This was the week that was.

Good morning on this bright and sunny Sunday. If you live in Melbourne, I hope the rain has given you an extra excuse to stay indoors and get some sewing done! It's been so heavy here that at one point I thought about building an Ark. I'm quite happy for it now to rain only between the hours of 6pm and 7am.

Yesterday was our sewing meeting - always eagerly anticipated and this was no exception. My turn to host it this time - always makes me a little stressed. We had lots to show and tell (sorry no photos - we don't usually do photos) and didn't get to start sewing until getting on for 12 (we start at 10). After eating chocolate and raspberry brownies (not my best cooking effort - sorry girls) getting a caffeine hit and reviewing our latest works, we managed to get some sewing done. Lots of laughs and good stories. Brilliant!

I completed the last of the PA applique blocks this week. Here it is


and the last of those that I completed earlier.


I'm very happy with the way it's turning out. I have had many inquiries about this pattern and have been passing them all along to Di who is currently in the USA - but I hope she will make the pattern available again soon. In the meantime here is how the whole thing should look.


Not a great photo - it's the only one I have, clipped from an old magazine ad. I am waiting on the fabric to come in for the background triangles, they have some simple applique on them which shouldn't take too long. The other thing I need to do is the outside border of little triangles. This will be a weekend job. I usually only machine sew in the day and hand sew at night. So that means I need another project for the evenings. I have one - but you're going to have to wait until next time to see it.

Oh OK ....here's a sneak peek


On the agenda for this week I have the last of the GTASB blocks for this month. It is half cut out so I can start work on that. I would also like to start my first MM block this week. I have the fabrics chosen so I just need to draw the template. And I also need to put some time in on my BP cross stitch. That should keep me busy for this week since I have a few other commitments as well.

For those of you thinking about the CWB here is the background fabric which arrived this week. I'm very happy with it. It is a lovely colour and subtle tone on tone print.

You can get it from Threadbear if you love it! See the sidebar for links to the CWB blog and Threadbear.

Didn't have time for the garden today, since I went for a 21st birthday lunch for my niece Caitlin. Happy Birthday Catie! And thanks for a lovely afternoon Senka.

But in my garden looking to one side of my backyard you can see

we have done some work on this barren wasteland and it's starting to look quite pretty. If I swivel around to my left

yep - still a barren wasteland. But stay tuned for the after shot (coming in another month).

OK I'm off to sew. Hope you have a great week and spend some time with people or things that make you happy.

Cheers,

Deb

Such a perfect day

Well weekend actually. The weather here in Melbourne is glorious. Warm and bright with not too much of the Spring wind. Time for a little bit of gardening this afternoon......very satisfying to see some green before the summer hits and scorches everything in sight.

The weekend has been perfect because every family member has been off happily doing their own thing. Yesterday my thing was Secret Sewing.....my favourite day of the month. For some reason I was more than usually excited to see the girls yesterday - maybe because I wanted to tell them about my blog. And it seems that they were all the same. It was a great day - plenty of conversation (sometimes many at once) lots of laughter, delicious food, and of course many projects to show, comment on, offer advice and plan. I think one of us actually sewed something - but of course this is not strictly necessary. Here's a photo of (most of) the gang


Back row left to right: Meghan, Ann, Merri, Julie, Kerry
Front row left to right: Chris, Di, Sue
Missing: Deb (on camera duty), Clare and Barb (both off galivanting elsewhere)

They are such a creative group of women - just the perfect way to spend a day. I have suggested the idea of starting a group blog, so they could all show you their own projects. I think they quite like the idea, so I'll let you know if it happens.

Chris was the hostess for the day - thank you Chris, it was lovely. My turn next month - what will I cook? what will I wear? ...so many decisions AARGH!

I snapped a couple of photos of things in progress


Here is Ann (right) with Merri. Ann is just starting the DNQTTT quilt which you can see. She wins the achievement award for yesterday because by the time we had ended for the day Ann had cut all the pieces for the centre and there are quite a few. This version is going to have a real civil war feel about it I think.

Here is Merri's current project



it's another stunner. The group decided they would try and make a version of a Kim McLean quilt called Turkish Tiles based on a photo from QNM. Well by the time Meghan redesigned and drew the centre panel and Di redesigned the outside blocks - I'm not sure how much of the original is left. So maybe it needs a new name - perhaps Homage to Turkish Tiles! I'm not making this one - I wanted to finish some others, but boy am I sorry now! Oh well add it to the to do list.

Enough of the girls - they need their own blog don't they?


My sewing is not very focused right now. I am waiting for my CWB background to come - but while waiting I thought I would start to design the blocks. Here is number 1



placement is a little on the wonky side, but hey - it's only pinned. I am using a combination of a starter pack that I bought at Threadbear and pieces from my stash. If you are thinking of making this quilt I highly recommend the starter pack.

I have also finished the last two blocks of GTASB for the month.


Very enjoyable project if you like simple hand piecing.

What else - oh yes - PA progress. I have started piecing together the next round of applique blocks


I wanted to put this all together but the brown fabric in the background is the one I'm short of so I'll wait until my new lot comes in. So much waiting and I'm Sooooooo impatient. Maybe someone's trying to tell me something. The colours are much more rich in real life.

Next two blocks on the way are this one


and this one



as you can see I haven't finished it yet. But it's well on the way. Did I tell you before that I'm really enjoying this one? Yes, No? Well I am.

I think that's it for the week. Except to say that I've made so many great contacts through this blog - it has been really fabulous to be able to connect with so many people who enjoy the creative process of "craft" in its various forms. But one special person has been really encouraging and enthusing me - Kathie - you know who you are! Look what she sent me


I'm so excited and thankful. And yes - ordered the background and I'm WAITING for it. Patience is a virtue and no one has ever called me virtuous!

Two things to finish with. One - stay tuned for some very exciting news (actually it's exciting for me and hopefully it will be for you also). I thought it deserved it's own post and besides I have to cook dinner now.

Two - I thought I would indulge myself and show you the two most beautiful things I've made


aren't they beautiful - really - it's not just me is it? The big one is in VCE (last year of high school) and was off to his formal. The little one is in year 8 and was off to a play with her friends - no adults required thanks! They haven't really got red eyes - I just need a little photo practice.

Well that was my perfect weekend - hope yours was also perfect. And stay tuned for the exciting news!

Serendipity and Zippety Do-dah

In my haste to get my post up last Sunday I overlooked a few things. Firstly, a big Thank You to Janet (Quiltsalot) and Kathie (Inspired by antique quilts) for helping me set up my blog and mentioning me on their blogs. If you haven't seen their work - have a look over on the side bar for the links. Both blogs are well worth a visit.

Second, if you click on Flickr in the sidebar it will take you to see the previous Green Tea blocks that I have completed. There is a group for this BOM, but I'm not sure you will be able to get in and see other people's photos unless you are a member.

Thirdly, Merri was very pleased with your lovely comments on her quilt. She says her head is not swollen (even a little bit)! You should see what she's working on now! I'll ask her for some photos in due course.

It has been one of "those" weeks for me. School council meeting, parent teacher interviews and movie group (saw the Soloist - excellent movie) in the evenings as well as having a nasty virus means production has been low. So

Granny squares - ZERO

Cross stitch - ZILCH

Quilting - ZIP

.....................as I said - one of "those" weeks. Luckily this is a new blog and I have plenty of stuff in the cupboard that I can drag out for a rainy day.

I did manage to get thise done for the GTASB BOM


Very simple drunkard's path blocks. Two more blocks still to do for this month on that one.

I also started to cut out for the CWB quilt. I don't have the background yet so I am pinning the shapes to felt, ready to stitch.

Not much done, but a start is better than nothing.

I have also put a bit more work in on the PA quilt


I really like how the centre square has turned out. The next two blocks to be added are these


There is some simple applique to do on the setting squares which I will try and do this week. As I was looking at this and trying to remember how it all went together, I realised that the other reason I put this quilt down, was that I was short on one of the background fabrics. Of course I couldn't get any more at the time and so it all became a bit too hard. BUT - guess what? I got a Hancock's catalogue in the mail on Friday. Marcus brothers is reprinting some old Judie Rothermel Civil War fabrics - and yes - one of them is the background. How's that for coincidence - this has been sitting in my cupboard for about 10 years!

Must be fate! I hope you have some good luck this week.

Cheers,

Deb

I've got mail!

Don't you just love it when the postie comes bearing large envelopes? It's like getting fantastic presents - exactly what you wanted - and if the mail is slow you may have even forgotten that you actually paid for them! Heaven. Well I got 2 this week






what's in them?




Number 1 is the Civil War Bride pattern - beautifully produced and arrived within a day of ordering - thanks Corliss, I love it. The background fabric is on backorder, so I'm going to start designing my blocks and I should have a few ready to go when the fabric arrives.




Number 2 is the Green tea and Sweet Beans BOM (month 4) from Amitie. I am loving this one. I saw the quilt at the Stitches and Craft show early this year and it just shouted SPRING. As you will see, my taste in quilts is quite eclectic. I adore the old traditionals, but the bright cheerful colours of quilts like this one just make me happy. And of course I have loved Kaffe since he started knitting and needlepoint all those years ago.

I have added links about both of these quilts on the side bar.

I have had a couple of requests to show photos of Merri's DNQTTT quilt so here are a couple. If you click on Flickr on the side bar you will see some more shots, and also my progress on Green tea and sweet beans.

Isn't it just beautiful? I asked Merri to include a photo of herself but she chickened out. Maybe next time.

I hope your postie brings you something fabulous today.

Cheers

Deb