April's SQUARED AWAY

Here I am joining in with Mari 

http://academicquilter.blogspot.com.au/2018/04/squared-away-block-4.html

& Angela

http://superscrappy.blogspot.com.au/2018/04/scraphappy-saturday-sunshine-and-joy.html

I was watching YouTube tutorials while sewing away.

I did it. I made them by the end of the month..

LITTLE LETTERS ABC

Another day of sewing ABCs.

I have them up on my design wall. A lot of good that did me!

I sewed the wrong borders on letters N & Z. I cannot be bothered redoing them so they are staying swapped around into their new position. Even though I now have 3 red ones together... I don't mind.

Another member of our local group has made a quilt too. Here is the finished comfy quilt. Well done Margaret.

To get the pattern for this great quilt have a look at Sheryl bog...

http://temeculaquiltco.blogspot.com.au/search?q=Little+letters&updated-max=2014-09-17T08:00:00-07:00&max-results=20&start=25&by-date=false

Thanks Sheryl for a fun kids quilt pattern.

UNDER THE RAINBOW.

 These photos were taken a month or so ago.  As you can tell by the plants at the entrance.

Lost them for a while. 

Lost but then I'm found.  

 We were in the middle of a heat wave, had a bit of rain and this is what it looked like.

There is a faint hint of a 2nd arc of rainbow too.

It's very rare that you see the both sides of a rainbow like this.

(Or I don't)

But to have a double. I was so impressed.

It made me take time to look and smile. 

Bow Ties are tied together

This is where I am at so far with my bow Ties.

I am excited that it nearly is a top.
I started these bow ties back in May 2014.
It's about time they were finished

I am so glad I have worked out why my photos have been fuzzy.
This is much better.

I am loving my design wall.

I have now counted up the blocks, measure the quilt and have a pattern.
It measures 65" x 77".
I love it as it is and won't be putting any borders on it.

EDITED..... AFTER GETTING THE TOP DONE I WILL BE ADDING BORDERS TO IT..

Blurry photos

I've been having trouble lately with my photos being hazy/blurry.

I though it was the lighting, sun or window glare or I just didn't know why.

Anyway, I have worked it out.

I feel very silly about it but is all fixed now.

This is much better....

A funny story......

My iPad case was falling apart so off shopping to buy a new one.

I use my iPad every day and take it with me everywhere. It needs protection.

I chose a great strong cover and home I went. On goes the new case..

...Can you see where I'm going with this...

I start taking my photos and they are now blurry. I clean the lens and no change..

Weeks of being frustrated I try cleaning the lens again but this time I take it out of the case.

LIGHT BULB MOMENT..

Guess what I found out.

THERE IS A CLEAR PROTECTIVE PLASTIC SHEET OVER THE CASE ON THE SIDE OF THE LENS.

It was rough, sticky and crinkled. All this was covering the lens.

Peel it off, throw it away and now I have clear photos.

YIPPEE FOR ME.

Something so simple was so frustrating.

Spotlight bargain shopping

I recently had an impromptu visit to Spotlight. Of course there was a sale on..

Clearance fabric was 50% off if you bought 3 or more metres. But, if there wasn't that much on the end of blot you got that piece half price too.

My total buy was 23.3 metres for $76..

I'm very happy.

HERE THEY ARE TO SHOW YOU.

This was a great find.. I was only charged $1.50 for it. Imagine the squares cut up and alternating fabrics added. Maybe some sashings. I think I could get 2 quilts for Aussie Heroes with it. I know it's a Xmas design but it also features cars. Who knows what I'll do with it in the end.

We have Mystery Quilt sewing night coming up. It's a fund raiser for charity.

We need 3 colours . This is the start. I. Not sure if I use a white tone on tone (from stash) or go and buy a piece of green. I'll wait and see what my mood takes me to.

Our group has just got a new book in the library.

It's called "MODERN VIEWS with 3-Yard Quilts" by Donna Robertson.

The quilts in this book only use 3 colours (light, medium & dark) and a yard of each to make the size quilt I need for Aussie Heroes. This fabric will be my first make.

Cream tone on tones are always being used.

A lovely red to add the the Xmas stash.

Always loving a bargain.

Bow ties have been made and laid out

I have been working on this quilt for so long I just want to get it done.

The last of the 8.5" blocks sewn until the top is sewn together.

(I might add more)

All the 8.5" & 4.5" blocks on the table to start putting up on the design wall.

The top half laid out up on the wall.

Now to get sewing...

Once I have got all corners sewn I will decide if I want to make it longer..

Plants make a difference

This is where the plants were at when we moved in

Then I decided to pull out the palms. I wasn't happy with them being spikey and reedy looking.

I put in some cute conifers that will stay in the size of the planters.

And just look at the size of the yukkas. 

They have grown wild with us not even watering.

Hopefully they will grow up and shade us of some afternoon sun .

That's the change in 18months

ABC SEWING

Here are Aprils little letters made.

These are the ones I put in the newsletter this month for our members to sew along together.

The top three rows are sewn together

If you want to sew along go and have a look at 

http://temeculaquiltco.blogspot.com.au/search?q=Little+letters&updated-max=2014-09-17T08:00:00-07:00&max-results=20&start=5&by-date=false

Sheryl @ TEMECULA QUILT COMPANY has kindly put the pattern for free.

This quilt is the perfect size for a baby and very easy to make quickly.

Planned out ready for the next blocks to be made.
Not many to go now.

Knitting & crochet with scraps

My diagonal crochet blanket is finished.

EXCEPT 

for all the ends to sew up...

I have done a little more on this Knitted Scrappy square. I still haven't really got the pattern in my head but I will get there. It is a great use of scraps though.

Phyllis has made another laundry bag for AUSSIE HEROES.

They have a fun fabric with playing cards all over them. Perfect for one of the guys.

This brings the total to 57 made.

These tops were made by other members in our patchwork group.

I have "bagged" & quilted all 3. 

All ready to give to the kids..

Charity makes are always fulfilling..

GO GOLDEN YELLOW

Look at this fun ABC fabric I got. It is big enough for the basic LITTLE LETTERS quilts I have been making. I picked it up from spotlight for $2.  I'm not sure if it will fit this one I am doing just now.

It is yellow/gold month over at Angela's  So Scrappy. RSC18.

http://superscrappy.blogspot.com.au

I have been working on my 8" 3d Bow Tie blocks.

I need about 44 of these blocks to make my quilt square. Then I will decide if I want it into a rectangular shape. I have 18 made now..

Placemats are done

I was sewing along last night with others in cyberspace.

I kept working on these trees with scraps of green. They made up lovely placemats.

There was a group sewing day today and I finished off the placemats.

Got them bound in different ways.

The lighting from the glare made the photos hazy.

I followed this YouTube tutorial.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Bfv1_vbrJB4

Here they are finished and I'm happy to say I really like the rolled over edge where the borders end up @ 1.25". After quilting the backing was cut at 2.5" larger than the actual placemat.

The edges turned and sewed. I'm really happy with how they look. I'm sure the recipients will love them too.

And here is the reason for blurry photos...
https://jobutterfield.blogspot.com.au/2018/04/blurry-photos.html

I'm linking up with Val and her Tuesday Archives with PLACEMATS.
http://myplvl.blogspot.com.au/2018/04/hello-hello-and-happy-tuesday-archives.html

Happy Scrappy knitting time.

I've been doing a little bit of knitting lately. My mum use to knit this pattern and make lots of gifts for everyone. I thought I did give it a go. It's the sameness as making the Knitted dishcloths but you pick up half the stitches down one edge of the square. These squares measure about 5" so I will need to make a few to get the width I need. I am using left over yarn from my diagonal crochet blankets.  This pattern doesn't require much thinking so is a great pick up & put down design. I have started with 41sts in 8 ply (double knit).

Once I have done the above block I am using the little scraps in this 10 stitch continuous blanket. I couldn't get my head around the written pattern but found a great video tutorial. (Link below). I have had to watch and knit along with the video a few times and will still do so for a few corners but it is becoming easier as I do more corners. The fact I can just use up every little scrap, pick up when ever I want and keep knitting makes me happy. So far a very portable project. I'll see how addictive it gets.

You only need short needles for this project otherwise they just are awkward. My mum was teaching a beginners class years ago and bought these to start the ladies off with. They are actually kids needles. See the happy face. A perfect size and I had them in my collection. Thanks mum. I knew I would use most of your stuff eventually.

10 stitch Spiral Knitting tutorial -- YouTube

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=OwlCdTyq4Zk

note...... I have had a bit of trouble with emails. It seems I am not receiving them all. Please note that if you comment or send an email and I don't answer you it may be because I haven't got it.
Please know I love getting your comments and I do read your blogs. Be patient with me and I hope it all works out..

Not so happy birthday

Today would have been my sons 24th birthday.

This is as happy as I can get.

I don't need to say any thing else other than that... 

IT IS HARD...

AUSSIE HERO LAUNDRY BAGS

Sunraysia Patchwork Friends have been busy..... 

The wonderful girls from the Sunraysia Patchwork Friends have been busy sewing laundry bags for our Rifle Company in Butterworth.... check this out...

They were received in the mail and the Chaplin TROY sends a very big "THANKYOU"

Our first project charity night at the group.

Barb thought she came for a visit that night.

But

She really was a great help. Barb has sewn for Aussie Heroes before and new exactly what to do.

Thankyou you Barb for all your help.

I know you were here for other reasons. Just look at it as a distraction.

Her are all the bags on the table ready to be bagged up and put in the post.

All pegged on the fence ready for photos...

 

 

 

 

This is why we make these bags. To support our service people and remind them we are thinking of them.  Thankyou to the ladies of Sunraysia  Patchwork  Friends for putting in such a great effort with the grand total of 56 bags..
http://aussieheroquilts.blogspot.com.au/2018/03/sunraysia-patchwork-friends-have-been.html

And a message from the Chaplain, TROY....

Can you please pass on a huge thank you to  Jo Butterfield for the great LBs. 

This also goes to the whole group that made them and supported this great cause....