Happy Australia Day and FNSI

Wishing all my Aussie Friends a Happy Australia Day as we celebrate our wonderful nation. Despite its extremes I would not like to live anywhere else.

Last night's FNSI resulted in 2 of the chair bags being made, and half the binding sewn down on the quilt - I was somewhat distracted by the tennis, so progress was slower.

The boys took home their quilts on Thursday night.

Charlie with his Toy Story one

Kai with Batman

There was something very interesting on tv and they were not going to look at the camera.  But they also were not letting go of their quilts.   They headed home to put them on their beds.

Fantastic efforts today

I'm doing my best to be organised this year.  What with finishing UFOs, Birthday stash, and 1 Christmas Item a Month, there is no excuse for being disorganised, but we will see how things are at the end of the year.  It will be good to look back over the year and see what I have achieved.

This is my first time of being involved in 1 Christmas Item a Month, organised by Narelle at Pins and Whiskers.  My first item of the year, which also happens to be a UFO, is a Christmas table runner.  I had hoped to have it finished for Christmas 2012, but it didnt happen, so it became my first goal for a Christmas Item for January.

I was given a fat 8th bundle of blue and white Christmas fabrics while in UK in October, and have used some of it to make this table runner  - so this year I will be able to gift it to someone special.  I will be able to make another project with the rest of the bundle.

Edit:

The pieces were cut to make a different project, which after I started, I knew wasnt going to turn out right, so I rearranged the pieces and made this design.  The colours show more contrast in daylight, rather than in a photo.

Every year Sew This and That, our LQS, organises a sewing day to make breast cancer bags and pillows.  Throughout the day there were so many people coming to help cut, sew, press, and finish off the bags and pillows.  My friend and I stayed for both the morning and afternoon sessions.  This year we managed to produce a record number of finished bags and pillows - 157 of each.  (a small number of those were made beforehand by people who were unable to come on the day.)  Even so, it was a brilliant day, and we were very pleased with our results.

Now to organise myself for Friday Night Sew In.  Tonight I am going to make chair bags for some "back to school" children.  I also have a quilt binding to finish if I finish the chair bags quickly enough.

FNSI 2013

This week sees the first Friday Night Sew in for 2013.  Looking forward to joining all who are coming along to the Sew In.  Visit Heidi and Bobbi to sign up.

See you there.

My weekend finishes, and meet my Daughter.

These hot days are good for producing lots of sewing finishes.  Too hot to work outside, too hot to do much else.  Even so my sewing room was at 35 degrees C both days so that is still a bit hot.  The fan helps though.

My first finish was Kai's Batman quilt.  He is at the age where Superheroes Rule.  He saw the quilt in my sewing room last week.  As he walked past he said very quietly "I like Batman - and Scooby Do".  He doesnt know the quilt is for him yet.  I think he will be happy.

 The next finish was this table topper, also a UFO from early last year. The paper pieced border was Fee's project for our Stitching Day at Lets Get Stitched last year.  I used the same border on my table topper - I had some of the fabrics from that range of fabrics.

Fee's gorgeous project from the day, Plant a Pot of Friendship  has recently been published in Australian Country Threads.  You can read about it here,

I also made these 2 needlecases using Fiona's tutorial.  I have had this small Debbie Mumm panel for years - it was quite small and at various times I pulled it out to make a cushion, but it didnt seem to suit what I wanted.  But cut up for needlecases was the perfect use for it.  Thank you Fiona for your tutorial.

These have been added to my birthday love stash.

As well as that I have pieced and prepared for quilting, a floor quilt for a Grandie.  Pics when it is finished.

And just for Fiona - see you did tempt me too much - my first block of Scrappy Trip around the World.

I really like this,but thought I couldnt (shouldnt) start yet another project.  Fiona suggested I just start putting aside the strips ready to make it one day.  I started doing that but when I got to 6 (the number needed for one block) I just had to stitch it.  Of course I did.  But I think it will be a long term project, and on next year's UFO list.

I would love you to meet my daughter.  She has just started her blog   which will document the adventures of a City Girl gone Country, life on the property, her loves and interests, and of course my 2 gorgeous Grandies, Harry and Vicki.

 Best of all, she is coming to visit this weekend - with my Grandies of course.  YAY.

Tribute to our Firies

We in Australia  have a lot to be thankful for with the work of our Firies.

Last night this was the scene on the property of my daughter and son in law.

This was started by lightning, and was about 700 metres from their house.

The Firies and neighbouring property owners were there quickly and through their hard work, the fire was brought under control and danger averted.  They then went off to fight two fires on neighbouring properties.

The power guys were there shortly after to take care of wires on the ground and to hook up power again temporarily until they could be out and replace the offending power pole (where the fire started) this morning.

                                     
This is the third fire started by lightning, on their property this summer.  Each time the firies and neighbours have been there to help.  And my Son in Law naturally helps fight the fires on other properties too.

These same guys at Christmas took the time to bring Santa to the kids on the properties in the area.

This is just one rural area.  When you multiply this work all around Australia, especially with the number of fires at this time, it is an unimaginable contribution to the whole of the Australian community.

Vicki's quilt and Birthday stash

Vicki now has a quilt.  She is 6 month old already, been in her cot for probably 3 months, and now she will have a quilt in it, or to play on the floor, whatever she would like to do with it.  I started this quilt around the time she was born.  It is another finish for the Sew Its Finished blog.

I had this backing fabric in my stash.  It has little hearts on it, and matches quite well.

Such a happy girl.

As well as working on UFOs I have started stashing away some goodies into my Birthday Love Stash.  It is only a little start, but not many birthdays on the horizon - at least until March, so that gives me time to build on it.  You can go to Wendy's blog to read about her brilliant idea to help us be ready for those birthdays that seem to sneak up on us, and so we can have handmade gifts at the ready.

So far I have made the little purse from the tutorial Wendy linked to, a small diary cover, and a mug rug.
The mug rug is another finished UFO.  I made the top of it for a gift to match with a mug  but I couldnt get a  mug with green spots on it, so I started again with a different colour.  That is another project gone from my UFO container.

Now to start thinking about what to make for my next additions to the birthday love stash.

But  I will need to find a bigger stash box - if only this one was a bit bigger, it would be perfect.  (Or if I make mini sized gifts).

What else could I do?

Very hot days + air conditioning = lots of time sewing, resulting in good progress on some projects and some finishes.
My Market Day Wallet is finished

I finished this quilt as well.

I started this quilt in a class, "Fun with Precuts" at Sew This and That in 2010.  I did quite a bit of the top in the class, then was a bit unsure how to finish it off.  I finished off the top mid last year.  I had a voucher to have it quilted professionally, but between the quilter's schedule and my being away it took until early December to have it in to be quilted.  It now has its binding on and is completely finished.

 This is a beautiful range of fabrics, "Bliss" by Bonnie and Camille (Moda).  I started with a layer cake, charm packs and some yardage - which I used for my sashings, and the border. From that I have 2 quilts (when the other is finished).  This quilt is 70 inches square.

I have also pinned 3 more quilts and a wall hanging.  I guess I will be spending a bit of time quilting this week.

What has been happening this week?

It has been a bit of a quiet week as I have been "resting" my foot as much as possible.

However we have been here

 

 Even having seen the stage production I still thoroughly enjoyed the movie.  Ann Hathaway was amazing, as was Hugh Jackman.  It definitely is one of those movies that needs a big screen, as it is so powerful.  Though mind you, I will be keen to buy the DVD when it is available.

Yesterday the smoke from the bushfire on Bribie Island drifted over our way.  It was moving amazingly fast up there.  If I had taken another photo 10 minutes later it would have been off the edge of this photo.  

I have made 3 thread catchers, one of the Stitch-a-long projects for this month.  These are quite addictive - not many people have stopped at one.  I think they breed overnight.

And my first UFO finish for the year was this little project which has been languishing in the cupboard for about 10 years.  Dont ask me why - I dont know why it didnt get done earlier.   

Our older son is a qualified windsurfing instructor - well he was qualified and instructing about 10 years ago.  Nowadays he rarely gets the chance to go out, but did while on his holiday this week.  He can still do this.

And even a lot  bit of this.

Painful FNWF

Well, last night was my first Friday Night with Friends.  Early in the night I went walking into our bedroom without turning on the light, and stubbed my toe badly on a chair which isnt usually there.  It is so painful but…

If I wasnt signed to do FNWF I think I would have been in a sad and sorry crumpled heap of misery. But I couldnt do that, so I gritted my teeth, suffered the pain , and carried on like a trooper.  Here is the end result of my painful night.

 

All the pieces cut, and the applique pieces in place.  Now to stitch them down. 

In spite of my “terrible” injury, it was a very productive night.  I had forgotten how long it takes to prepare applique with such little pieces.

And thank you Cheryl for organising our very wonderful FNWF.  It is such fun.

My toe is badly bruised, swollen and a bit painful to walk around, but not as bad as it was last night. 

I wonder if Harry will share?  No I dont think so.

FNWF

Tonight I am able to join in FNWF for the first time.  It will be wonderful stitching along with other bloggy friends. It is not too late to join in , just click on the link to sign up.

Tonight I am going to work on another UFO – one that didnt get onto my long list.  Last year at the Mad Quilters Gathering I bought a pattern – Market Day Wallet from the Birdhouse, and a small pack of fabrics. I started working on it, but then it went into the container – until today.

So this is what I am working with – plus I will probably need a couple of other scrappy pieces.

I wonder how far I will get tonight. 

Another generation of creative kids?  Kai and Charlie enjoy their crafty activities.

Thinking of those in Tasmania with the dreadful bushfires and extreme heat.  Keep safe. Please, no more loss of life.