Knitting and swaps

It seems like I haven't had much to show since Easter weekend. Does your sewing go like this? A big blitz then just little bits for a few days or weeks? Mine seems to.
Homelife has been busy too, I have been working on my two older children being more independent with some of the school work. They are enjoying having more control and I am enjoying less pressure. I have been having a bit of an 'autumn' clean too (spring clean in autumn), it's so nice to see things in their place.

I am pretty sure I didn't mention it before but my (very naughty but lovable) three year old found the easter egg stash a few days before Easter. He ate some of it, of course who could resist, and the two year old had a feast too. Luckily there was still enough left. As we weren't in the position to go out and buy more eggs I told the children that sometimes Easter Bunny leaves them early because he has so many children to get around. They were happy with that.
It is fun as a child to have chocolate and presents magically appear at Easter and Christmas, but I do wonder sometimes at all the lies/tales involved. Here I am teaching them to tell the truth and what do I turn around and do?????

Yesterday my parents brought out my 15 yr old cousin who is visiting from Sydney. He experienced things he doesn't normally. Chased the cow out, off the calf, to milk. Feed the rabbits and checked on the baby chickens. Feed the cows (they don't need feeding but I feed them for his benefit, also helps to keep them quiet) and toured about the farm. He also got to mix with our animal life around the house - working dogs, Jack Russell dogs, cats, chooks and geese (NCL -they have settled in well).
oh, and he was quite interested in recent purchase of ours, an old HT Holden ute that we bought in Tamworth on Saturday. It goes, but needs some work doing on it. The previous owner was going to do it up but it was sitting in his yard too long so he decided to sell it. My cousin wants to become a mechanic so he was keen to know all the details on our plans for the ute.

I want to share my 7 yr old's knitting, she loves it but we don't get it out often enough - must remedy that this week.
The only help I give her is to pick up the very rare dropped stitch and occasionally I have to knit a row because she has done her stitches too tight for her to knit the next row! Hopefully we have that problem sorted out now.
The needles are custom made. My dh made them for her out of some dowl, they just need something on the ends.
My knitting is rather slow, still not finished my first dishcloth yet! I feel the need to make a few dishcloths before tackling socks again. and I SOOO want to knit socks! I have two pair of hand knitted socks (op shop pickups for 20c and 50c) and they are just SOOO good to wear - far superior to the shop socks. Hey, it also keeps our farmers in business too!

Most of my sewing time this past week has been spent working on secret stuff for swaps, so I can't show much. I am in the Christmas In July swap that Linda and Stephanie are running.

A few more sneak peeks!

I am also in a direct swap from Rhonda's blog, downtoearth. This one is for two potholders and two dishtowels. My swap partner for this is in the US and we have had some lovely emails back and forth.
It's really nice getting to know other like minded people! I will post pictures of the things I made for her once I know she has recieved them - posting them this week.

I can't begin to say how much Rhonda's blog has helped me. I was only thinking the other day back to when I was first in a unit/apartment/flat by myself, and how things would have been done differently had I known DowntoEarth then..... but hey, I didn't have a computer then! More on this in another post.

Easter Sewing

I seem to have fallen into old habits this past week. Spending time working on projects that are a long way off being finished and essentially getting nothing finished. Back on track today though and looking at my list once again.

My unfinised sewing for Easter weekend :-

The beautiful flannels from Cottage on the Hill, a few posts back were cut and pieced into four patches. They now need threads trimming and pressing.
Taffy Treats is a Bunny Hill pattern/kit that I got from Honeysuckle over twelve months ago. Until the weekend I had about five blocks made up, out of 25. Now the top is together. I am very pleased with this one as it has been calling me now for quite a few months to be finished.

Don't worry about the top and bottom borders being too short - the borders are cut to a scallop once it is quilted; and it was quite windy the day I took the photo. Beautiful colours from April Cornell's Poetry Collection, an old range but still beautiful.

I spent time working with a jellroll from Lila Tueller's 'Woodland Bloom' range. This is a secret project for the time being. I couldn't help myself but to show a little of it - such stunning colours....
Maree, I am very sorry but my stitchery for the sewing caddy is still not started. I have a deadline on it now, the end of April to have the stitchery done - I am hoping to have the caddy done by then too but will leave my own challenge to just the stitchery for the time being.

Update on my ironing pile. It hasn't moved much. Things have just kept popping up this past week to reduce my time from half an hour to ten minutes. Well there is always this week!

Being back on track today, I have basted two baby quilts made in American Jane's 'Weeplay' fabric range. They are all ready for me to start quilting tonight or tomorrow. Here are the left overs from the quilts - four rail blocks. Not sure what I will do with them; I had intended to make a nappy bag but have lost the deisre to somewhere in the last few weeks.....

Speaking of babies, it seems that so many people I know are having babies in April and May this year - do you know of any????

Sue Zipkin and Japanese Rolls

Yesterday I started to make something with the Japanese Indigo Jellyroll, here is a bit more of my progress. Cute little owls....



I had an email from Sue Zipkin; she is so excited about the quilt I made using her scrumptious fabrics that she has posted it on her blog, and what a lovely blog it is too, definately worth a look. Today is a beautiful sunny day, much better for photos than the other day.


It is sooo awesome when deisgners are excited about you using/making their designs! Don't mind the quilt looking a little rumpled today, dh has spent a few evenings snoozing under it in front of the tv!


I remember last year when Lynette Anderson posted her cushion design that I made for my grandparents, you couldn't wipe the grin off my face!

Love this button I found at Kerry's.

You can buy the Japanese Indigo jellyrolls from Karen at The Stitching Post, in Katoomba. She said she has seen a stunning quilt made with them. I made the Melly & Me 'Black Forrest' bag.

There is LOTS of room inside, it is a really good size bag. I did do things a little different, as usual! I made an extra section inside the bag, was going to do two but thought I would see how the first one would turn out, and it turned out great!

I used a plain navy (Moda Solids) for the lining and side panels.

If you look closely you can see that I did use three jelly strips sewn together for the pockets, the highly patterned strip I used was ideal as it isn't easy to spot unless you are looking closely.

*sigh* the picture caught a shadow highlighting the seam on the left hand side..... so this wasn't the best picture to show you!

More of the Stitching Frenzy

There has been more stitching madness going on here over the weekend. I have started a second needle case stitchery from the GDO. This time using the sandcastle fabric. I have also traced off the sewing caddy stitchery, ready to start soon.

I stitched out the stitchery for Janelle Wind's pincushion that was in the last post, it is the last pincushion in Quilt Fabric Delights Pincushion of the Month. I changed the thread colours, it is a varigated plum/red/hot pink. Sorry I can't tell you the DMC number because little fingers love to find my threads and slip off the paper numbers that keep them all neat and tidy!

This little plum puddng is one of Anni Downs (Hatched and Patched) Simple Stitchings. They are all lovely and quick to complete.

Today I recieved an Indigo Japanese jellyroll from The Stitching Post in Katoomba. I ordered this a while back but told Karen to keep it aside and send it with a BOM that I am doing through her. Gorgeous! Love Japanese fabrics.....

Couldn't help it, I have pulled it apart and already sewn some together to make something that I will finish and share later in the week. I did contemplate making a quilt with it but jellyrolls can be used for lots of other things; and I have a few in mind for this one!

On the weekend I tidied up my ironing pile. mmm most of it belongs to dh, unfortunately 2/3 of ourcupboard for him is not enough! I have set myself a challenge to spend half an hour a day reducing this pile, will let you know how I go.

Stitching Frenzy

I felt so inspired last night looking at Chooky's stitchless sewing caddy from the GDO and FarmyardCafts needlecase and getting there stitched sewing caddy, that at twenty past ten last night I started the stitchery for my needlecase. I finished the stitchery about ten minutes ago; in between school and chores today. WOW. Feeling great! I have a second one ready to, on sandcastle fabric this time. Actually speaking of sandcastle fabric I found this great post by Willow Valley Store about sandcastle fabric this morning. The striped fabric is Lecien, which is the fabric I got on the GDO for Rosie's projects. It is rather nice I think.

I have been working on my Christmas in July swap, so these are only sneak peaks. Very happy with how my machine applique is progressing, and I LOVE the gold rasant thread I am using. My reel is almost out sadly.

After mentioning my rather large ironing pile a post or two ago, a homeschool friend of mine blogged her pile, Little Men in My Library. I promised her this morning I WOULD photograph mine today and blog it. I would LOVE to swap piles! Off the top of my head I can easily count 15 sets of hubbys work clothes, plus other clothes for all seven of us.

Yes, it is tall AND rather deep...

These are some FQs from the Coastal Garden range that I missed posting yesterday.


In the mail this week the last pincushion of the month arrived, Janelle Wind's one. The pintopper is a very cute bluebird. If you look on Janelle's blog you will see it made up in Ginger Blossom fabrics. Both look fabulous! Oh, and she has the most gorgeous new bag made up after her friend Holly's wedding.