Sewing

Over the last few weeks I've tried to make a "Flower Girl" block each night in FigTree and Company's "Catalina" fabric and now the quilt top is together.  I think I'd like to make "Flower Girl 2" one day - smaller flower blocks mixed in with nine patch blocks.

This "Aloha Girl" fabrics works well for the backing along with the "Catalina" gingham for the binding.

Working away on the Bernina Busy Book for H's second birthday on Friday.  I won't have all the pages finished in time but there will be a few pages ready and the others can be added as they're done.

The second "Kaleidoscope" quadrant is finished.

Sewcialites block "Unity" designed by Lissa Alexander

Last week I made myself a floaty, summery dress.  The lovely cotton sateen fabric is from Nerida Hansen and so is the pattern.

For months I've been waiting for the "Stitchery Sampler" kit designed by FigTree & Company and it finally turned up last week.  The fabrics are lovely and I'm looking forward to starting this quilt later in the year.

Jenni and Kurt's baby is due in five days - feeling very bit excited/impatient to meet this little one.

Family Weekend

Last Friday was Jenni's last day at school - she and Kurt now have around two weeks to wait to meet their little one.  I'm looking forward to spending tomorrow with Jenni.

The Double Hourglass quilt top is together.

Close up of the borders

Backing Fabric

Last night I completed one segment of "Kaleidoscope".  Three more to go.  I've ordered a beautiful large floral with aqua background for the backing.

Had a busy Saturday with T&G over for the day, my brother came over to do some work on the verandah, one of his sons turned up with his two little boys, Mum came and then another of Philip's sons visited.  T stayed over and we enjoyed movie night watching "Big Hero 6" for the umpteenth time :)  Sunday was Philip's birthday so we had cake on Saturday afternoon and the little ones loved helping him blow out the candles on his cake.

Sunday afternoon I made some cot sheets (while watching the tennis).  Very sweet cotton fabric from Spotlight.

A New Start

In amongst the fabrics in the destash box was a bagful of left over FigTree and Company jelly roll strips and 2-1/2" strip off-cuts - enough to make a lap-size "Double Hourglass" quilt.  These blocks are made using a tutorial on Cluck Cluck Sew's website and are great for chain piecing.  They go together so well and make a lovely, quick quilt.

Finished making the  blocks last night and hope to start sewing them into a top tonight.

There were some long strips of FigTree fabrics in the box and these will make a lovely border for the quilt.

"Niner" is together

along with the backing and binding.  The top is 99% FigTree fabrics and the backing is a pretty Brenda Riddle fabric.

Last Saturday's "Sewcialites" block is called "Hearty", designed by Coriander Quilts.  It was a bit challenging but will sit well in the quilt top.

For the first time in a very long time, I contacted a quilt shop and ordered a kit - this fun Dinorsaurs quilt will be for little H when he goes into a bed.  No idea when I will start but I'm looking forward to making these fun creatures.

First home basketball game last night and unfortunately the Illawarra Hawks lost.  The team has had such a fantastic start to the season and we're all excited for more home games later in the season.

Painting is continuing at home - the new back door and re-style of the gate to the main verandah.  Looking forward to some family time on the weekend and seeing Jenni and Kurt next week - by then the baby will be due in just under two weeks.

Two Veranda Renovations

 The front door painting is finished and I'm so thrilled with the colour and how it looks.

The ship's bell used to hang at John's parents' home is from a company my father-in-law used to work for.

My brother and I installed a knew door knob and locks last week.  So shiny compared to the old one.

Love the doormat I purchased from The Quarter Inch in Tasmania.

The old veranda rails:

218 pickets painted and installed.

Still lots of filling and painting touch-ups to do but the bulk of this job is finished.

Baby Shower

On the hottest day of this year (so far), our family and friends gathered for a picnic to celebrate the imminent arrival of Jenni and Kurt's baby.  I didn't take one photo.  Thankfully, one of Jenni's friends took a photo of her with some of her friends.

I finished a few knitted pieces for the baby over the last couple of weeks.  This little cardy is a new-to-me pattern and is fun to knit - it's in one piece and the shaping is very clever.

Had to make just one pink cardy (just in case).

Jenni has been nesting and setting up the nursery.

For Christmas I had intended to make little H a busy book but the veranda renovations took up too much of my sewing time.  I made a start on the weekend and hope to have a few pages finished for his 2nd birthday at the end of February.

I had to bring out the old girl to make the grass - the machine I use these days didn't come with a tacking foot and the shanks are different sizes so the foot wouldn't fit on the newer machine.

The second half of "Kaleidoscope" sewing is done.

I've put these blocks aside for a couple of weeks before I tackle the layout.

In the big box of destash fabrics that arrived from my friend in USA, was a bag of 2-1/2" Figtree squares.  I thought there would be enough to make a "Niner" quilt, designed by Thimble Blossoms.

A few blocks:

All 108 blocks - these were quick to put together over a few nights.

 

Plenty of squares leftover for something else.

Sewcialites Block 16 -  "Friendship" designed by Carrie Nelson

Sewcialites Block 17 - "Peace" designed by Anne Sutton