Christmas Giveaway

There are goodies galore in this bountiful giveaway. Jacquelynne at The Noble Wife is having a wonderful giveaway to get us all into the spirit of Christmas. So pay her visit and say hi.

Mail Brings Bag and Stash

What a wonderful day Friday was. I got to stay late at the patchwork group as DS was staying in town and didn't need a lift home. It was lovely to catch up with all the ladies and I made good progress on my PIF gifts.

Then to get home and find a parcel in my mailbox all the way from USA. I think I grinned the whole 2km to the house, quickly unpacked the car and opened my parcel.

Inside I found this wonderful and very clever bag from Nancy at "with thread in hand". It has velcro down each side and opens flat to reveal pockets on the inside. Just right for packing all the bits for a project so I can grab it and go or 'take-away' as Nancy said. The fabric is gorgeous and I just love the bag. Thankyou so much Nancy, I'm packing it with a project straight away.

She also sent some other goodies in her parcel. A sweet little keyring that has like a pillowslip back where I might pop a couple of headache tablets for emergency. A beautiful pattern and two fat quarters that will help my stash. Purple has always been a favourite of mine, how did she know? And a newspaper which is a 'guide to Missouri Specialty Shopping and Events'. It's almost cuppa time so I'll be browsing shortly.

A big thankyou to Linda also for organizing this swap. I've thoroughly enjoyed it, just waiting for my parcel to be in ????????'s safe hands.

Wednesday's mail brought me this package of three pretty blues. They'll be going into my stash.

Today I plan to finish the PIF gifts so that I can get them off in the post. Then I have a fabric postcard (In the Pink) to plan and the embroidery wall hanging to baste, quilt and bind before the end of September, not all today though. Also squeeze in end of month bookwork and the log cabin workshop with homework. Phew! I would like to work on a couple of challenge items too. Oh well, that's how it goes.

Quilting Wishes

Stash Building Part 1

A few posts ago I mentioned that I was very keen to make Bonnie's mystery quilt 'Old Tobacco Road' but I had to change plans. My stash isn't really a stash, and about the same time I signed up to do a quilt-as-you-go log cabin workshop which I need to go shopping for so perhaps another time.

So now thanks to the wonderful Jane at five minutes of fame who had a giveaway, I have some rich christmas squares to create, I'm thinking, a wall hanging. Time to get out some magazines, a cuppa and get some ideas.

Also I've been browsing ebay and found these bright, cheery squares to make an I Spy quilt but I didn't stop there. I have three more packs coming my way as well. I also won a couple of lots with half metre pieces to help start building a stash and to go towards the log cabin.

So I have plenty to get on with for the moment, especially with finishing my four WIP projects by New Years Eve. I have made a little progress with two so far.

I leave you with a photo of 'King's Ransom' in my garden.

Quilting Wishes

Another Challenge

This time Finn has started a 'New Years Eve Challenge'. The idea is to finish one or a number of projects by New Years Eve. I have a few things in my WIP list that I thought I might see if I can finish.

#1 - Queen Size Bed Quilt pictured in my previous post (top only)

#2 - Single Bed Horse Quilt (top only)

#3 - Rainbow Wall Hanging (finish quilting and bind)

#4 - Dyed Fabric Quilt (quilted and maybe binding too)

I haven't included any projects for swaps, gifts etc as those need to be finished this year anyway
Hopefully this will be a way of clearing some of my UFO's.

How comfortable can this be? I snapped this shot of Jayne sound asleep on top of my shelving, on top of a small box and next to my mum's old sewing maching that she has passed on to DD. At the moment she's curled up asleep beside me on MY comfy computer chair and I had to find another. It was either that or have her curl up on the keyboard.

My swap bag is ready for posting tomorrow so there'll be a photo as soon as it arrives at . . . . . . .

Quilting Wishes

Some Sewing Progress

Just a quick post to show some sewing progress. A lovely lady has donated four embroideries for a "Girls' Night In" function in Mt. Perry to raise funds for cancer research. I'm making one of them into a small wall hanging. The top is complete, just needs quilting and a binding.

This is the infamous Queen Bed Quilt in my WIP list. Several years in the making, it's been something to work on when the mood was right. So I laid it out on a bed to see what it needs to finish it, which isn't much. Just some hand sewing on ric rac around the border piece and complete those english patchwork pieces and attach them. Only four of those to finish now.



While I won't be posting my bag tomorrow like others, I only have a little hand sewing to do on the bag and on the little extra something.

Just realized it's SPRING here tomorrow.

Quilting Wishes

Time for Show and Tell

What a busy week. I've only just managed to keep up with my favourite blogs and went to bed early last night exhausted. Now the weekend is here and I have a fresh start, I'd like to share some goodies that I have either received, purchased or grown.

Firstly I received my first fabric postcard in the mail yesterday. This is the first in the swap I joined and I'm loving it. Butterflies are on my favourites list.

Next are some fabrics purchased to compliment some stash fabrics. These will go towards three different projects. They are not specifically grouped so if I don't point out which fabrics are which, then no one will be any the wiser, hey Kerry.

I've had making another kaleidoscope on my mind and when I saw this fabric I had to have it, and of course the book to go along with the project. Iwill be strong and not start this quilt until I have a couple of finishes first.

Yesterday at patchwork I took along my queen bed quilt and did some more work on it. It's so close to being finished, if I knuckle down I plan to complete the top within the next three weeks. Then I'll decide if I'll tackle the quilting myself or save some pennies and send it away to be quilted.

Lastly my pour neglected roses are real troopers. They practically grow themselves. Here is Peter Frankenfeld (pink) and Just Joey (apricot) with the most delicious scents.

Off to do some sewing now. My bag for Linda's swap is almost finished and I've cut out a little something to go with it.

Quilting Wishes

Fat Quarters and Log Cabins

I've been thinking that a quilt-as-you-go log cabin quilt would be the way to go for my king bed. Carin is celebrating 200 posts and is giving away some fat quarters and a book on log cabin quilt as you go. So .... maybe I'll be the lucky one, or I'll know what to ask for at the book store.

Giveaway Time

I have a long way to go but Debi is having a giveaway to celebrate her 200th post. Drop by and see the lovely prizes.

Also Bonnie has made mention of her next mystery quilt. I was tempted to do the last one but didn't get around to starting it, so, this time I am very very tempted.

Quilting Wishes

Winds of Ice

It's been a freezing week and the weather man says it's not finished yet. Today is the windiest and it feels like it's coming straight off the ice. I hate being cold and keep telling myself that this will be the last cold snap before spring. Hope I'm right.

On the craft front, I've managed to do a little sewing on my bag for the swap. Mostly I've been cutting up those fabrics from my previous post. Loving how they look and can't wait to get them sewn up.

This lovely piece of fabric is to be made into a christmas present.

And here is my first ever fabric postcard. I've been admiring everyone else's for ages and thinking about making one. A local group is holding a swap so I decided it was time to join in. It's only simple but I enjoyed it and look forward to the next one when I know the theme. The background is a piece from my dyed fabrics. Something else I would love to do more of when time permits, and the weather is warmer.

Time to head back to a warmer spot than my computer is in. It's lovely here of a morning when the sun comes through the windows, just ask my cats. But the sun has moved on and so am I.

Aren't the walking races amazing. Australia just came in 3rd and 6th. Yeah Aussie!

Quilting Wishes

Giveaways and Fabric Buys

I'm meeting wonderful new people all the time in blogland. If you visit Marit here and Candace here, you can leave a comment to take part in their giveaways.

And some pics of fat quarters I purchased recently. I'm breaking away from my earthy, pastel colours I think.

The bottom two are 30cm cuts to add to these for DH's quilt. Another on my 'to do' list with the deadline for this one now for next winter.

It's a cold, windy day today and my back is out again so I'm off to lay down on the lounge (too much sitting is no good) in front of the heater. I'm currently reading Jennifer Chiaverini's "The Master Quilter" so I'll finish that off while keeping an eye on the olympics on TV.

Quilting Wishes

Recipes and Fabric Buys

As you will see on my side bar, I've joined Another Little Quilt Swap, and already have a pattern picked out, depending if it fits with my recipients preferences.

Also, I have a pattern selected for my bag swap and have decided how I'm going about it. Here are two of the fabrics recently purchased to enhance my choice of fabrics. Hope to get started today.

A couple of ladies asked for the recipes of my wonderful daughters cooking. For the slice I usually make a triple batch and use two lamington trays.

CHOCOLATE SQUARES

1 cup SR flour, 4ozs butter, 1/2 cup sugar, 3/4 cup coconut,
1 tbsp cocoa, 1 dstsp syrup.

Melt butter, sugar and syrup in saucepan. Pour over dry ingredients and combine.

Press into tray and bake for 15 to 20 minutes in a moderate oven.

Ice as desired. I usually sprinkle with coconut but little choc bits and yum too.

MOCHA COOKIES

150g butter, 3/4 cups brown sugar, 1 egg yolk, 2tsp instant coffee granules, 1 tbsp hot water, 1 1/2 cups plain flour, 1 tbsp cocoa, dark chocolate Melts

Beat butter, sugar, egg yolk and combined coffee and water until smooth.

Stir in sifted flour and cocoa in two batches. Knead dough on floured surface until smooth.

Roll mixture into balls, place 5cm apart on tray and flatten slightly. Press 1 chocolate melt into centre of each and bake about 12 minutes in moderate oven. (She ran out of chocolate Melts and used white chocolate ones instead. Just as yum!)

Enjoy

I also bought this 300cm or 120" tape in a tin. Cute, safe and yes, I have had it out and got it back in the tin.

More fabric purchases later.

Quilting Wishes

Summer Quilt Safe and Sound

I had an email today from Grace with some good news. Her Four Seasons Summer Quilt finally arrived and she's very happy. I've been visiting her blog regularly and they've had no end of rain so hopefully it will bring a little sunshine her way.

For a lovely green/yellow colourway, visit http://craftygiveaways.blogspot.com. She has some to giveaway.

I'm lucky enough to have a small tv in the sewing room so I can catch up on blogs while waiting for the games to begin. Don't know if I'll still be up when the Aussies enter the stadium, it's been a long week.

Quilting Wishes