Girls Day Out

Stitching is finished, so after trimming all the stitchery blocks, I'll be all set to sew all the blocks together at Kingaroy next month.  So looking forward to this trip.

Started stitching the first "Tail Feathers" block on Monday night - this is for a baby due in May - and I'm working on a new lime green/black and white spot scrappy string quilt.  I'll take a photo when a few more string blocks have been sewn.  Except for the backing, I'm hoping to make all of this quilt top from my scrap drawer - lots of lime green leftovers from the "Funky Advents" made a couple of years ago.

A couple of finishes ,,,

This is Melly & Me's "Sleepover Bag" - cut out two last November for Christmas presents:  one for Peta and one for a friend.  I started the bag for Peta but in all of the Christmas rush didn't manage to finish it.  Took the bag out of the drawer last week to work on and finished it this morning.  I'll make a few changes when I start the next bag, ie attach the handles earlier than suggested in the pattern and add the plastic base as a much later step.  I found this bag very cumbersome to move around the sewing machine with the base already in place.  This is definitely an excellent overnight bag.

Another finish even though this quilt top is not entirely finished - my involvement with the quilt is finished (joining blocks, quilting, binding).  Jenni needs to applique two palm trees to the tent block and backstitch some of the block names.  This quilt is "Magic Beach" designed by Chook Shed Pattern Co.  I told the story behind the quilt here.

Close-up of a couple of the blocks:

And here's a sneaky peak for a certain blogger out there - finished your swap present this afternoon.

A Little Road Trip

On Thursday Elizabeth (DD No 1, aged 30) rang me and said "Guess what I just got?".  Well, of course, my mind started racing, and when she said "I should have got it a long time ago", I twigged and said "your licence" - she finally got her driving licence.  All the thanks should go to Matt who has shown great patience and been a wonderful teacher.

We wanted to buy her a magnum of champagne - I couldn't find any in the nearby bottle shops but I did find this:

with the sign already attached.

On Friday, Mum, Paula (a friend from work and recent patchwork convert) and I drove to Canberra to see the Masterpieces from Paris exhibition -  "Starry Night" was the outstanding piece of the exhibition (for me).

While in Canberra had to pay a visit to Addicted to Fabric - beautiful shop and a fabulous range of fabrics.  The "diet" went by the wayside for the day - bought a pattern and fabric to make myself a skirt.

Yesterday we went to Sydney to see Elizabeth, Matt, Michael and Peta - we went bowling (haven't bowled for over 12 years) and then had Mexican for dinner - lots of funs.

Girls Day Out

Antique Shop - last big block.  6 small stitchery blocks to go and I'm hoping these will be stitched by the time I go to a retreat in March so that I can sew the quilt top together and then add the appliques.  Two of the other girls going to the retreat are making this quilt (Helen and Teresa) and a couple of days ago Jenny posted a photo of her beautiful, finished quilt top on her blog - she will be quilting it at the retreat. 

A Puzzle for Angus

56" x 66-1/2", washed and dried,  plain borders, backing and binding from stash.  The fabric diet has definite advantages. 

Had lunch with The Schoolgirls yesterday - first time since early December.  So lovely to see them.  Dreadful weather here for the last week or so - feel like we should be in the Highlands - fog, loads of rain - excellent stitching/sewing weather.  Who would believe this is the middle of our summer?

Another Weekend Over

These days I live for weekends ... the weekend just gone was great:  hairdresser, out for dinner, visitors, sewing, stitching, watching a movie or two.

I pin-basted Angus's quilt on Saturday afternoon and did some ditch-stitching while watching "Sabrina".  The plan is to ditch-stitch the whole quilt and then

do some running stitch in the sashings.  First time I've used the running stitch on the new toy and I think it looks wonderful.  Will be quite a few nights' sewing before the quilting is finished. 

Way back here, I stitched two of these blocks for Girls Day Out.  Two more were in the pattern for the Florist Shop and after I'd stitched one of them, I couldn't find the fabric I'd cut for the fourth.  Searched everywhere and, of course, I'd used the leftover fabric in another quilt.  The only thing to do was trace off some more blocks on a plain fabric and stitch them again.

Finished them last night and I'm so happy to see the end of these.  The original three I used in a new cushion cover - not sure if I'll keep it for a present or use it in the sewing room.  The little Ikea ironing board could do with a new cover but that's the ironing board I use for vliesofixing.

Last week I made the second block (Georgia) in our on-line group's 12-1/2" BOM.  I really enjoy making these blocks.

USO

I have had an Un-Started Object in my cupboard for almost 10 years.  We have a nephew/godson named Angus.  In 2000, when Angus was 8, I had the bright idea of making him a quilt using all tartan/check fabrics and Dutchman's Puzzle blocks - referring to his Scottish name and his Dutch heritage.  I collected fabrics, cut out 18 blocks (18 is such a strange number) 8" finished (I was sure they were to be 12" finished), put it all in a plastic bag and it's sat in a cupboard ever since.

Last week I was looking for something to sew on the new toy and this quilt popped into my mind.  I'd thought about making it for his 13th and 16th birthdays.  His 18th birthday coming up at the end of February and he is moving to Canberra to start university, so the time had arrived to make the quilt.

Found two more checks in the stash and now have 20 Dutchman's Puzzle blocks. 

Instead of throwing away the flying geese offcuts as I always do, I made 80 pinwheel 2-1/2" (finished) blocks.  Lots of trimming.

I am determined this quilt will be made from my stash.  There will be more pinwheel/background fabric borders with narrow solid-coloured homespun borders and I've found some fabrics to use for backing.  Block placement is not finalised.

I am enjoying making this quilt - it's not often that I make a totally pieced quilt.  And I'm looking forward to quilting it on the new machine.