A very old UFO. Sue’s embroidered brown blocks.

 Years ago a lovely friend of mine, Sue, made all these beautiful machine embroidered blocks for me. Well, I have just got around to doing something with them.

I have decided on the sashing I want to do to make a quilt big enough. Maybe a single bed size but it is definitely bigger than a lap quilt.

I have been sewing it together slowly.

Here are all the individual blocks. They are very cute. Sorry that some are blurry.

Aren’t all the embroideries so cute…

Well, I was away on retreat in November and I worked on them some more.

Look at it now. The top is complete.

Thank you so much Sue. I do love them and think of you all the time.

Away on retreat at Lake Cullulleraine.

 I was lucky enough to be away on retreat recently with 25 ladies from our quilt group. We went from Thursday to Sunday and I had a great time.

It was very productive. Unfortunately I didn’t get many photos so they will be posted about when I get some work back.

No. 1…..  Machining on the binding to this panel charity quilt for someone else to hand stitch down. 

No. 2….. Putting on the binding onto this cute baby quilt which will be gifted in March next year.

No. 3….. Assembling all my embroidered blocks, attaching sashings… Done. another post to come.

No. 4 & 5….. Group blocks made and assembled into not 1 but 2 great scrap quilts. These are now with others for quilting. Will do a post with them when the binding is finished.

No. 6….. More embroidered quilt blocks made by my friend Sue. These are sunflowers. I have got them out of the old packed away boxes to get them done. I’m so glad the pattern was with them as I had no idea what I was up to. All the pieces are cut except the navy. They only thing was the navy fabric wasn’t with them. So I have to go searching so I can get it finished.

No. 7….. After lunch on Sunday I just sat and put through a heap of scraps through the go cutter and cut piles of 2” strips. I have another idea for a scrap quilt and this will also include string block. More on this project later.

I have not unpacked any of my things and I have been home for 10 days now.

It was a great time and I even stopped by and joined in Chooky’s zoom for a little while. Not long though. I had to go and eat breakfast otherwise I would miss out.

Oh WOW it’s March and I need to do a big update.......

 I have done so much since my last post. Sewing, going away, celebrating a birthday, an anniversary, going on a quilting retreat. Oh I have been busy. I have done some sewing, completed a quilt, joined a panel swap. WOW, where to start.

Maybe I will start at the first Friday in March...

https://stitchingcubbyhole.blogspot.com/2021/03/a-bit-of-this.html 

Well I was away with 22 women on a fantastic sewing retreat. The first one in over a year due to COVID..

Look at the view of Tranquil Waters at Lake Cullulleraine 45 minutes from Mildura.

We were well looked after. No cooking or cleaning was needed. 

We enjoyed Chicken mingions, roast beef & pork, stuffed baked potatoes, chicken kebabs & rice, home made pizzas, lasagne, cooked bacon,eggs,mushrooms &beans for breakfast. Of course we had desserts... cheesecake, pavlova, fruit salad, cream, ice cream, fresh fruit and cream. We didn’t need to worry about going hungry. This is a new owner just before COVID hit. It is the local caravan park that people take their boats out, camp, swim and relax. The new owners have started a cafe so you can get coffee, take away meals from 12-8pm. They have space for birthday parties. Actually, while we were there, a one year old party was happening with 110 people. They even bought some cake over to us to enjoy. Luckily it was my birthday so I got to celebrate with cake. Now for some sewing.

I saw this picture on Pinterest and wanted to give it a go..

I liked the idea of scraps in Red, White & Blue.

So I started here. These blocks were cutout earlier with my new go cutter...

Making progress.

Keeping in mind this was the first night of the retreat. I worked all day, hubby took me out, I unpacked, got fed, started sewing

And I got all the blocks made.

Next morning I got the top joined together. It’s taken home to work out if I want it bigger or do I just want borders added.

The Friday night was my anniversary too. Hubby was understanding as we are going away for a few days next week. That will be the next post...

Now, on to more sewing...

I made some growth on my scrap blocks. These strips were given to me and I couldn’t let them go to waste. They were cut into 1 1/2” strips. I got these done on the Saturday- 10 blocks

Then on the Sunday I continued and got a few more done.

Add these to the ones I have at home. Here they are now. I still need a few more...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME. What better way to celebrate than with like minded friends, sewing away and not having to cook. Of course I had a drink too.

Now on to Monday. INTERNATIONAL WOMENS DAY.

This was our sewing room set up. With our eating tables in the centre. 

Sharing the space with women I didn’t know, sharing ideas and making friends.

What was I working on.

Of course it had to be my INTERNATIONAL SISTERS blocks. And the fabrics I chose to sew with were sent to me from Preeti. Preeti drafted her own pattern from a block she saw and the quilting world has gone crazy.. https://sewpreetiquilts.blogspot.com/2019/05/international-sister-block.html 

I mad a little error on some of the hands but they are still ok as everyone is different. The hands were sewn to the sleeve fabric instead of the background fabric. They are now just shorter arms. It is ok...

Happy INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S, SISTER’S, BIRTHDAY & ANNIVERSARY DAY TO ALL..

I came home after a great weekend. Unpacked the car, repacked the car and the following morning went away for a few days to the Barossa Valley South Australia with my hubby to celebrate our Anniversary.

Mystery top is done..

I had this top started at our mystery night but noticed 2 blocks were around the wrong way. Yep, upside down. It went in the cupboard until retreat time. So while at retreat I decided to unpick and get it back on track.

All resend and now for the borders.

I got this top finished as well....

Overall it was a very productive and fun weekend.

I got 3 tops finished and a box of scraps cut into strips.

I also made a pair of slacks. Yet to be finished... Just need elastic and hems sewing up.