cruising along...

Boy my clothes line has been getting a workout- not so much with washing as a hanger for my quilts. I fixed up my mistakes in quilting my Sweet Nostalgia quilt and visited my local patchwork shop Jemima's to buy the binding for it.

I also found some lovely fabric to make some goodies for Peta in the Friends Swap. That will have to remain a secret but there will be sneak peaks for sure.

I got all the binding on and now there is just the handquilting around the embroideries to do. I have stitched five of the blocks- 7 to go.

I just love looking at the folded quilts. You get little snippets of colour and the designs, am so happy that this quilt is finished, well 98% finished...
I hope to visit mum's on the weekend to baste my Flower garden.
Another Christmas stitchery got finished yesterday....

This is from the lovely pattern Michelle sent me. It was very pleasant to stitch. For now it will join the first one and may make an appearance for next month's Christmas finish. Having finished this one means I can work on this for a little while.....

Block two of Down in the Garden. There is a heap of stitching in this one.  I had to get the butterflies on, I have just done them blanket stitch applique. Now to the stitching.. And there is also some stitching for the friends swap to get started on.
busy days!
Happy crafting
Cheers
Marina

Loveliness has arrived..

Here we go...

 This week my fabric pack arrived from the lovely Bec. It is very dangerous visiting her blog as she clears out her stash every now and then and 'rehomes' it. 

This is a lovely kit of Sunkissed fabric. It is just beautiful and I love it. They are not colours I would normally use so I am looking forward to making something outside my usual colours.  I am going to add a few lighter tones of homespun to use for the extra stitcheries.

I traced the first stitchery on the white on cream fabric that came with the kit. It has the names of flowers written on the fabric. Just so perfectly fits the theme.

I will need to carefully select the cottons for the stitching so that they suit the fabrics. It's so exciting starting a new project.

     

I haven't been neglecting my UFO's. I have sewn 1 1/2 rows of my Park avenue hexagon top together and have attempted some machine quilting on my Sweet Nostalgia quilt that mum helped me baste. Just some stitching around the block frames and the sashings.  It will need a lot of hand quilting too around various parts of the stitcheries but that will be done slowly but surely. About half of the machine quilting to go.

Happy days!
cheers
Marina

the big finish!!

The rainy weather in Melbourne these past few days has been quite productive for me.
I have managed to put together my Sweet Nostalgia top. I wasn't up to the beautiful sashings that Dorothy had designed and I knew that I would never have had the patience so I simplified it a little.
This photo only shows three rows as I couldn't fit the whole thing in shot. 
I was unsure of how to finish the top as regards to an outer border. I had thought about buying some more fabric and just using the one type to make the outer border but I had so many of the paired squares left I couldn't justify buying more fabric. I am happy with the result. There are four white squares in each corner so that should tie in well with the white blocks in the sashings.

 In the white corner blocks and the ones in the sashing I am going to applique these small hexie flowers just to fill the space. They are the same size as the ones made for the Stitching round the block. I think they finish it off nicely.

I just enjoyed these stitcheries so much I am happy to have finished the top. I will get it quilted during the year.

As soon as I had laid the flimsy on the bed to photograph it, who should magically appear.....

...........and she sat right in the middle of it!! Princess seal of approval given.

I had forgotten to post pics of my swap hexies that have come in....

they are very pretty and last night I sewed them into a new row of flowers for my scrappy hexie top! I had made some for my swap partners but haven't taken a photo! While making one for them I also made a few extra to add to mine. I was going to finish the top off but I am quite enjoying still adding to it.
Seems like I am surrounded by Hexie flowers. I could think of worse things.

cheers
Marina

up, up and away!

this parcel is winging it's way to Oddbjorg in Norway. I hope you will enjoy the things I have made and sent. Once it is received in Norway I will have a show and tell of the goodies.

Thought I would also post a pic of my sweet nostalgia rows. Next holidays they will be worked on again. I need to do the horizontal sashings and then the outer borders. I piked out of doing the little diamonds as I didn't realise how much cream fabric I would need to use so I just thought I would keep it simple.

roll on the weekend and perhaps a little visit to the craft expo at the Exhibition building.
Thanks to Lorraine, Carol and Fiona who have put their hands up for the Stitching round the block.
I am waiting for Helen to post some more details. It should be great fun.
cheers
Marina

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

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

civil war vs 30's fabrics.

While working on my swap gifts I have been trying to decide on which fabrics to use for my Sweet Nostalgia blocks!
What do you guys think?
30's           or                 civil war repro.

the 30's definitely look fresh and the civil war look warm.
I don't want to cut until I am absolutely sure so I will keep stitching block 12 for now.
I nearly have done all the swap goodies for Judit just one more to go - that 'U' has got me stumped a little. I have started on the swap goodies for Odbjorg while I search for the perfect 'U' item.
The cold wintry weather has struck again in Melbourne, where has the sun gone?
cheers for now
Marina

sweet nostalgia...& a sneak peak

Dorothy has today posted the final instructions to putting together the Sweet Nostalgia BOM

I think it looks just gorgeous and I can't wait to be able to put my blocks together. I didn't do any of the borders as I went along as I wanted to see it put together. I am hoping that I can get it started next school holdiays which is in only 4 weeks (I think!). Usually I am so accurate with knowing those dates. The borders are going to be a challenge but I am ready to meet it head on and all those prairie points- gotta be good for the obsessive compulsive disorder!

Isn't it wonderful!

Well this swap business is a bit of a nuisance as I can't show anything of what I have been up to this week! Well maybe a sneak peak?

I have been working away to get some things finished and I can cross off a few from the list of goodies to send Judit

 

Speaking of swaps...... I have naughtily signed up for another swap. Your Honour I can explain..... It is a Christmas swap and doesn't have to be sent till December and the sign up is not closing till September 1.. I will have plenty of time to finish and package up the goodies for this swap.

Maree at On my Verandah is organising this swap. Last year I did a redwork cushion swap and a paper bag swap organised by Maree and I thought it sounded good. Unfortunately it is only open to Australia and New Zealand.

Well the sun has been shining here in Melbourne today. A promise of Spring just around the corner!

Am off to get some work done on some swap goodies!

Will try to post some more sneak peaks, just not big ones!

Cheers

Marina

I can't do that.....

I am an artiste!! You would have me waste my talents on this menial task? How dare you, I say. Perhaps if your legs would grow a little more, well quite a lot more, I would not be forced to undertake this labour. I can feel it sapping the creativity from my life force...

Hemming Jeans....Yuuuukkkko. They are all cut, pinned ready to sew. Hope my machine will still speak to me later...
I felt a little guilty cause dh has been begging me to take up his jeans for yonks and he has had to just cuff them inside to wear them. When he bought two new pairs I thought I should do the lot. I hate taking up trousers!

I did get my Sweet Nostalgia block finished last night and yesterday afternoon I cut more hexagon shapes for the cream hexagons for my borders.
So I did get some 'me' craftiness happening too.
Taaa daa....

Totally up to date with this BOM, now to do some Boy's story blocks while I am waiting to start my Raggedy Anne and Andy.
There are some quick people who have finished the first block and have posted a pic on Kaaren's blog. They are so gorgeous. I love seeing how others use different colourways. Fantastic!

cheers
Marina

Sweet nostalgia progress

It's thursday already. I am so glad the week is nearly over.

Haven't been spending that much time on the computer this week so I missed Tuesday treasures.
Last weekend Mum and I made a trip to GJ's and to Spotlight. I managed to buy some more '30s and civil war fabrics so I have a lovely stash of each.
This week I have been busy catching up on my Sweet Nostalgia blocks.
I finished those leaves on block 10 and traced the latest block. Block 2 was also in need of some attention. I had bypassed this one at the start but revisited it and made a few changes. The block had a Halloween theme and as we don't celebrate Halloween here I wanted to change it a little. Now I am up to date and making great headway on Block 11. The little dog Dorothy has drawn just reminds me so much of my Foxy Peggy that I love the blocks with the little dog so much. On block two I drew the little dog to be standing against the fence.

Once these blocks are done I can start the Raggedy Anne & Andy blocks.  On Kaaren's blog she has a gorgeous pic of the first block done by a blogger using 30's fabrics. I was tossing up whether to use '30s fabrics for this project and once I saw this photo I am sold! I am also thinking of doing the stitching in colours instead of just red work. Will have to think hard about that one though.
Hope you have had a great week.
Roll on weekend!
cheers
Marina

craftiness this week

This week I can cross one of the last 'to do's' from my holiday list. I finally psyched up to do the monogram on the christening gown for my great niece. Her mum rang me this week to check if it was done, I think she was a bit stressed that it wouldn't be done. Well it is done and will be delivered tomorrow. The idea is that each baby that is christened in the smocked gown will have their initials embroidered on the bottom.

I have been dipping into my hexies too this week. Here are the results...
some more flowers and of course heaps of cream fillers..

The green leaves will go around the border.
Then of course there is my sweet nostalgia block. I just have the leaves on the tree but I have hit the wall..... I am off to mum's to cut the background blocks for July's block. That should get me motivated. SIL still has my cutter, ruler and mat! Here it is anyway. Definitely need to do those last finishing bits.

Home tomorrow- Yippee!!, 0 degrees expected overnight! Turn that heater up and put another blanket on..
cheers for now
Marina..


ps GJ's in Brunswick has their 25% off sale again this weekend.

on track to catch up (so far)...

The holidays have started off just as I would like them Staying up late crafting, sleeping in, keeping up with housework and have a yummy tea ready.
We also are enjoying a visitor during this week of the holidays-our neighbour's Labrador Stitch. She is just adorable. She doesn't get as much attention as my boys do so when she comes over she is in heaven. Company, walks, affection, people fussing over her....What more is there in life?
Coffee loves her but Monty ignores her and prefers she keep away from him but she thinks he is great and loves to go up to him and schmooze him.
Dogs are excellent communicators by body language and this is the closest I could get Monty to sit near Stitch. Obvious how he feels isn't it? He doesn't even want to look at her. If I don't acknowledge you, you don't exist. But she and Coffee enjoy each others company and were happy to snuggle up together. In fact it makes Coffee's day. Give me that puppy love!
I love the three colours together. Labs come in the three colours but curlies don't. I could have a set, better not let DH hear me thinking that aloud.....

I have been busy on my list as you can see, and I have two items crossed off and am ready to cross off another. They were things that only needed a little work so I am not as clever as I appear.
I will try to photograph the borders on my two finishes today to show. I have also decided to make another top to back the Life is Beautiful instead of just backing fabric. I have heaps of brown fabric left over so will use that to do a shoo fly block to make up the back. So no quilting for that quilt just yet. My Heart and Home quilt will be going to the quilters this week. We're moving baby!
Technically I am up to date with my Sweet Nostalgia blocks too as I have finished May's block and traced June's. I have till the 15th of July to be offically behind on June's block. -It's all about perspective.
Here is May's..
How does your garden grow?.

 I just love these two little boys in the garden. So cute.
I will work on finishing my baby throws.  I just need to decide whether to hand quilt or machine quilt. I know which will be quicker. It will depend on how my arm holds up.
Loving the holidays!
cheers
Marina

Another week....

Another week has just flown by and I still don't know where. It has been a tiring week. No2 son has been working on the other side of town and has had to catch the 4.20 am train one day and 5.15 the next day. Guess who drew the short straw! I managed to make it through the week and I am going to rest this weekend. Tomorrow is Mother's day so Mum will be around for lunch. I have been busting to see Clash of the Titans so I may treat myself in the afternoon.
I may pull the 'mother's day card' to get one of the boys to come see it with me. Out of 3 boys you would think one of them would.
April's Sweet Nostalgia block is complete and so is the centre piece for my baby quilt. Maybe I could use the Mother's day card today and get some me time to sew? It should be all about Me, Me, Me...

Now that I don't have any hand working to do- perhaps I can start my boys story appliques.............mmmmmm
Life is full of so many Decisions!

During the week a friend sent me an email with quotes from Maya Angelou. They were really sweet so I thought I would post them here too-feeling a bit soppy. I am going to print a few off and put them around my desk for inspiration.

Maya Angelou said this:
'I've learned that no matter what happens, or how bad it seems today, life does go on, and it will be better tomorrow.'

'I've learned that you can tell a lot about a person by the way he/she handles these three things: a rainy day, lost luggage, and tangled Christmas tree lights.'

'I've learned that regardless of your relationship with your parents, you'll miss them when they're gone from your life.'

'I've learned that making a 'living' is not the same thing as 'making a life.'

'I've learned that life sometimes gives you a second chance.'

'I've learned that you shouldn't go through life with a catcher's mitt on both hands; you need to be able to throw some things back...'

'I've learned that whenever I decide something with an open heart, I usually make the right decision.'

'I've learned that even when I have pains, I don't have to be one.'

'I've learned that every day you should reach out and touch someone. People love a warm hug, or just a friendly pat on the back.'

'I've learned that I still have a lot to learn...'

'I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.'



On that note that is all for me today,
Hope you have a lovely weekend!
Marina

A slow week......

It seems like this week has just dragged on forever......
Last Sunday I had hoped to finish my last border for the Heart and Home, little did I know how tedious and time consuming it would be. I only managed to finish the small heart pieces in the border!
They turned out quite nicely though.

My next sewing day will be earmarked for the next step in the border.

This week I received a lovely package in the mail from Lorraine at the Balancing Kiwi. Lorraine makes beautiful crocheted flower brooches so we swapped some crocheted flowers. I forgot to photograph mine, but they were just plain roses in a few different cottons and wools. Lorraine sent me a beautiful garden of flowers. They are so lovely. Our next swap is going to be Pot holders but she is way ahead on me with this one. I have to get a move on!
Here are the lovely flowers.....

Isn't this the cutest bunch of violets.
All the baby quilt stitcheries are done except one. I have run out of cotton on the last one! Murphy's law. I will just have to hunt up the Madeira cotton from Jemimas this week.
I have been plodding along with my April block of the Sweet Nostalgia bom.
I made a start on some of my favourite parts of the picture.

The grey bunny is a little light in colour. Not sure if I should've made him darker? What do you guys think?. I will go back to Dorothy's original and have another look at her colour selection.
Unfortunately I won't be making it to the quilt convention or the big sale I was so looking forward to. Oh well there is always next time!
Have a lovely weekend.
Marina

quilt one stitcheries

This week I have been slowly making a start on the stitcheries for quilt one. My arm is still not quite 100% and if I stitch too long it is a little tender. Lucky the stitcheries are only small. I started using Madeira cotton for the stitching and regret my choice a little. I used to use it when I smocked for a lady and she used to prefer Madeira but I find it frays and doesn't fill out as well as the dmc. I will have to find an equivalent colour or just stick it out.

I also traced off the new Sweet Nostlagia block. It has a very cute easter theme. It is all ready to go!I am afraid my boy is a little too smiley lol. Perhaps I can fix that in the stitching.

Kymberly at The Cotton patch has taken the plunge and is learning to smock. With two gorgeous girls to smock for I know she will have an outlet for her new craft.
During the Christmas holidays I wanted to clear out some smocking ufo's. I love the smocking part just not too good with the sewing part. I pulled out one and managed to get it to the point of having to do the hand sewing. But I can show it off anyway- it's to encourage Kymberly. Next holidays I will pull it out again and perhaps finish off the hand sewing............ It's not like I have a newborn to finish it for. It will go into storage for when I have grandchildren who may wear it. (I hope that is a long way off!!)

cheers for now
Marina