Quilty Friends

For all sorts of reasons our quilt group has not been meeting as regularly as we did so we went for morning tea last week.. what a nice outing. One of the girls was away so next time hopefully she will also join us. The friendships I have made in my quilting journey are so special to me. I knew of all these ladies in my teens and early twenties however they were just acquaintances and I never imagined that all these years later quilting would bring us so close together. 

 

Then there are my away quilty friends I have made through blogging and retreats. Susan (Susan’s Sewing Space).is one of these ladies and last year she was nice enough to give me some plant cuttings and guess what Susan; just like our friendship through quilting they have really grown.  Thank you . The one with the holes in the leaves. is really doing well. All just outside my kitchen window . I hope I get to Brisbane again  before too long to catch up. 

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Toile Quilt finished in” Chookshed Stitchers Challenge” Number 2 - March

 I have finished this antique looking quilt. Sorry about the wet patches on the right (darker spots) I will edit it when I have more time. One of the scalloped corners is not quite as it should be but it won’t spend life hanging on the wall so I am not going to let it get to me. I am happy to be finished something that has been in the UFO category for such a long time. 

I was trying hard to get this finished last night and Minnie was ready for bed and thought I should be to so she kept getting on my knee so I couldn’t sew. Cheeky rat she is. Full of character she is this little one.., 

March Challenge Chookshed Stitchers

 Well I have dug another quilt out of the archival stash. I couldn’t even tell you when I started this. I thought it was a mock antique so I decided to hand quilt it incorporating my first try at trapunto.  I had very little left to do and I don’t know why I didn’t finish it way back . I think the scallop border scared me. It’s still not that great because I couldn’t find the pattern but it’s almost done . Just hand stitching the binding to go and I’m half way there. 

 So looking forward to our Scrub Stitchn’ Retreat coming up very soon , closely preceded by our local sewing  group retreat. 8 days of sewing and catching up with friends. A girl couldn’t happier.

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Confetti Quilt Finished

 I have been trying to focus on my sewing while Bernie’s been away. I’m even ahead with a couple of my challenges but that’s ok because I’m away for a month so I will catch up time. 

I’ve not only finished my Confetti Quilt Top in February I have now completely finished it … yeah!

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February Challenge for Chookshed Stitchers

 Another month has flown by and I managed to complete the second Chookshed Challenge for 2025. 

This month my challenge was to finish my Confetti Quilt . I started this quilt last year at the spring retreat I think. It’s a good scrappy quilt but lots of sewing. I originally bought the pattern to make up in the Tilda Jubilee range but there is so much waste I decided to save that beautiful fabric and use scraps. As soon as My pineapple quilt comes off the machine I will get this one quilted. 

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January Challenge “Pining for You” Pineapple . Flimsy Done

 And the challenge is done for January. I am so pleased with the flimsy. Now to quilt it. I sent a photo to  my granddaughter (11) and she wants it because the colours are so cool. We will see. Happy Quilting ! 

Chookshed Stitchers Challenge -January

 Pineapple Pretty is such a happy quilt , it makes me smile whenever I look at it. January’s challenge was number 6  and that for me was “Pineapple Pretty” with  fabric designed by Tula Pink and produced by Free Spirit. I am just one block away  from being done , I almost made it by the 31st . The flimsy will be finished tomorrow though. 

Finally back into my sewing space after what seems years. 

Piece by Piece it’s  coming together

One small section to go but it will happen tomorrow.

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Matching

 Just couldn’t  resist a matching pin cushion and foot control mat. 

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Happy Australia Day

 I hope all my Aussie friends had a great Australia Day. We had friends and family over for a barbecue breakfast with lamb of course. It was quite hot but not too bad in the scheme of things. I’m glad B was cooking. There was also some pool relaxation. 

Beautiful Bags Feeling Neglected Spring Retreat Baradine

 This past 6 months  has been so crazy that I didn’t even blog about the spring retreat in Baradine . Chooky organised it with Deb from the shop in Coonabarabran . It’s a great shop if anyone is down that way. “The Crafters Cottage. “  There were some faces I knew and some I didn’t but we had a lovely weekend and went away with new quilty friends. I made a couple of very useful basket bags from Tula Pink fabric.

Deb had a pop up shop

Brenda had recovered from the fall she had at the last retreat. 

Spring daisies from Donna’s property

Chatting as usual

Then there were two One for me and one for my SIL for when we go on our next road trip

The Beginnings of a Pineapple Quilt using Tula Pink fabric

This is my first project for the 2025 Chookshed  Challenge. Found the pattern and cut it out. I love this quilt the Tula Pink designed fabric is so happy and bright.

Revived from Davy Jones Locker

 Well all I can say is that when you really give the sewing sewing room a good clean out you get this over arching feeling of guilt that you started a very simple quilt a very, very , long time ago .  It has stared at me through a big plastic box everyday but was never touched. So today was the day. The top is finished now even though it’s a bit wonky. This quilt goes back to my early days of quilting when I didn’t know to cut plaids on the line of pattern not just using the ruler . Consequently it looks a bit wonky in places but it will keep someone warm. Note to self “ don’t use  chenille again. There is blue fluff all over the place, very messy. May be that’s why it went back in the box all that time ago.  

I should be working on my pineapple quilt for the challenge . That will be tomorrow. 

In the  beginning when this first came out  from the deep depths of the sewing room…

 Ha! Ha! How embarrassing!

A wonky start

It’s done ready to be quilted. 

2025

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See I knew , in my last post I said Deana would come through with a challenge list . Thank you . And it is number 6 for January ! 

My Challenge List

1. Work on Coverdale House 

2.Finish hand quilting and bind a toile quilt 

3. Annie Downs project bag

4. Quilt “My Favourite Things”

5. Quilt New Zealand Quilt

6. Finish Pineapple Quilt  Flimsy

7. Quilt Pineapple Quilt

8 Work on Lucy Boston again 

9. A Christmas Project 

10.Finish Confetti Quilt

  Hopefully while I’m working on these I will slip in getting started on Sunshine and Lolly Pops by Annie Downs.   

Happy Quilting 

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Happy New Year 2025

 Well here we go, a new year,  a new adventure. Happy New Year To All . I hope it is happy, healthy and prosperous. Especially on the quilting progress front.

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No,  No I will!!  I promise because Deana will make us with her challenge and I promise myself to sew more this year. 

I’m sorry to the zoomers  I haven’t been on a lot but I either hadn’t checked my email or I was away I’m sure I’ll be better at that in 2025 too. 

Everyone has gone home now the house is quiet and so empty…. But don’t worry Bernie wants to take me fishing tomorrow and the next day because we bought a small fishing boat for Christmas. Wish me luck. 

So the sewing room will be waiting a few more days.  Bye for now. 

Merry Christmas 2024

Well another Christmas has come around seeming like it was quicker than the last. I don't know why time seems to travel faster as we get older. My theory is a year is a percentage of your life.The older you get the percentage gets smaller and hence the years seem to going faster. I wish you all in blog land a very Merry Christmas and a happy,prosperous and healthy New Year. We have just spent a week on Queensland's Gold Coast and now it's time to go home with the house full. Such a wonderful time of the year. I love that my family comes home and all the cousins catch up. We will have 25 around our Christmas dinner table this year. The boys will cook the meats and everyone will contribute so happy days. There will be swimming , water skiing and fishing. Definitely back yard cricket and lots of fun. Expected temperature 35 degrees Celsius . 

Each year when we visit the Gold Coast for a week ( both sets and grandparents and Josh and Em and the kids ) we make Christmas clothes and all wear them to Movie World to the White Christmas Parade. Yes for the Northern hemisphere , yes, we have fake snow , bubbles that don’t melt in the heat. 

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More wins 

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Found our spot to watch

They always have to try to win at the games alley. They thought they were made. Mum and dad thought OMG where will we put them in the caravan

So blessed to have an Extended Family that we connect with and love

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My family , The kids are 11 and 8 here. We are in this year’s Christmas outfits of course.

So from my family to yours , Merry Christmas and catch you in the New Year.