Mary Poppins

Mary Poppins is one of my favourite musicals.  There is so much to love about this show - the dancing is so fantastic, great singing.  T was very excited for "Step in Time" and the tap dancing was brilliant.  Everyone is the show was outstanding.

First saw this musical in Melbourne in 2011 - Mum, Elizabeth, Jenni and I had a lovely few days trip.  This new version of the show is even better I think.  Wore my pink shoes.

After a couple of weeks of no sewing, I turned on the machine over the weekend and have commenced sewing "Blueberry Kisses" blocks together.  This will be a fairly large quilt when it's done.

Received a parcel from Sarah (Patchworks Plus) late last week containing to two quilts.  The small version of Pretty Birds

and another quilt that is a present so can't be shown yet.  Black fabric sure catches threads and dust.  I'll need to spend some time with the lint roller.

Also received a fat quarter bundle of Camille Roskelley's new fabric range - "Nantucket Summer".  So many pretty fabrics.

I have plans for two quilts using the blues - the greens can go into the stash.

A Jumper for H

Time flies when you're busy.

Lots happening at home and work.  Haven't turned on the sewing machine for well over a week.  The backing for "All Stacked Up" arrived last week and I should make that up so the quilt can be sent away for quilting.

The Aran jumper for little H was finished 10 days ago.  Really happy with how it looks.

I started to lay out some "Blueberry Kisses" blocks but didn't sew any together.

Left the window open a bit too long on the weekend :)

Not to worry - it's a scrappy quilt and the blocks can go anywhere as long as the crosses and nine patches alternate.

I've joined in a sew-along making Thimble Blossoms' original Swoon quilt - the SAL is to make any Swoon.  Decided to make the original because I haven't made it previously in Bonnie and Camille fabrics.

Made one block.

While cutting out Swoon, I thought I might as well cut out another quilt - "Fireworks".  I made this many years ago, so I think I'll enjoy making it again.

The sub-contractor (Mum) and I are knitting a cardigan for Elizabeth - Mum is knitting the back and sleeves and I'm knitting the fronts.  It's a long cardigan and it feels like it's taking forever but the end is in sight.

Since that photo was taken, one front is finished and the other should be finished tonight or tomorrow night.

A gyprocker came last week to tear out all the old plaster and install new gyprock - the room looks great (and so much lighter).

A carpenter is coming tomorrow to replace the architraves and install new skirting boards then I can organise painting and floor sanding/polishing.  Amazing how quickly things can happen sometimes.

Last Sunday was Gulliver's 7th birthday.  The gorgeous boy had a wonderful time with his friends at Timezone and then another party at home with more of the family.

This coming Saturday, T and I are going to see "Mary Poppins" - I'm pretty excited.  Mum, Elizabeth, Jenni and I first saw the stage musical in Melbourne in 2011 and I'm very much looking forward to T's reactions to Mary flying and Bert tap dancing on the ceiling.

June Churn Dash Blocks

Spare time on Friday was spent cutting out Churn Dash blocks.

By last night this month's blocks were finished.  As I've made a couple of Churn Dash quilts before, I'm really happy to have stumbled onto this variation.

On Friday night went to see "Top Gun:  Maverick" with some friends - what a great movie.  Loved it.   Had a lovely dinner afterwards.  Fun way to start a (very cold) weekend.

On Saturday, after usual housework, I spent the afternoon and evening with my friends, Lynell and Darren, packing.  After 40 years in the house they are moving to a house in my suburb, so there is a lot of sorting and packing to be done over the coming weeks.

I have one room in my house that has not been touched since we moved in and it is used as a junk/storeroom and the door is always closed.  The room needs gutting, re-gyprocking, painting etc and it is going to happen.  An electrician is coming this week to remove the old ceiling fan/light and wall control and install a new light fitting and then I can book in the plasterer.  Pretty excited about this.  I will use the room as a study and extra spare bedroom.

My quilting frame is in this room and I'm hoping someone would like it (I'll be happy give it away to anyone who wants to pick it up).

Started clearing out the room yesterday morning then after lunch my brother turned up with Mum and he and I had the job finished by mid-afternoon.  I have lots of stuff to drop off to the Op Shop and lots of stuff to throw out.  Nat's What I Reckon's Lamb Ragout was bubbling away on the stove all afternoon - was a delicious dinner last night.

I've enjoyed all the Platinum Jubilee celebrations.

Churn Dash Quilt

Chookyblue is hosting a Churn Dash-Along for bloggers (now closed) and the goal for June is to choose fabrics and make 8 blocks.  During last Saturday's zoom chat Chooky was cutting out and sewing up Double Churn Dash blocks - these look fabulous but the block is too big for this quilt design.

I had a look online to find instructions for a tiny 3" finished churn dash block that can sit inside the pattern's 9" finished block and made a sample block last night.  It's not perfect but is good enough to show me that this idea will work.  The pretty dot white-on-white flower Bonnie and Camille fabric will be the background.

I thought I'd like to make the quilt pink and white so had a look through my Bonnie and Camille fabrics and have enough to make the quilt - 2 blocks from some fabrics and 1 from others.  The pink rosebud fabric will be the border setting triangles and the darker pink cross/rosebud fabric will be the sashings and binding.  I'm looking forward to starting this quilt.

Last night I finished assembling the "All Stacked Up" quilt top.  The Kaffe Fassett fabrics are so out there (for me) but I think it's turned out ok.  I had a bundle of 21 fabrics and have added a few from my stash.  I can see a couple of spots where I'd like to exchange blocks but I'll think about that for a while.  Need to buy fabric for backing.

Going to see "Top Gun:  Maverick" tonight with some friends.  We've been waiting for a long time for this movie to be released.  I think we first saw the trailer when we saw the last "Star Wars" movie in January 2020.

New Start Soon

Not much to show for the last week - I've been knitting H's jumper and am hoping to finish it in the next couple of weeks.  Halfway up the first sleeve now.

Three rows of "All Stacked Up" are together and hoping to spend a bit more time on it over the next week or so.

This year's Stash Buster Group SAL quilt is Tula Pink's "Butterfly Quilt".  Once again I'll be using my Alison Glass stash with a couple of solids added.  I think this will be a fun quilt to make and I'm looking forward to starting later next month.

Went to Sydney on Saturday to have lunch with the family.  The little ones were in fine form and enjoyed the playground at the club where we met up.  We also had a lovely afternoon tea at Jenni and Kurt's place.

After I arrived home, I picked up my knitting and joined Chookyblue's 10th Birthday celebrations for the Chookshed.  Was lovely listening to the chat and taking part.

Sunday was a big housework day - washing, cleaning bedrooms and The Pink Room etc.  Such a cold day and the chill is going to last for a while.

Lots of Colour

Seems that I am sewing with lots of beautiful colours at the moment.  I belong to an online Scrap Busters Group.  The first year we made Jen Kingwell's "Gypsy Wife" quilt and "Boho Heart" was last year's quilt.  I've used mostly Alison Glass fabrics with loads of low volumes for the backgrounds and the long background strips.

This is the backing for "Boho Heart" - same as I used for "Gypsy Wife".

This year's quilt is Tula Pink's "The Butterfly Quilt" and I'll be using my Alison Glass again.

A dear friend gave me two identical fat quarter bundles of 21 Kaffe Fassett fabrics.  I opened one of them a few weeks ago and decided to make Kaffe Fassett's "All Stacked Up" quilt.

The pattern has very specific cutting and fabric placement instructions, which are a great help.

The blocks sew up very quickly.  The above photo shows all I can fit on the design sheet - there are two more rows to add to the width and length of the quilt.

Last Friday the Wollongong International Women's Day event was held - it's usually in March but Covid has mucked up many plans this year.  It was such a fantastic event - Olympian Emma McKeon was the featured speaker (so gracious) and Mahalia Barnes provided entertainment (such a powerhouse voice).

Tania, in the photo below, is my immediate manager at the University and she is also Wollongong's Deputy Lord Mayor.  She is such a wonderful advocate for the Illawarra (and a fellow lover of musicals).

When Michael was a baby I made him a set of crochet granny square overalls (no idea where they ended up).  Made another set when little T was on the way and they were also worn by her brother and now little Vinnie is wearing the overalls.  The photo of T is from a video of her dancing at the Sydney Quilt Show in 2016.  She kept her audience well entertained.

The weather was awful over the weekend - can't believe how much rain is still falling.  The only good thing about it is staying inside to sew.

Lovely Weekend

 Four more "Stitchery Sampler" blocks.

The final two machine-pieced blocks are also made and the two applique blocks have been prepared - hope to work on them during lunchtimes at work this week.

Made last September's "Boho Heart" blocks yesterday so the next step is to cut the backing strips to assemble the third quarter.

Peta posted this gorgeous photo of Gulli and Wynstan last week - they're both so cute.

I had a fun weekend starting with dinner out with friends on Friday night, lunch on Saturday with my cousin at Headlands Hotel in Austinmer - such a lovey spot, friends visited yesterday morning then Mum and I went to see "Operation Mincemeat".  Really enjoyed the film - I love anything based on a true (and so does Mum) and, once again, she remembers the event.   Always happy to see a movie starring Colin Firth.