OVERDUE POST, AGAIN!!!!!!

Well, we just seem to have been busy, busy, busy.
I now have my beloved Bernina, (Bonnie), back and have already finished piecing the baby quilt, so it is now a flimsy, waiting to go on Bubs for the quilting.  I'll show the flimsy now, and then progress reports on the quilting and binding later.

Baby quilt hanging over rollers of machine.  I had to improvise with the borders, but think it has turned out OK.

Hubby has been busy clearing out the overgrown shrubbery between the house and side fence, so we can bring our caravan home.  We needed a clear space for it, out of the way.  I forgot to take photos of the overgrown mess, but as you can see from the photos below, there was a lot that came out.  In the middle of it, was a  "HUGE"  blackberry.  Next door neighbour popped her head over the fence to say she'd asked them to clear it several times.

Most of it is to the side.

We took four of these loads to the local tip, as we haven't much space in this garden.

 Have manged to unpack all but about 2 boxes and have it all placed fairly well, especially as I sold at least six pieces of furniture, which I'm sure must have just been filled with "stuff".  Although I had a good clearout, I'm sure that there is a lot more I must sort through.
Below is a photo of what I am calling my "quilting room".  In our last house I sewed, quilted and crafted in what I called my studio, but this house being a much different configuration has sewing room and a quilting room.

This is supposed to be the formal lounge room, but  as seen from my last post, we use the large familyroom as main living are.

The other side of above with Bubs all set up and now going  I will be putting the baby quilt on hopefully some time through the week, once I have some backing fabric.  Below the picture on the far wall is my piano.  It's a lovely room, although I need much better lighting, which we will address in the future.

Now, one last photo.  I showed the view I can see from the familyroom window last week, which was just a horrible smoke haze.  Went outside through the week and this is what I can see most of the time.  I can even see it from the breakfast counter in the kitchen.

In the far distance, I can see Mt. Buninyong.  I really need a better lens for my camera, as I can see it much better than this.

Hopefully, now that we are more settled, I'll be able to post more often.  Have another post in my mind for during this week.
Have a lovely week out there in blogland and take care.
Susan.

RIPPLE RUG AND BABY QUILT.

A few photos I promised last Saturday, but got busy with trying to get everything straight.  Just about there with the unpacking, but will probably change a few things around over the coming months. Does everybody else do that after a move?
Worst thing about this week has been the incessant dust from earthworks on the new estate just over the way and the thick smoke haze from the bushfires.  Most of Victoria has been affected by the smoke which supposedly should clear tomorrow.  Other than that we've had a few hot days, though not as bad as last week.

Baby quilt so far.  It still needs border, but will have to wait till my Bernina is back from repairs, hopefully this Friday.

Ripple rug is progressing slowly .

Now for some photos of our living area.  We do have a formal lounge, but that is my "quilting room".  Our furniture has been collected over many years from all sorts of places and has resided in quite a few homes over the years.  I suppose you could call it homely and eclectic.

I'd love to show the garden too, but just at the moment because of the hot, dry weather, it looks quite pathetic, so will wait till we get into autumn.  There is actually not much in the way of colour as we have lots of hedges and green shrubbery.  I am missing all my lovely plants from our home in Warragul, so tonight I attempted to do a sort of arrangement for the side table and this is what I came up.

Dusty Miller (I think) from the backyard.

One last photo showing the smoke haze taken from our front yard.  Once we have a clear day again, I will take the same shot and you may be surprised at what I can usually see.

This is a reserve across the road with a walking/bike path through it.  I must try and get on my bike again and make use of it.

That is all for now, until you read me again, take care.
Susan.

I'M BACK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well, its' been a hectic few weeks.  Although we've had the internet on now for a few days, I've just been too busy to even try and do a posting. (and extremely tired and HOT!)

I've caught up on some blog reading of a night on my laptop, but with the older version of windows I have on it, can't comment or post on my own blog.  Must put that right at some stage.

The weather here has be atrocious with most days well into the 30's and a few at 40/41.  No rain and the forecast for the next week has only one day below 30 and it's not just here, but most of the southern half of Australia.  Bring on winter.

Now for a few photos.

Black swans, native hens and seagulls on Lake Wendourie.

Our new home.

Bubs being put back together.

AN AFTERNOON OUT.

Yesterday, we'd had enough of unpacking, sorting etc., and decided to brave the heat (our car has air conditioning), and went to Maldon, just north of Ballarat.  A couple of years ago I sold my smaller Gammill to a lady who runs the quilt shop there and went to see her.  Ah, she was away for a week in Alice Springs visiting her daughter.  The other daughter was managing the shop.  Oh well, just means another trip later on to a "quilt shop".  I did take some more photos on our little outing.

A Morris Minor Traveller parked in Maldon.  As most will know, we have a Morris Minor Ute of our own.

The Village Patch (quilt shop).

A fenced paddock of emus. ????

 Above and below, photos showing just how dry it is at the moment.

And this is what happens when so dry and hot.  Probably someone threw a cigarette but out of a car window.

.

WINNER.

Last post I decided to pick someone who commented on my blogiversary to win a small prize.  

OK, the winner was Anne from Marmalade and Catmint, but now the only trouble is that said prize is as yet only half made and my machine has had to go in for repair and a service and won't be back till next week.  The light has been playing up now for a while, but has decided not to work at all.  It doesn't need a new globe, but the switch mechanism is not working.

Another couple of pieces of news.

I have finally driven Ebony, our "new" car and my niece in Leeds gave birth to a baby girl yesterday.  That quilt I've been doing as a tutorial is for her, so best get back into the sewing as soon as my Bernina arrives back.

I think I've just done enough in the study for today as the air conditioning is at the other end of the house and it's getting quite warm in here.  I may post tomorrow with some photos of the above baby quilt (as is at the moment), and my ripple rug progress.

Have a lovely weekend wherever you may be and take care.  I'm glad to be back on board.

Susan.

MY FIRST BLOGIVERSARY.

ON THIS DAY LAST YEAR!!!!!!!!!!

This was the day, that when I posted it actually showed up.  I'd had so much trouble trying to become a blogger, that I nearly gave up.  There are three people who encouraged me to start one, and I will be forever grateful to them and all their help.  I think they may know who they are.

I'd love to send a small gift to one of my followers who leave a comment, or an email for others who do not have a blog.  There will be a slight delay in getting the gift off though, as we are about to move in the next week.  I've a got no idea as to when it will be, but have to finish off the article properly and don't know where it is at the moment.  I will leave it open till next Thursday and pick one at random.  This will have to be the good old fashioned method of names in a hat.  Hubby will supervise.
If you don't see a posting after the 23rd/24th of January it will be because our phone and internet could be out of action as before, because of our move.  I will let you all know when we are back on line, as to who it was.  Very, very slow here at times, especially when you get a public holiday.  And, yes, we just happen to be moving straight after our Australia Day Holiday.  Oh dear!!!

Now for 2 photos and then I'm off to the living room where it is a lot cooler.  (40 deg at nearly 5pm).

The start of my ripple rug.

This is the other row of the baby quilt and I made 3 of these.  Hopefully after the weekend I can post a photo of the rows together.

We need to go to Ballarat tomorrow for our final inspection and won't be home till Saturday, as we are minding the grandchildren for a while on Friday night on the way back.  Our daughter and her hubby will celebrate 17 years of marriage on the 25th January and are going out for a meal and to the cinema.  I'll probably not look at my blog or any other till Sunday, so until then take care and have a lovely weekend.
Hopefully it will be cooler here.  They have even suspended play on the outside courts at the Australian Open.  Only Hisense and Rod Laver Arena have players on them as they can shut the roof.  Too, too hot.

Susan.

BABY QUILT -- PART 3

OK,  this is a bit later than I thought, but I forgot to take photos of one the steps and had to cut and make another block.  Now the sewing machine is packed away again as we have people coming through for rental after we leave.  PAINFUL!!!!!!!

STEP ONE

You need to cut 3 strips across the width of the fabric (pale green), 3 7/8" wide, then cut these into 24 squares.
Next cut 2 strips across WOF (pinky/red), 7 1/2" wide and cut into 6 square.
This is enough for 12 6 1/2" flying geese blocks.

Draw a pencil line diagonally across the pale green squares.

 Pin 2 of the pale green squares to the larger pink square in opposite corners as shown above.

Next sew a 1/4" seam either side of the line drawn on the 2 small squares, as shown below.

We'll then cut straight down the  line as shown below, then carefully press triangles open.

Pin another small square to the corner and sew each side of the line again as shown below.  Do this to both halves.

Again cut along the drawn line and press the triangles open.

 Now we can trim the ears off and we have our finished flying geese unit.

 This one large square and 4 smaller ones will make four flying geese units and I've sewn two together to make a 6 1/2" square block.

Now we will sew a 4  6 1/2" plain squares to 3  flying  geese units to make a row as shown below.

I have made four of these rows.

  Nest installment will be next weekend.

The last week has been busy with viewings of the house for rental purposes and taking "Brute", our Morris Minor over to our daughters for a couple of weeks.  Brute doesn't like the hot weather, so it was best to get her over there before all these hot days arrived.  Today has been forecast as 40 deg, and the next 3 days all around the same, minus or plus a degree or two.  Next thing is to start packing again, although we've only unpacked the most necessary "stuff", along with a few books, DVD"s and CD's.  My sewing is all put away again already.  The machine on the end of the dining table probably wouldn't have gone down well for the viewings.
This post has been  a work in progress for the last week due to interruptions etc, so will publish it now, but must be back with another one on Thursday.  (a surprise!!!).

Take care all.
Susan.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY AND BABY QUILT - PART 2

BIRTHDAY.
A very happy birthday to our youngest son who turned 36 today.  All of our 4 children have now had their birthdays and Xmas within 3 weeks, so none now till December.
Hope you have a lovely day J.  Here is a photo just for you.

Wondering where that biker is going.  Looks scary.

BABY QUILT - PART 2
Here are the next lot of instructions.

For this plain block we need to cut 4 strips 6 1/2" wide from the width of the fabric, then cut into 20  6 1/2" squares.  Put these aside for now.

I was going to start on the next block, but have forgotten to take some photos, so will have to come back later with it, as I need to post this today.

I had forgotten to mention yesterday that I am also knitting a jumper for myself, which I just do at night when I feel inclined.

My friend J, whom I've known since we moved to Warragul, came around last night with her crocheted ripple rug, which is absolutely lovely.  She has only just learned to crochet and has made such a wonderful job on it.  I'll make sure I get a photo.  I was having trouble comprehending some of the ripple patterns, and a friend of J's came up with one of her own and now I've made a start on that, as I have so much wool from my late Mum.(some of it already given away).  I've actually done two rows and finding it easy and relaxing.
Talking of friend J, we did the Dahlia quilt class together and I've already shown my quilt, but she said that she didn't take a photo of hers, but here they both are so you can see the different interpretation of the same pattern.  I have a photo, because I actually quilted it and let her have a go on the machine with some of the meandering.

J''s quilt.

My quilt.

Don't they look wonderfully different.  At least J finished hers the year it was made, and mine waited another 4+ years before it was finished.

Well hopefully I'll be back tomorrow with all the instructions for the next block.
Take care all and thanks for my last lot of comments.  I'm really slipping with the replies, but I love reading your comments.
Susan.

A BELATED HAPPY NEW YEAR.

                                                                         FROM

I found this wonderful drawing somewhere on the internet, but don't  know where or when, so a big thanks to someone out there.  Don't you just love it and I know that some of my blogpals will relate to it.

These greetings are a little late, as my painful neck was back and sitting on the computer for any length of time was making it worse.  I could do a little catch up on reading blogs and a quick comment, but that was about it.  Yesterday was much better.  Thanks for all my lovely comments and I also owe a couple of people an email as well.  Just before the end of 2013, I was bemoaning the fact I'd not done very much for the year, but then read back through my blog and found it is a wonderful tool for recording the things I had done, so a little overview of what I did  get finished and started during the year, (mainly for my benefit)

FINISHED WORKS IN PROGRESS (WIP's)
Grandson's quilt.
2012 Xmas Quiltalong project.
Amish girls cross stitch was framed.
Mystery quilt finished, quilted and bound and given to my sister-in-law.
Small wallhanging quilted and bound.
Jelly roll quilt, quilted and bound.
Small embroidery turned into a cushion.
Another mystery quilt (pieced many years ago), quilted and bound for a friend's sister.
One of my original design quilts, quilted and bound.
Another 2 quilts, quilted and bound.
3 aprons finished.
3 table runners quilted.
2 embroideries finished - doily and duster bag.

STARTED AND FINISHED.
Granddaughter's library bag.
Quilt for my step-granddaughter in UK.
Country Charmer table runner.
2 knitted scarves.
Baby quilt for the daughter of a friend in UK.
Pincushion, square sewing tidy, tiny felt bird and a mixer cover.

STARTED AND NOW WIP's.
Feathered star wallhanging.
Some granny squares.
Bronwyn Hayes stitcheries.
2013 Xmas quiltalong.
"A" is for applique blocks, (only one done).
Offcuts sewn together for a charity quilt.
Baby quilt for my niece.

I was actually surprised at some of the things I did achieve after all,(though some being quite small  probably made it easier).   The last half of the year has definitely not been as productive due to our move.  Hopefully next year we'll be more settled and life will be back to normality.
I've loved the journey and friends I've made through blogging, and it is a great tool for recording the year for future reference and thanks again to all who've come along with me.
I'll be back over the weekend with the next part of the baby quilt, so take care all.
Susan.