Impromptu zoom with Chooky

 Friday night after work Chooky sent out an invite to a zoom meeting. I was so tired, sitting in my pj’s and watching tv. I quickly jumped up, started tea, grabbed my Xmas fabric tub and joined in.

While we were chatting away I cooked and ate tea. Then moved on to some class preparation.

Our quilt group make a Xmas decoration every year and even though we are in lockdown we are doing one again this year. We were to meet in the park today to be shown how to finish it but that is now postponed.

We needed to prepare 2 strips of Xmas fabric with fliesofix  in the centre to make it a reversible fabric.

I cutout the bell shape in template plastic and traced the pattern 8 times on to the fabric. Cut them out. Now I am ready for the class.

I have found the beads and ribbon. Now it’s time to pack my bag so I’m ready for when we can meet in the park to finish it off. I won’t forget to pack the needle and thread too.

Thanks Chooky for the catch up.It made me get this ready

Meeting up in the park…..My panel swap is on its way to the USA

 My friend and I set up a lovely meeting in the park. We shared show’n’tell, a coffee from the local van.. Bobbie’n’me. Caught up on some much needed chatting. Even though it was a bit fresh we soldiered on and it was great. The following weekend we were back in lockdown. We are trying to organise a catch up for our sewing group. Hopefully if lockdown lifts we will meet in groups of 10. If too many turn up we will make 2 groups. An easy fix.

I joined this panel swap on QATW site. My partner really liked the idea of getting something from Australia. 

So I bought this panel.

Chose fabrics.

Started sewing

I had so much trouble getting this to work. I drew it out. Measured it up and cut the strips but failed to realise I had done it wrong until I was sewing it together. The strips don’t get cut the width of the squares. So I unpicked, cut, resewed, repeated. Joined pieces together as fabric was running short. Frustration set in but I persevered.

Now the borders are on. This now measures 60” square. A great size quilt. The colours are showing a bit darker than what they actually are. I love this top

I got this in the mail on 5th Sept. It waited in Australia for weeks. 7th October it finally arrived in the USA. Now to wait until my partner gets it.

What have I been up to since the last Zoom.

 Way back when Chooky had a Zoom. I didn’t get up as early as the previous time but it was still early for me. Hello ladies

I was doing some hand quilting on a very old UFO. This started 7 years ago. Anyway a few stitches is good. And enjoyed a coffee.

The next day it was oven cleaning time.

I used this new to me product and I’ll definitely be using it again. Sorry for the people that don’t like using chemicals but I loved this one.

My oven was disgusting and well overdue for cleaning. I would say it is my most hated housework job.

Here are the filthy before shots. The racks and glass you can’t see through

Put them in the bag, pour a little on the glass.

I ran out of the good stuff on the racks and only had a little bit left for the glass. Then had to use some of the usual spray for in the oven.

Flip the bag over every so often and 4 hours later 

Give them a rinse, bring them inside and was with soapy water and a miracle has happened …. 

NO SCRUBBING AT ALL.

It was worth the $10 and I will be buying some more for in the cupboard for next time.

Now back to knitting.

My friend did a knitted vest for a teddy bear? She added a little flower too.

I got all mine completed and they are now on the way to Jan Mac. She should get them very soon.

Isn’t this little pig cute

Today Mildura starts a 7 day lockdown and our cases have risen to 37 in 3 days. I’m not sure where this will lead as we already have 4 schools closed due to exposure. Just have to cross our fingers that we are safe.

JanMac has received my parcel and will distribute them accordingly.

https://sewmanyquiltstoolittletime.blogspot.com/2021/10/many-thanks-sue-jo-and-eileen.html

Sewing machine needle case folder

 I have always wanted a better way to store my sewing machine needles rather than just throwing them in to the bottom of a plastic zip lock bag.

I came across this great idea on Pinterest.

Go to the web page and there is a great tutorial of how to make it. There are also printable pages that go with it. Amazing. Just what I wanted. And I had the folder already left over from my scrapbooking days.

http://sew-whats-new.com/profiles/blogs/how-to-make-yourself-a-sewing-machine-needle-organizer?xg_source=activity

So one day I printed all the pages 

then a week or so later I sat & cut out the plastic

Prepared my machine foot for sewing. I stick on a reusable tape on the bottom of my foot. This one doesn’t leave any gum once removed.

and sewed

Plastic pieces are all sewn

The felt pieces are stitched on. The patterned paper is cut to size and the folder is ready.

All I need to do now is to glue the paper backs on, cut the folder holes, decorate the folder and I have one special needle case.

An overdue THANKYOU to Jude post

 This post is well overdue. 

Back in July Jude http://newsfromjude.blogspot.com/2021/07/a-bloganniversary.html had a special bloganniversary post and competition. She asked for how many posts she had done. What she didn’t realise was that on her side bar it tells you the totals each month. So you could quickly add them up.

Anyway Jude discovered this early on but still decided to send Di and I a gift to say thanks for joining in. This is what I received.

How special is this case. It’s a great size for any special work to be held

It was heavy so what’s inside……. It is jam packed with…….

Fabric, precautions 2.5” squares, thread, photo printing paper, her special pink pen, fat 1/4 bundle, jelly roll pack, so much fabric, bear pattern and a William Morris pattern. This will take a while to use up.

Thank you is just not enough for your generosity and kindness.

Keep up with blogging. It is a way of us staying together and sharing our craft.

Thank you Jude….

Have a look at what Jude has for sale.

https://newsfromjude.blogspot.com/p/for-sale-items-bcna-fundaiser.html

I might have to start stitching those squares together. This is one design I like

Fabric postcards.

 I have had a few questions and interest about how I make my postcards.

Hope this helps a little.

I start by cutting a piece of bag wadding 6.5” * 4.5” (this will be trimmed later) to 6*4”

I design my picture and assemble by doing QAYG method.

For the ship one I used a solid background. But had fun making the waves.

I made thin bias strips for the waves.

 I cut an inch strip of fabric, sew wrong sides together, insert the bias bar, twist so the seam is underneath, iron with a hot iron, trim the excess seam allowance back so it is hidden under the bias and it’s now ready to place on your card or sew wherever you want…..

Working out where to place the waves.

I had fun placing the waves before I did a stay stitch around the edges. I haven’t stitched them down anywhere else. 

I had a scrapbooking stamp in the draw so I stamped on to calico

I attached my button before adding the backing. Spray basted the back of the card, attached the calico, trimmed to 4*6” … be careful where you cutting. As you can see I have chopped of part of my ship to get a better balance overall.  Chose a fancy satin stitch on my sewing machine.

All ready to write a message and post. I sealed them in a plastic sleeve (for cards) and they mailed with no trouble.

More mail.. QATW & teabag strings & some knitting

 I received an envelope one day from someone I don’t know. It turns out that Brenda had seen my posts about knitting with teabag strings and after a few emails sent me some. I was very happy with them. 

I have rolled them on to an icy pole stick that someone had given me with some already on there. 

But I still have a few to tie and roll up.

These will make another lovely scarf for a gift.

The kindness of fellow crafters gives me a smile and makes me feel good.

Thank you Brenda.

XMAS IN JULY - QATW

How about this happy mail from my swap partner Dorian from QATW. 

This was our Xmas in July swap. It didn’t make it in July but it did the first week of August. Yes, I am a bit slack and this is a catch up post. Anyway… here is my lovely parcel that arrived.

I opened up my parcel and some were wrapped and others not. I thought the postie had had a look inside but it was confirmed that this was how it was sent. Some wrapped to tease me.

There were a pack of magnetic bookmarks, heart shaped tape measure, sewing shaped buttons, a framed stitchery in a hoop, lollies and chocolate. Last of all a quilt themed novel which I will enjoy reading. I have all the Elm Creek novels and loved them too so I am looking forward to this read.

Thank you so much Dorian. It was a great surprise..

KNITTING

I have got my act together and finished sewing these knitted cot hanger covers on the hangers.

They have been knitted for over 12 months now. I thought it was time to finish them off.

Happy mail and some baby sewing

 A while ago I commented on Mari’s blog that I loved the backing fabric she had used.

https://academicquilter.blogspot.com/2021/06/purple-morning.html

How lucky am I Mari sent me her leftovers…and a few other fabrics.

Aren’t those birds just so cute. More fabric for my stash. I knew of a design I wanted to make straight away.

First up I found some pale yellow to go with the birds.

Cut up the birds into as many squares as I could get in a workable size. 6 1/2” square. Cut some strips of the yellow to border them making a 10 1/2” square.

Then I searched for some other fabrics to match the blues and yellows. I cut them in to strips for the alternating blocks.

Put them all on the wall and cut the strips to fit the spaces. Layout no. 1

Layout no. 2 

One day I will get back to piecing it all together.

Thank you so much Mari for your kindness.