Our Weekend

I thought I had finished this quilt top

and then I came across some more Simplicity fabrics - think I'll make another border of larger pinwheels to finish it off.  I have just enough of the bright pink stripe for binding.

Gosh it was cold here yesterday - the wind was very icy.  A bit better today.  Started work on Thursday and this temp assignment will last until the new permanent appointment is able to start (interviews will be held on Wednesday).  Some lovely people in the office and the work is interesting.

The weekend has been lovely so far:  a 21st birthday party on Friday night

Kirra, the birthday girl

With Dale and Jenni - thinking about doing the "Nutbush" - we did.

My friend Barbara, Kirra's Mum, and her other daughter Blair

followed by dinner last night at our friends' home - it's always a pleasure to see them.

Back to the reality of ironing etc before the working week starts :)

Sidetracked

After looking through a couple of my books ("Scrap Basket Sensations" etc) I got it into my head to go through my scrap drawers and cut the fabrics into 2-1/2" strips.  While doing that I came across a bagful of off-cuts from the Simplicity quilt top I finished putting together a little while ago.

 There were a gazillion triangle pieces.  So, I spent a bit of time making pinwheels and half-square triangle blocks.

This is an evolving quilt top.  I'm trying to use up the left-over fabric and I like having the wide borders so show off the lovely floral.

I did a bit of necessary on-line shopping this week and the goodies have arrived.

I've noticed the hexagon purse on a few blogs and after seeing the beautiful finished purse on Marina's blog decided I needed the pattern and the bits to make one for myself.  The pattern book for Michael's new jumper also arrived (I'm not making the jumper on the cover).

 My goodies from Sarah arrived today - so I'm one happy camper.

Don't have plans for any of this just yet but I'm sure it won't take me too long.

We're going to a 21st birthday party tonight and out for dinner with friends tomorrow night - we're such social butterflies these days :)  Happy weekend.

Pretty Scrappy Spiderwebs

This quilt was started in February 2009 and finished last night.  Hooray!

Pretty Scrappy Spiderwebs - 65-1/4" x 77"

The Backing - older Robyn Pandolph fabrics plus one Three Sisters (I think)

Close up - so many old favourites in this quilt.

One more binding to stitch down - maybe tonight if knitting doesn't take over.  I'm really enjoying knitting,

although I should be doing some stitching - need to start a swap present.  I finished cutting out Ruby Chain yesterday afternoon.

I always find it amazing that this little pile of fabrics will sew up into a quilt top about 55" x 65".

I also did a little bit of ditch-stitching on my 12-1/2" sampler quilt from our on-line group's BOM in 2010.

It's about time this quilt was finished.

Not long till the Sydney Quilt Show - I think there will be quite a few blogger get togethers.  When I go depends on my work.

Big Dots

Another night in front of the tv ("New Tricks" then "State Fair" on dvd) sewing down a binding:

Big Dots - 55" square (139-1/2 cms)

I've used the blue check for the binding and backing.  Two more bindings to sew down.

Friday night I started knitting a jacket for a little baby boy born recently.

It should fit him next year.  Lately I've been thinking about knitting a jumper for Michael (can't remember the last time I knitted something for him) so while on my travels yesterday I visited June's fabrics in Warilla and came home with a few bags of wool - Patons Inca in blue/green/grey - it's about 14 ply (at $2 off a ball it was a bargain).  I ordered a pattern book last night that has exactly what I want to make him.

This should knit up quickly and will be nice and cosy for his early morning walks to work.

Had a lovely day yesterday with a bit of shopping and visits to two friends.  Our stitching group is going to make "Island Chain" from Scrap Basket Sensations - another quilt that will look so wonderful in our various fabric preferences.  Rhonda and Karen will use batiks, Sharon is using Robyn Pandolph fabrics, not sure what Kerryn or Diann will use and I'm using Ruby with turquoise spot on milky white for background.

Also had a bit of a shop at Sarah's last night - some great bargains to be had there, especially the Vintage Modern fabric.

Think I'll go do some more cutting.

Fig Tree Allsorts

Another quilt quilted yesterday (Pretty Scrappy Spiderwebs)

and another binding stitched down last night:  Fig Tree Allsorts made using a variety of Fig Tree ranges and Moda Bella Solid in Snow for the background.

Fig Tree Allsorts - 66-1/2" x 76-3/4"

Close up of blocks

Backing:  Allspiece Tapestry and Patisserie

Pretty Scrappy Spiderwebs was the last of my quilt tops to be done on the frame - the remainder need to be pin basted and ditch-stitched before deciding on further quilting.

Another beautiful autumn day on the South Coast.  John is going on a motorbike trip to the Central Coast so I have a weekend at home alone - bonus!

100 Bow Ties

I have been quilting up a storm over the last week as I am returning to work on Thursday next week - I have a temp job that will last for two to four weeks.  It's hard to believe I finished work almost 7 months ago.

Bindings are sewn on three quilts ready to stitch down while watching tv.  The first of these quilts is finished - 100 Bow Ties featuring 100 different Fig Tree fabrics in the bow ties.

100 Bow Ties - layout based on "Benington" in "Schnibbles 2" by Carrie Nelson
56-1/2" square

Breakfast at Tiffany's fabrics used for borders and Butterscotch and Rose fabric for binding.

Mill House Inn fabric used for backing with a couple of other Fig Tree fabrics for good measure.

Close up of some of the blocks - such pretty fabrics.

Yesterday was D-Day at the hairdressers - still not 100% sure of the outcome but I'll get used to it.

Another binding to sew on today and another quilt to load up onto the frame although I should spend some time in the garden this afternoon as it's such a beautiful day.

Mothers' Day Dinner ...

... with The Newlyweds, Elizabeth, Matt, Jenni, Mum and The Bride's parents after a relaxing morning at home and lunch made by John.

 

Jenni made orange and poppy seed cake and mushrooms (without the stalks)

We had such a lovely time.  Peta's parents will be grandparents for the first time within the next two weeks or so - very exciting times for their family and Peta's Mum has been knitting and crocheting like a whirwind.

Fig Tree Allsorts is now on the frame ready to be quilted this afternoon (maybe).

A Party

We had such a lovely time at the birthday party yesterday morning.  The Birthday Boy is our dear friends' grandson and it's so nice to be included in the fun.

The Birthday Boy

Poppy arranged for a baby animal farm to visit - all the children loved patting, feeding and chasing the animals.  The little pigs were hilarious.

With his Poppy

This guy from next door really wanted to join the party.

The birthday cake.

  

Birthday cake with his Mum

It's time for a new hairstyle - I have an appointment with my hairdresser on Wednesday.  Picked up my new glasses 2 weeks ago and am finally used to the new lenses.

These are the two blocks that make up the Stepping Stones quilt - not sure yet if I really like them.  I'm hoping I feel more positive when more blocks are together.

Stepping Stones blocks made with FigTree Fig and Plum

Karen and I will be making our quilts over the next few months.

Yesterday evening finally put a quilt on the frame (Buttercup Squares) - about time I attacked the pile of quilt tops.  This quilt is a wedding present for July.

Happy Mothers' Day!

Presents

These are the lovely presents I received from Fiona for my birthday from our on-line group.  They are all beautifully made and follow this year's theme "Grow, Cook, Eat".

These beautiful flowers arrived yesterday from dear Diann.

Yesterday was a lovely day - so many phone calls and messages.  Pictures with Mum in the afternoon then we went out for dinner with Mum, Jenni and some friends to a Thai restaurant.  I received so many beautiful presents and we had a great time.  We're going to Sydney for Mother's Day, so I'll see Elizabeth and Matt and the Newlyweds then.

I made young Wil's birthday present on Wednesday after spending most of the day/night in the sewing room (had to go out to buy more fibrefill and visited Mum).

"Giddy Up" designed by Melly & Me

This is the fourth "Giddy Up" that I've made and I'm saving the rest of the cowboy teddy fabric - one day I might need it ...

One of the members of our Tuesday night stitching group is a young girl (well, she's 22 so a young girl to us) and she's just finished her second quilt - this is for her Mum for Mother's Day.

She made it following the design of the zig zag quilt I made a couple of months ago and she used 3 charm packs of Fig Tree's "California Girl" and 3 charm packs of Moda Bella Solid in White.  The quilt is wonderful.  She ditch-stitching the coloured zig zags and stipple quilted the white background fabric.  Her first quilt was made for her Nanna for this Mother's Day - I'll try to get a photo from Kerryn of this quilt.

Another beautiful day on the South Coast - might make a couple of the Stepping Stones blocks today to see how they look.  The whole quilt is made of only two block designs.

Cutting Out

During the last couple of days I've cut out two more quilts using Fig Tree fabrics (surprise, surprise).  These are the last of the pre-cuts and kits in my stash, although there's still a fair bit of other Fig Tree fabric left.

The first is "Stepping Stones" from one of the Jelly Roll books using a layer cake and jelly roll of Fig and Plum.  My friend Karen is also making this quilt in Rouenneries Deux - it's going to be beautiful.

This is "Pathways and Crossroads" which I bought from Bec last year.  It uses Buttercup fabrics - the blues are so pretty.  Funny, blue is one of my favourite colours and I use it so rarely in quilts.

One of the blocks laid out on the design sheet:

Fig Tree Bow Ties is together and I'm really happy with how it turned out after adding some borders.  This quilt top is based on "Benington" in the Schnibbles 2 book.

It has turned out to be a reasonable size.

Today is a special little guy's 2nd birthday

and we're going to his party on Saturday - so it's time to start making his present.  Maybe some photos tomorrow.