Hiya

hope you are having a great week where ever you may be. Quiet in my house with NOS away at the beach and NOD very busy with dancing, singing and drama activities. Oh to be that young with that much energy!

Not much of note to show you today. I still feel a little sad that I didn't have a new Kaffe to show you so I pulled out a very simple top I made last year just to give you a colour hit. I love these old grey greens he does.


Should turn it into a quilt one day!

Beginnings of my third MM block - it uses only two fabrics - I love these colours.


And the first part of the GTASB month 6 is done - 7 of these. Only one more block to do - called Day Lilly.

I will be up at Threadbears in Castlemaine on Sunday arvo with some of the gang. Di will be launching her new pattern Ann's Legacy. It's a beautiful quilt - I'm sure she will have the quilt there too. If you're in the area it would be great to say hi. How will I know you? Don't know - I look like my photo only older. We'll be the noisy group - trust me we're noisy.

If you haven't been over to Barbara Brackman's blog yet - it is certainly worth a visit. So much interesting info there about antique textiles and repro quilts. And you might see a picture that you recognise.

Have a great week,

Deb xoxo

Sunday after the Saturday before

Yesterday was a fabulous day - secret sewing group. It was the delightful Sue's turn to be the hostess - and what a hostess she is. About a year ago Sue and family moved from the city to the country so all of us except one made the trip up to her house - what a transformation she has performed in such a short space of time! It was a glorious day - she's a fantastic cook - I think I spent more time eating than sewing. Thanks Sue.

Actually the whole day was a bit more like a think tank than a sewing group. So many ideas and so much enthusiasm. I needed a cup of tea and a lie down by the time I got home.

Weird hot weather in Melbourne has not been conducive to sewing this week, but today is cool and we have had much rain overnight, so it feels a bit more like spring.

So what's been happening in my sewing room? Well I finished my MM block which was my goal for the week.


I really love this block - the colours are gorgeous and it is making me happy which is the whole reason I sew. Perfect.

Made one block of NOS's quilt to see how it goes. A bit fiddly turning squares into circles, but only 25 of them to do.


I think this will be a good quilt for a young man.

Next priority is to complete the GTASB blocks for the month. I usually have these finished quite early, but I just haven't had enough sewing time the last couple of weeks. Here they are so far.


More of the same coming up for this week. I have to say I am enjoying watching the Joseph's Coat quilts coming along. It looks like so much fun.....trying to resist the temptation, but it's not easy.

And just as an extra - for those of you who live in the Melbourne area. Di Ford is releasing her new pattern and will be in house at Threadbear next Sunday. The quilt is truly beautiful and is worth seeing up close trust me. Check out the Threadbear website for details.

I hope the weather isn't too extreme where ever you are. Especially if you're in a gondola on the Yarra.

Stay cool,
Deb

Sorry to disappoint

all you Kaffeicianados out there. But I have resisted the call of those seductive temptresses Cathy and Janet, and not started a new Kaffe project. I did flick through a few Kaffe books and picked out some treasures, but then my desire was sated just by looking (cooking magazines often have this effect on my appetite too). I feel the need to finish things right now rather than start new things. So I remembered that a long time ago I started a quilt for Number One Son. We had just revamped his room from little boys room with puppy dog curtains in pastel shades, to big boys urban cool room. He was 14 after all! So I thought he needed a new quilt too. Well he still does (even though he's quite fond of his cowboy quilt). So I should finish it before he leaves home. Maybe.


The pattern is quite old and I don't have a photo - so it has taken me a bit of time to figure out what happens next and how it is supposed to look. Next step is to turn these blocks into circles. Progress report later.

The GTASB package arrived this week. First up I need to make seven of these little orange peel blocks.


They are all ready to cut and sew.

My next MM block has quite a bit of work in it. Here it is today


I think I'm enjoying this project more than any other right now. I love the green/red/cheddar combination.

And last but not least - the next AWS block I'm going to finish is this one


Wow, so much to do and so little time. Weather hasn't been great for sewing or anything else this week.

A big thank you to all of you who have been leaving comments. It is very reassuring to know that other people like what you do when you invest so much time and energy in it. It also gives me a great opportunity to find other sites and see what's happening outside my little world. As you can see by my ever growing and fabulous sidebar, there are some amazingly talented people in ordinary houses all around the world. Truly inspirational.

Stay cool,

Deb

A lazy Sunday

ahead following on from a lazy Saturday. Just the ticket! Yesterday the children were happily engaged in their various activities and I had nothing on the agenda apart from the usual driving them to and fro. So that left me with plenty of time to potter around and do a little bit (emphasis on the little) of housework. Too hot to spend much time in the garden although it needs some TLC. The grass is about a metre high since the lawn mower still hasn't been replaced after the shed burglary. So I had no choice but to spend time in my sewing hideaway. It's a tough life I know. Today the kids are both out of the house, so apart from shopping I am once again a free woman.

So here's what I've been up to. Finished a couple of AWS blocks

these are set on point so that rose in the middle will have its stem vertically aligned.

Started prepping the next MM block

I really love working with all this greenery. Each leaf here is different fabric.

The I cut some basket blocks.


Each of the backgrounds is from the stash my friend sent and the baskets are from my stash . I really like it so far and it gives me a pile of stitching ready to go when I need something quick and easy to grab.

Not sure what' s on the agenda for today. I usually only hand sew at night and machine sew in the day - but I don't have any machine projects on the go right now - how odd!

I hope you have something interesting or fun or relaxing to do for the weekend. Maybe I need to look for a machine project...I feel a Kaffe moment looming..........

Ciao

Deb

A small Ta-dah moment

Good afternoon to all and I hope you are having a fabulous day. I'm very excited and ready to say "Ta-dah" because the first Mary Mannakee block is finished!


I'm very happy with the way it looks. The red, green and yellow colour combo is lovely. Deciding still on which block to tackle next. If you would like to see more blocks from this quilt, visit Kathie and Janet. Both of these very talented quilters have been given a mention on Barbara Brackman's blog! How cool is that - and very well deserved. The Civil War Bride Quilt was also mentioned on BB's blog - well done to Lizzie and all who are contributing such beautiful work and of course to Corliss for reproducing the pattern and her stunning version of this quilt.

Still working on my antique wedding sampler block, and have picked this one


to finish next. I love it because it's a seventeen pointed star - and you don't see too many of those now do you?

I thought I would show you this picture


which is a lovely folder that I bought at Zetta Florence the other day when I was buying paper for the box. Isn't it just too PRETTY.

And last but not least, an extremely generous friend asked me if I was going to make a basket quilt (from Blackbird designs). When I said yes, she said she would send me some squares of fabric that she had been using. Have a look at all these gorgeous fabrics


it seems like she's sent me enough to make the whole quilt! I was gob-smacked! Thank you so much - I'm now itching to start this quilt. Don't worry - starting is good for the soul and I'm being very good to mine!

What's on in your week ahead? Any plans to start new quilts - do tell!

I'm thinking - next MM block, and next CWB block to cut - the two antique wedding blocks, yes and I need to catch up with Di who is now back from the US and the next GTASB pack is about to arrive, and some baskets to start. I'm sure there's something I've forgotten.

Have a fabulously productive week.

Deb

A quick update

on the Antique wedding quilt. Pulled out this block


to work on next. As you can see it's almost there but the leaves in the corners and the star in the middle still need to be stitched. I think there is also a bit of broderie perse on this one too. That may have to wait until the end unless I can find some suitable fabric to use in my stash.

If you haven't seen Alma Allen (Blackbird designs) blog yet - take a trip over (link on the sidebar). She has some beautiful things there and does great tutorials on making all sorts of handcrafted pieces. Last week she made a fabric covered box - hers was very old fashioned, I had to try one but mine is colour infused!


Kaffe on the outside and some beautiful paper I bought from Zeta Florence (Brunswick Street, Fitzroy) on the inside.


I'd had my eye on their beautiful stationary for some time and was just waiting for an excuse to buy some. If you like stationary it is heaven there.

This one was a trial and I learned a couple of things on the way. A tip - if you are going to try - pick a smaller box than mine. It is about 9 inches tall (I didn't realise until later that Alma's was only 3). The technique is the same, but the larger pieces are harder to manipulate. So I have a few bubbles and crinkles. All up it probably took an hour and a half - but it would be much quicker with a smaller box.

Jean has also made a beautiful box - have a look at Linen and Raspberry (over on the sidebar).

Off to the coal mine now,

Have a great day,

Deb