Sunday Stash Report

I haven't done much sewing this week. Being away from home for all but one night doesn't help! I have bought some fabric though so its a case of going backwards!! 

I visited a little patchwork shop in Sarina and ended up buying .25m of another Betty Boop fabric and and the same of a nice red and white spot - so that's .5m all up. No photos to share as I didn't get around to taking one.

I am now in Sydney and hope to call in at another craft exchange place - so that might well be more fabric in. We shall see if I get there :)

The reason I have come down to Sydney is that my second eldest sister Joy turned 70 and we had a special celebration for her. I had made her a quilt and I gave that to her before the party and she was suitably delighted by it.

 My sister Joy and I with the quilt I made her which I called "Onya Bike"

With my sister's oldest grand daughter

With one of my great nephews

With all my siblings and their partners at my sister Joy's birthday (I'm seated on floor on left if you were wondering) Can you work out which are the siblings and which are the spouses? Hint there are 6 girls and 2 boys in my family 

Fabric used               00.00            
Fabric added                 .51
Net                             -.51

Year to Date
Fabric used               101.29
Fabric added               53.78
Net                            47.51


Linking up with Patchwork Times

Sunday Stash Report - Win some lose some

I was really looking forward to making this week's stash report. I had a couple of finishes during the week, including a massive one so my figures were looking spectacular... and then yesterday I went to a second hand craft shop.

 Everything there has been donated - I guess pre owned is a better way of describing it. Its an amazing shop filled with donated goods - lots of fabric, - yardage and scraps alike. Patterns, projects in various stages, loads of beads, tapestry wool, scrap book stuff... etc etc etc. I had found a pattern I was itching to do on Pinterest but hadn't taken the time to pull the fabric for before coming on the trip (I wrote about this yesterday) and so I looked for the fabric there and got it ... and a bit more. I just added the fabric to my spread sheet and with all the little bits and bigger bits I ended up buying close to 8m of fabric (for less than $30) so that upped my figures somewhat. Never mind. I am happy with my purchases. I got a bargain and the money went to a good cause. (I wrote about this yesterday when I was getting frustrated by thread breaking. Update on that. New needle solved the problem. I finished stitching down all the applique on the second runner and quilted one  with only one thread breakage... and that was when thread jumped out and wrapped around something.)

So... my finishes. I finished Onya Bike during the week. Still no great photos of it but its lovely. Total 14.74m

8.50 m of bunting for the Handmade with Love Stall. It looks great and I sure hope the others in the group love it as much as I do. Its bright and colourful and I was thrilled with it. 1.32m fabric 

I was trying really hard to get a table runner finished tonight so I could count it but I have faltered at the last. I still have to make and attach the binding but its gotten late and I am too tired and my husband is trying to sleep in the room we are staying in at my daughters so I have called it quits for the night. A finish there isn't far away and it will be good to be able to mark off a little of the input I took on Saturday.

So this week's figures.

Week 30
Fabric Used              16.05
Fabric Added              7.87
Weekly Net                8.18

Year To Date
Fabric Used               87.69
Fabric Added             44.74
YTD Net                    42.96

Linking up with Patchwork Times

WIP Wednesday

Its a wonderfully cool wet day here in my home town. The wonderful is mostly cause its wet. We are very dry at the moment and so the rain is very appreciated. Unfortunately its also the 2nd and final day of our local show and so not so great for going to that. In fact I didn't go... stayed home and sewed all day. Our church was paid to do the parking at the show (ie be up at the car park directing cars into rows) and I did go up for 3 hours yesterday and help there but I didn't go inside at all. I didn't enter anything this either. We were away till the day before the quilt entries had to be in and I couldn't get my head around it.... That plus most of my finishes this year have been given away as gifts.

So... lots of lovely sewing weather ... what have I been working on this week.

Onya Bike. I got the back for this finished. It (the backing) ended up being 104" x 112" - HUGE. The quilt should finish at 96"x 104". Now I will have to get it pinned and quilted. I am not sure I have enough batting left on the roll. I need to order another roll asap. 

Birds in the Air Twilters block swap. Twilters are having a block swap in honour of our member Frances Dowell who is releasing her first novel for adults, which features the Birds in the Air block. We are swapping the blocks amongst ourselves as well as making an extra block for Frances. When her book is released, Frances will be doing a book tour to some quilt groups and bookshops and will be taking some quilts she has made based on the birds in the air block, along with the one she will make from the Twilters Blocks (we hope.)

So today I finally got down to making my blocks this week. I had a few hassles; I miscalculated in my cutting and ran out of fabric but was able to find some more that would do the job. It is always a hassle when instructions are given for one block but you need to make 42.  Some are a little undersized. I don't know why. When signing them I stuffed up a couple of times as well... one time I wrote my maiden name. I've been married 34 years next month so not sure where writing it came from... I just added my married name to the end (I do use both as my facebook ID so maybe that is why it popped up)

WIP Wednesday

Last Wednesday I bought some wool. It wasn’t fancy stuff – just a ball of variegated purple acrylic that I found in a supermarket. I got it and some crotchet hooks to give me something to work on in the car since I had finished all my handwork and wanted something to do. I also have 4 days of meetings coming up and wanted something to keep me occupied then as well.

On our car journey a few days later I started to make an infinity scarf. I had googled a free pattern and started away happily after a while I stopped following the pattern as I realised that the wool was too thick to show it properly and besides I knew I wasn’t going to have enough wool to complete the pattern.. I used up the ball of wool and was only 1/3 the way through with little hope of getting any more of the wool. I found a few more infinity scarves that I am looking at 

Aren't these gorgeous

On Saturday, whilst being lead astray by the Navman (GPS device) I bought myself 4 more balls of wool – thinner than the previous ball which will be enough to make a couple of scarves. I pulled out the stitching I had done.

Sewing wise I have been working on the back for my Onya Bike quilt. I am piecing scraps together in various strips – 10” wide, 6.5” and 5”. I’ve made some nine patches and fussy cut some bicycle fabric I got from Spoonflower. I have 3 metres of a mottled blue fabric to use on the back but even with that and the other scraps I have, I won’t have enough to complete the back so think I will leave it shortly to finish at home.

Having put the piano key border and a 3” orange border on My Cat Likes to Hide in Boxes (MCLTHIB) I am still debating with myself whether to declare it finished (at 72” square) or to add another 5” pinwheel or perhaps a 4 patch border. My problem is that I have changed the destination of the quilt and trying to work out what sized quilt would be most useful to the new recipient.

WIP Wednesday

Just realised that I could have done my WIP Wednesday post for my W post this week as the days neatly coincided however I have already written and posted my W contribution so this is a bonus issue. If you are here for the A to Z blogging challenge post go back a post.... or stay and read this one instead.

We are on the road at the moment and its been difficult to find sewing time. Last week we were staying in Sydney with my oldest sister (a very young 70+ woman who runs rings around most of the rest in our family) We visited my mum (93 and in an aged care facility) and some other friends whilst we were there. We also caught up with 3 of my sister's grandchildren and some other special friends. No time to sew.

On Friday we drove north an hour or 2 to a place just north of Newcastle for the wedding of my niece Cristy. It was a beautiful wedding full of so many special moments - the most tear inducing one for me was when the groom made some special promises to his Step daughter (8 year old Charlie) as part of the ceremony and she announced that she was taking his name. 

Anyway it was a great afternoon and evening catching up with 6 of my 7 siblings and partners and a good few nieces and nephews as well. A great time was had by all.

The next day we drove for almost 12 hours (with stops) to get to Melbourne. We wanted to get here so as to be able to spend some of the weekend with our oldest son (The Beast). He works during the week.

Sunday he took us to the zoo which was a really fun day although the Melbourne families were out in force taking advantage of the beautiful weather and the long weekend. The zoo was crowded with heaps of prams too. There was one family group whom we kept encountering who had some very loud and boisterous children who were basically ignored by parents. Mostly though the kids were having fun and doing the right thing and people were polite and everyone was having a good time.

Monday was a public holiday in Australia for the Anzac Day - our national day or remembrance for all those who served in wars. At home we usually attend the local parade but we didn't feel like braving the crowds in the city for the big parade and didn't know where the community based parades were being held. Instead we went for a drive down to Frankston and enjoyed the sand sculptures there. It was the last day of the 4 month exhibition and a few of the sculptures were showing some wear but it was a great show called A Day At the Zoo

 My Yetti (The Beast) with the Sandscupture Yetti

The sand sculture Steam punk structure

A sculpture from The Petting Zoo

Tuesday we packed up our unit and drove across the city (after Fixit Guy had fixed the indicators that had stopped working) and..... we picked up our NEW CARAVAN (am I excited - you bet) The company we got it from did a very thorough induction into the caravan so we knew what we were getting and how it all works. Then we towed it to a van park and set it up.

Fixit Guy enjoying the bed upon which I had spread my "Jean's Jeans" quilt which I made during our last extended camping trip (October - December 2014)

I was itching to set up my sewing space. I unpacked the car and settled us in and then got my machine out and plugged in... and Fixit Guy suggested we go shopping to get some food and other bits and pieces. I reluctantly dragged myself away.

Tuesday was also Fixit Guy's birthday. He got a van from me. Pretty good present. Our son The Beast and his girlfriend Beauty came over to check out the van and then take us out to dinner. Beauty had given him a door mat for the van (It is a perfect fit) and the Beast gave him an electric jug and toaster for the van.

Home again for cake (baked by Beauty and decorated with crumbled Violet CrumbleBars (Honey comb... FGs favourite chocolate) and then they left and .... I didn't go to bed. I got that machine out and did a little bit of sewing. I had been missing it so much.

Today we have stayed home all day apart from another walk over to the supermarket for a few extra things and a coffee as the power went out at the van park for 2 hours (scheduled outage)

Apart from that time I have sewn. I have been working on the piano key border for Onya Bike, (T Intersection Quilt pattern by Missouri Star.) I have used up all the scraps from the blocks plus cut up more fabric. 

I am still a bit short having put it all together. Not very much - perhaps 15" over all. I have a 3 bike trees that I was thinking of using as corner stones.... but I am going to need 4... so maybe I won't use them as corner stones after all. I am still wondering what I shall do and that is why I have stopped sewing and am instead writing my blog.

I have been posting daily for the A to Z  Blogging Challenge all through April. It was W today so only have 3 more posts. Mostly I had them prewritten and scheduled their posting. I did have to go in and fix up a few and had Y and Z still to write this week but they are done. Part of the challenge is to visit other blogs on the challenge which has been very interesting (and time consuming) 

Sunday Stash Report and Goal update

There was some purchases made this week! But to offset it just slightly there was also a completion - just one small thing but at least it used some of the fabric that was purchased.

The purchase was some fabric from Vinnies (St Vincent De Paul shop - 2nd hand charity shop) I saw some that would enable me to complete a project I had with me so it was a necessary purchase although if I had planned properly I could have brought some suitable fabric with me from home. I bought some tan/gold star patterned fabric (1.5m cause that was the chunk), a bundle of 49cm square calico pieces, and a chunk of ivory coloured fabric. A total of 3.59m)

My finish was a casserole carrier for me. I used up some orphan blocks I had been given at some stage - a total of 5. They must have been from a block swap as they were all creams and maroon and the same pattern. I suspect they weren't used in the quilt that was made as they might have been a bit small (and wonky) They ended up 12" unfinished and probably should have been 12.5". I used 3 blocks for one piece of the carrier and 2 and some of the calico for the other. For the lining I used the star fabric. Its not quite finished as I need to add the velcro closers and buy the dowel for the handles. But its near enough and so I counted it.

So

Stats from Weeks 17

                 Fabric used            1.63m

                 Fabric added          3.59m

Year to Date                 

                 Fabric used           35.00m                 

                 Fabric added       32.37m

Net Used                                  2.64m  

Linking up with Patchwork Times

Now for an update on my monthly goals

We are 3/4 of the way through this month.

Goals

• work on handmade with love projects No further progress on these. I have some casserole carriers cut out with me but haven't sewn them
• sew left over hexies into strip for backing This is complete. All the left over hexies that I could I have made into either a strip or a block that I will use in the backing of the quilt
• cut fabric for Square with in a square (now called My Cat Likes to hide in Boxes) The project is all cut up and is in a project box ready to go when I next get a chance to sew
• cut fabric for T Intersection quilt The centre of the T Intersection quilt now called Onya Bike is sewn. I am now working on the piano key border... well I have sorted the fabric for it... haven't started sewing it
• Complete A to Z blogging challenge This has been going pretty well. All the posts have gone up on time as per schedule. The remaining posts are written and scheduled (some photos only remain to go on the last one). I have been keeping up pretty well with visiting other blogs as well and commenting as much as possible. I could say this one was done.

WIP Wednesday but its Thursday

This isn't my A to Z blogging post. Visit my previous post for my R post... or read this one anyway. 

Oops running late again with my WIP post. This being on holidays lark means I lose track of what day it is so easily. When I am home my regular commitments helps me track the days... Tuesday is Handmade With Love, Wednesday is Patchwork group, Thursday Avalon, Friday bible study Sunday church. Anyway..... its still Wednesday somewhere in the world.

Hexie Quilt
I finished off my handwork in the car on our drive from Brisbane to Sydney. I now have two pieced bits that I will incorporate into the backing of the Hexie quilt - one long thin piece and another that is square. I have also managed to use up just about all the hexies.... think I might have one left.

On Monday whilst we were on the Gold Coast looking into buying a car for Boyo I visited a Vinnies shop (St Vincent de Paul second hand shop) and found some fabric that was a good fit for a project I had in mind. We had been delayed an extra day in Brisbane due to the car so when we got back to our boy's home I unpacked the machine and set to work on this project.

I had been given 5 12" blocks - cream and maroon. I wanted a casserole carrier for me - I've made 5 for donations to stalls but never made one for me. I had to tweak my usual pattern to fit in with the size of the blocks but over the course of the evening I got the carrier made. The fabric I'd bought at Vinnie's formed the lining and base of the carrier. I didn't bring the velcro with me so it isn't quite finished but close enough. I had one major oopsie whilst making it. I found, as I was putting the two pieces of the casserole carrier together that I had stitched one lining piece back to front. By this time I had done the top stitching and couldn't be bothered to unpick everything so

I have been working on my bike quilt named "Onya Bike" (On yah bike or on your bike) I had pieced the centre on Sunday and Monday evening I put the first border on. I bought some blue toned fabric that I had thought would be good for the second 5" border but now I am not so sure - well actually I am sure. It won't do at all. Instead I am going to make a 5" piano key border instead using up the scraps of the fabric from the centre. I won't have enough and I don't have my scrap collection with me but I will make up what I can and finish it off when I get home... or buy some bits and pieces along the way (what a problem NOT). I would like to get it finished before I get home.

I have more casserole covers cut out with me that I can work on and also have another project prepped and ready to go. Its another one featuring cat fabric that I am calling "My Cat Likes to Hide i Boxes" The pattern is an adaption of a Square in a Square block that I found.

My sister in law, Christine from Bluebirds and Bumblebees has had a pattern published in the Australian magazine Homespun.  I bought the pattern and will move onto it when I get my other projects completed.