WIP Wednesday

I've had a busy few days sewing this week.

Last week Charlotte Hawkes released the cutting instructions for her mystery quilt that begins in January. I got it all cut over the weekend. Its called "Surrounded By Scraps" and you can find details here if you would like to join in.

The 4th clue in En Provence, the Bonnie Hunter mystery quilt for 2016 came out on Friday - very late in Australia so I didn't even look at it till Saturday but had no chance to work on it till Monday. I blogged about it here 

Today at Patchwork group, between having a super yummy morning tea and lunch to celebrate Christmas, I worked on the piano key border for Handwork Heritage. I got the borders done - there is oodles of it. I got a bit carried away.

I also worked on "Stringen Em Along", my Bonnie Hunter String X quilt. I got the borders on it - I went with the same fabric I'd used as my background. And then I made the binding. I decided on a scrappy border. I might have gone with a binding in the lavender background fabric if I'd had any of it left but I'd used it all up. Again I went a little crazy and I think I will have enough binding fabric for a couple of quilts!!

Just yesterday I heard that my niece is having another baby, due in May. This will be the 3rd grandbaby in just over a year for my sister and followed on 3 weddings in 6 months - they overlapped somewhat. Given that she only has 4 children that was good going. The single childless sibling is not feeling any pressure to join the club!!

Anyway - my baby quilt choice this year has been the sparkle quilt pattern from Missouri Star quilt company. I had some left over pieces and so this evening I have been working on making a quilt for the expected bub. I have the 9 star blocks made and working on the off setting borders now.

I also worked on the Craftsy BOM quilt that I have been working on - the Amy Gibson one (2012 I think) I didn't start it in 2012 but it has been a long slow cooker one. Anyway. I finished off the quilting on my domestic machine and got the binding on. Still have to do the label but since I haven't come up with a special name for it nor a place for it to go I am not in a hurry to do that. (No photos yet... perhaps for Stash report on Sunday)

Hope you have made some progress on your projects this week if that is what you have wanted to do. But maybe you have been prepping for Christmas not sewing. Whatever you have been doing I hope you have enjoyed it.

Linking up with 

Midmonth Update on my Monthly goals

1. Work on Handwork Heritage. I have started on the borders for this. There are lots of 5" bits being sewn together! Not sure if I will have enough or will need to cut some more.

2. Make Backing for Amy Gibson's BOM quilt. This is DONE. 

I have also started to quilt it. Nearly got it finished on the longarm at the club when it started to play up and I was unable to complete it. I will do the remaining 9" on my domestic machine.

3. Complete Darlek Potholders commissioned by friend. DONE

4. Secret Commission for a friend. DONE since its a Christmas present that has yet to be given I can't show you yet... sorry

5. En Provence Mystery Quilt. I am up to date with all the clues released so far. The first one was released Nov 25th and  new one is released each Friday in December (although its about 11pm Australian time so I get it Saturday morning). I have almost completed each one... still have to spin the centre seams of last weeks 4 patches and trim this week's blocks 

6 Quilting my hexagon quilt (hoping to line my friend Lyndi up one day next week to help get that done) - the Longarm at the club broke down so that put a stop to it. Its working again now but with only 6 days till Christmas it might not be a priority for any of us.

7 Assemble "Stingin Em Along."  DONE

So the only one I haven't made progress on is the hexagon quilt and I unlikely to - unless Lyndi and I need to escape the madness of our houses over Christmas New Year.

How are you going with your goals this month?

En Provence Clue 4 Progress

I was later getting to start this clue than usual. It wasn't till today that I was finally able to get to start it. All for good reasons mind you. Our daughter, Fangirl arrived home Saturday midday for the holiday. Saturday (when the clue is effectively available here) was taken up with getting ready to see her and then enjoying her company. Sunday was busy with church all morning, then guests for lunch and some more in the late afternoon. I didn't actually get to do more than look at the clue till late this morning. I had started to cut fabric in preparation for another mystery quilt that I am going to be participating in that starts in January. I had started cutting for it on Thursday and wanted to get it finished before starting this clue. This mystery is called "Surrounded By Scraps" by Charlotte Hawkes and is due to start on January 11th.

  

So that delayed things even further. Eventually this morning I was able to get started.

I had a few mix ups. To start with I cut too many of one of the side triangles. Oh dear. And then I found that I had cut a heap of them too small. Rats. It means I wasted a heap of fabric as I had to cut new ones.....and I'd already cut too many. Oh well I might be able to use them in another quilt block (or I can put them into stuff the dog bed pillow I'm making).

I worked on the clue from midday today and by dinner time I had them all done. They have ended up a little small so not sure what I did wrong. To be honest most of my blocks this time around have ended up a bit small. I suspect it must be my 1/4" foot. I've always been slack at checking accuracy. I am hoping that I am going to be able to fudge it if they are all a little small. I still have to trim the tag ends off.

Linking up with Mystery Monday Linkup Part 4

Sunday Stash Report

I had great plans that today I would be finishing building up to a great finish for the year as I was going to be using the long arm at the club rooms this week and planned to get at least 2 quilts quilted and bound this week. However the longarm was not working properly and I didn't get even one finished. It is nearly done and I should be able to finish it off at home but I just haven't gotten to it. My husband was away from Monday morning to Thursday evening and my plan was to sew my heart out. However - I caught up with friends, helped one do some sorting and tidying and one way and another the week disappeared. Ho hum.

I didn't get my Stash report written last week so today is for 2 weeks

I have made 3 satchel or messenger bags over the last 2 weeks. One was as a Christmas gift for the secret Santa we had for my Handmade With Love Christmas Party. The lady who received it was thrilled by it and hoping that her grand daughter didn't spot it and claim it for herself. The other 2 were Christmas gifts for special friends. One got hers today. I used Rugrats fabric on hers as she loved that cartoon as a child. (.65m each 1.95m total) 

My other finish for the fortnight was some more rainbow bunting for our Handmade With Love stall decorations. We now have 4 strands of the bunting that I have made and another person made some as well so we have PLENTY. (.92m)

I forgot there were the 10 mini stockings that I completed as an order for HWL. They were pretty simple and used .14m in total

My stats for week 50 and 51

Fabric used        3.02
Fabric added      0.00
Net usage          3.02

Year to Date     
Fabric used     167.41
Fabric Added     81.19
Net Usage         86.22



Linking up with Patchwork Times

Fitness Friday

Its summer in Australia and as well as high temperatures that means cicadas. Their high pitched whine can be almost deafening at times. They hatch under ground and when they emerge leave round holes that used to scare me when I first came up to Queensland. I used to think that they might be snake holes (note snakes don't usually live in holes in the ground so not sure where I got that from)

They usually climb up trees and shed their outer shell and emerge looking entirely different. Their shells remain on the tree trunks. 

When I was teaching my grade 1s and 2s found them fascinating and there was always a couple of boys who would collect icecream containers full of these shells each lunch time. They were intriguing to look at. ... but the fascination wains by the 3rd of 4th container full.

 We had mentioned only a week or 2 ago that they were late in hatching this year. It was almost the end of the school year and I hadn't really heard them. I spoke too soon... they are here and their buzz once again is almost deafening. (they make the sound by rubbing their back legs together ... or is it their wings....I forget)


I still haven't fixed my fitbit so can't give my weekly stats. Its working in of itself but is not communicating with my phone. I have walked each day and apart from once this week I have made my 10 000 steps - sometimes before I take Jack on his evening walk so I know my steps are good. Jack is loving the extra walks. The rain we had last weekend meant that the river was a bit muddy to walk beside so we walked on the streets instead. I've had some letters and cards to post a few times so we have walked down to the post office and accomplished 2 things - a walk and posting mail (3 if you count the fact that I visited Pokemon stops too... he he he)

I haven't weighed myself this morning so don't know what my standing is there. It is as well I have walked as much as I have though cause I know I have been eating lots of high calorie food. Sigh. I have enjoyed it though. I have some shortbread in the fridge now, waiting for me to roll it out, cut it up and bake it. Some of it is for gifts but some of it is for ME (and everyone else in the house!)

One way and another this post is a bit of a bust! I don't even have lovely photos of bird life to add to it as when we walk the streets we don't see as much.

WIP Wednesday - bits and pieces done

This week has been busy. I had hoped to get 2 quilts quilted this week on our Patchwork club's longarm but unfortunately 7/8ths on the way through the first quilt the machine stopped picking up the bobbin thread and so that was the end of my quilting. Discussions are ongoing with the supplier re getting it working again. It was ok for me as I didn't have any schedule for my two but there were others booked behind me who are wanting to get quilts finished for Christmas so it is really bad timing..

My Quilt on the long arm. You can see I was up to the last pass when it broke

Only 6" to go in most places. Grrrr

On Friday evening Handmade With Love, the sewing group I belong to, had a stall at the Uniting Church's "Walk Through Bethlehem". A lady bought our last 3 mini stockings and wanted another 10 so I got them made over the weekend. The pattern seemed to get a bit wonky and so they aren't quite as good as the originals but pretty good.

I managed to get "Stringen' 'em Along", my Strippy X quilt, one of Bonnie Hunter's free patterns on her blog, together. I am still deciding about a border. I think I will use the background fabric as another 2 inch border and then do a scrappy binding.

This is the top still to be sewn together. The photo of the quilt is on the ipad and I haven't gotten it off yet.

Speaking of Bonnie Hunter. Clue 3 was released on Friday - 9PM here so I didn't start it till Saturday. This week it was 168 purple 4 Patches. I finished them off by Monday although I have to "pinwheel" the centre seams. I miscounted and ended up making 183 of them some how. I detailed my progress in my blog post on Monday here.

My other activity for the week has been work on a couple of satchels that I am making as Christmas gifts. . I am not sure that they read my blog... but here they are anyway

With only a bit over a week till Christmas I hope that you have gotten your Christmas sewing done by now and aren't doing late, last minute mad sewing.

Linking up with 

Clue 3 En Provence - some progress

I am not having a lot of luck these last few days. Today the longarm I was using at our club rooms (yes our Patchwork Group has its own longarm) played up and I couldn't finish off the quilt I was working on (it stopped picking up the bobbin thread after a series of thread breakages)

Over the weekend it was my Janome that wasn't sewing nicely really interfering with the progress I was trying to make on clue 3 of En Provence, the Bonnie Hunter mystery quilt. 

Having changed the needle, cleaned out the bobbin case, muttered, mumbled, whined and grizzled, I finally changed the thread I was using... and all was well. Sigh. Wished I had tried that a day earlier. 

Anyway - despite all my hard work I didn't get the 168 4 patches finished. I have made all the 2 patches I needed (336!) 

and am now working on making the 4 patches.

 I have made 71 of them - so 97 to go!

How have you gone with your Clue 3

Late breaking news. I got them all finished Monday night (Australian time) Still have to do the pinwheels on the back but the 4 Patches are DONE. Actually more than done.... some how I managed to make 183. Not sure where I lost count but whatever!

Linking up with the Part 3 catchup