SWAPS

Grrr I typed the whole post and now its gone

Here it is again

I have had my fair share of drama with these swaps but I cant complain one bit for the lovely things I received and the lovely ladies I got to make for.

First the DQS:

Here is what the lovely Ruth made me. It is soo well loved here (and a fair amount fought over LOL) and my photo does not do the handiwork justice. She really took alot of care making this and I love it.

Here is what I made Dani.

Then the Table Runner Swap:

Here is what Mieka made me. I knew I would love this before I got it because I love her taste so much, and it sure lived up to expectations. It is very well used and I am not planning on taking it down after Christmas either :).

Here is what I made Ruth.

Love Belinda

xxxx

I'm still alive!

Although I dont feel it LOL. So here is a short post, nothing sewing but crafty still.

I made a sand pit all by myself. I drew the plans and took the measurements to Bunnings when the guy cut all the timber to length for me. Bought the screws and made it!

I couldnt be more proud of myself.

And just to note, when I was telling DP about my idea for a sand pit, he told me not to waste my time and money and to ask his builder mate to do it as he would do a better job!! NO FAITH AT ALL! So :P to DP who didnt believe in me :)

WIP List

Ok I thought it was time to sit down and work out just how many WIP's I have that I am working on at the moment, as I am seeming to flitter from one to another alot lately!

1. EB DQS ~ Done background of quilt top, which is about 1/2 done.
2. EB TR Swap ~ Bought fabric and know what I want to do, but not started yet.
3. Noah & Friends x 2 ~ Lion blocks completed, fabric and embroidery thread for Zebra bought, and all background, sashings and border fabric bought.
4. ISpy Play Quilt ~ ISpy blocks cut, sashing fabric bought, but not started sewing together yet.
5. Stack & Wack ~ Sandwiched and ready to quilt.
6. AJ's Mystery Quilt ~ Quilt top done and ready to be sandwiched for quilting. Have batting but still need to buy some backing.
7. Charm Square quilt for Lounge ~ Quilt top done and ready to be sandwiched for quilting. Have batting but still need to buy some backing.
8. Quilt-as-you-go ~ All Fabric bought, still waiting on arrival and then will start.
9. Princess Doll Quilt for DD ~ Still to start all together.
10. DS Log Cabin Quilt ~ Foundation peicing papers are printed and ready to sew. Have all the quilt top fabric just have to start!

Hmmmm, thats quite a long list.

WIP Wednesday ~ Stack & Wack Sandwiched

Went to quilting classes last night and got my Wack & Stack quilt all sandwiched and ready to start quilting. I would have actually started quilting but I left my sewing machine pedal at home, so no sewing!

Got the fabrics for my Table Runner Swap. YAY. I have a great vision for this runner and cant wait to start it.

And the last picture is of a tiny little sneak peak at my DQS progress. Thats all you get for now :-P

Ohh and sorry about the terrible quality pics, I took them with my mobile and emailed them to myself, as it was too early in the morning to look for the camera :P

WIP Wednesday ~ Noah & Friends

Didn't really stretch the creative skills this week at quilting class. We are all starting a quilt-as-you-go sampler quilt, but I have to put an order in for the fabric I want. This will be a quilt for me. I was also supposed to start cutting strips for DS's log cabin quilt but I was really not in the mood.

Instead I spent alittle time picking out some fat 1/4's (pictured) I need for my Doll Quilt, so I can really get started on that this weekend. No other clues yet, this one I am keeping very top secret.

Ohh and I got to pick up my lovely roll of Matilda's Own batting. YAY. Now I have 3 quilt tops to sandwich and quilt!

This is.....

....what I wake up to!

I complain a bit, because its hard to get up out of bed so early (especially winter), but what a beautiful sight to wake up to!

I love where we live!

EB Newbie Quilters Table Runner Swap

A few of the ladies in our Newbie Quilter thread were alittle intimidated to participate in the EB Doll Quilt Swap, so we thought that having our own swap would be a good idea. We are all learning, and in the same boat.

PS This is my first attempt at a blog button and I dont have any good computer programs to use at work so please dont be judgemental!

EB Doll Quilt Swap

YAY This is exciting. I have my swap partner and I am excited to get started!

WIP ~ Noahs Quilt & Stack & Wack Quilt Top

Ok Firstly here is the final pic of the Stack & Wack Quilt. I will be sandwiching it ready for quilt on Tuesday night. I am really happy with my work. Considering it was going to charity I really put in the extra effort to make sure it was neat and perfect, and all my seams are good! I really hope my quilting does it justice.

Now onto the Noah & Friends progress. I am enjoying starting this, and find it alittle funny that I am doing two of each animal LOL. I really dont enjoy working with Vliseofix (if thats even how you spell it?) and there is ALOT of cutting involved. I did a few little boo boo's so the leg and part of the tail is being recut, but the bird is staying 'as is'. I have put the leg on upside down so you can see where it will go when re-cut.

NOTE TO SELF ~ Put alittle note on the cut interfacing pattern so you know which was is UP, which will save cutting HALF the pieces back to front. (lesson learned the hard way)

WIP & Shopping Again!

Ok I have finally finished the Stack and Wack Top. It was too early in the morning when I was talking the pics to get the kids to hold it out so for the moment you only get a teaser shot. :)

And shopping again, all completely legal under my DP & self imposed buying ban. :P All for the Noah & Friends quilt.

The first picture is of the background, borders and sashing fabrics. The white is going to be the block backgrounds, the checkered fabric is going to be the sashings between each block (which is light stripes in the pattern). The butter yellow is the curved bit that goes on top of the dark stripes, which the dark pink is instead of. The rabbits is the outer border. None of this probably makes ANY sense but you will see :)

Second pic is of the fabrics needed for the Zebra block.

Third pic is of the fabrics needed for the lion block.

Fourth pic is just cause they look sooo pretty stacked up :P

Now you are probably thinking there is alot of fabric there for one little quilt, but my sister found out she is pregnant with no.2 so I will be making this Noah & Friends quilt by the double!

I still have to get the fabric for 7 more blocks, but I am hoping to get a fair bit completed on the weekend so I have an excuse to get some more :)

Finally a WIP!

Well my sewjo must be on the return!

First two pics are of what is going to be the centre block for DS's log cabin quilt. It is foundation pieced, but the actual log cabin block is going to be strip pieced. It took a fair amount of working out as I couldnt just find a pattern. It had to be a 3 1/2 inch block. But I am really happy with how it turned out, and think it will bring the Eels theme into the quilt. That was my tester size so I still have 30 to do!

Third pic is of some patterns I got from Hot Possum. I highly recommend anyone to Hot Possum, the patterns are gorgeous and they arrived sooo quickly. Very happy customer here!

Fourth pic is of my booty from the FQS Pinks. Thanks Rose!

Now I have officially put myself on a buying ban (with the encouragement of DP :P). It has conditions though. 1. The buying ban ends on my birthday (7th Sept). 2. It does not include any fabric I need for the Noah's Quilt though as I want to get started on this and haven't got anything suitable in my stash yet, honestly. So good luck to me, and no more pattern buying LOL

6 Things!

Ok So I have been tagged by Little White Dove

Here are the rules …
1. Link to the person who “tagged” you.
2. Post the rules on your blog.
3. Write six random things about yourself.
4. Tag six people at the end of your post.
5. Let each person know that they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.
6. Let the tagger know your entry is up.

Ok hmmmm six random things.....

1. This is the first time I have been tagged!

2. I get itchy feet too often, whether its moving house or changing jobs, I have trouble staying in the same place too long. Point, I just moved house and am currently working on changing jobs.

3. I LOVE reading, whether its fiction books, non-fiction, quilty, knitty or even school notes LOL.

4. I am one of six children with my youngest brother being 1 year younger than my daughter.

5. I have a million WIP's, not just sewing but crocheting and knitting too.

6. I am an utter neat freak, and every cupboard from my pantry to wardrobe to linen, is spotless, always. BUT I always know where everything is. DP teases me about it, but I know he secretly loves it. I waste way too many hours organising things, instead of actually working LOL

Ok I am going to tag.....(sorry)
( I am not going to select 6, just 4 will do today :P)

Tracey

Selina

Joy

Cascade Lily

What to do when you haven't been sewing......

SHOPPING!

My 'sewjo' has been well and truly gone lately while I recovered from pneumonia. I am feeling alot better but just haven't been able to get back in the swing of things yet, so instead I shop. Apparently my 'shopjo' never leaves the building :P

The first pic is of some fabric for my DS's Log cabin quilt. This is going to make up the centre block which will be foundation pieced. My original idea to use printed fabric died a slow death when I had trouble pre-washing the fabrics with colour fade and running. No matter what I tried the colours just were not the same after pre-washing, even when only for 10 minutes. So frustrated I put it aside and now a new idea is born!

The second pic is of some more fabrics I needed to get stuck into my ISpy quilt. Now that I have all the sashing and and enough different fabrics I can get started. I have a great idea in mind for the border for this quilt too, but you will have to wait and see.

And last night I actually did some sewing. Finished the sashing on my Stack & Wack quilt, cut the borders and its nearly ready to be sandwiched and quilted. It is looking fantastic and I think whoever ends up with it will be pleased.

I think my 'sewjo' is on its way back....

Noah & Friends Quilt Pattern

Recently I ordered this Noah & Friends Quilt Pattern.

It came in the mail yesterday afternoon. Looks fantastic and I cant wait to start!

Fat Quarter Swap

A few of us in the Newbie Quilters group are doing a fat quarter swap to help build up our stashes. Without my camera cord, I have been very slack in posting our first FQS.

I want to send a great big THANKS to the organiser, everything went very smoothly, and I am very please with what I received.

I am posting my FQS for the PINKS swap today. Its a fabric I have used in my quilting and thought I would pass around the love.

Book Bounty

While I was in my sick bed recently, I chose to do alittle book shopping. They have all arrived safely to my house from the book depository. Each book was more inspiring and wonderful in real life and I am very happy with my purchases. Now I just have to get my sew/quilt-jo back.

1930's Wife

52 As a 1930s wife, I am Average Take the test!

WIP Friday ~ Gift Sewing

I can blog this now as the recipient doesn't read my blog...

A girlfriend, who is very dear to me, is going into hospital for day surgery next Thursday. So I thought I would make her something nice to cheer her up. And this gift has the added bonus of being a makeup bag, so she can take it with her and know that I am thinking of her.

Hope she loves it.

Also playing this game....

Ok So I am jumping on the bandwagon of this game. And it is nice to post something when I havent done much sewing. Be Back Later for an actual sewing post.....

1. Released to Public: Mount Belinda Erupts (NASA), 2. IceCream Cone CupCake, 3. Jamison Creek, 4. Sunny Side Up, 5. The Notebook - Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams, 6. How to put pretty stuff in those drops. Tutorial below:, 7. Floating in paradise, 8. homemade berry ice cream, 9. a magnitude 7.8 earthquake in WenChuan(wolong), 10. Snowmen family in TX, 11. Mother and joey, 12. Finally ...

If you would like to have a go, this is what you need to do:
a. Type your answer to each of the questions below into Flickr Search.b. Using only the first page, pick an image.c. Copy and paste each of the URLs for the images into fd’s mosaic maker.

The Questions:
1. What is your first name?
2. What is your favorite food?
3. What high school did you go to?
4. What is your favorite color?
5. Who is your celebrity crush?
6. Favorite drink?
7. Dream vacation?
8. Favorite dessert?
9. What you want to be when you grow up?
10. What do you love most in life?
11. One Word to describe you.
12. Your flickr name.

Our House

I missed out on the last few WIP Wednesdays as I have been sooo busy.

But now I can share the good new. DP and I have bought a house!!! It's beautiful, needs alittle work (like all houses) but I am IN LOVE. 4 Bedrooms means I will finally have a room for sewing (for awhile atleast :-P) but I have to share it with DP and his computer. Its on a large block of over 1,200m² with a gorgeous bush outlook. The first pic above shows the balcony view and the second shows the bottom half of the backyard, which is the part that needs the most work. The first half of the backyard is a bit bigger and grassed for the kids. There is also a good size undercover/concrete area.

Anyway, I could ramble for hours, but I have my work cut out for me. Settlement is on the 20th June, so only TWO weeks away........I have alot of organising to do. Moving weekend is planned for the 28th & 29th as I have the 30th & 1st off work.

Any tips for me about moving? I am hoping it goes pretty smoothly!

* On the crafty front, I have finished all my Stack and Wack blocks and am now working on bordering them and putting them together. Progress pics will be up in a few days.