Park Bench

I bought these rulers design by Julie Herman of Jaybird Quilts fame

a while ago.  I have watched her marvellous and

interesting designs pop up all over social media and have thought they

were not for me - that they would be to complicated.

Then someone made me sing up with the Fat Quarter Shop's BOM

for Park Bench.  I had been reluctant for 2 reasons - the rulers and the fabric.

I wasn't convinced that I loved, let alone liked Botanics (I know there are

quilters gasping at this confession) and didn't want to spend money

when there was doubt.

 

Well I caved.  I signed up - I figured I had the rulers and I

really should used them.  I thought the BOM was

probably the safest bet and decided while I was home

with sick kids to get stuck into it.

It was not at all what I had thought!

I was super easy and fun too.

The fabric - well there are prints in it I really like 

and think I will buy more of -

especially the sketches on the graph paper.

Now I have to wait for month 2 to arrive...

Overnight Bag

So my journey with interfacing continues...

I wanted to make an over night bag for my friend Carmel

for her birthday as she and her husband tend to go away 

on the weekends a lot.

I was on the search for a nice and relativley easy pattern and found the

over night weekender bag

well...tada

and it's free!

She's big!

It will hold enough for more than a weekend!

Sorry the photo is not quite straight - I

had a very cranky model - he was

busy watching t.v. when I interrupted him.

I know, how rude of me!

So now all I have to do is wait.

I'm planning on being more organised this year.

Not sure how I will go but so far, so good.

Hurry up March!

Teaching...

My daughter to sew.

We bought her first pattern on the weekend.

she wants to have a go at making pj pants.

She traced the pattern all by herself and is

now ready to pin and cut the fabric.

So glad she is interested in this.

Even better though, is the husband's supporting it.

He thinks it's great.

Silly man.

Doesn't he realise he will soon have 2 women whose 

spending he needs to watch?

Divided Basket

I've had this pattern for a while now but just haven't got

around to sitting down and actually making it.

I decided to this weekend - Friday night actually.

I've been playing around with interfacing a lot lately.

Trying to find something that I like, that my iron likes,

that is soft and firm but not bulky.

I'm frustrated with American patterns calling for things

that I can't readily get where I live.

I just ordered some Sew Lazy Girl interfacings -

hoping that they might be the answer to my prayers.

Enough of my interacing woes and back to the basket.

It was an easy pattern to follow with some good 

pictures to guide you.

I decided to omit the handles and iron

folds at the sides.

It's for my new sewing room.

In the new house - which is finally at lock-up.

Enjoy your week.

Wagonwheels

A while ago I stumbled across this;

I knew I just had to have it.

I mean, come on - look at it, it's stunning, right?

So I did the usual search to find it and

of course I didn't want to wait - no BOM for me.

I had the whole kit shipped.

Now here's a confession...

Sometimes I buy things without really thinking.

Did it occur to me how those shapes were made?

No - don;t be silly.

boots and all, boots and all.

After a roughish start I have made 12 of these

wheels and counting - I love them now.

The instructions aren't really to my liking, 

I feel they lack a little detail, but that

could just be me.

I will keep you posted on the progress.

One Piece Bag

I signed up for last week's Friday night sewing with friends.

It didn't happen.

We had a change of plans and then a little bit of sickness in the house

thankfully it was short lived and not me!

So it was Sunday afternoon before I got around to sewing.

I had seen a review of this bag by Sherri McConnell

and it had me - I'm such a sucker!

I think it must be tattooed to my forehead -

just ask Sharon she can vouch for what

easy picking I am when it comes to sewing and patterns.

Well this is my version.  

I had intended to use it for work - lugging books

and papers to and fro.

It's not going to work for that.

I love the bag - it's BIG...

But it is a soft bag and not really designed

to be filled with school books.

So I shall keep hunting patterns and

making bags until I find the right one.

Fires

We have had a rough time around here of late with fires.

Not as bad as some areas though.

Greg and I drove to Pakenham on Saturday 

and I snapped these next couple of pictures on our way home.

Everything is black and it smelt!

Really, really bad.

In a couple of places it looked like trees were still smoldering.

There is a real danger of falling trees now - we saw quite a few

that had already been cut up.

It has been interesting watching the national news out of Melbourne 

this week and hearing them talk about the smoke haze.

Well we are still in a haze here with one of the 

open cut coal mine still burning away.

These photos are not mine - so I take no credit for them

they are shamelessly borrowed to show what is going on.

Firefighters have been working 24/7

to try and get this under control

and last night the wind changed and it flared again.

We are safe and I am thankful for the work

these brave men and women do

(including my hubby), 

just don't like they way he and his uniform smell.

Still can't get used to it after 17 years of marriage.

Shopping

I stupidly promised the husband that I wouldn't buy

anymore books and fabric after my spending over the holidays.

Dumb, dumb, dumb move.

This is my last bundle from the de-stash

that went on over January on Instagram - 

where I may have had a weak moment or 2...dozen.

Then I realised what I had done.

I promised no craft books -

HA!

I never said anything about patterns.

There may be a few more patterns working their way 

to my hot little hands.

Silly husband should have listened to me and 

worked out some sort of contract to stop me

finding loop holes for spending.

Mwahahahahaha

Traveler Tote

I joined Instagram last year

(have I mentioned that I love it?)

Things seem to pop up there all the time 

that inspire and entice.

One such thing was the Traveler Tote from Ellison Lane.

It's a free pattern/tutorial and there was a blog link

with wonderful prizes but only for U.S residents.

Anyway...as soon as I saw it I knew I HAD to make one.

I knew who it was for too.

A lady I work with had a big birthday...

She's had 49 of them before this one.

i know she loves black and white.

This bag is massive!

2 pockets on the outside and 2 pockets on the inside.

I even used some of my most precious linen for this baby.

It was loved and appreciated by the birthday gal.

She had to fight her daughter off - that's news of success in m book.

Apparently I am to make another one aren't I Sharon?

What an opportunity!

Ages and ages and ages ago I went to a Christmas Gathering

in Melbourne run by Gail Pan and Leanne Beasley.

On that day Gail happened to show us the beginnings of her newest quilt.

I fell in love *sigh*

It was just beautiful and it was only a small portion that she shared.

I asked her when the pattern would be out.

She said next year.

i told her that she was awful to make me wait that long!

Then Gail started putting snippets on Instagram.

(I L.O.V.E. Instagram)

Well one thing lead to another and ...

fast forward a little bit of time and you have me

stitching this:

and this

and this

not to mention this

I was so lucky to have the opportunity to test Gail's pattern.

 This is block one - it's far from finished

but this was what had me when Gail first showed us.

block 2

 block 3

block 4

Blocks 1-4

My version so far.  

All 6 blocks put together (but a whole lot of stitching still to do).

This is just a lovely quilt - if you have thought of 

signing up to a BOM program

DO IT!

It's a fantastic quilt.

I would like to thank Gail for the opportunity

of testing her pattern.

You can visit Gail's blog to find

a list of stores running her stunning new quilt

Friendship

When I started blogging it was a away

for me to organise and keep track of the things
I make so that in time my kids would have

a virtual record of all my work.

I didn't realise the doors it would open.

I have met so many wonderful people through blogging and swaps

and I consider myself to be very lucky and very blessed.

One of these people is Sharon.

We met last year IRL and well the rest they say is history.

She has become one of my dearest friends - we even shared a beach holiday this year.

Sharon had this great idea that we should make a
FRIENDSHIP QUILT.

Seeing as we both love Bonnie and Camille we have decided to use their fabrics
and Camille's patterns.

So far we have this...

Simple Life from Simply Retro

 Flower Girl

 Swoon

Swoon

The idea is that we each make 2 identical blocks
so that in the end we will both have exactly the same quilt tops
but put together in our own way.

I hope Sharon doesn't mind me pinching her photos
(but she has nicked mine, so I think I'm safe).

I think we are going to have 2 amazing and beautiful quilts.

Now to let Camille know what we're up to...

Have a great week.
(9 weeks until end of term 1)

January

My month in pictures.

Oh where did January go?

I feel like I blinked a few times and it was over.

I bought books, patterns, fabric and notions.

It was hot - just look at my poor cat!

I cleaned my machine...

I started to prepare for school.

We had a quilt thief in the house.

I started my Wagon-wheels Quilt.

Can't wait to see what February brings.