Such a great week!

I had such a great week this past week, checking things of the list I made here and there. I've taken several new photos for Etsy listings, and using Canva to edit/make them interesting. 

I've still quite a few to do, and now that I've decided on how I'll present them I can do it at leisure. 

I also started to work in the pantry - this is a job that I always dread, and I pretty much find any excuse not to do it. My pantry is a floor to ceiling cupboard in the kitchen, and it's the same depth as all the other cupboards in there. IMHO it's too deep, and things get lost in the back. I'm forever watching organisational videos and instagram stories and just not coming up with good ideas that will work with what I have. I'll keep trying. 

I've now made up eight of the star decorations, I'll keep going on those too, but I'm going to make a Colly bird next for a little variety and to keep it interesting.

In stolen moments I've hand quilted a little too. On Insta I was asked to show a photo of my setup, and I was happy to oblige:

This is a cosy corner of my sewing room where I can just come and pop a few stitches in here and there when I feel like it.

What you can't see in this picture is that Rowley wanted to get in on the action:

He's such a sweet boy and always wants to be exactly right where we are.

Yesterday I started working on an Autumn/fall inspired Dresden Table Topper for one of my lovely friends birthdays. I've pinned it this afternoon and I'll start quilting it once I'm done here.

For this table topper, I'm actually using my Dresden Tree Skirt pattern, and instead of cutting away the centre opening I've appliqued a circle in place. I was thinking it looks a little bit drab, so tomorrow I'll get some pretty ric-rac to stitch over the seams and jazz it up.

I didn't get the pattern for the recent table runner written up just yet. I'll make another one or two up so I can take some in progress pictures for the pattern and I haven't decided which fabric I'd like to use. I'll get there!

So that has been my week, how has yours been going? xox

Inspiration sought ...

Well, maybe inspiration isn't quite the right word. Have you ever had a week where you just haven't felt like sewing very much? That's what this week has been like - but it's possibly because I've been staying up very late watching the finals at Wimbledon. 

I've been putting my viewing time to good use and doing some hand stitching, making up some more of the LodeStar ornaments:

These are such fun to make, and I love all the bling. Later on in the year I'll make some more up in different colourways. Fun!

I did also put a few hand quilting stitches in Lily Rosenberry, it's easy for time to disappear working by hand ...

And this next picture is a secret squirrell project I've worked on, some dear friends are anticipating a new grandbaby soon, and this is for them to gift to him:

This panel is Noah and Friends by Dear Stella - I did the piecing down the sides and appliqued the name. And I've quilted it using my somewhat new favourite wibbly lines. Gosh, I probably should have waited until after Tuesday (when it's being gifted) to share it, but I'm 98.7% sure they don't read here?!?

So I guess on balance I have got a bit of sewing done this week, it just doesn't seem like it though.

And the last picture of the day, when I took Rowley for a walk this afternoon, we saw a couple of kangaroos just down the hill a little. I took a picture from a distance as I wasn't sure if they'd bounce away as we got closer ... can you just see them there?

We're so lucky to have lovely walking trails just at the end of our street. Until we got a dog, I really never went there at all and didn't realise how nice they are.

Anyway, that's it for me this week - hopefully I'll have a bit more to share next week, and I'll have checked a few things off the list of projects to be done in the holidays. Chatter soon! xox

Mid year holidays ...

I have two weeks of holidays ahead of me, and I'm pretty excited about it. There are a bunch of things I'd like to accomplish, which seems to always be the case when I find myself on leave. I don't always get everything done, but it gives me something to strive for. These holidays I'd like to get some new photos taken for the painted bead heads in my Etsy store, make some more felt ornaments, write up the pattern for the table runner I've just made, and if I get really enthusiastic I'm going to try and organise my pantry. Seems like a lot, I'll try not to make myself nervous!

With kind social media help, I selected and applied the binding on the table runner I shared with you last week. The general consensus was to use the red plaid fabric for the binding, and it does look pretty:

The table runner is very pink overall, and looks so nice on the table. I have some different fabrics in mind to make some more soon, so I'll share those as I can. I do love the plaid fabric you see in the picture, I have it in a slightly darker red colourway, and a brown and blue also. I'm so nervous about running out of the red especially as I just love plaid bindings. I hope I'll be able to find a suitable replacement sometime soon. I keep looking!

Here's a close up of the quilting and the binding:

I took these photos yesterday, I was so enjoying the filtered sunlight coming in through the bay window - we've had plenty of grey days lately so it was a nice change.

And the last picture for today, walking the dog this afternoon, the trees in the park across the road looked so colourful, I just had to share:

That's all from me on a chilly Sunday evening, I hope you're all having a lovely weekend xox