WEDNESDAY MORNING SEWING

Ah, it's now nearly tea time, but this morning was "sewing morning" with Joy from Days filled with Joy.  We had a great time chatting and sewing.
Below a photo of what Joy was working on at the table I can now set up for her sewing machine.  It's a little tight in the space, but it's more about the fun side.

 Joy has been working away on this 100 patch, which is made up of 100 2" inch squares.  She will be putting 12 of these blocks together and I can't wait to see the whole quilt and the setting she decides to use.

She also put the binding on this one she had made and quilted whilst still living in Saudi Arabia.  Shown hanging over Bubs.  It is so pretty and bright with a lovely quilting pattern from Hermione Agee.  We couldn't remember the name of that particular pattern.

Now, what did I get up to!  I showed the making of this little bed runner on my last post.  Today I finally got the borders on.

Floral Confetti.

This is sort of another test pattern for Sue from Quilt Times.  I said I'd test Red Sprinkles and she forgot to send the pattern at first, so I did a mock up on "Quilt Wizard", a computer program I have.  When the pattern came through, I'd guessed fairly correctly and went ahead and made it.  Below is a photo of both versions.  They look so different but that is what quilting is all about.  I have so much fun testing for Sue and trying to think outside the box.  It was again made from scraps and my stash.

Well, that is all for now after a very enjoyable day.  I'm off to eat my tea, do some handsewing/crochet tonight whilst watching Phil Spencer in the new series of Secret Agent.  Till next time, take care all.
Susan.

NEW TOY

I have a new larger camera lens, that takes distance photos much better.  Yesterday hubby and I went for a walk along Lake Learmonth and I was able to take photos of the wind turbines on the far hills, which I tried once before and you couldn't make them out.  We had priced them before and they were more expensive than I thought, but Friday we popped into JB Hi-fi and found they were about half price, so came home with one.  Now I'll be able to show some better photos. (maybe!)  Some pics below taken around Learmonth.

Some of the wind turbines.

The lake is very low at the moment and the swans are waddling around the mudflats.

Incredibly fascinating fungi.  Lots of it on the cut down tree stumps.

Australian Magpies.

Today I tried to get down to some sewing, as I've been working with these scraps.  Not the best photo.

They are now becoming this!

Then a decision to be made on which fabric to use for the setting triangles.  Not sure whether it should be the stripey one on the left or the fluttery bits on the right.  Have you any ideas in blogland?  The teal blue will be a very narrow inner border and the colouful one the outer border.

I finished the peg bag.  The rick rack was a leftover and the lace is vintage, I think.  It was in my late Mum's stuff.

 This is my sewing corner.  My cutting table is to the left of where I was standing.  Not as big as the room I use for my Gammill, but I can overspill into there when I need to.

I was hoping to load another quilt onto my long arm system, but I made these instead.

One is now iced and will go with me tomorrow morning to Smythesdale Craft Group with the lovely Joy from Days filled with Joy.  I'm going to drive there myself, we hope.  Still not confident in the big black beast.

Lastly, a couple more photos from yesterday.

Hubby "leaning on the lamp post".

Somebody's back yard.  Don't you just love the pencils.  Reminded me of the large pencil at the Derwent Pencil Factory in Cumbria.

The old Masonic Lodge building,.

The path outside the above building.  Wouldn't it make the most wonderful quilt pattern.  I already have ideas.

This was going to be a quick post, but has taken longer than I thought.  I did take some photos of the churches in Learmonth, but one doesn't show very well,  and I also saw another one at the beginning of town, so will do those another day.  They are all so different.
Hope you've all had a great weekend and take care.
Till next time.
Susan.

HOW BAZAAR!!!!!

This is just a quick post after a busy week.  Thanks for all the wishes and comments on my last post.  Yes, we had a lovely time with our friends, albeit very short.  We picked them up late Wednesday, came home, then Thursday took them to Geelong to visit M's cousin and whilst there killing time we went to "How Bazaar" and a patchwork shop.  Now I certainly didn't intend to spend any money that day, but, oh dear, the first place was just a wonderful treasure trove of interesting "stuff".  It is part reclamation, antique, vintage and bric a brac.  Just awesome.  I forgot to take any photos of the day out, but below is a later pic of what we bought.

We have 3 light fittings, a lovely pencil sketch, pretty plate, china roses and a Morris Minor Van in its original box.

The light fittings are for the dining area and over the breakfast bar.  The other items were bought on a whim and were actually all great bargains.

Friday saw us take our friends back to an Airport Hotel, so they could fly out early Saturday morning for Alice Springs to stay with a friend about 400kms from the Red Centre.  Not sure what they will make of it in the outback and hopefully they'll let us know at some stage.  They are packing in an awful lot whilst in Oz.

A few photos from the garden.  I'd hoped to take some photos over the last couple of days, but although not cold, it has been very grey and not great light for taking pics.

The type of toadstool you see in children's picture books.  We have a couple in our front lawn.

Hubby has cleared this part of the bed for me to replant.  There was a straggly hebe and nothing else.  I've planted a lovely camellia, called Volunteer, a small euphorbia, a pretty pink leaved shrub and a chrysanthemum so far.  We've also put lots of bulbs about the garden and the majority are already poking through the soil.  Hope to have some photos soon.

Over the last few days, I've managed to quilt Macy's baby quilt and attach binding to both hers and Little E's ready for handsewing of a night whilst watching TV.  I've also cut and started to make myself a pegbag from the leftover owl fabric on my ironing board.  Today I've just made a quick chocolate slice and a white chocolate & ginger blondie.
It is now 3.30pm and it looks more like about 6pm, it is so dark and dismal.
Hopefully I'll be able to get some photos together for my next post and be back with lots of what I've been up to.
Take care all.
Susan.

LEFTOVERS OR BUBBLE & SQUEAK!!!!!

Just a very quick post today. as we have to be at the airport around 5.30pm to pick up our visitors from the UK.  Have already been quite busy today.
Remember the leftovers I showed in a past post, when I had them on the design board, well that is now a flimsy awaiting some quilting.  I really used an assortment of fabric from past projects and am so pleased that I've made the weeniest dent in my scrap pile.  The strange triangle shapes on the block sides were actually the leftover pieces from GD E's quilt made in 2007, and the centres from a commissioned baby quilt, so we can really save and then eventually use it.

Macy's baby quilt.

On Sunday, our daughter and family came for the day and she brought my Mother's Day present and this is what I received.

2 lovely books.

A pretty bag with some crocheted hearts I need to string up and put along my mantel.  It should look lovely.  Of course, my very clever daughter made these.

We had a lovely day, going out to the Ballarat Market where I wasn't going to buy a thing, but came home with 2 small plants, ($2 each), a bag of bread rolls, ($2), and a pair of fingerless gloves for both hubby and I at $5 for the two.  We at chip butties in the park, then out to Learmonth and wandered around the Antique shop and had afternoon tea at the local cafe, then home for a barbecue tea.

Lastly, here is a photo of my new ironing board cover.  Isn't it cute.  Please excuse the messy look in the background, but being a quilter, it is usually set up in my sewing room.

Said cover.

I may be a little quiet over the next 4 days due to our visitors, but will be back later in the weekend with an update.  I was hoping to get the binding on Little E;s quilt and also have the baby quilt on the machine, but that will probably happen next week, along with a little more gardening, I hope.  Bulbs that I planted some weeks ago are finally peeking through, so may have some photos soon.  As we didn't have much except hedgy stuff in the garden, I've not really taken any photos.
Enjoy the rest of the week and take care.
Susan.

TEN RANDOM THINGS

I've seen a couple of these posts, so thought I would try one too.  You've no idea how long it has taken me to think about it, but here goes.

1.  I wanted to be an architect.

2.  I was taught to knit at age four, learn to play piano at five, but only for 6 months, sew on an electric sewing machine at seven and shown how to crochet by my great grandmother age eight.

3.  As a child I drew stone houses, loved the stone walls of the south coast of New South Wales and when I visited the UK in 1999, Hubby took me to the Penines and I announced that I felt like I had come home. A couple of years later, my cousin on Dad's side did some of our family tree and found that my forebears had come from the Penines and were stonemasons.  How's that for heredity.

4.  I'd love a pink kitchen with an island.

5.  I dislike impatient people.

6.  I have way too many books, magazines, fabric and wool.

7.. I don't drink, but do use alcohol in my cooking occasionally, and make a great Chocolate Sherry slice.

8.  I actually enjoy ironing.

9.  I love stationery shops and have oodles of notebooks etc.

10. My initials are S.S.S.

OK, now you all probably know too much.

Yesterday, Hubby and I went for a walk and I actually took my small camera with me and this is what we saw.

These cattle were running across the paddock to greet us at the fence.

A huge toadstool.  (that's hubby's foot.)

A cluster of toadstools.

An old tree.

The Avenue of Honour with it's trail beside it where we were walking.  It goes for many miles from the Victory Arch on the outskirts of Ballarat.

A sunshine gate (brand name).

That's all for now folks.  Take care and have a lovely weekend.
I'll be back soon with more about quilts and crafts.
Susan.
  .

BUSY WEEK.........

This last week has been a whirlwind.
Firstly, I would love to thank all who left comments and am sorry I didn't get time to reply.  Hopefully this week won't be quite as hectic.

I think I mentioned some time ago that I was crocheting another ripple rug, this time for Hubby.  It's been a bit slow going, but this is how far I've got.

Last Sunday saw us going to the Lake Goldsmith Steam Rally.  The day was very cold and somewhat showery, but what we saw was worth it.  Just a few photos, as hubby took lots.

Very large.

Very small.

Many moons ago, we owned a truck like this.

 Now for a few other happenings this week.
I had to go to the Doctor a couple of times as all my files had finally arrived from my last doctor and two blood tests were part of that.  All is OK.

Wednesday saw me at Joy's for a sewing morning and whilst there she finally got Emmi G up and going.
Yippee.  I even achieved sewing 2 blocks.

Joy's Gammill Classic.

Thursday saw us head back to Warragul to the solicitor to finalise the update on our wills.  Whilst there I went to see my friend Janette and to see her new toy.  This is what she now has in her sewing room and she is already getting the hang of it.

Janette's HQ Sixteen.

I needed to make another baby quilt, this time for a young lady who worked for many years at the Warragul Newsagency.  I thought she was having a girl, but everyone else thought it a boy, so I waited till it came, before I made the quilt.  Being on a tight budget, I found some scraps, like this.

Large scrap piece and a bag of odd shaped leftovers.

They have now become these, with another three to be made.

I t is amazing what you can achieve from leftovers.  I will add sashing and borders and voila, a quilt for a little girl called Macy.

This morning I quilted my granddaughter's quilt, which actually didn't take long at all.

Little E's quilt in progress and now off the machine and awaiting its binding.

All in all, a very busy week, with so much done.  Hopefully I will reply to comments this week and maybe do another post, instead of a whole week going by.  Now I am off to prepare our tea. (salmon tonight).
Hope everyone has an enjoyable weekend and take care.
Susan.

LOVELY SATURDAY

I had a lovely Saturday afternoon with a group of very crafty ladies.. Joy from the blog Days filled with Joy, took me along and I thoroughly enjoyed it, so will look forward to going again next month.

Last Wednesday saw Hubby and I set out for Ballan, and what may you ask took us there?

This Shop.

Why did I need to go?  I've just taken a quilt off my long-arm machine I made as a Block of the Month quilt some years ago and found that I didn't actually get the binding for it.  As the colours are not available anymore and I couldn't find anything suitable in my stash, I decided to go looking for something.  I finally found this, which picks up the colour of the roses in the outer border.

Peachy coloured fabric for this, below.

The said quilt.

To go with these I also bought this, below.  I made these blocks so long ago, I can't remember the year, but am trying to finish things I found that are definitely UFO's.

Pink and blue fabric.


Now for a couple of photos taken in the huge glasshouse in Ballarat Botanic Gardens.  The begonias have been  cleared to make way for chrysanthemums.  They are beautiful and some so different.

Aren't they all beautiful.

 That is all for now and hopefully the weather will be kind tomorrow for us, as we are off to the Lake Goldsmith Steam Festival.

Have a lovely weekend all.  Take care.

Susan.