Hopscotch

Last September I attended a local quilt show and bought a random jelly roll - it reminded me of fabrics I used to buy years ago and the colours were so pretty.  Decided to make Thimble Blossoms' "Hopscotch" quilt - it's a jelly roll pattern and quite simple to put together.

I asked Karen to use "Modern Loops" for the quilting.  It's a favourite design.

The backing is a pretty cotton I bought from Bella's Patchwork.

Current Sewing

I have a few quilts on the go at the moment.

Hopscotch designed by Thimble Blossoms

I visited a local quilt show in September and bought a pretty jelly roll.  No idea who the designer is.  Added a few of my stash fabrics.

Jelly Girl designed by Fig Tree & Co

I've used loads of fabrics from my Fig Tree stash for this.  It's a fun quilt to make.

Starlight designed by Thimble Blossoms

This quilt is also made from my Fig Tree stash.  Another fun design.

Also some dressmaking happening.

We've had so much wind and rain over the last couple of months.

  

One afternoon in November, I heard a huge crack and this is what I found - a big branch had fallen from one of the gum trees in my yard.  Fortunately it didn't land on the house.

I lodged an application with the Council requesting permission to remove the trees.  The inspector came and advised I could remove one but not the tree closest to the house. 

He also said in the letter of approval that there was no evidence of disease, pests etc in the tree when I pointed out this area on a branch overhanging the roof. 

Thursday before Christmas, this is what happened.  That very branch cracked at the mal-formed joint and landed on the roof.

I was very fortunate that the local tree-loppers dropped everything and came to remove the branch the next day - again, no damage.

Now I think I'm finally up-to-date.

Hopscotch

I picked up my Hopscotch quilt from Karen at stitching last week.  I love the orange peel quilting - it feels wonderful.  The quilt is 66-1/4" x 87-1/4".

Stitched down the binding while watching tv on Sunday night.

Had a pretty busy weekend preparing the verandahs for Christmas lights, re-arranging furniture in the loungeroom for the Christmas tree and taking the decorations, lights etc out of the cupboard.  The little sweethearts are coming for Mum's birthday lunch on 4 December and I thought they could decorate the tree with Mum so it will be nice to have most of the other decorations up as well.

I also went out for lunch on Saturday with the Schoolgirls and on Sunday with other very dear friends followed by the basketball - great game and the Hawks won by 31 points!  Lynell, Robyn and I called in at the shops on the way home because they insisted I buy some of the Christmas Disney character musicians.  The musicians are fun but little ChaCha doesn't think so - she stayed over last night and each time I started the music she kept saying "bye bye duck" and didn't want anything to do with them.

This little cheeky chops has discovered the shopping centre rides - had to ride in the Batman car.

Another busy week and weekend coming up - Schools Spectacular on Saturday with Mum and the annual Christmas trek to IKEA on Sunday.  Wonder if we'll get home earlier than last year?

The Crown

I was able to spend a fair bit of time with Miss ChaCha last week and she came for a sleepover on Friday night - always fun especially when Jenni is also home for a visit.

ChaCha and I had a busy Saturday morning shopping and visiting friends.  I bought a new smart tv for the sewing room.  At the moment it is set up in the bedroom until an antenna point is installed in the sewing room.  Such a luxury sitting up on the bed watching episodes of "The Crown" - fabulous show.  Even had Mum watching a few episodes on Sunday afternoon.

I've spent my sewing time pinning "Colorway" block sections

sewing a few sections together

 and making a few flowers for the next "Medley" border.

Received a photo from Karen  showing quilting progress on "Hopscotch" - hoping to pick this up tonight.  I love Orange Peel quilting.

Last night Tania, a work colleague, and I went to the Rob Guest Endowment grand final concert at the Lyric Theatre - such a great night showcasing new talent and wonderful guest artists.

Thought I was really clever - the finalists performed "I Hope I Get It" from "A Chorus Line" as the opening to the concert and I picked the winner before I'd even heard him sing on his own.  Paulini sang "I Have Nothing", Whitney Houston's song from the new show "The Bodyguard" - absolutely stunning.

Stitching tonight, a few other things on this week and a busy weekend coming up - lunch with The Schoolgirls on Saturday, lunch with other friends on Sunday plus a basketball game.  Need to find some time to start my secret Christmas sewing.

Last week I took three quilt tops and backings over to Karen for quilting:  Swell, Spool Sampler and Hopscotch. 

Picked up Swell from Karen on the way home from work last night - it looks fantastic -

and Spool Sampler quilting is almost finished.  It's looking great too.

FigTree Diamonds quilt top has been a fun challenge to put together using a pile of half-square triangles I sewed up ages ago.

I made the backing last night and was so pleased with the joins in the fabric - it's great when the fabric design is so helpful.

For some unknown reason I had a bee in my bonnet to start Medley, again using my FigTree stash and Bella Solids for the backgrounds - I have smaller pieces in Ivory, FigTree Cream and Butter.

I think there will be just enough of each bakcground colour to make the quilt top.  This is where I stopped last night.  Friendship Star border is next.  This quilt will contain the last of many of my favourite FigTree fabrics.

We had another family birthday last week.  I made another crochet basketweave scarf - this time with fringing at each end - using Bendigo Woollen Mills Bloom wool in grey.

Had a great weekend.  Out with friends for dinner on Friday night for Robyn's birthday (Fruit Tingle cocktails are very nice).

My little Sweetheart ChaCha came for a sleepover on Saturday night and GG (Mum) joined us for dinner.

Starlight

Sarah quilted Starlight and sent it back with Cheerio.  Starlight was started in March this year and I finished stitching down the binding last night.  I love the "Hello Darling" fabric range by Bonnie and Camille, and loved using it for this big quilt (85" x 101.5").

The quilting is an all-over large wave design which is a nice contrast to the points.

Had a great weekend - fantastic basketball game on Friday night and lunch on Saturday with The Schoolgirls at Sublime Point.  Such a shame the weather was dull as the view from the cafe is spectacular.

Lynell and I picked up ChaCha on the way home from lunch.  ChaCha came for a sleepover on Saturday night - lots of fun with my sweetheart.

Was able to spend yesterday afternoon sewing and finished putting Hopscotch together (another quilt using "Hello Darling" - this has been slow-going because of bias edges and lots of points to meet up - I'm really happy with how it looks but now wish I'd made it queen-size - it will fit a single bed.

Borders have been added to Spool Sampler and I hope to add borders to Swell tonight so I can take the three quilt tops to Karen for quilting sometime soon.

The carpet in the two back bedrooms was laid this morning.  It will be so nice to have the house back to its normal state of chaos, four months after the "rain event".

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.

Fiddler on the Roof

My all-time favourite musical theatre/opera performer is Anthony Warlow.  Last year when the new production of "Fiddler on the Roof" was announced I bought tickets for Mum, Elizabeth, Jenni and me.  I was pretty excited by the time Saturday afternoon came around and we were finally going to see the show.  He was fabulous - such an incredible voice, wonderful stage presence and great sense of humour.

I've cut out another quilt from my Hello Darling f/q bundle - Hopscotch, a Thimble Blossoms design (surprise, surprise).  The bundle is now almost gone.

Lots of points to line up in this quilt - not my favourite thing to do but the effect is great with the 6-pointed star being made when they align.

More points to line up with Starlight - most of the triangles for the half-hexagons are made.  I think this one will be really pretty with the pink star points.

A couple of weeks ago I finished binding the two Text Me quilts that Karen quilted.

I have a couple more quilts to finish off then they will be sent off for donation.

Second-last 'Downton Abbey' tonight - a shame this wonderful show is coming to an end.