Bird on the Border
Bird on the Border - My blog shares my experiences with patchwork, stitching, family ,friends and caravanning
Monday, 31 March 2025
Adding to My Sewing Travel Kit
Monday, 24 March 2025
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.
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..,
Saturday, 22 March 2025
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.
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!
ËSaturday, 1 March 2025
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.
Saturday, 1 February 2025
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 !
Friday, 31 January 2025
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. |
Monday, 27 January 2025
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.
Monday, 20 January 2025
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.
Monday, 13 January 2025
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. |
Friday, 3 January 2025
2025
.
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
..
Wednesday, 1 January 2025
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.
No, No I will!! I promise because Deana will make us with her challenge and I promise myself to sew more this year.Friday, 20 December 2024
Merry Christmas 2024
![]() |
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 |
I![]() |
My family , The kids are 11 and 8 here. We are in this year’s Christmas outfits of course. |