OPAM Finish, Love is Block

Just a quick post to show my OPAM finish for November and also Block 20 (above) for Love is. Only 4 more blocks to go now. Am working on Block 21 and have just printed Block 22 today, so some catching up to do. Where has November gone???? Only 2 presents bought for Christmas and no preparations in the pipeline for Christmas Day, so I will have to get a move on. Tomorrow, I am heading to the shops to hopefully get most of the shopping done. Only time will tell if that plan is successful or not.

I have been working on a variety of stitching things this month but some are for presents so I can't show them as yet. I can show you my finished dilly bag though, which I was going to make on camp but simply didn't have time. I got to use up some of the chicken fabric which I have had in my stash for a many years. I'm pleased with how the bag turned out and just how quickly it came together.

One of the girls from our group has made several for her family and friends and is going to fill them with goodies and nicknack's for Christmas which is a great idea. Must keep that in mind for next year.

Well must go and write a list for tomorrow. Till next time...........

Boonah Quilting Retreat

Above is a photo of our group taken on the verandah of our accommodation at ' The Outlook' Boonah. Two of our members who couldn't come for the weekend joined us on Saturday for morning tea and lunch.

We hold our Quilt Retreat twice a year in March and Oct/Nov. We arrived early Friday morning and returned home Sunday before dinner. All who attended had a great time as usual, enjoying each others company and sharing our knowledge and skills with those who needed it. Sewing, stitching, quilting, talking, laughing, staying up late and of course lots and lots of eating which included our Happy Hour each night was the order of the day.

We each had to make a place mat to take along so that we could use it to brighten our table on camp. Below are some of the one's made by myself, Jan, Nancy, Clare and Viv. Will show some more next time.

Below is what I did at camp. I started a Stack & Slash Quilt which several others in the group made also. Cindy, who joined our group early this year, kindly taught this to us. I used aqua and brown colours and am using a star fabric, used in the blocks, for the second border. I didn't have enough of any of the browns to use for the first border so couldn't do any more until I buy some. I also did Block 19 of my Love is..... quilt and the first block of the Layer Cake Quilt Along. I am using a layer cake called 'Fruitcake' by Basic Grey which is a Xmas line. I also started a bag using the two leftover blocks from the stack & slash quilt and will add a photo when I complete it.

Well that is all for today. Hope to post again soon. This weekend we are off to a Hot rod Camp at Yamba so my quilting will be on hold until after that. Our little yellow Model A roadster has been cleaned and polished ready for its journey. Have a great week everyone..........

Progressing slowly

I haven't been doing too much lately. Time is passing much too quickly. Here is another block in the Love is series. Still got a couple more to go to catch up but will get there eventually.

My Gardeners Journal blocks are going slowly but have managed to get the stitchery finished on these two blocks. I was extremely pleased when I finished the house as it took a very long time to complete. Have the next 2 blocks ready to stitch although they will not take as long I hope.

Here is my big boy's rug. Scott was a bit upset that he missed out when his two boys got there's so I made this version for him. Instead of making it square, I purchased 2 metres each of the blue and grey polar fleece to make his rug a bit longer.

It is certainly breezy here today after a couple of days rain. A nice day to catch up with some stitching I think. Hope you are having a good day too. Till next time.......

Catching Up

Yesterday I spent some time catching up on my blocks. Did some more work on my Gardeners Journal blocks but still have a bit of stitching to go before I can make up the blocks and add the photos to the Stitch-a-long blog. Sorry Chookyblue.........

I also completed my Love is block 12 and was able to finish joining the first three rows together. I like the way this is coming together, half way there now. I love the feel of French General fabrics and they are lovely to sew with as well.

I also completed my Jelly Roll block in time for the next one to be available today. This one is mainly reds and pinks as I am running out of the dark colours. Below is the photo, tell me what you think...........

Well just a short post today. Am on a mission to tidy up my computer room. It has all the kitchen stuff in it that I haven't been able to find a home for. Put a bit more shelving in here on the weekend so hopefully it will be tidy by days end.

Blocks, Stitching and A Day Out

Not too much done in the quilting department this week. My quilting group had our third birthday so we headed off to the coast on Monday to visit a quilt shop and also have a celebratory lunch. We had a great day and I managed to find some In The Pink fabric by Buggy Barn that I have been collecting to use in my Breast of Friends quilt (Homespun magazine last year) when I get around to making it.
I have been working on my stitcheries for The Gardeners Journal Stitch-a-long. Doing 2 blocks this month to try to catch up. Still have a bit to do before next week.
Block 11 of Love is......

Block 9 of my Jelly Roll Sampler. Am starting to run short of the dark colours so am glad we only have 3 more blocks to go.

I have been busy of late helping my eldest son tidy his house as he turns 40 on the 6 th of July and is having a small party to celebrate. This week I decided to clean out my grandson Jake's room. He has this hanging on his door, a birth sampler I stitched for him after he was born. I brought it home to give it a bit of a wash and iron. It's hard to believe that he will be seven at the end of the year. Perhaps its time I made him a new hanger for his door as he has well and truly outgrown this one. He keeps asking me for a quilt so will have to put that on the agenda as well.

Well, hubby wants to use the computer and is hovering in the background so I will say goodbye for now.....

Finish at last.......

I haven't had a finish in a long time so it was nice to complete one on the week-end. Lately, I have had lots of family issues happening which have had to take priority over my beloved hobby. Hopefully as time goes on, things will begin to settle down and I will again have the time to teach myself to use my quilter and finish some tops. In the meantime, I have been working on smaller projects which I have found on the net. I've managed to keep up with making the blocks and doing the stitcheries on most of these. Below is Block 10 of Love is ....... next one due out on the 10 th June so completed just in time.

I am still working on the Gardeners Journal Stitch-A-long blocks as I find I enjoy doing these whilst watching tele at night. I love doing stitcheries and seem to always gravitate to patterns that contain them. The remote control holder is my finish. I used a Joy Patch pattern which uses some honey roll strips. The fabric is called Essence by Sandy Gervais. I love the pattern and it was quite quick to do once completing the stitchery.

I took it to my quilting group today to show them and forgot to iron it again before I took the photo so sorry for the creases.

I bought the Essence panel that goes with the honey roll so am going to make some place mats with that and the rest of the roll. Place mats cut out, now all I need is more time to sew them. Well that's all from me for now. Hope to see you visiting again soon. Leave a comment if you have time, I love reading them.

Stitch-A-Long, Jelly Roll Block, Love is

I have joined the Gardeners Journal Stitch-A-L0ng. I have had the book and the materials for several years and when I came across the site by chance a while ago, I decided it might be a way of getting this started. Due to my kitchen, I am running a little late so have only completed my first block this week (should have been done by end of April). Lots of little pieces to cut out which was time consuming but as I have now done this, construction of the later blocks should not take so long.

Block 9 of Love is......

Here are two photos of my next block for the Jelly Roll Sampler Quilt Along. With this block, we had to make the two and a half inch centre square a feature. I found this little bird lurking on one of my strips so thought he would enjoy being the centre of attention. I think he looks quite at home, don't you?

I love doing these blocks. The fabric is Blush by Basic Grey.

Well, must go, till next time, take care........

Last 4 Pinwheel Blocks

I have spent a busy week packing up my kitchen. Tomorrow, out with my 20 year old one and in with the new one. I am getting excited now as I will have new appliances including a dishwasher which I haven't had in this house before. Of course, learning how to use them all seems like a daunting task. The worst part will be putting all the stuff I have just taken out, back. I am determined not to keep things I don't use anymore and have thrown out a few things already. Only the food in the pantry to go now and some tiles to pull up off the floor. I only have a small house so it seems like every room except the bathroom and toilet has kitchen stuff in it. One good thing is that I will need to be home for most of the week so I am hoping I can get a bit of quilting done as I won't be able to do much in the house.
I have managed to get the last 4 blocks of the Pinwheel Sampler Quilt done. The last 2 blocks were ones that we had to pick ourselves. Rachael from ps i quilt gave us several we could choose from so I chose to make one called Rangers Pride. I am really happy with the block and found it easy to do. I must admit that I am more comfortable with making pinwheel blocks now. Need to make another quilt so I can make okay blocks from the start. Might wait a while for that though as I have lots on the go.

Rangers Pride blocks above and below.

I think my favourite blocks might be the two above.

This is Block 7 of my Love is stitcheries. Block 8 will be ready to download today so at least I am keeping up with this BOM.

Well must go now, the pantry awaits.........

Love Is Blocks, Pinwheel Sampler Blocks

Sorry I haven't posted for a while but I've had a few family issues happening. They are still ongoing but last week I found time to get out in my quilting room again and play with some fabrics. Quilting is so relaxing and helps take your mind off things for a while which is just what I needed.
I was able to complete the next block of the Love Is series of stitcheries. The fabric used is Rouenneries and is a beautiful fabric to work with. Block 4 makes up the first row so have stitched the blocks together to get an idea of what it will look like. The next one is available on the 10th of March. They are very quick and easy to complete. I must admit redwork stitchery is one of my favourite things.

I have also finally finished my first 4 pinwheel blocks. I am using Cotton Blossoms fabric by Bonnie and Camille. I had it set aside for another project but as I had some extra pieces of fabric in this range, thought I would use it so I could keep the same secondary fabric for the first 2 blocks. I am quite pleased how they turned out although, I would still like my joins to be better. Maybe by the end of the quilt they will be...... I can always hope. Below are the four blocks :-

Have just printed out the next block pattern so will try and get a start on the next 2 blocks tomorrow. Choosing the fabrics to use in each block is often the hardest part I think. I have to be careful that I don't keep using the same colours.

OPAM Finish, 'Love Is' blocks

MY OPAM finish is my machine mat which I have been working on for some time. I had it almost finished last week but when putting the binding on, I realised I had one of the stitcheries upside down. What a job to fix it, lots of reverse sewing and unpicking but it had to be done otherwise I would see it everytime I used my machine. I sometimes wish I was not so particular about finishing everything off so it won't come apart easily. I'm sure I could have made another mat in the time it took me to unpick it.

Blocks 1-3 Love Is BOM from Paula of Pacific Patchwork.

I must say I am a sucker for redwork and just couldn't resist starting the free BOM called Love Is. The button is on my sidebar. I am using Rouenneries fabric which I purchased from my local quilt shop, Homespun and Beautiful. 2 Stitcheries are provided each month on the 10th and 25th with a total of 24 in all. They are really quick to do and look great, do you agree? I am making my sashing 2 inches to make the quilt a little larger and may add an extra border as well.