope to post occasionally on our travels.

2nd installment

2009-12-11T06:08:00.000-08:00

So Nancy and Miss Nancy had a surprise planned for me. First though the wrapping paper. It was wrapped in some fabric that I love. What a great idea.

A long time ago Nancy gave Miss Nancy and I a block to stitch each. We did it and gave it to her. I then forgot all about it. Well my surprise was a wall hanging made with all 3 blocks- one stitched by each of us.

Isn't it great and the perfect present as it has something from each of us. Although I had to point out to them that this means that they made me work on my own present lol. I have had such a great time getting together with these 2 over the last 3 years.I will miss them although of course the Internet makes it a very small world.

Here is a close up of the 3 blocks.

1st installment

2009-12-11T05:08:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I got together with the Nancy(s) for one last shopping trip. The morning started with Miss Nancy giving Nancy and I a Christmas gift. We got the same thing with different fabrics to suit our different tastes.

As you can see we got some gorgeous coasters, a Christmas tree pot holder and a notebook cover. Mine is covered with coffee travel fabric- perfect for me. Miss Nancy sews beautifully. She is the Monk of our group!

Stay tuned for a very special gift!

Edit: When I say the Monk of our group I mean the Mr Monk as in she is a little obsessive about things being just right. I would like to be more like her but my skills do not match my expectations lol.

Why?

2009-12-03T17:42:00.001-08:00

This is my favourite quilt!
It is for me!
Why did it take me months to sew on the binding?

No Sew

2009-12-02T17:18:00.000-08:00

My DD Brittany loves wolves. There are a lot of great kits around for wolf quilts but who knows when I would actually finish it. By the time I make the quilt she may have grown out of this phase. The solution is a fleece panel.

I cut a piece of fleece the same size for the back, cut a 3 inch fringe on both pieces and tied them together. It looks great and she loves it.

Schnibbles Parade

2009-12-01T17:05:00.001-08:00

Don't forget to go and check out the schnibbles parade at Sinta's and Sherri's blogs. There are some great quilts to see. Unfortunately I did not do a schnibbles this month. I could not get the pattern locally and decided that I would find it hard to finish it. I will not be able to do the next 2 months as we will be travelling and moving.

But I did do something today. I made a travel pillow. We have shorter flights this time. Only 10 hours from Hawaii to Sydney instead of nearly 14 hours from LA to Sydney but I think they will come in handy. I bought this gorgeous fleece which is super soft. I love it and have enough to make one more. I was very good and only bought as much as I need. Now I wish I got more.

I cheated

2009-11-28T18:50:00.000-08:00

Even though I love the bandanas I did not want to spend a lot of time and effort making something with them. I decided to sash them with black Kona. I then sewed the top right sides together with some black fleece without batting. I top stitched the edges. It was very quick and easy and a lot of fun!

I am giving my machine away next weekend so I should be finishing off projects but no I started a new one today. It will be a mini. I will show it before we leave, finished or not.

Brittanys first (and last) stitchery

2009-11-28T18:42:00.001-08:00

It took a long time but my DD Brittany finally finished her Australia stitchery. I must admit, it took me a little while to make it into a cushion.

She tells me she would like sewing more if it didn't take so long.

A Party

2009-11-23T06:30:00.000-08:00

My daughter wanted to have her 10th Birthday party at home this year. What should I do to keep 10 year old girls busy. Why make jewellery of course.

This was a very easy party to organise. I cut the memory wire long enough for 3 loops around the wrist. I made small loop on one end of the wire, put the beads in the middle of the table and let them loose. I gave them each a paper plate to collect their beads on. When they had finished I looped the other end. If they wanted a bead to dangle at each end I added that for them. The girls really enjoyed it. Some made 2, others got sick of it before 3 loops so I cut them off where they were. I think they were all happy to take something they made themselves home.

I have my good friend Julie to thank for me even thinking of doing this. She made the most beautiful jewellery and taught me the basics. Now she is too busy running the amazing "Handmade Canberra's Upmarket". I cant wait to go to these markets when I return. We wont be living close to Canberra but I think it will be worth the effort to visit!

My Quilt is here!

2009-11-20T04:54:00.000-08:00

My Quilt from Geta finally arrived. I was getting a little impatient. It looks gorgeous in the photos but as for most quilts it is even better in real life. Geta is incredibly generous and is having another giveaway at the moment. I haven't entered this one as I thinking that would be greedy. Believe me I want to be greedy and try but am resisting!

I also received this pattern I won from Celine at A Few Loose Threads. I was trying to win the Quiltmakers 100 blocks magazine and won this great pattern. I am actually better off not winning the magazine because of course I will buy it and now I have a pattern too

I finally put the binding on this. My son helped (?) me take the photo.