Holiday Stars Christmas Tree Skirt

This past week I've been busy trying to get this quilted project finished, the pattern written ... and then I had to patiently wait for a little bit of sun to take a picture.

The sun never did come out too much, and I'm not much of a photographer anyway ... but here is my Holiday Stars Christmas Tree Skirt:

I was inspired by the postcard style Yuletide Memories fabric - it's just so very pretty. Via my Etsy store I'd had a couple of requests for a tree skirt that didn't have Y seams, and something with simple piecing and traditional style. I hope this fits the bill.

Of course, it can be used as a table topper if you don't want to cut out the circle opening, and Christmas prints can be replaced with fabric to suit any season at all.

If you'd like to check the listing out, click here. I hope you like it! xox

New Project ...

This past week I've only managed to get one of the HOQH blocks put together, but I'm not going to be beating myself up over it, I've managed to get PLENTY done ...

Here is a sneaky peek of a new project I've been working on:

Some of the fabric is from deep stash, I can't even imagine where it came from or how long I've had it. And I have a dearth of the Christmas fabric! I hope to begin binding it tonight - but it's already almost 9.30pm so I may not get too far ...

Another thing I've been working on are lounge saving (or should I say kitty saving) devices! Our new family room sofas have arrived, and I've already caught Holly about to scratch at them ... so I made some little quilted doodads to velcro in place and thwart her destructive plans ...

I've made three so far, and I need to make three more - I'll get some more of the fabric I chose when I get to work this week.

Last of all, here's the block I made ... I can check one more off the big list:

Block 14 - Pinwheels & Sawtooth

I really should have pressed this one a little better before I took the picture - after I hit it with some Best Press it came up a treat, I promise!! The cream print in the large pinwheel part of the block - I'm not sure if it's a reproduction print, but I thought it could live in the block anyway - and then red triangles were cut offs from some of the stars in the other project I've been working on. 

It's funny, it doesn't seem to matter how many scraps of fabric I use, I keep generating more scraps, and more scraps! Looks like I'm going to be working on scrap quilts forever!!

Well, that's been my week ... what have you been working on?

Lucky me!!

On Thursday last week I wasn't able to make it to guild, and I'm so disappointed that I couldn't get there, because I got the most amazing phone call! My quilt won the Viewers Choice Award!!!

I just picked up the ribbon from Vicki today and I can't stop looking at it! I almost need to pinch myself to remember that it really happened. I feel so very blessed - thank you so much to everyone who voted for my quilt - I was genuinely so very surprised, at no time did I think my quilt was a contender!! Colour me thrilled :-)

In other much less interesting news, I managed to get two more HOQH blocks put together this week:

Block 39 - Cut Glass Dish

Another bunch of 1" HST's checked off the list - I could make them in my sleep I'm sure! I wish I knew where I got that toile style fabric from - I really like it and don't think I have any more in my stash.

Block 15 - Puss in the Corner

This block looks kind of wonky in the picture which surprised me, I didn't think it looked that bad in real life. Hopefully it looks good when it's all stitched into the final quilt.

Yesterday I quilted the little top I made recently, and I'm in the middle of binding it right now, as soon as I have a chance I'll share a picture, it's looking quite sweet. Chatter soon folks! xox

Bits and Bobs and Blocks

First up, I've completed two more HOQH blocks in the past few days. I'm thinking it'd be nice to complete two blocks per week until they're all done. Shouldn't be difficult right? I don't have a particular deadline, but it's nice set myself a little goal to stay motivated.

This is the first one I made, and it's a super easy one:

Block 35 - Streak of Lightning

And next up I made one which was significantly less easy. Actually, that's not really true, it wasn't hard, just fiddly. A whole bunch of 1" finished HST's. Overall I'm pretty happy with all the points - I don't think I'll be pulling this block apart any time soon.

Block 47 - Battlegrounds

That's a total of 22 blocks made so far - which is just over one third of the blocks finished. Looking forward to the next ones now :-)

The next pictures will have already been seen by my buddies on the facebooks, but it'd be cheeky not to share right?

Loving the new shoes I got last week - they're cutie pie Scarletto's, and I adore them, they're super nice, and believe it or not, supremely comfortable:

I wore them out and about pretty much all day on Saturday and not only were they much admired, but no sore feet for me. Winning!!

Last of all, because our lemon tree is absolutely groaning right now, I made lemon cupcakes last night so we could have them for morning tea at tennis today:

For the first time ever I made candied lemon for a garnish, and it worked really well. I'm definitely going to make these again!

Well, that's it for me today - I'm feeling a little achy after my three sets today. It's only my second week back on the court after more than two months off - it's amazing how quickly any fitness I had has fallen away and how my muscles are complaining. Hopefully it won't last too long!

Chatter soon xox

HOQH - Two more blocks!

I've managed to get two more of the Honouring our Quilting Heritage blocks made, they're really fun to put together. Remember that they're only 6" finished, some of the pieces end up being quite small!

Block 25 - Railroad

Block 32 - Lost Ships

Once again, the blocks are all made up from scraps. The bottom one is made up entirely of scraps gifted to me by my sweet friend Donna. I always love to remember where fabrics came from, or from what quilt I used them in. I'm surely getting lots of practice making half square triangles, and there are a lot more on my horizon too!

In my last post I mentioned the 'People Quilt' project, and a lovely reader Janet asked me which one that was. There is a whole big story that goes with the People Quilt, it was Amy's favourite cot quilt when she was little, so I just threw that name out there again possibly without explaining, but it's the project I'm working on slowly with the fabric leftover from Amy's People Quilt. I haven't done much, but I like the way it's heading:

I hope to get some more of the applique done this afternoon, and if I'm really good, maybe I'll get another block prepped ... who knows? :-)

Yesterday was our first day back at stitching class after the school holidays, and I had the most lovely surprises from my sweet ladies. Pam was so thoughtful and gave me some chocolate coated almonds as a treat for winning ribbons with my quilt. She's just adorable - I shared them with the ladies in class as it would be way too easy to scoff them all myself.

Manuela knows my love of Nutcrackers and gifted me the adorable decorations you see above. And Norma just got back from a holiday in South Africa and kindly brought home some darling fridge magnets that you see there. I am so blessed to have such sweet and generous ladies that come to class with me - I honestly love them all to bits.

Well, I'm going to get busy on my applique, so hopefully I'll have something to share with you soon! xoxox

Honouring our Quilting Heritage - 2 blocks

Late Friday afternoon I spent some time putting a couple of blocks together. I haven't worked on these in many months, so it took me a while to get back in the zone. Two blocks are added to the finished tally, and hopefully I'll get some more made soon:

Block 9 - Mystery Flower Garden

Not super pleased with the points on the bottom pink triangle in the block above. It's tempting to take it apart and see if I can't do a better job there - you all know I'm super fussy about points.

Block 11 - Chained Star

Much happier with this block - I don't think I need to change a thing. Yay!

I'm still working through my scraps with this project. After working on so many scrap projects over the last few years you'd think they'd be lessening ... but no, my scrap baskets appear to be getting fuller by the day. Baffling!!

Today I'll try and put a couple more blocks together, and then I'd like to get busy again working on the People Quilt project. So Much Fun!!

Small Projects

Thank you so much to everyone for your kind comments on my last post - it was lovely to hear from everyone, as well as so many people that don't regularly comment. I've responded to all that I can, if I haven't responded to your message, I wanted to, but your email address didn't come to me. But thank you for commenting all the same!

I'm so looking forward to collecting my quilt tomorrow, and pinning my newest ribbons to the pinboard is going to be fun.

Today I'm having one of those days where it's hard to get motivated. I've finally moseyed into the sewing palace, and hopefully I can get some fabric moving around. Yesterday though, I managed to get something done:

One of my lovely friends is going through some tough times at the moment, so I've made her a little worry quilt:

I know it won't change anything for her, but I hope whenever she holds it, she'll know she's loved.

And earlier in the week I finished up a cot quilt I was asked to put together:

I was given the panel and I cut it apart to add fabric and make it larger. It was indeed serendipity that I have coordinating fabrics in my stash. But back to the panel for a moment ... it's baffling to me how out of square they can become - the individual blocks of this panel were 11" square, and some of them were almost a full inch askew - crazy!!

And for fun a strippy back to make it more interesting, the red and blue prints having been given to me also:

All these projects were put together and quilted with Bernie the elder, she's such a workhorse. Bernie the younger is still at the health spa, and hopefully returning soon.

Not sure what I'll be working on this afternoon, but I'm thinking it's been a while since I worked on the Honouring our Quilting Heritage blocks, so they may be contenders. I've also been doing a little designing, it's been fun to have the time to be creative again.

Chatter soon!! xox

Quilters Guild of South Australia - Show Day

Today was the big day out for my quilt. It was a wonderful day, I'll let the pictures do the talking ...

I'm beyond thrilled, so proud that it was hanging nice and flat and looking wonderful. Happy Days!! :-)