the year that was and a new Year to come

Well it's been quite awhile since I spent much time here.... I have been lurking and making some occasional comments but there just wasn't enough time for everything and my blog missed out on some of the attention.

Last year was a big year for me on many levels and it ending up finishing well and I am looking forward to a great year ahead.

As far as crafting goes I made last year a year to finish projects. I did accomplish quite a bit and I was very happy about that.

I won't show all of my finishes in this post, as hopefully I will make another post soon to show some more finishes.

This year, as I only really have Okehampton as my major project, I am hoping to dabble in some smaller projects too for gifting, something I have been quite neglectful in doing.

So let's get started with the photos...

this live, laugh, love quilt has been completed for quite a while and it was time for some quilting to happen. I had it quilted by Jemima's and I must admit I had fallen a little out of love with it and was worried about spending the money on a project I was not longer in love with.

But that all changed when I picked it up from the quilters. They even commented on how good it looked! Needless to say I am very much in love with it again and it is hanging in my sewing room.

 

This month I managed to complete the top for my Farewell Quilt (gossip in the garden by anni Downs)

I made a few changes as I usually do and unfortunately the photo does not do it justice, it's ended up quite big and was a little difficult to photograph.  I am wanting to hand quilt this one once I can bring myself to basting it!

I bought a lovely kit for a hexagon needlebook and after making the kit up I decided to make another one up too and dragged out this project from some years ago and make it up in the same method.

The flower was made ages ago and the stitchery also, the lilypad needlebook was very daunting to it came to a screeching halt. But now it's done!

Have had some fun working on my Okehampton centre...... besides the handquilting this is my only other big project........at the moment anyway.

What's not to love about some english paper piecing and fussy cut tiny hexie flowers?

I am toying with this background (a 3 sisters fabric) and the first border fabric too.

Thankyou for sticking with the post if you're still here....and for taking the time to visit after such a long time.

I hope to get back into the gist of blog land again, slowly.

Stay tuned....

Back to work Monday so we'll see how it pans out.

I'll leave you with a furry friend pic....... Maisie decided to spend some time in my sewing room under the air con vent. 42degrees I don't blame her but it made it hard for me to sit and sew lol.

Happy days..

Marina

x

binding done and some other bits...

This week i was very enthused about getting the binding done on my swan lake. I bought some red bias binding months ago on a visit to L'uccello and thought I had bought enough but.....Sunday night I ended up here.....missed by that much......
I wasn't looking forward to a trip into town but was desperate to get the binding done so I gave L'uccello a ring and they had the extra binding in the mail last night and it arrived today. How's that for service?
Binding is now complete. I have started sewing yo yo's too and one side is nearly complete.

 Friday night I managed to get this top all pieced together. I have decided to not put the top and bottom stitched border on. I prefer it a little bit plainer. I might try to get some big ric rac to run around the border.

 Here is a pic of my clamshells. I haven't added a row for awhile. I think I need to decide what to make with it first?

 This is a little new project that I couldn't resist....
it is a free project from Lisa Bonegan of Primitive Gatherings. I made a good start on the appliqueing at quilt group on Saturday and finished it off yesterday. . The sweet background fabric made it's way home with me from the Essendon Quilters Show on Friday, along with a few purple fabrics from Threadbear.

Now I just have to share a few photos of Miss Maisie 'cat scanning' the new Swan Lake quilt on the bed.

do you think she approves?
Hope you have a great week!

Marina

when in doubt...

....start something new that you want to make..
Now there is some quilting that desperately wants my attention but I have managed to ignore it as the urge to start something new overcame all other voices in my head..
I haven't been ignoring all the other projects as I did manage to finish the last two small blocks of Live laugh love which means I can start on the big centre block. I have decided not to add the two stitched/applique borders and will finish it off with just the main stitchery blocks.
Just had to lay it out to see how it would look all together. It's good to see where you are heading.

 then I felt I should reward myself with the something new.
that lovely Charm pack that was sent to me by Susan has been sparingly cut into a little pile of  clamshells.
Now some intelligent person thought it would be good to start off on a small scale and buy 1 1/2" clamshell papers. Little fiddly but I am getting the gist of them.
Here they are laid out so I could get an idea of arranging the colours. They are so pretty.
Late last night I managed to sew one row but today that will be reverse sewn as I didn't make the row wide enough. I quite like making these the only thing is the glueing part but  by the tenth one I wasn't doing too badly with them. I watched a Sue Daly video on You Tube to see how it is done.

Will share a pic once it is resewn.

Sun is shining and it would be so wonderful to sit in the sun streaming through the window and sew but there are chores to be done first (maybe).

Have a great day

Marina

lots to share...

On Sunday I spent a wonderful day with some city and country friends at the Sunbury quilt show. It was a really lovely show and there were some amazing quilts.
A day out with these girls is like a tonic, it picks you up just like a big hug and there were quite a few of those meted out during the day lol
I didn't take a camera but thankfully some star photographer/bloggers did.
I am borrowing this pic from Sue's blog  she has taken some gorgeous pics of the day and also of most of the quilts.
When the waitress said 'now for a silly photo' because we are all such good girls, who were we to not comply!
from left to right-Sue, Tracee, me, Jo, Tania, Robyn, Elyte, Marg and Annie
Thanks girls for a fantastic day out!!

What's a quilt show without some purchases...I thought I should have a little spend especially in case I didn't win a raffle. (very prophetic too as I didn't win a scrap).
I bought some gorgeous vintage fabric hexies. Have had my eye on these for awhile was just waiting to encounter this stall somewhere along the way.

 I couldn't wait to get them all basted and ready. I even fished out some 'vintage' fabrics of my own to add to the pile. The idea on how to use these is still swirling around my head. thinking, thinking, thinking......I do have something in mind just to get it from brain to fingers.
A tower of hexies...

 Three more live laugh love blocks have been completed, they were just waiting for their berries.

The postie has been very good to me lately as yesterday a gorgeous parcel arrived from Fiona . If I hadn't been so excited to open it I might have taken a pic of how pretty the wrapping was.
When I opened the parcel it revealed this loveliness....
I have wanted to make one of these bags from the first time I saw the pattern but it got added to the pile of to do's. Now I don't have to make one at all.
Love, love, love this Fiona-thankyou.

Fiona has some pics on her blog too, taken in the sunshine, makes it look even more gorgeous!

Before you are overwhelmed by all the visual... I have one more pic to share.
A little while ago Susan from Thimblestitch blogged about pincushions and had a giveaway for a gorgeous hexie pincushion. Commenters mentioned how many pincushions they have. I thought it was time to take an updated pic of my pincushions as there have been a few additions.
I do love them all but the ones that get used are the Scruffy haired pincushion on the far right and my little one with all the pins at the front. Poor things they do all the work while the others just get to look pretty.
A lot of them were gifts from wonderful bloggy friends which makes them even more special.

Received a picture from Leanne who is quilting my Swan Lake. I was so excited, she has made a start and it is amazing. I can't wait!!!
Hope everyone has a great week

marina

bits of this and that

Not a lot happening this last week and am finding it a bit hard to focus on stitching so I have been looking for other things to play with.
Today I was playing around with some 1/2 inch hexies that were left over from the last purse that I made and thought it would be a great idea to see if I could make a mini hexie pincushion.
Nothing ventured nothing gained as they say..
I have filled them with a bit of stuffing and walnut shells so I can use them to sharpen my needles.
I think they are quite cute.

 Two more blocks finished for my live laugh love quilt. These were finished a week ago.

I have been plodding along with this during the week, sewing the stepping stones for the top and bottom row that I added. I think I have enough flowers to make one more row and then I will have to think about planning the fillers to straighten the sides.

 Little houses have been built over the past week or so too.
Another 8 done. They are so enjoyable to make but I must think about putting them together soon....

Hope the weekend has been a good one for you
cheers for now
Marina

oh, holidays, parting is such sweet sorrow...

Yes that time has come again, albeit too quickly for my liking!
why can't two weeks feel  like four weeks and not two days.
Back to normal tomorrow, I don't know how I am going to get up in time. It has taken me two weeks to perfect sleeping in! How wasteful to throw all that hard work away.
I shouldn't complain though the next round will come around quickly enough and I have had a wonderfully restful break and had lots of creative time.
two more blocks were finished for my live, laugh, love quilt and all the rest of the main blocks prepared.
I still haven't made up my mind about the upper and lower border but there is time to decide.

  
I made a few more of the little hexie pin cushions, I found lots of photos of these made out of fabric and crochet on the net but didn't find any tutorial to share for those who have asked so stay tuned when I make the next one I will share how I have made them.
Found another sweet little cross stitch design that fits in the hexie shape too.

Being the last day of my holidays I wanted to get to play with some special fabrics.

I have been wanting to use these little 1/2 square triangles that I got from Lynda ever since I sewed and trimmed all 300 or so of them. Boy was that a marathon effort!

so out came the machine and I had a little play....

Three blocks are a great start to I don't know what, but it is a start lol

Once you make a start the rest has to come eventually......right?

well there's no fighting it any longer....... Tomorrow will be here before I know it so I am off to enjoy the rest of today..

have a great week

See you all later in the week for my Christmas item for this month!

cheers

marina

Project list progresses...

These holidays are just passing too quickly but I have been making the very most of them....
Today I went with my friend to see The Grand Budapest Hotel. The reviews have been good and it has so many wonderful actors that I just had to see it. After all Margaret Pomeranz gave it a 5 star rating!
I am so glad I went I think it was a fantastic movie, quirky, funny and very sweet.
The only distraction I found was watching Ralph Fiennes playing a great character beautifully but I kept seeing Lord Voldemort when he spoke! Once I got over that I loved his performance. All the other characters were wonderful too. Would happily see it again.

Luckily I have been having lots of time to dedicate to crafting too and I have made a tick next to every item on my list that I shared last month on my blog.  Some projects needed to be completed and others just needed some progress.
All those ticks encouraged me to start my new project Live, laugh, love quilt by Viv's Creations that I bought from Mrs Martins quilt shop at the Monbulk show. I made a start on the weekend and I have completed my first complete block . That little box on the side contains a stash of little berries. I am hoping that I have cut out enough for all the blocks. I am so happy with the finished block. It is stitched on Linen and I have used felted wool for the baskets and berries.

My first items I will share from my list are my Sweet stitches minis. One has been completed and the second has had borders added and is now basted ready for quilting and the third needed to be finished stitching.

quilted and bound

stitching done

a group shot.. one last one to stitch, that can be for next month's list.

love my pile of minis.

Mr Boo with his borders.

Another project was to complete a blanket of love to Send to Cheryll. It was posted over a week ago and has been received by Cheryll. I have enjoyed making these little blankets for her so much. 

Well that's enough photos for this post.
Next time I will share the rest of my project progresses.
Hope you are all having a great week!
cheers
Marina