Making BANDANA BIBS

Before our next visit with our new granddaughter I made some bandana bibs. These are the "in thing" at the moment. Well, have you seen the price of them. A friend of mine has recently had a granddaughter too and she has made these. She gave me her pattern. They went together so easy. I have just had my over locker serviced after it has sat in the cupboard for 10 years with not being used. So what better task to give it a good workout.
The best thing is I searched my stash and didn't need to buy anything. BONUS....
I found this fabric, used a scrap of wadding and found a piece of flannelette for the back...

Cute fabric, basted with the template drawn on in frixion pen...

 Then I got to the sewing. Within an hour and a half I had 9 bibs completed. Basted, pattern drawn, overlooked and Velcro stitched on... Well worth it. These will become a basic item for any baby gifts I give in the future. They were super easy...... I reversed some so they weren't all the same pattern...
With the wadding in them hopefully they will absorb a little more dribble.

Cute bandana bibs

I will see what the DIL thinks of them before I make more in case I need to make some alterations.

I used Velcro dots for the fasteners and I am not sure that they will be good enough. Time will tell..

But look at these gorgeous guys.

Pa with his grand daughter MADELEINE 

 LOOK AT THESE CHEEKY GUYS, . WHAT ARE THEY THINKING. 

Look who they have to protect now.

This was so funny to see.

Proud DAD & PA

HAPPY 5th BIRTHDAY XAVIER

It was my grandsons, Xavier, 5th birthday yesterday. With all the excitement of the new granddaughter the day before and all the knitting last night was his time....
I got his quilt finished... I am exhausted
The top is done and basted.

The top is finished and basted

It is now quilted and I am so happy with it....

It is finished
Happy 5th birthday Xavier 

We gave him a dress up costume too which he put on straight away....

Yes Xavier loved his quilt and his costume too...

 I think Xavier is happy. He wanted his quilt on his bed straight away when he got home.

All tucked into bed... Look at that smile

And more binding to the tally 220" BINDING BLITZ

And another OPAM.....

ITS A GOOD MONTH.

IM HAPPY....

BABY IS HERE. & My knitting needles have been busy

As you know we have a granddaughter on the way. She is here.
MADELEINE YVONNE

3.8 kg, 54 cm

27-1-2016

Madeleine Yvonne

BORN 27th January 2016
Isn't she gorgeous

And proud dad Michael

I have been knitting a favourite pattern of mine. My MIL first made it when I had my daughter 29 1/2 years ago and I have been making it ever since for all the sweet little girls.

It is out of a Patons book no. R. 26

Called CINDERELLA

This pattern is so easy for me. I can make it in 2 solid days of knitting. It's all in one piece with only about 2" of sewing up to do... Once you have the pattern set up its all falls into place and easy to follow.

Then I tried this pattern. 

This was a different story... Although it is still cute.

Phazelia's Mitred baby Jacket

The front

http://www.ravelry.com/projects/monty200903/phazelias-mitered-baby-jacket

The back

It's not as easy as it looks. I am glad it is all garter st as you can't tell which is the right and wrong sides. I got mixed up a bit... It is done in one piece with lots of starts and stops and joining in yarn. I found that the border was hard on my hands. I am glad it's done and it will be one of a kind. Can't see myself making it again...

I made a teddy out of the left overs from the bonnet, bootees & mitten set.

Cute teddy on the finished shawl.

My grandsons quilt in progress.

My Grandson is 5 on Thursday. I am supposed to have his quilt finished already. It is getting there.
Here it is so far....

Here is CHASE and the 4 corner blocks

CHASE from PAW PATROL

PAW PATROL corner block

This is what Xavier is in to now so let's make him happy...
I am designing up the dog, CHASE, in the centre and the smaller blocks in each of the corners.
The applique is now done. I am working on piecing the top today and will quilt it tomorrow.
I will put up finished photos soon.


My link up is with http://quiltingreadersgarden.blogspot.com.au/2016/01/wips-be-gone_27.html

HAPPY AUSTRALIA DAY

I went away camping on the weekend with some friends. Sue & Les. It's the first time we have taken Basil and camped with no power. GREENS LAKE, COROP.
Thank you Sue and Les for a fun time. I'm so glad we finally got to get away with you. Hope there will be more fun times in the future.

Camp is all set up 

Trying to stay in the shade

It went ok. BUT our new generator wasn't powerful enough for what we wanted. Luckily our friends could help us out.... Now we have to sell the generator and buy a bigger one.
We did some Kayaking.... That was fun.

Don't we look the part. Best part is we didn't fall out.....

The grandchildren came for a visit and had fun swimming.

All knitted up with life jackets. Thanks Michelle.

The boys having fun

Xavier & Nicholas 

Sue and I did some sewing. Sue is doing HEXIES and I started on my Gail Pan stitchery.

Here we are hard at work... I think we have got some sun 

Sue's hexagons are growing and are going to look fantastic 

My Gail Pan stitchery

Then I went on the couch ride at the back of their friends boat. Now that was fun...

I am fitted with a life jacket. Oh no!!!!! Will I need it?

We have take off

Look at my smile

Look at this beautiful view. The sun is setting and you can see the moon... Just beautiful.....

Can you see the moon as the sun is setting

HAPPY AUSTRALIA DAY EVERYONE......

Everyone had their flags flying

YIPPEE IT's DONE

I am so glad my baby shawl is done.

I have been working hard on a long lost UFO and crochet project. Luckily it is a project that I will be gifting very soon. 

Look, it's finished..... And it's beautiful

It took me 3 hours to get round each of the last 14 rows. Yes, I did 14 rounds to use up all the yarn. Why have left overs. That's a lot of crochet.. The plain centre took 3 balls and the outside lacy edge took 3 balls. As I was working on the last round I was wondering if there was enough yarn. I was getting closer to the end and worrying a bit. Yes, there was enough.

Look how much of the ball was left. Not even enough for a pair of mittens so I am one happy nan.

14 rounds of lacy edge took 3 hours each round. Not much left over yarn...

I can't wait to see a little baby girl laying on this.....

On the lavender bush waiting for baby to be born

Linking with SLOW STITCHING SUNDAY even though mine is crochet.

I think it is a great OPAM too.

Basting with a friend

A good old fashioned sewing day.
I moved to Lancefield 16 years ago. My neighbour moved in a year later. We slowly got to know one another and have become very good friends. When she found out I was a patch worker and quilter we even became closer. V dragged out a bag of goodies that were passed down from her grandmother. Lots and lots of HEXIES.... Well I'm not a fan I can tell you.... BUT I did help. I showed V what steps to take to finish a beautiful quilt. They are the traditional EPP.. Of course she is also English. So over the years of travelling to and fro, England to Australia her quilt was finished.


This is a quilt that took 30 years to do by a grandmother and granddaughter.
http://jobutterfield.blogspot.com.au/2014/01/grandmas-flower-garden-hexagons-go-go.html
That was the easy project.
Then there was something quite out of the blue that stumped me.
V was not a quilter but she had a vision. Started a quilt and had no idea what she was doing.
She showed me what she had done back about 13 years ago. She had very limited fabric. It was done in Chintz... Not really available here that I know of. I hadn't really used it. To me it was for curtains... So the next best thing was to find something similar.. We live in an area with Parrots. So they were added. Well what can I say. We all have our own ideas. Sorry I didn't get any photos of those early stages...BUT we have managed to get it to quilting stage...
It was so big. I am not used to it. 240 cm x 270 cm. Where could we lay it out to piece.
That's where another quilting friend comes into it. Nikki helps out in town at a lot of community things. Even in the CFA. So she asked. YES we can use the large room at the station.
On a day of TOTAL FIRE BAN due to high temperatures, high 30s, and not so good conditions, off we go.
WWOW. WHAT A GREAT SPACE.
Well we got the quilt stitch basted ready for hand quilting.. This will take another few years for V to do.. At least she won't get bored. There were so many tables that it made the job so easy. My back doesn't think so. I am tall and the 3 hours of leaning over doesn't help. But it is done now....
What do you think. Enough of babble and look at the photos...

The orange lifts the design and will be used as the binding too

It is covering 6 tables

 

All these pieces were done using the EPP method and hand drawn.

Look at those parrots. Just like on the bird feeders.

It is designed to go over the pillows and sit at the end of the bed.
 Hang down the sides to cover the mattress 

It is wider than longer but oh so lovely...

NOW THE HAND QUILTING WILL BEGIN... 

After we got it basted, got home and unpacked the sirens went off. There is a large fire burning in the nearby Forrest. About 20 kms away... So far 36 trucks attended in the first 2 hours.. Hope all is under control soon.

THANKYOU NIKKI and the CFA. You do a great job...

FNSI

Go sign up and join in with Wendy and all other like minded sewers. On Friday night grab your sewing and a drink and have some fun.

http://sugarlane-designs.com/2016/01/yep-sign-time-fnsi.html

My Sunday slow crochet.

I am still working on my UFO project no 4.  The baby shawl.

It is slowly growing. I have finished the centre, which took 3 balls of 3ply Big Baby (Patons). I use this yarn for all my baby projects. Either 3 or 4 ply...

Well I was glad to see the centre done.

The last few centre rounds took 1 hour but they are done

Now I am working on the lacy edge. It seems to be taking forever. I thought 1 hour for a round was slow but this edge is taking me about 3 hours. Of course I have to get up every know and then for a stretch and drink. So it is SLOW going. I need a total of 13 rounds...

Each lacy round takes me 3 hours

I'm linking up with Kathy for Slow Stitching Sunday. Even though it is crochet...

http://kathysquilts.blogspot.com.au/2016/01/slow-sunday-stitching_17.html

FLOATING STARS is FINALLY DONE

I have been working on this quilt for quite some time.
I was involved with QBSA 12" swap for a while.
This is where it began...
http://quiltingblockswapsaustralia.blogspot.com.au
Unfortunately more happened on Facebook than on the blog so I was not able to keep going.

My request was for country stars.  Read about me putting the top together HERE

I have just got to quilting it and am very happy with the results...
It was finished before Xmas as I was giving it away as a gift...
Had a few posts booked in before it so here it is the New Year and my quilt....

FLOATING STARS 12"QBSA quilt is DONE

Binding on this one is 252"

A catch up lunch on a beautiful summers day...

I was staying at my friends in Jan Juc for a couple of nights. What a great time to take advantage and catch up with some lovely blooging friends too. We arranged to meet up for lunch at the Portarlington  Bakery. We had a yummy lunch, great conversation and some laughs.

The weather was beautiful. The bakery had a beautiful courtyard with plenty of shade...

Look at these beautiful ladies....

O'faigh, Shez, Jo & Sue

I'm sure there will be some photos on their blogs soon...

Sue , O'faigh , Shez

Thanks for a fun filled day....

My shopping BARGAIN

I was lucky to be given a Spotlight voucher for Xmas. So what do you do, GO SHOPPING, of course. I headed off to look for some fabric to make my youngest grandson a PAW PATROL quilt. Firstly I was thinking of buying a sheet set so we could use the flat sheet as the backing and have a matching bottom sheet and pillow case. Couldn't find one. Then we saw a quilt cover but that was a bit expensive and you would have left over fabric that you wouldn't use. Next I decided on just buying fabric.. So I looked... This is what I got...

WHAT A BARGAIN...

50 metres for $150. Take off the $50 voucher and all I paid was $100.

Yes, a real BARGAIN... 50 metres.... $3 per metre.

Now I just have to use it all.....

FNWF, WIP be gone and some slow crochet....

Last night I joined in with FNWF.

http://stitchingcubbyhole.blogspot.com.au/2016/01/fnwf.html

I have finally finished a babies knitted set. Sewed on the ribbon and it's done...

So I have a WIP be gone to show.

http://quiltingreadersgarden.blogspot.com.au

I have also been working on this crochet babies shawl. It is growing.

Tomorrow will be a slow Sunday and hopefully I will get the few rounds done that I need to get me up to the lacy edge.

This is where I pulled it out of the cupboard

The start of it

And where I am up to now.

Crochet Baby Shawl centre

This is my January UFO project that is on my list

http://jobutterfield.blogspot.com.au/2016/01/happy-new-year-resolutions.html

http://kathysquilts.blogspot.ca

Ok... Let's go back a while

http://jobutterfield.blogspot.com.au/2015/10/thimble-swap.html

I sent a parcel to Arlette in Costa Rica back in early October.
Yep $21 to post. It took ages to arrive.... Well guess what.
It NEVER arrived at Arlettes.

It came back to me this week. 

The address is correct. It's post marked September from there. Then it decided to come home to me.

Arlette is following up why.

Arlette's thimbles