hello

 Time is getting away from me it would be lovely to be able to slow it down.

Crafting inspiration seems to be lacking as I try to finish off things. I need a lightning bolt of inspiration to get me going.

I have been dabbling though in trying to utilise some little Kathy Schmitz Christmas stitcheries I had completed.  I used to always be quite enthusiastic about making Christmas decorations for friends and family but just like blogging and crafting enthusiasm it has faded a bit the past few years. 

This was going to change for this year. After purchasing some small embroidery hoops I was off and running.

I have wanted to make another of these little trees for ages to make up a trio for decorating. It was great to use up a couple of my vintage wooden reels too.

 

this little top got completed too. Thank goodness it's done. Next to get it quilted.

This finish means that I only have one project on the go, usually there are 3 or 4 works in progress. Seems like I am slowing down lol.

Maybe a new project will get under way soon, just seems so hard to decide on one these days.

My garden is bursting with irises at the moment. The plants are a few years old now and they are pumping out the flowers. Lots of colours are showing themselves. I am quite in love with them.

Have a wonderful day 

Marina

August

 Wow we are half way through August 

Where did that go? 

My hands have not been idle and I have been dabbling in different projects.

A work colleague was commenting on a scarf I made each time I wore it so I thought I would make her one. It came together quickly and she was so excited that I had made her one.

I only took a photo at the start...

Two more blocks of Owl and Hare have been completed and I was tempted by another little stitchery project I saw online. Of course I had to start it and a sewing day with the City girls and Gisborne girls at Kilmore quilters was the perfect time to make a start. It was a lovely day spent with crafty friends.

Both projects are enjoyable to work on  and I am trying to use different embroidery stitches that I might not usually use.

My Christmas Trees quilt has been finished. I used pearl 8 thread for the quilting and that came together a little rough in places but it's part of the charm. My two nine patch quilts are being basted by the lovely Tracee at Hummingbird quilting so that will mean two more hand quilting projects. Don't know what I am thinking??? 

Happy days...

Need to get back to some applique projects- think I'll concentrate on those this week..

Marina

(at work we have a tank with Green tree frogs. Last week we had to clean their tank. Think this fella approves of his nice clean tank. The smile says it all.

back to the grind

 It's been three weeks back at work and my blogging intentions have been impeded by the daily grind.

Not that there isn't anything to share........ just after working at a computer all day it's not something I want to be doing once I get home.

The sun is shining in Melbourne today and there is time to share my bits and bobs.

first off I'll share some new starts..

First block of this project came together pretty quickly. The joys of large pieces

Next is my Owl and Hare stitcheries. I have had the printed linen sitting there for quite a bit and thoguth now is the time to start it. It's been a long time since I have done a stitchery project. I consider my Petite poche more an embroidery project.

lovely stitcheries to work on, not quite sure how they will come together but there is plenty of time to decide that......

Nearly all the trees have had some quilting around them.... Then the borders will need some quilting too. More big stitches with pearl thread. Lovely

Some crochet distraction happening too.... using up some leftovers.

and finally a little blanket for Little Miss' toy pram. Peppa Pig approved!

Finally some pics from a visit by my little festive friends who popped in for Christmas in July at work....

Up to their usual shenanigans..

Happy days

Marina

Be Prepared

 Another finish has opened the floodgates for a new project, I am going to start something new totally guilt free!

My red and cream 9 patch top is done and I am very happy with the result. this will join my scrappy 9 patch in a pile to be hand quilted.

speaking of hand quilting.... my Trees quilt has been basted and I have managed to quilt a few. I am using a perle 8 thread and big stitches. I have forgotten how much I enjoy hand quilting. When I first started quilt I hand quilted all my quilts- a matter of economics at the time. Over the years I have hand quilted quite a few larger quilts but now I will save it for smaller lap quilts as my hands don't quite enjoy it as much as I would like.

the finishes have meant that I can pull out some projects to prepare for sewing, thus the post title.

I thought it best not to neglect my Who's who in the zoo.......I just had to mark the pieces around the freezer paper and trim them down. Row four is ready to go.

I prepped the pieces for my new start.

A friend who is not a fan of applique has asked me to do the centre piece for a new project and I am more than happy to oblige.... so I made a start on the plastic templates for this loveliness. 

Some lovely fabrics to play with too!

As you can tell by the productiveness I am currently on school holidays.

Only a few more days to go sadly and then it will be back to the grind.

I'll definitely make the most of the time that remains.

Happy days

Marina

on target

 I am feeling pretty happy that slowly I am ticking things off my list of UFO's.

My scrappy 9 patch is done. I am hoping to hand quilt this one.

the red Scrappy 9 patch top is moving towards a finish too. This is the layout I have decided on for the outer border. I have completed this first one and sewn it on.

There were some extra trees added to my Christmas quilt and I decided to add a border to pad out the size a little more. The border fabric will also be the backing fabric.

This will hopefully be a hand quilting project.

Updated to do list:

Basket Case - 2 sides of final borders to go  Top completed

9 patch- red and cream outer borders to be done (a few more hexie flowers for the final border to be done) - Borders in progress, one completed

9 patch scrappy top - two borders to go/two done Top Completed

Scrappy hearts quilt - borders to be planned and done

Petite Poche - 4 new  embroidery blocks added to the pile

Who's who at the zoo- half way through applique blocks - Row 4 Prepped

Aussie animals - centre top done, borders to go.

May Gibbs hearts - pick up and go project, need to count completed hearts. wisp - Hearts all appliqued waiting to be sewn together.

Another couple of ticks and I'll feel quite happy to start something new.

Tomorrow I have a friend coming over with a project for me to do the applique on. (I did the applique on her blue and white Laundry Basket quilt). Perfect arrangement as I don't mind applique and I won't have to do all the piecing!

Happy days.

Marina