Postage

Seriously, I don't understand it...

not one little bit.

I keep hearing reports in the media about how

Australia Post is running at a loss and they are thinking

of making people pay to have their mail delivered (isn't that why we buy stamps?),

or that mail will only be delivered every other day.

Sorry but I don't get it.

I mean I have enough mail delivered here to sink a small ship

(mind you a very small ship) and I see

on social media what others have delivered/receive in the mail.

The quilting community is certainly doing their bit for the world economy.

These 4 gems arrived this week alone.

Oh wait a minute - maybe it's my promise to not buy any 

books this term that's had an impact!

Well, I think Australia Post have got it all wrong.

They should be counting the amount of joy they bring with

each and every letter or parcel they deliver.

(Apart from bills - who wants them?)

I know for sure that my happy meter skyrockets

when a parcel arrives, so if they would flip it and look

at the happy factor - they're doing alright.

Just in case you're wondering - the fabric inside the

2 boxes is just delicious!

Oh dear...

What have I done?

I bought her a pattern and some fabric.

She's made her first pair of pj pants.

Yep, that's great!

Now she wants to make a bag...

What have I started?

Travel Essentials Pattern

I recently bought some new patterns and one of them was the 

Travel Essentials by Annie.

I really wanted to make the travel pouch for my hair straightener.

It always seems to never quite fit anywhere when I

pack to go away.

Not any more!

It was a quick and fairly easy pattern to follow.

Although in true 'lefty' fashion I have made mine

backwards!

Oh well, it's an original.

Goodbye February

Thanks February - you've been great but with the hot weather,

fires and sleepless nights I'm ready for March.

Bring on the cooler days...

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.