Weekend Bliss

Monday 25th June 2012

We had a quiet weekend this time round.  Ron had to work on Saturday :(  This will be the norm around here for awhile as he has plenty of work to catch up on.  Such a blessing after a quiet year last year.
We have Em and Dave visit for the weekend again.  One of Emily's requests was, "could she do some baking? " I had no problems with this but as I had been around before while she worked in the kitchen I decided that it would be best for me to retreat to my craft room!  This allowed me to get some long term projects finished.

 First off the rank was this mini quilt I started years ago.  From memory it was a freebie off the Internet but I can't remember where?  It depicts Noah and his animals for the ark.  These are really small blocks and after doing all the embroidery and piecing it sat in my cupboard, basting done and everything.  All I had to do was quilt and bind.  The quilting was done and binding sewn on but I just lacked the motivation to hand stitch the binding down at the back.  Saying that it did get done and is now hanging on my wall until it can find a home somewhere else.  Maybe a special gift for someone!

Then it was on to a bag I had started and just had to put the handles on.  My collection is slowly growing but I still can't decide how I am going to sell them.  Online (etsy or ebay), local markets or maybe a morning tea at home?  I just can't decide.  In the meantime it gives me the opportunity to increase my stock.

I love this bright fabric and wish I had bought more of it.  The handles were attached by making button holes in the top of the bag and threading the handles through.  I then secured the handles with a zig-zag stitch and put bright buttons on for a bit of fun.

I eventually ventured out from my sewing to make some lunch and was confronted by ALL of my bench tops covered in cooking paraphernalia and chocolate everywhere.  She did a marvelous job though as she made a cheese ball, coffee biscuits for her father muffins, and a chocolate cake and slice, which she shared with us.  She also did a great job cleaning up all the mess and left my kitchen in nearly the state it was in before she started.  (I was still finding chocolate smeared around after she went home!)

I have always loved the look of penny rugs and amazed at their story so I thought I would make a modern version of my own.  As I have enough "things" in my house I choose bright felts keeping Emily in mind.  (She loves bright colours.)  I was a bit concerned she wouldn't like it but needn't have worried.

This is my version of a penny rug.

A close up of the design.
I have something in mind for Bec also but will have to wait to make it and give it to her before I can show you a picture.

The weather is really chilly and wet, not good for Ron's work or the vegetables.  We are still getting handfuls of beans and now the peas have started.  I love being able to put food on the table that we have grown ourselves.  The zucchini had slowed down dramatically but are now starting to produce flowers in abundance.  They are struggling with powdery mildew at the moment, so once the rain clears later in the week I shall have a go at removing some of the older leaves and spraying the others with 50:50 milk and water mix.  This is supposed to help, so I'll give it a go.

Snow peas and purple beans.  The beans change to green once they have been cooked.

Take care (and stay warm)
Andrea

Quilts

Wednesday 30th May 2012

Nothing much happening around here today.  I had computer troubles and by the time my technician had come and gone and then I realized he had removed my picture editing program (now reinstalled) time has gone nowhere.

I did get around to giving the caravan a clean and half making the bed in there (we hope to visit Em this weekend) which led me to putting this on the bed.....

This quilt was made in 2009, using some embroidery designs by Leanne Beasley.  I had the panels laying around and then put them all into a quilt.  The quilt was designed by me using a variety of fabrics including some Debbie Mumm.

 Here are a few of the blocks I made to go into the quilt.

 The quilt below was from a pattern on the Internet.  I can't remember the name of the site, but once a month you were given instructions on how to make a certain block and at the end of the time you were shown what the quilt looked like.  A lovely surprise.  I love the contrast of the bright pink and softer green and yellow in this quilt.

 This quilt was one of the first ones I ever made.  I cringe when I look at it now, but that is how you learn.  The embroidery pictures (all but the centre one) were drawn by a good friend of mine.

 This quilt is more a wall hanging.  I made it when I was involved with a craft group and it was a mystery quilt.  We were given six envelopes and you had to make a block using the items (if there were any) and instructions for that envelope.  The first one was a nursery rhyme, second - nine patch, third - using fabric contained in the envelope, fourth - favourite thing (s), fifth - small, sixth - from the garden.  Mine had a common theme in the ladybugs that are found in each block.

 This again was one of the very first quilts I did and had a go at quilting myself.  Nothing extravagant just some pretty fabrics.  I made one of these for my sister also.

 This quilt is unfinished.  I have put the top together but have yet to back and quilt it.  This is the first quilt I have done with alot of applique in it.  It took me ages!

 The two photos below are a couple of the blocks from this quilt.

Quilting is such a time consuming craft but really worth it in the end when you have something beautiful to show for ALL the hours you put into it.

I hope you enjoyed looking at some of my past projects, and just to think I have more to show yet!

Take care

Andrea

Lady Bugs

Friday 25th May 2012

I have been trying to build up a gift stash.  Somewhere to go to get a gift at the last minute.  Hopefully all handmade also.  This has seen me cruising the Internet to get inspiration.  I came up with a cute idea that is reasonably quick to make, doesn't use heaps of material and should easily fit in a standard size envelope so is cheap and easy to post.

It is a cute little key holder.  Can you see the key ring hanging out the bottom?

Here it is with keys attached and when you pull on the leaves at the ladybugs mouth the keys go into the body.

This helps to prevent them from rattling around in your bag and marking everything, and because the red wings are so bright she should be easy to find in my handbag.

When I showed hubby he said it looks good, but he doesn't have to have one does he?  I told him YES and I was going to make a fish one for him!  LOL.  Seriously, that is a good idea though so I might have a go at one of those later!  Stay tuned.  There will be more of these to come!

After posting about my quilts the other day, I went searching for some blocks I had been working on more than two years ago.  For some reason I thought I had finished more than one block!

Feathered Friends quilt by Cinderberry Stitches



When I picked up the second one - nowhere close to finished - I realized why I had put it away.  My eyes just don't see as well as they used to so hand embroidery has to be something I do during the day and leave the crocheting to night when I don't need such good light.

I am excited to be back stitching again!

This quilt is by a very talented Australian lady called Natalie Lymer from Cinderberry Stitches.  She does such whimsical designs.  I have one block down and eight to go and then the border!  Plenty of work ahead of me.

While I was digging around in my fabric yesterday I also came across a bundle of fabric that I bought to do another quilt with and a packet of stuff that I have started doing a paper pieced quilt with.  When I dug out these blocks I found another two (oh my goodness) quilts that are only partly finished!!!  All of this work in progress.  I really need to stop finding new projects and start finishing ones I have already started!  I'd better get to it!

Take care
Andrea

Previous Patchwork

One of my favourite things is patchwork.  I love getting the beautiful fabric together and waiting for inspiration to hit.  I haven't done any patchwork for awhile, but hope to change that soon, as it is something that isn't easy to work on and you need plenty of space.  I simply didn't have enough time when I was working.  I have one quilt top finished waiting to be backed and quilted and another that I have started the second block on, but it will take awhile as it has a lot of hand embroidery and applique.  I will get back to it one day soon I hope!

In the meantime I have found some photos of some quilts I have made in the past.  This is just a sample of some of my quilts.  I have plenty more!

The above quilt is one I made for Emily.  It is a double bed size and as you can tell by the fabric it is all horse material.  Emily is horse crazy and we had been saving bits and pieces of fabric over quite a few years to eventually make her a quilt.  Another stipulation was there could be limited lighter colour fabric as she wasn't known for being very clean at the time and I was worried about having to constantly wash the quilt.  The design for this is called Hidden Star.  She still uses the quilt today!

This is a quilt I made for my bed.  At the time I was going through a floral stage.  This is a huge quilt as my bed is a queen and this quilt hangs nearly to the floor.  There is a needle turn applique heart wreath in the centre.  No doubt this quilt will probably end up on our bed again one day.

This is a wall hanging I made for my parents for Christmas one year.  My father loves gardens and I wanted to show that in a quilt.  All of the embroidery and applique has been done by hand and the design of the quilt is my own.  The embroidery patterns were given to me by a friend so I can't tell you who designed them.  If you know please leave a comment.  My parents have since moved house but now have this hanging on the wall of their new home.

I am working on a birthday present for my nephew who turns 5 in June, so hopefully I will have some photos to show soon.

Take care
Andrea