Super Thrilled

...  to have my stash of WIPs finished from the quilt cupboard!

Number 5 is done.

This is one of my favourite fabric ranges from this year that we have stocked at work.  It's called Mon Ami by Basic Grey.  It's not even my favourite designer!  I used a layer cake & the pattern is from a book I even invested in as it is so packed full - The Big book of Scrappy Quilts.  Not a cheap book but certainly good value for money as it is a very fat book.

I have had the quilt top done since early this year.  But now have battled the quilting.  I tried a couple of designs in the coloured parts in the blocks.  I tried 2 different designs with stencils I made myself.  I was trying to do something a bit different.  But well, I didn't like either of them.  So spent time unpicking them too.  Back to the simple ideas for quilting it which suits it better to me anyway.

I like my quilted border too which is zigzaggy around the points.  That was slow but so worth while to me.  I like it.  I really enjoyed making this quilt.  All of the aspects of it.

So yay!  I have completed another thing off my 2016 to do list!

Now I can work on something different.  Probably start thinking about some Christmas gifts for teachers & the like....  Both boys have 2 teachers this year!  Plus a daycarer...  hmmm...  5 already!

Anyway, I am excited to have some things out of the stash cupboard.  I can now think about some other fabrics that I have lined up & think about the next quilt top phase.

Thursday Thanks

• School holidays...  we are all recharging...  
• Vegetable seeds growing well - oh the anticipation of home grown food in summer!
• Grandparents who love to look after boys in the holidays.
• Spring rains.  
• Good work days.

540/1000

UFO Becomes FO

Well how is that then!  It's done!  With almost no time involved at all really.  Isn't that typical.

The centre pieced top has been sitting in the cupboard waiting for 9 years.  Yep, my longest serving UFO.  I knew it only needed borders sewn on, & then the basting etc to finish off...  I knew that.  I guess I really needed to be in the mood.  But the other week I dug it out to have a look.  Yep, I can finish that in no time.  Why not.  So cut the first border, cut the second border & the binding.  Found some perfect fabric at work & off we go.

I don't know why it's taken so long.  It would have just about been finished back in 2007 only everyone decided to come home for Christmas!  Yeah, rough I know.  I couldn't finish this as they all came home!  Well it was an odd year that one.  After my stepdad Noel died suddenly, I found myself helping mum out in her shop.  I sold lawn mowers!  & mower parts & all sorts of stuff.  But the mower business isn't one that I could keep myself flat out in, so.....  I got to set up my sewing stuff in the room by the shop.  I got a lot of stuff sewn at the time.  I almost got this one done.  But when Christmas was coming, mum needed that room for family members to stay in.  So I had to pack up.  For some reason I never put it back either so I could continue.  Guess the mood had passed.  But that's OK.   It's done now!

As you can see, I didn't put much effort into quilting it.  The quilt is so busy, it didn't need more than that in my opinion.  I am a less is more quilter as I have found out tonight working on another!  lol

My Virtues quilt is now done.  These are old Max New fabrics & they are called things like Peace, Charity, Faith & Hope.  I don't know what I was thinking at the time.  It is certainly not really me now.  But either way I do like it, florals & all.  But one day it will find it's home where it belongs.  I will look after it until it suits someone...

School Holidays

Off to a good start...  the park, knitting & coffee...

39/52

A portrait of my boys once a week for a year.

Some new Quixels to play with... as weird as they are, the boys do quite enjoy the silly things.

And Now For The Baking!

Pleading to bake started early today.  No good excuse not to as it was a bit damp out.  

Started with DJ & ANZAC biscuits & then chocolate chip cookies.  

While doing that I came across the Lemon Slice recipe that BJ had been asking to make for a few weeks.  So got that ready to roll too.  

Super excited to be able to say I have a third quilt finished off too.  This Sweetwater fabric range "Reunion" is a jelly roll fun & fast quilt I put together a while back.  Unfortunately I cannot find when, anywhere on here.  I can't remember when I whipped it up.  But now, it's basted, quilted & bound.  It will go in the cupboard with my collection of Sweetwater quilts.  lol  Oh & I quilted it with a template I made myself, trying to duplicate the 4 petal flower sort of design in the fabric.  I thought it needed a big sort of design on it some how.  I'm not good at it or anything but I guess if I do some it's called practice.  

I was reading something earlier about how people don't quilt their quilts for fear of ruining them so the quilt tops get put away for an age until they feel brave enough.  Yes, I can see why.  Have one of those coming up.  Anyway, it's nice to try something new & have a little play.

Chefs

Start of the holidays & first up it's pizza for tea with some people over to share it.  Lucky for me I was at work so dad had the pleasure of supervising dough making & then topping...  

Must say, you can't really beat home made pizza can you...  (& it's so easy is the Chef's Toolbox saute pan!)

Thursday Thanks

• Starting to feel better.
• Longer days.
• Last week of school - the end of a super busy term!  
• Catching up with family.
• Time with friends.
• A Sunday nap when unwell!  

535/1000

Quilt 2

Another finish!  I'm really rapt it's done...  I hate to admit it but this was the second oldest UFO.  I just had to search & found the quilt top was made in 2012.  I had bought wadding for it at one point but used it in something else.  So had to get some more & now here it is done.  

I decided when I realised a long time family friend (long time as in 18 years I guess!) was having an 18th birthday this month I suggested to Stuart that we give this to her.  So yes, this is headed off to someone else!  It does pay to have them sitting about half done, as they will get used or given some day.  I hope she enjoys it.  

I even got a bit excited with the border quilting.  Not great at free motion quilting but it's fun trying!   I just hope they don't look at it too closely.  

A UFO

Well I did it.  I pulled out a 9 year old UFO...

38/52

A portrait of my boys once a week for a year.

Some rainy Sunday crafting.  Raided the craft box & found gold gems, lots of cool coloured paper & lots of other sticky things.  Crowns & Robinhood hats are in!

One Quilt Down

So happy to have this finished.  I love it.  & I love the backing fabric too.  Take my word for it, it matches so wonderfully well.  DJ is very happy with it.

Thursday Thanks

• No injuries for family members in an accident.  Just amazing...

529/1000

And Country...

Ok, up to date with the end of week 35, 36 & 37.  So that completes one side, does a new side & starts around a corner...  

Now I can move all this stuff & get quilting done.

More Town

 After basting quilts on the weekend ready to get stuck in, I did decide while three weeks worth of squares were sitting there partly done, I should get them finished off first.  So here are the first part that I worked my way through.  Bit of hand stitching on the ones missing & they will be done too.  High Five for me!

 

 

 

 

  

37/52

A portrait of my boys once a week for a year.

BJ - having a colouring day.  Spent some time colouring with dad too.  

DJ - Helping me baste quilts.  Has to have a go at everything.  He really can't let you do much of anything by yourself.  

Thursday Thanks

• Celebrating both Stuart's & my birthdays this week
• A relaxing Father's Day as well!
• Some great spring weather.
• BJ's class performance at an eisteddfod which was really great for him to build confidence. (non-competitive section)  
• A great thing to have non-competitive sections at the eisteddfod just so kids who wouldn't normally perform in such an environment can have a go & say they have done it!  
• Crafty finishes.  
• An excited child at the prospect of his own quilt.  Makes it all worth while.  

528/1000

An Orchard

With my birthday on the weekend came gifts of fruit trees!  So Fell Farm now has an orchard in the paddock!  Wow!  There is still no fruit though, so I might have to take them all back!

• 2 pears
• 2 plums
• peach
• apricot
• apple
• 2 blueberries

Still to hunt down a nectarine, but that might be next season now.  Guess they are everyone else's favourite too.

Finished!

It's been a good few days for sewing I guess.  

Firstly I have these 2 appliques stitched.  

Also I got these squares completed.  

Ta-dah!!!

36/52

A portrait of my boys once a week for a year.

BJ - bleary eyed full of cold.  

DJ - after planting our fruit trees we had help from the chief waterer.

Lovely, Happy Day

Spent a lovely morning being spoilt by my boys.  

The afternoon was lovely in that I could just sew!  The boys were there playing around me & happy as can be.  I could just hang with them but sew which was very pleasant.  

So this happened...

But now, having got a little over excited, I really need to finish stitching the last 2 applique squares!

But this happened too.  A giant cake that was gifted to us!  Wow!

Colour Play

You would think after a day of work that I would be over this stuff, but I guess when I am in the mood, that's it.  

So I spent the evening playing with colours & sorting the pieces I had cut already.  Photos are handy to refer back to when you have to put them all away!