Saturday 13 November 2021

Hi everyone. I’m still here

 You will need a drink, coffee or wine, whichever you choose, enjoy the following. 

This is a catch up of what I have been doing. There will be lots of photos from the last couple of weeks all in no particular order. I can’t believe that we have been in lockdown, restricted movements and I still can’t keep up with blogging. My motivation is low but hopefully with some nicer weather this may improve.

I have loads of ideas, plenty of UFO’s, projects planned and no need to shop. I have everything to make them. The fabric & time but no oomph.

It needs to change. ANYWAY, here is something to report.


Here is my finished bell with another one I was gifted. It was easy to make. And didn’t really take long. 


My friend came over to choose fabrics for masks for the kids to go back to school but you couldn’t see my sewing table, sewing room or move anywhere so a clean up was necessary. This is it now..


Now I can start to sew again. Making some masks for a work friend and her children. Kids are back to school but must wear a mask. This family wants fun ones to enjoy. 
This is what they chose.


Here are the finished masks for the kids to go back to school. She liked them so much that I need to make another rainbow stripe for her.

You all remember the panel, Australian animals, I sent to the USA for the swap I was in. Well, here we are on a public holiday, MELBOURNE CUP DAY, I get a knock at the door and it was a delivery. A parcel from the USA. Excitement set in. I was amazed when this parcel arrived. LOOK AT THAT COST. Just ridiculous. I was so shocked and thrilled at the same time. I raced in and opened it straight away.


Look at the beautiful panel I received from Mona. Thank you. It is perfect and I am a purple fan.
I will make this into a quillow and use it when I am watching tv. If I line the pocket part with polar fleece I can use this as a pocket to keep my feet warm. It is the perfect size.


I also took part in their FALL/AUTUMN mug rug swap. I don’t like doing just square items so I change them a little bit. I saw this design on the end of a table runner and thought it was perfect. I’m so happy with how it worked out. 


This is the beautiful mug rug I received.
 Looks like we were thinking along the same lines. How fun is this.


This is the fat 1/4 I won from QATW for a visit and comment I made on one of their posts. Lucky me. This will definitely get used.


We have been meeting up in the park for our sewing group. It is hard to sew in a camp chair without a little help. I bought this bed tray years ago from an op shop for about $5. It is finally getting some use.


What makes it even more special is I have been using my new zippered placemat with it and it fits perfectly. Now everyone wants to make one.


Even the ducks came for a visit.


Our group has a birthday fat 1/4 gift swap. This is how I packaged mine this month.
Now the year is over I have to find another way to wrap a fat 1/4 that is using something I have at home. I find it hard just to put it in an envelope. Maybe, I could make boxes using my birthday cards they have given me. Oh, that’s a great idea. Problem solved. This just came to me as I was typing so I might just give it a go and post a picture later if the fabric fits in the small box. 


I had a lovely friend come over for the morning. 
Before we got into the planned activity I was notified of a local garage sale. So off we headed. There wasn’t any quilting fabric like we expected but we both managed to purchase something.
My friend bought some pieces of vinyl which she uses in her pin cushions and I bought these. Some ribbons/braids, felt, bias making bars. I already have the Templar plastic ones but another set wouldn’t hurt. Also got some more zips. These are always handy for when I make bags of all sizes or the new style zippered placemats. All this for only $5.00. 
A real bargain.


Back home now for the purpose of the visit.

My friend brought her die for me to cut out heaps of hexies. 
A start on a new project. 
Why do I keep starting them… 
She was amazing and I appreciate her time and help. Now to sew them


Papers and fabrics are all cut for my future project.


I am organised and have some hand stitching to take to my sewing meeting nights or even zoom, Chooky, for quite a while.


So this is where I’m at. Hexie sewing. Who would have believed it. Gotta start somewhere.
I can say that I will not be making a quilt with these and will never in the future. 
This is not me!
Good on you all for your EPP sewing. It is amazing and I appreciate your work.  
Enjoy it and happy sewing.


18 comments:

Dotti in CT said...

How did you fold those. Fat quarters. So neat. They look oriental. Good luck with your hexes.

Maria said...

Great catch up post Jo …
Boy now I understand why my US friends say international post is ridiculous !
But your panel swap is gorgeous…
Love your BD fat 1/4s…
Have fun with those hexies….

Linda said...

I enjoyed reading your long varied post, Jo. So many different things to look at. The postage cost of your lovely parcel from the USA is exorbitant! Such a shame, it puts you off wanting to post anything these days. The bed tray worked well in the park. When I saw the first photo it looked so big I thought it must fit under the bed to hold sheets and pillow cases! Silly me! Love the rainbow masks, they will be a definite hit at school.

Karen's Korner said...

Lots of activity happening at your place. Great job on the face masks and it is nice to have a tidy space to work in....somehow it does not last long once we get going in creative mode. That postage rate brought tears to my eyes. Ouch.

Helen said...

Lovely hexie fabrics the new project will keep you busy. Lots happening there a clean up always helps with new inspiration.

Jenny said...

How exciting to receive the lovely panel in the post. But the price if postage is ridiculous these days. I have a quilty penfriend in USA who used to post me all sorts of interesting things over the years but because of the high postage costs wants us to communicate by email now.

kiwikid said...

Wonderful catch up post Jo, the cost of post from the US is frightening! Lovely swap quilt. Great masks, although I am not sure about the spiders! 🕷🕷 they would appeal to kids though. Enjoy your hexie making 😁

Vireya said...

I found it hard to get any motivation during lockdowns, too.

Well done getting the work table cleared. I need to do the same.

Happy hexie-ing!

QuiltGranma said...

For me, motivation only comes when hubby gets the plumbing project off the table so I can use it again. We live in an RV, and there just isn't much room.

Janet O. said...

The bells are very pretty.
I enjoy seeing people's sewing spaces.
Last year I made hundreds of masks and I was always happiest making them out of fun fabrics like you did here, but not everyone appreciates them that way. I was surprised at how many people just wanted a plain black one. Boring! LOL
Wow--did Mona send that express?? I know it is expensive to send to and from Australia--I've done it, but that seems high. Bless Mona for sending that to you--it is a beautiful panel! Sounds like you will put it to good use.
Fun mug rugs.
And I like that tray--very useful.
You are very clever in your packaging. I'd like to see the boxes you make from your cards.
Oh, we are kindred spirits where hexies are concerned. It just isn't something I enjoy, no matter how much I like the finished product.

Chookyblue...... said...

OMG YES..............

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we finally infected you..........love you have some EPP on the go now.........Can't wait to see what you do.....what size are they????
You are very creative with your parcel ideas.......

Chookyblue...... said...

and postage is crazy now days....that is making it prohibitive......when I stopped the SSCS during the drought I thought about starting again but postage is getting so hard with the cost and covid added in taking way to long.......

Dorian said...

Hi Jo! I didn't know you had a blog :) You are not on my reading list. I'm so sorry about your son John :(

Those are adorable bells. I love your leaf mugrug, what a cute idea. That panel is lovely too! That's some fun packaging for your fat 1/4 gift swap. Have fun with the hexies, and have a great afternoon!

Janice said...

What a nice newsy post. Also in no particular order...I’m with you with EPP. Small projects, yes, quilts, no way! I’ll leave that for the inspiring ones. Your kit for stitching in the park is perfect. You knew you bought the tray for a reason, and your garage sale haul was a bargain. We went garage sailing on the weekend and I came home empty handed. The masks are nice and fun for school. I love your unicorn quilt. OMG! I thought we were the only ones with horrendous postage costs. The mug rugs are cute too.

loulee said...

Wow, you have been busy.
The little bells are so cute.
Your EPP looks interesting, is that keyrings I see tucked away with your wee hexies. Which look tiny! What are they? half inch? Have fun with them.

jude's page said...

Love your bells and your tray table Jo and i do know first hand about those high postage costs, especially for heavy parcels! 😉😉

Denice Barker said...

Wait - barring cost packages from the U.S. are now allowed in Australia? We are being told still not.

dq said...

There is so much going in in this post that I don't know where to begin. We do that when we don't blog for a spell.
The duck is a cutie, and how about all those neatly organized hexies!!!

The Pumpkin mug rug is so cute.

Looking at the price on that package made me think about how expensive and thoughtful it was for you to send me those hangers. I truly charish them and you. Thanks friend.