It’s been a month and what have I done?

Yes, the title says it all.

My last post was a month ago. It isn’t because I haven’t done anything but my motivation is lacking. I have been reading posts but not doing any myself. So her is a long overview of what I have been up to. There might be some more posts about a few things if I feel up to it.

First up back in July I went down to Melbourne and caught up with some friends to see the stage show 9-5. It was great but the the sound wasn’t quite right.

Over the next 2 days I attended the Melbourne Quilt & Craft fair. It was wonderful and I did a bit of cash damage.

 

It was good to see this Sashiko quilt because it is the one I did a class on a quilting cruise with Jane MacDonald. I have not done much of it but I think it is time to get this of the shelf. I think I have most of the hexies done.

A little while later, when hubby returned from his around Australia trip, we headed back to the Macedon Ranges for a weeks break together. We caught up with a great friend and enjoyed the day together. We had lunch at The Top of the Range Cafe, a very special place for us, did the tourist walk through Kyneton and did a drive by of the filming and building sites in Gisborne for the the tv show THE BLOCK.

The main reason for the break was for me to attend the Kilmore Kwilters 25th Anniversary luncheon. I was part of this group for many years before I moved away. It was fantastic to see them all again.

I then spent a sewing day with the Gisborne group but forgot to get a photo. I do miss those Mondays. The week had come to an end and the locals came out by our cabin to say good bye. They were very happy grazing in the morning while we packed up our car and headed home.

On the sewing front I have done very little. I have been working on placemats for charity. We make them for Sun Assist to give to meals on wheels recipients at Christmas time. We have now made about 60 but would like another 100 by end of November. I am not sure we will end up with that many though. The girls are getting a bit burnt out. I haven’t got a photo of them all but here are some in progress.

Then I tried to crochet a little beanie. It didn’t take long but the yarn isn’t very soft.

Next I knitted 2 little snuggle bunnies. I am yet to fill the head and embroider the faces. My concentration span hasn’t been great of late.

I have now found a great ginger biscuit that my hubby likes so I have to make a batch every weekend. They are full of spice and real ginger chunks. I bake them a little longer as he likes the darker colour and them being hard. Better to have with coffee. The batch makes about 36 small biscuits.

Ingredients

• 200 g plain flour
• 2 tablespoon dry ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda (bicarb)
• 115 g Butter
• 115 g castor sugar
• 30 g golden syrup
• 250 g uncrystallised ginger diced

Preparation steps

1. Preheat oven to 170 deg
2. Place 200 g plain flour, 2 tablespoon dry ginger and 1/2 teaspoon baking soda (bicarb) in bowl and mix 
3. Set aside.
4. Cream together 115 g castor sugar & 115 g Butter then add 30 g golden syrup and mix. 
5. Add 150g - 250g uncrystallised ginger diced (to your liking)
6. Add flour mix. Beat until mixed.
7. Roll teaspoon of mix into a ball and flatten with your hand. Bake in 170' preheated oven for 12-15 minutes. I check mine from about 14 minutes so they don’t burn and they turn out hard and crunchy.    Cookies will harden on cooling.

We also love these Parmesan crisps and as my brother was coming for a visit I made some for our snack.

I sent him on his trip with a batch too.

So that’s about it. Yesterday at my sewing group I actually got out a ufo which is about 8 years old and worked on it. When I unpack that bag I will take some photos and do a post. Today I am going to do some hand hexie work. ( these are nearly finished too).

Have a great week every one.

My Classic Movie Challenge

I am all set to hand in my movie challenge.
I have finished the top and am happy with it.
I have even included the words to Return to Sender by Elvis Presley.. it was one of my mums favourites
I struggled with the last month as I couldn't make up my mind. In the end I went with my original idea .. National Velvet.. thinking horses and winning and regal/royal. I decided on Grandmas Braid. In Red, white and blue. The red and blue are actually Velvet fabric too. The way I did the colours create the bottom border.

 You can see the envelopes with a letter inside & some with the message.. Return to Sender.

Now for it quilted and bound.
I haven't taken a photo yet but will some of all the other entries and do a post next week..
I can't wait to see all the other entries..

Dear Janes....

Kilmore Dear Jane blocks for over the Xmas break. We only had to do 4 which was good. I was so busy and it was extremely hot here. I have mine finished on time with days to spare before we get the next lot to do. I am loving using up my brown scraps on this quilt.

I foundation pieced this block. The only thing I don't like about this technique is removing the paper.

Block G4

A fun little basket

Block J12

Back to some small piecing

Block E8

Now for some hand appliqué.

Block D8

Kilmores November Challenge is on track.

In my Kilmore quilting group we are doing a challenge over the year. We are up to block/month 6. This month we have to make a block that represents planes, trains and automobiles in a Classic Movie theme.... CHALLENGING.

Keeping in mind this is a mystery. 10 months and not knowing what is coming next. I am trying to keep a kids quilt going so I have to keep it fun..... so far it is a Girls quilt. 

Month 6 is here. Time tone it down a bit...... one for the boys....

My choice is HERBIE, the LOVE BUG, no 53.

HERBIE in the making

  The love bug, with his stripes and the checkered flag row.

HERBIE, The Love Bug, no 53

My challenge quilt so far

Month ... my envelopes/letters have changed to the Elvis movie GIRLS, GIRLS, GIRLS.
The song I love in it is RETURN TO SENDER, ADDRESS UNKNOWN.
Month.... cats. This changed so many times. It was the row I did for the musical month but was told it wasn't a movie but a stage play so thinking caps on..... A later month came up. DISNEY.... Perfect. I then chose the ARISTOCATS. All I need to do is add a cat popping out of one seam. There were 10 in the movie.
That means I had a space for a musical.... so I chose the WIZARD OF OZ.... I'm sure you can find the row... Dorothy's shoes, yellow brick road, rainbows and a house floating away in the storm...
We had a special year choice.... so here came MARY POPPINS.
Then the last to talk about is the Australian/Victorian movie.... PICNIC AT HANGING ROCK...

Don't forget to think Classsic Movies.
I hope I have chosen well.

Kilmores monthly movie row by row SAL

Kilmore Quilters are doing a monthly row by row mystery sew a long. Only join in if you want to. No hard rules. Make any size you want. I got off to a late start with my foot injuries and moving. I have caught up ... well nearly, anyway. I have prepared all my blocks/rows and just need to do the appliqué stitching. This will be done by machine...

They are all to be movie titles. Try for classic movies.

The months and the themes as well as my choices are as follows...

1.... Classic Musical.... This row has been scrapped. I am now working on a new design...

2.... A Special Year.... MARY POPPINS

3.... A Romance.... LETTERS TO JULIET

4.... A Melbourne/Australian Movie.... PICNIC AT HANGING ROCK...

I decided to try and keep mine to suit a child's quilt. I wanted to make it fun and colourful. When it's finished I will have a gift for someone.

The start and Month 1.... a Classic Musical.... this idea has been scrapped..

I went for Cats then CATS ON A HOT TIN ROOF. Now am working on a different idea.  I just thought they were fun. There are 9 of them for cats have 9 lives. Are you superstitious.... and they are all scrappy which is where my patchwork is at the moment. Maybe this block can be used later in the quilt....

1....   CTAS, Cats on a Hot TIN ROOF .... Both ideas scrapped.

******* I was corrected today and told CATS was not a movie but a stage play so I have had to change the name of my choice to CATS ON A HOT TIN ROOF.  Apparently this isn't a musical. So I have got another idea and it is a Classic Musical. WIZARD OF OZ.... What do you all think ??*****

Month 2 is all about a special year. Any year for any reason.

My year was all about MARY POPPINS.

It's a fun happy movie.

The design is a bit pale but once I satin stitch them it will make a big difference

2... Mary Poppins

Month 3 was a Romance movie.

LETTERS TO JULIET was my idea. I love this movie. As I had received some fabric postcards I thought I would add them too.

3...   Letters to Juliet
I made my blocks into envelopes and put in some fabric postcards that have been sent to me.

Month 4 was to be a Classic movie made in Melbourne or at least Australia.

I chose PICNIC AT HANGING ROCK.

4.... Picnic at Hanging Rock

Here they are all laid out together. When all the stitching is done the shapes will stand out better. These rows measure about 32" wide. It will make a good size kids quilt. I will had a border to it once all the rows are done. I can't remember how many months we are doing it for.

4 rows all together.

Pat Stevenson Circle workshop with Kilmore Quilters

Kilmore Quilters organised a sewing workshop day with Pat Stevenson. Pat was teaching us how yo sew CIRCLES. A basic DRUNKARDS PATH block. 

There are so many ways this block can go together. We made 4" & 8" blocks....

Pat showing us her beautiful quilts.
The class at work photo.
Pat sewing a block and using the high tech tool. A wooden skewer

Look at all the beautiful quilting

Pat's drunkards path quilt

Andrea and her block in deep talk with Rosie

The work of Diane, Fay & Heather

I did actually do some sewing...
I got my top sewing together but it is still packed in the car

Life keeps going

I have had some happy mail to boost my spirits in amongst all the nice emails and texts to keep me sane..
Thanks everyone.
I got this from Molli.
MOLLI SPARKLES and he makes everyone sparkle. It makes me feel happy to get this Molli at a time I really need a smile. THANKYOU..

Molli's Badge

Then I opened a letter and it was from my friends at Kilmore Quilters. Thanks ladies.

Thanks ladies. You are a special group.

It really is a great card. It even has the pattern inside. This is a special thought. THANKYOU ladies..

AND I HAVE FINISHED THIS GREAT KIDS QUILT FOR SOME ONE SPECIAL.
HAPPY EASTER...

From your Uncle Ricky

My DEAR JANE blocks are up to date

yep that's right. I have done my first months blocks before the monthly meeting.
I AM ON TIME... YIPPEEEEE
I am doing my blocks in a cream tone on tone background. (Scraps), and all beige and brown contrasts... Whatever happens will be....

A 6.... DEAR JANE

D 6...... DEAR JANE

J 4.... DEAR JANE

B 1.... DEAR JANE

My FRIDAY SEWING

I have had a good, hot, long day sewing with friends. Actually it was with the Kilmore Quilters all day sit n sew. 10am-10pm..

I didn't know what to take with me to work on. I go into my workroom and have a look around. I grabbed a box with a long time UFO in it. There were parts of 3 projects using the same fabrics. All the fabric is in there. Enough for borders, backing and binding. All the blocks had been done. I just had to work out how to put it all together.

How do I make a quilt with these

There were crossroads to Jehrico blocks originally made when I was in the Sunbury group. Each block was made by a member in the group. As with any group project all the blocks turn out different sizes. Once trimmed square there was 1/2" difference btween them. I added purple borders to them to make them up to 12" blocks.

The smaller blocks were from an online SAL...  I added corner triangles in the background fabric to the blocks to make them up to size.

Blocks all measure 12" now

and then there were the filler blocks. Hour glass and half square triangles.

I got them all to fit together and I am so happy with it.

Blocks joined with the filler blocks

Then I got the borders added.

Ready for quilting

On Monday I will get it basted ready for quilting..

This is also a project on my UFO resolutions list...

I got to it sooner than expected but I do have a special person in mind to give it too.

MORE QUILT SHOW PHOTOS

Here are some more.

Once again SORRY about the quality. My phone isn't that good. 

BUT

If you are are able drop in and have a look.

It is a great display