Thursday 30 September 2010

a day in town

Today I caught the train into the city to meet up with a friend. Much to my sons disgust I took some stitchery to do, I couldn't waste that peaceful sitting time on the train now could I? We were to meet up and go to the National Gallery. Before she got there I had to go and visit a shop I have been dying to go see. L'uccello in the city is a little shop on Swanston St,, I had to meander up stairs and down corridors to find it but it was everything I was hoping it would be. They have lots of vintage type goodies, old laces and buttons too. There was the most beautiful grey french linen there that was so tempting, but unless I have a project ready it will have to stay there.There was an enormous bowl of hexies on the counter, I just wanted to put my hands in them and let them fall through my fingers.
I have been keen to buy some wooden cotton reels and they had lots. I just bought one that was in my budget allowance for today and it has blue nylon wound on it - now you know it had my name on it?
I also found a little gift that will go away for a swap and a very sweet fabric that will be great for hexies!



I had a great day in the city and saw some really beautiful paintings, we only got to see one level so there will be another trip planned.
cheers for now
Marina

Tuesday 28 September 2010

tuesday treasures

I always remember this sitting on our kitchen window sill at home. I don't know when it first appeared there, I will have to ask mum. I just always remember it being there. About 8 years ago mum renovated her whole house and especially the kitchen. She was determined to have a good clean out and had boxes of stuff she was ruthlessly throwing out (so out of character for a chronic hoarder like her!). Each time I would visit I would see boxes of stuff and have to fight back the urge to reclaim all those childhood memories of her kitchen paraphernalia. I did sneak out a few things and this was one of them. How could she throw this out after all those years???
I snuck it home and cleaned it a little, it still needs a proper clean. It now sits on a shelf next to my parents photo. It just reminds me of being a child and how much I used to love to look at this little ornament.
Thanks for popping by for Tuesday treasures.
marina

Monday 27 September 2010

maisie in the garden.

Isn't it amazing that as soon as you spread a new patchwork top on the bed a feline princess miraculously appears and when confronted has a look as if to say "What? what is YOUR problem!"
Last night I spent most of the night taking a break from the sewing machine and concentrated on adding hexies to my top. It is definitely growing. Here it is - minus Maisie.

  Now I need to concentrate on some cream hexies to  make the paths as I have run out. Should be a good job while watching telly tonight.
 Yesterday while in the garden I decided to check my poor neglected orchids and was rewarded with these four spikes. I love orchids.




 While the football was on Saturday I sewed some sashings on my Sweet nostalgia rows but have simplified it. Instead of the diamonds I have just done squares. I didn't have enough fabric to do the diamonds and the cream borders and I am pretty sure I didn't have enough patience and concentration either. It still looks quite pretty but boy, is it time consuming! I think it will take more than one holiday block to get them all done. Anything worthwhile is worth taking the time to do!
Will show some pics soon.
Hope you had a great weekend!
See you for tuesday treasures tomorrow!
cheers
Marina

Saturday 25 September 2010

Grand Final Day!

Week one has passed as was pointed out by some of my bloggy friends, thanks for that girls! I prefer not to think about it. I want them to last for at least another two weeks! Talk about greedy.
Here are some catch ups on what I have been up to the last few days.

 Two stitcheries for the boys story quilt. The wizard one just need the cartoon border done. They are so cute and quick to do.


I'd love a poster of this little girl for my boys so when they are going to do something they shouldn't she can be a reminder to them.
My disappearing nine patch is coming along but I have a slight dilemma. I was googling images of this pattern and found another version of arranging the blocks to the one which I had in mind. I quite like this one too. I will have to ponder that for a little while. I don't want to regret the design as it is such special fabric to me.
 Here are the two combinations.





This week I also visited a favourite patchwork shop to buy some more fabric for my Sweet Nostalgia quilt and they also stock Civil war fabrics. I have a basic selection of these but wanted something in a purple. Apparently there aren't many purple civil war fabrics but I found these two that were just beautiful to add to my rainbow.


They will all have to sit around and wait for a project to pop into my head for their use.
I hope to work on my Sweet Nostalgia quilt top this afternoon. 
Hope you have a great weekend!
Go the pies!
cheers
Marina

Wednesday 22 September 2010

A forgotten stash..


When I first wanted to start patchworking around six years ago I came across this fabric and fell in love with it, well it is Blue! Because I was only learning I put it away for when I would know what to do with it properly. It has sat there since then and I had even contemplated selling it on for someone else to use as I just couldn't think of a pattern to use it in. Last week, with holidays pending, my mind started racing and I knew that I wanted to use this fabric. I didn't realise how much there was. The only thing is there is only a metre of the cream roses fabric but there are at least two metres of the blues. There were some other oriental prints in the range too and I think they just confused the issue of how to use the fabrics so I implemented the KISS principle- keep it simple stupid and ta da!
I have cut the fabrics (there will still be heaps for the borders) and I am going to make a disappearing nine patch.  I think they will look lovely in the blue and cream.
Last night I stitched all the rows and today I can put them together into the 9 patch blocks. I just hope that in my enthusiasm I was accurate enough and haven't mucked up the squares for when I have to cut them. When I get an idea  I am a little like a bull at a gate!

I have finished my the borders on my Sweet nostalgia blocks. I set them up  so I could continuously piece them. I am so happy with them and sewed up so quick! Now for the sashings- not so quick!
Have nearly got all my Friends swap goodies organised just letter 'd' to go!
I also want to get my Tisket Tasket top sandwiched and ready to quilt. I think I will manage that by hand or even have a go at machine quilting it myself. It is sounding like a list. I am loving the holidays!
thanks for all the lovely comments on my Tuesday treasures post.
Hope you have a lovely day!
marina


holiday list:
  • do borders on sweet nostalgia blocks and attempt sashings
  • quilt at least one top
  • some stitcheries for boys story quilt- done three
  • finish friends swap goodies- done
  • some hexies and add them to top- added a few rows/got cream hexies ready
  • use oriental blue fabrics- cut all 9 patch ready to sew up.
  • start on Christmas swap goodies

Tuesday 21 September 2010

tuesday treasures.

my treasure for this tuesday is a crocheted runner that I made for my Grandmother when I was around 13. I desperately wanted mum to teach me and as we were living overseas at the time I wanted to make something to send my nanna. When we cleared her home after she passed away I found it in a drawer with her other doilies. It wasn't the best in the world but she had kept it for 30 years as a treasure.
I was quite touched.
Have been cutting and slashing all afternoon- will show the results of this tomorrow.
Happy tuesday treasures!
cheers
marina

colours swap arrived

Had an email from Judit this morning saying that my parcel had arrived. Talk about stressful, I stress heaps till that parcel arrives at it's destination.The post didn't disappoint though and it arrived safe and sound. Now I can show the goodies I made.

c for crochet scarf, o for oriental fabric, l for lovely lace, o for owl pincushion, u for chocolate from down under, r for rotary cutter holder, s for sewing bag. I also popped in an ABC of Australian animals for Judit's daughter Reka.
Thanks to Lisa of Lydia's treasures for organising the swap.

I must thank the Australian Football league for motivating me to do some craft. Because of the Brownlow medal count last night (possibly the most boring event in the world except for the Jim Stynes' tribute) I managed to sew all the borders on my Sweet nostalgia block because to sit and listen to someone reading out votes game by game is just too much for a koala to bear!
Last Saturday night's game also was a great motivator in between worrying about whether we needed an ambulance because DH got so excited as his team was winning that I thought he would pop a blood vessel for sure! This Saturday is the Grand Final so another great opportunity to get even more sewing done.

Have a great day!
Marina

Sunday 19 September 2010

busy day!!

The craft fairy was watching over me today and granted me a day to myself. Everyone occupied themselves with their own agendas leaving me to my own devices. Generous don't you think?
I thought I should make a start on the borders for my Sweet Nostalgia blocks. They are all cut and pinned. I managed to do these four. I am glad I went with the 30's prints.


I will try to finish the others during the week.
While I was making a mess cutting and sorting, I thought I would get a block for the Boys story quilt started. I finished this little stitchery during the week and thought it went in the block with the matching appliqued block but it doesn't, it fits into the adjoining  block 2.
 

I need to do another stitchery before I can put block two together but I had a go at block three anyway. You know when you just get a little enthusiastic and want to have a go?

Thankyou crafty fairy!

Hope you have had a productive weekend too!
cheers
Marina

Friday 17 September 2010

cold begone!

the dreaded cold and flu bug has been hanging out at our house this week and what an unwelcome, ungrateful guest it has been! The only craftiness has been a bit of stitching and some hexies. Tracey at Mistea crafts sent me some lovely swap pieces of fabric and I couldn't wait to get them ready to make up into hexie flowers. I have sent Tracey some fabrics to put towards her apple core quilt which is going to be scrappy too.

Am waiting anxiously to hear from Judit as to whether my parcel has arrived yet and then I can have a show and tell of what I have made her.
Hope your week has been healthy and happy!
marina

Monday 13 September 2010

Sweet Nostalgia block 12......

Haven't had this much craftiness to show for awhile...
Here is the last Sweet Nostalgia block all ready for me to commit to the border fabric.
And the winner is......1930's fabrics. I just love the finished effect of Dorothy's too much to not do it in these type fabrics. Roll on next week so I can start cutting borders and then I can tackle those outer borders and sashings.

Thankyou Dorothy for such a lovely Block of the month. It has been a joy to follow your designs for the past twelve months and it is with a little regret that I finished this block.No more 15th of the month to look forward to.
There is the 20th to look forward to.....but I haven't started that bom yet, they will just be put aside for now.
I will just have to concentrate on my hexies and my boys story stitcheries.

cheers for now
Marina

Sunday 12 September 2010

Heart and Home complete!

 After a late night of sewing Friday Night the binding is on and the quilt top complete!
Now where to put it? It would probably sit on a single bed quite nicely and it just a little small for the queen. I just have to show the photos larger than normal as I just love to look at it. I can't believe I made it.
I wonder if one of the boys would like it on their bed?

cheers
Marina

Friday 10 September 2010

blooms galore!

this week I have been busy making hexagons. They are such a relaxing distraction to other things that need to be done. I have sewn another row onto the joined top and it is looking ok, I think. I still like the mixtures of different fabrics and styles of fabrics.
As I have made mine of lots of different fabrics I was wondering if any other flower makers need some more variety and would like to swap some fabrics? It would only have to be enough to make one flower or if you wanted to swap more we could do that too. It could be in a strip or a square, one colour or two co ordinating fabrics. Email me if you would like to....
This afternoon I also had a lovely phone call to tell me that my Heart and Home quilt was quilted and ready to be picked up!
I couldn't wait . Hopefully this weekend I will be able to do the binding and it will be finished!
Judit's parcel has been posted and is making it's way to Hungary! Hope it gets there quickly!
cheers
Marina

Tuesday 7 September 2010

tuesday treasures.

My treasures this week are two little dogs that were given to me when I was around 11-12 years old.
They were from my best friend at primary school. She knew how much I loved dogs and I have held onto them all these years and they remind me of those years that we practically lived at each other's house and were best friends. We lost track of each other in our mid teens. Different schools, different friends.
These remind me of those times. They now live in my dresser guarding the other treasures in there.
Have a great Tuesday, the sun is out (for now) and I am off to get ready for work!
cheers
Marina

Sunday 5 September 2010

a little ray of sunshine

today we have managed some sunshine. I sure could have done with some yesterday at the dog trial.
I still had a fantastic time even though a lot of the day was spent in the rain. The conditions were very hard for the triallers and a lot pulled out, but the stalwart lunatics plodded along. There weren't many passes but the weather made it very difficult. The rings were very water logged and most of the dogs refused to drop and sit.  I rugged up really well. I am sure Scott of the Antarctic would have been proud, so I managed to stave off any cold. My feet stayed dry even though I was splashing in 1 inch of water at times. Rain isn't that bad if you can keep your head and feet dry! I wouldn't win any fashion awards but I was warm as toast. It was great to catch up with 'doggy' acquaintances and hear things from the judges perspective as both the judges I stewarded for were very knowledgeable and experienced. I have trialled under both of them in past years.
Crafting that has been getting done is hush, hush so not much that I can show. I did spend last night getting heaps done on my friends swap items.
I needed some stuffing for a project and thought I would put this jar of trimmings to good use. When I was trimming my hexies I just didn't want to throw all the lovely snippets away. This jar has stored the bits perfectly. It originally had peanut butter in it and was a special edition about 25 years ago. Just couldn't throw her away once she was empty.
 Hope the sun is shining in your neck of the woods!
cheers
Marina

Wednesday 1 September 2010

a surprise in the mail

Well phooey to the first day of Spring. It has been so cold and miserable today.
The highlight of the day was a lovely parcel I received in the mail.
Through Judit's blog I popped over to  Kinga's blog where she was having a give away of some gorgeous crochet. After the winners were drawn she decided to send everyone who entered a gift.
She also included some lovely laces. No 3 son scored the lovely stamps from the envelope so he was thrilled. It seems everyone here gets excited when I get a parcel they figure there is a chance they may score a goody as well.

The workmanship is just so lovely and perfect. Sorry about the dark photo.
Thankyou so much Kinga.
Half way through the week already. This Saturday I have been asked to steward at a Dog obedience trial. I am so excited. It may even awaken my interest in obedience again. God knows the four leggers need it.

cheers
Marina

Time is flying....

 Seems like my blog has become a little neglected again, this doesn't mean a lack of crafting though. Progress has been achieved on most...