Friends and Family

I had a great few days last week spending Thursday with ChaCha and Diann arriving that night.  I picked up ChaCha early Friday morning, then we all headed off to the Sydney Quilt Show where we met up with some other friends.  I only bought a kite-shaped template and Jen Kingwell's new book "Jenny from One Block" - very responsible shopping.  ChaCha had a great time charming anyone who stopped to have a chat - she wore her crocheted overalls and they were a big hit.

After dropping off ChaCha to her Dad, Diann and I visited Michael and Gulliver then drove home.  Some friends came over for lunch on Saturday - my birthday Moet disappeared very quickly.

I needed to cut some puff pastry into relatively equal sizes - quilting rulers have a multitude of uses.
 

We spent the evening with our knitting then Sunday lunchtime was here all too quickly and it was time to drive back to the airport.

Not much sewing last week but this week I made a tiny Dresden plate (just under 4" diameter) to go into a quilt I'd like to make later in the year

 

and I've sewn together the blades for the Piccadilly Circus Dresden Plates.

I hope to start appliqueing the centres tonight.

Some Luxury 8 ply wool ordered from Bendigo Woollen Mills arrived earlier this week.  The colours are wonderful and the wool is so soft.

Started crocheting some of it last night and it's so lovely to work with.  The hexagons will be made into a fun and funky present for someone I love.

First Birthday Party

Sunday was Gullivers's first birthday.  Gulliver's party was a great event held where Peta works in Redfern.  Gulli is such a little charmer.

Hard to believe that both ChaCha and Gulliver are now 1.  It's been such an exciting time for our family.

On Friday when I arrived home from work, Jenni was there cooking Gulli's birthday cake - delicious 3 flavours (caramel popcorn, chocolate, and vanilla with chocolate swirls).

Two sleeps and my dear friend Diann arrives to visit for a few days.  Can't wait to see her.  We're going to the Sydney Quilt Show on Friday with Miss ChaCha and then having a couple of days at home.

Not much sewing happening at the moment - I've ironed all the Hopscotch blocks and that's about it.

 

Fabric arrived for Piccadilly Circus Dresden Plate centres and the backing - it's very pretty.

The sewing room is pretty much set up - lots of sorting and putting away still to be done.  The wet floors and walls are now dry - fans and dehumidifiers were running for four days.  Fortunately no damage from the huge downpour on Sunday.

Scrappy Churndash Quilt

Scrappy Quilts are my favourite - I love the mixed up jumble of colours and patterns and it's always a bonus to use up lots of little pieces of special fabrics.

When I made the Bonnie and Camille version of Patchwork Swoon I made a pile of extra 4 patch strips to use in the borders and forgot to add them, so when I found the 4 patch strips, the idea came to make scrappy churndash blocks

Karen did the quilting last weeks using Modern Twist design and the binding was finished on Sunday night.

I love how the quilt turned out.

Last night I made the first Dresden Plate for the Piccadilly Circus quilt.  I'm hoping the fabric for the centre circles will arrive later this week - the lady has asked for green with white dot from the Vintage Picnic range for the block centres and binding - I think it will look great when all the blocks are together.

Busy, busy, busy

Lots has happened over the last 10 days or so - some things wonderful, some things not so great.

During the night Saturday week ago, all of NSW east coast and parts of Qld were hit by a huge weather event and, once again, the bedroom and sewing room at the back of my house flooded, even though I had installed new drains and done a lot of remediation work after the last flood a bit over 2 years ago.  The following day all the furniture was moved out of the two rooms thanks to my wonderful family and I was able to set up a sewing area in the family room.

These once-in-a-lifetime rains are happening too often.  Further rain events created even more havoc in Tasmania.  Seems strange that I had lived in the house for 24 years with no flooding and the last two times we've had lots of rain in a short space of time, the house has flooded.  

On Friday the wardrobe was installed in my new bedroom.

Much of Saturday was spent moving into the bedroom, thanks once again to my fantastic friends,

and moving all my sewing furniture and stuff into my previous bedroom.  I'm so sad to not be using my lovely sewing room any longer but it makes more sense to have my sewing room at the front of the house - good news is that the room is also pink.

Yesterday I bought curtain fabrics and a blind for my new bedroom so there will be some curtain-making over the next few weeks.

On Saturday afternoon Karen called in with the Scrappy Churndash all quilted - it looks fantastic.

I made a scrappy binding

and two nights of tv watching later, the quilt is finished.

I've received a request for another Piccadilly Circus quilt, so I started cutting strips for that on Sunday afternoon - needed a change from all the furniture arranging.

No navy in the quilt now - more green, aqua and pink

Hard to believe little Gulliver turns 1 next Sunday - time is passing way too quickly.

 

Sewing up Backings

I hope to deliver Scrappy Churndash to Karen on Saturday and maybe Starlight will also be ready, so last night I sewed up the backings.  I love the big pink floral fabric.

 

I've been spending a few days at a friend's place and had some time for knitting and crocheting, as well as watching some dvd's.  The little crimson cardigan (8 ply) for ChaCha is finished

and the crochet pieces for a jacket are ready to be sewn up along with some knitted overalls that have been finished for a few weeks.  I love working with 12 ply - knits/crochets up very quickly.

On Sunday afternoon Elizabeth and I went to see "Xanadu" at the Hayes Theatre in Potts Point.  What a fabulous show - singing, choreography, costumes, everything was spot on and so entertaining.

The bedroom reno is looking wonderful - painting is as finished as it can be for now

until the floor is polished.  With a bit of luck that will happen on Friday afternoon (if not, then July because he's so busy) and then the skirting boards will be finished off and the wardrobe will be built.  Pretty exciting.