September

 Good intentions just weren't enough and just like that it's mid September.

Some progress has been made on the usual projects and School holidays started this week.  All my hopes for social catch ups and sewing have been crushed thanks to our old friend Covid. I started to be unwell last Wednesday and thought I just had a flu as Covid tests showed a negative result but low and behold on Saturday I tested positive. It explained why I felt so bad. I am on the improve a little each day but I seem to feel to fatigued after very small exertions. That's life !

I do have some pics of the progress that has been made in the past month to share though.....

the next row is ready for the Who's who at the zoo....

Next hometown block done and the third prepped.

More crochet happening this is the third scarf being made. I love how the colours unfold.

Some squares for an un-yet decided project

two more blocks have been done from the owl and hare set. I still don't know how these will go together yet. 

That's me caught up and hopefully if I feel better I'll get to make some more progress on my works.

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

Lazy sunday afternoon.....

 Nothing beats a lazy Sunday when you can retreat to the sewing room and just plod along with some happy projects.

I managed to sew the two new rows onto my Who's who in the zoo quilt and this brings me to the half way mark of the applique blocks.

Week night sewing has consisted of trying to complete the second border for my 9 patch top.

I am very happy with the results and they come together quite quickly.

It's very encouraging when you can sew them onto the top. 

This week I will focus on getting at least one of the Basket case borders done.  I can see this getting finished soon.  Hopefully if it gets done I will start one of my new projects on the upcoming school holidays.  Nothing like dangling the carrot in front of the donkey.

Time for a stocktake of works in progress.....

Basket Case - 2 sides of final borders to go

9 patch- red and cream outer borders to be done (a few more hexie flowers for the final border to be done)

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

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, need to prep some more

Aussie animals - centre top done, borders to go.

May Gibbs hearts - pick up and go project, need to count completed hearts. wisp

Happy days

Marina

Who's who in the zoo.....

 Last weekend I managed to finish the rest of the Zoo blocks for row three.

When I get some time in the sewing room I'll put them together with the first two rows.

Loving the little meerkats. I had contemplated omitting the two zoo keepers but am very glad that I didn't. I am liking them a lot. 

I need to prep the next row of blocks .....after I get some progress on a different project.

Happy days!

Marina

This week

 this week has been a mixed bag of sewing.

two more Petite poche blocks finished and another friend in the zoo got completed.

I want to keep going on the embroidery as when I leave it for too long I seem to have to start again as far as skills go. Does anyone else feel like that? 

This weekend I will be spending time in the zoo to get some more progress happening on row three.  Last weekend I prepped the last two borders for the Basket case quilt, these will be the last borders and I am excited to finish as it will mean I can start something new!

there are two projects just waiting to be started....

I have had to control myself to resist starting but allowed myself the luxury of preparing backgrounds for the tilda design and have made templates for both.

Here are the completed blocks for this week.

The cooler weather has sparked the need for some comfort food. Today I made this Maltese bread pudding. I always think of my Mother in law when I make it. 

Honouring family recipes x

Have a wonderful weekend!

Marina

Animals, animals everywhere

 I have been working on two Red Boots patterns. They are such fun to make and are great in between other projects.

I have made the Aussie animals quilt as large as I want to make it so just need to work out the borders for my adjusted size. Such cute designs.

Who's who in the Zoo has also been great fun to work on. I thought I would sew the rows together as I complete the blocks.

I have the second row ready to go - a beautiful colourful snake. The third row blocks are all prepped and ready to work on. 

This week I have been solely working on completing the last borders for my Basket case quilt.

Two sides done! I need to prep the last two borders and get this to the finished pile.

Happy days!

Marina

Today is Poppy's happy gotcha day. Four years with this gorgeous girl