It's been a while

 Well, it's been a minute or two since I was on here.  Last time was lockdown in 2020.  Lots of life since then - I managed to get hooked back on stitching.  Those darn Floss Tube makers are to blame. I kept (and keep) finding new tubers and they all have wonderful projects.  And some just have so, so many projects on the go that I decided to try the same.😁  So now I have several on the go.  I must post them here so I can look back and see my progress on them.  Quilting has taken a back seat for years now but I know it will return.  

So for so long I have wanted to do some sparkly, pretty ladies.  So I finally started a Mirabillia.  I'm going to the Miribilia Retreat in Brisbane in 2024 so thought I had better start doing one!

Dressmakers' Daughter

So one week of stitching and one skein of mauve.

Back to Binding

I have always loved binding.   I know that makes me a freak in some peoples eyes, but I just love doing it.  It's not even the fact that the quilt is almost finished.....I think it's just the motion of stitching.  So this quilt got quilted just over a year ago and I attached the binding sometime in the last year.  I tried to sew the binding one night and discovered I couldn't get a thimble on because my nails were too long, so just put it aside.  When lockdown came I cut my nails and two nights ago I remembered the binding not done........so started it and it brought back all the joy of stitching binding.

 

 I have been watching Shanda Stitching in Idaho and she had a video of  her hexies. She mentioned she sewed hers together using ladder stitch so I found a video of that method......so will try it out. So of course that reminded me that I had started (who hasn't!) a hexie years ago.  It's been in the process for about 10 years I think.  About 7 years ago we took a road trip to Victoria and I glue basted lots of them while in the car.  My earlier pieces I cut too small and they are a pain to try and sew, but my later ones are better.  So found the bag of them (which had started to disintegrate it was so old) and will do some once I get the bindings done.

 

My lovely old (rusted) tin that I just can't throw away

 

I think I decided on this layout

 

And look how many I've done !!!!!  Remember 10years

 

 

Frugal Friday.....Oops it Saturday

OK lets call it Stingy Saturday.  I mean every day is Sunday lately.

Everytime I quilt one of my quilts I have off cuts that get stacked on a shelf and every now and then (well sometimes a long time later) I sew the off cuts together and use in a quilt.  I always lay the two pieces side by side overlapping and cut a serpentine line and ladder stitched them together.

 

 So today I decided to quilt one of our charity quilts.  So I decided to get the off cuts out and sew them up. and thought I would try another way to get the wadding together.  Our little sewing group meet on two Tuesdays a month and each year like to make a couple quilts for charity. 

 

Strange this all wool pieces.  So after hunting around I found a box that had the cotton.....and OOPS there was a quilt amongst that pile 

 

So I set about patching the cottons together.  Found a piece, then another, roughly lined up and cut to fit.

Then lay them on top of each other and straightened the edge.

 

 

Then to the machine and zig zag them together.  Do not pull or stretch , just butt them together and sew carefully.

 

Made two lots today so feeling very happy.  Patched one, loaded the quilt and while that quilted I did the second one.  Did have an oopsey and had to cut off and redo.  I didn't worry if they were different content (100% cotton, 80 20 ) as long as the loft was similar.

 

 So very happy with my day.......I now understand how those ladies who live in snowy places get so much done while snowed in......if this lockdown lasts a few months I could run out of fabric!!!!

This is the one I quilted today 

Day 13 Lockdown

Well I haven't got as much done as I had hoped.....but have decided I'm having a bit of a holiday for a little while and as long as I get some stuff done each day it's OK - as long as it doesn't go on for the whole lockdown. (Mind you if I didn't watch Floss Tube till midnight every night I would be better)

Not much progress on my Dirty Words cross stitch but almost there.  Then I can start a new one.  I'm being very good and restrained and won't start till I finish this one (which was started who knows how long ago).  I found three gorgeous ones I can put in the shop and I'm going to start Antique Shoes first.  I've cut the fabric for the three and will try to grid one today or tomorrow in anticipation 😇

 

 

Aren't they just divine!  Can't wait.  They aren't huge so hopefully I'll get a fair bit done.  I remembered today that I had done some others so thought I would put some photos up.  The very first Cross Stitch I did was a Paula Vaughan.  I stitched it all and excitedly showed a friend.....who pointed out I hadn't done any back stitching.  I mean really, what was the point of back stitch?  It look great as it was!  Anyway I did the back stitching and oh it made a HUGE difference.  So now I don't question the back stitch.  I always jump in feet first!  Can't remember the name of it.

Ohio Stars was another.

Sewing room (Can't remember name)

And this one speaks for itself.

Well better get back to it.  Have quilts that need doing.

Lockdown Day 2 - I STARTED

Well here it is Day 2.  I made a roster and kinda stuck to it.......except for the cleaning 😊.  Swapped that out for paperwork - and still not finished, but a put a good dent in it.  Tomorrow's roster will be very much the same.  AND THIS TIME i REALLY WILL CLEAN.

Started Cross Stitch!!!!! YEAH.  Long long time since I did any of that.  See that little bit bottom left?  Well that is what I did.  Not sure how long it took me.  Tomorrow I will start keeping times so I know how long it takes me to do anything.  Took me a little while to get set up.....still cant find my mag glasses so using my stand.......mind you this is the first time that stand has ever been used.  Got it many moons ago.  Doing the method of needle down with point but up from back with eye end.  And it's great.....no twists and tangles.

Lockdown Day 1 - Preparation

Well, it's Day One for me and although we haven't been lockdowned yet I have started.  I put the shop into hibernation yesterday.  Now getting myself organised for a long break.  None of us know how long this will last but I'm going to use the time productively.

I started organising last week.  Got some Cross Stitch charts enlarged, purchased extra threads I didn't have.  Found an old one I never got around to finishing.  The pattern date says 1992!  The fabric has discoloured but I only have one band at the bottom to do so I will finish it.  Cute one called "I Hate Dirty Words" Sure is me, I hate housework and all it entails.
But a clean house is nice 😁

 So many quilts to finish.  So many quilts to make.  So many quilts to quilt.

I intend drawing myself a roster and getting some of each done each day.  So easy to let the days slip by and in six months time I'll moan about how fast it went and how I got nothing done.  I'm thinking 1 hour Cleaning, 1 hour Cross Stitch, 1 hour cleaning, 1 hour Quilting.

This is another I started probably 10 years ago and haven't finished.  Only two trees to do and a little bit on the border.

 Years ago I read Fly Lady  Great tips and motivation.  Follow her and get yourself organised.  In fact I just this minute decided to join again.  That will help keep me on track.  Great motivation when you are getting off track and she has great routines.

A while back a friend.....hmmm a friend (?) told me about Floss Tube.  WOW  it's a You Tube place with lots and lots of people who Cross Stitch.  I'm hooked and watching every night.  A couple I like I have gone back to the beginning of their up loads and watching each one in order.  A couple I like are Carolyn Mazzeo and AZ Needleworker.  Some of these people are so prolific.  Some wonderful work and great tutorials.  I've learnt about parking so can't wait to try that method.

So the new ones I got enlarged are Paula Vaughan patterns.  Yes, yes I know!!!  But it's always nice to start a new pattern......and the Floss Tubers do several in rotation......so I need to try that 😊😊

I have done a couple of Paula's in past years and they are detailed.  But they do have quilts so it combines two great loves.  Besides I have hundreds of Cross Stitch videos and dozens of Quilt videos to watch.

So get off here and start doing!!

PS.  I forgot to mention I also got two Diamond Drill Cross Stitch kits.

As Time Goes By

WOW

I say this every time. Every Single Time.  I cannot believe how much time has gone by.  One post for 2019 and none for 2018.  Life has been pretty full the last couple years and unfortunately it didn't include patchwork or quilting. Nor did it include blogging or even reading blogs, which is a great shame.

But I did start a new quilt today.  Log Cabin is one of my all time favourite blocks and is the one block I can sew when I am totally un-motivated and it will get me back into sewing.  Did some strip cutting today and actually got six blocks done.

Sweet Escape is a gorgeous quilt in Grey's an Navy's by Camille Roskelley.  Simple but beautiful and sure to look lovely on our bed.  Have had to add to the layout so it will fit.  Not sure I can add a photo

For many years every Christmas and every Easter break I would spend several days holed up in my sewing room and sew and sew and sew.  Somehow that hasn't happened for a long time, but this year I have 4 days and am going to make the most of it.  I have a long list of "stuff" that needs doing but I have a feeling that it's all going to wait....well I did do one load of washing today.

So these are the fabrics I'm using Camille Roskelley B&C Wovens plus a Grey and a White background fabrics. 

 

One of my favourite tools for Log Cabins is the Short Cuts ruler.  Saves so much time and you have your strips cut in super fast time

You straighten the edge and cut your strips in super fast time.  I cut 6 strips from each FQ.  Sometimes I like to cut all my fabric at the beginning and then I can just sew.  But with this one I don't know how much fabric need and can't be bothered working it out, so will cut and sew, cut and sew as I go along.

And so it begins......

 I started about 24 blocks to begin.  I only sew a couple rounds on each and then just do six or eight at a time

 And my final six at the end of the day........only need a hundred