Finding my groove

So many changes have happened over the past six weeks. I'm no longer a stay at home mum. I'm now working 4 days a week. This was a decision made earlier than expected as a great job opportunity came up that was too good to refuse. I'm finding my feet slowly and my family are slowly getting used to Mummy not being as available.

I have been madly finalizing my committee commitments. I'm taking a much deserved break away from a number of committee roles to free up more "me time".

I have been finishing up projects that needed to go to their new owners. I have finished bindings, sewn on borders, quilted and made some last minute gifts.

The infamous wedding quilt

10 minute table runner

The best news is that I have a new toy. Being a December baby, I always felt that birthdays were overlooked by Christmas. So this year I received a early birthday/Christmas present...a new Janome Horizon sewing machine. It's now my quilting machine as it has an 11" throat. I have great plans to quilt more of my projects and to learn to Fmq.

My new baby

Anyway to finish off 2012, I've decided to revamp my blog. It was feeling neglected and needed a make over. I've been feeling a bit the same with the changes in my life. So it's time to be a bit less neglectful and dust off the blogging cobwebs.

Modern Mini Mystery Round Robin - The big reveal

Well I received my mini quilt top back in October. I have to say that I've never participated in a round robin before and I was sceptical after hearing some horror stories from fellow quilters I know. But I was extremely happy with what I received back. It met my expectations and more. I have the quilting all planned in my head but haven't had a chance to get quilting on the machine yet.

So this was the block I sent around the world on its own expedition without me. I used some fabric from Tula Pink's Prince Charming range and Kona Medium Grey.

My block travelled around the United States and France before it made its way back to sunny Australia. Here is the completed mini quilt finished.

 So many thanks Group One swap partners for a fantastic round robin swap. Many thanks to Michele for hosting a great swap too.

But to finish off a great swap, I have included the borders I added to the different blocks travelling around the world on their expeditions too. I had fun adding the different borders to the blocks. There were times when I really struggled to know just what was the right border to add too. There was much deliberation and comtemplation.

Here are my completed blocks or added borders for my modern mini mystery round swap partners each month.

April

 May  

June

July

August

September

October

Here they are ladies....

Ok. So I was asked why no photos of the quilts I had received back from the LAQ. My response is....

The get bigger with each quilt. All 3 are back and quilted. Binding is all made. One more to trim and square up.

No longer in suspense.

For some reason my biggest quilt is my middle photo.

More finishes in sight

I have 2 more binding rolls completed to finish off some quilts. These 2 are recently returned from my LAQ.

Both quilts are big and bigger again.

The Mystery Finish

So I finished my mystery challenge that was tagged for charity. I love a good finished.

I also managed to finish my last border for the mystery modern round robin. I just have to post it back to its original owner. There is a linky party next month so I don't want to spoil any surprises yet.

So now for more finishes. I saw my local LAQ this afternoon. 3 quilt tops in for quilting. Some old and new finishes. Stay tuned...

Friday night

This is on my agenda Friday night. What is happening for my fellow bloggers and quilters?

Have a great evening no matter what is on your agenda.

Another close finish

I've had such a busy week.

I managed to finish the quilt top for my sister inlaw's wedding quilt. It's huge 98" square. I'm just waiting for the LAQ to get back to me. Sorry guys no photo yet but will definitely get the finished project up.

The binding hasn't quite made it on the quilt yet but it could be today's achievement.

Finally as I was so proud to finish the wedding quilt top, I pulled out another UFO and finished the blocks. Now to get the top finished and quilted.

Seeing The Finish

I love this picture. The end is near. Another finished project.

Counting down the days

I'm in the process of counting the sleeps.

3 sleeps until DH starts some long deserved holidays with his family. He is off work from 21st September until 17th October.

4 sleeps until the next Midday to Midnight sewing maddness with Somerset Patchwork and Quilting. Its been about 12 months since I visited the girls. I'm super excited to be going. I'm going to have some long overdue "me" time. 12 hours of fun.

3 sleeps until the kids go on vacation for two weeks. I want some sleep ins and no commitments. I know I won't get the sleep ins but I don't have any school or other commitments for at least 2 weeks. Woo Hoo.

I'm going to enjoy some time away. I'm going to spend some time sewing too. I'm thinking lots of EPP.

I'm also taking my Kindle. I've started to read The Hunger Games. 

I Spy a Side

I have been happily stitching away on my hexagon quilt.

I now have the beginning of a side. It's starting to take some shape.

Being Nostalgic

I felt a bit nostalgic today and pulled out an ongoing EPP project.

Remember this...

It needs an update. 

So I added some more diamonds to make a side. Now to get out the thread and needle to make it happen. (After the kids go to bed tonight)

Raffle Quilt

One of my quilting groups, Murray Mallee Quilters have been busily putting together a raffle quilt for a Quilter's Gathering in November this year.

As I don't have the opportunity to attend on a Saturday when the quilt was cut and sewn together for a bunch of lovely ladies, I offered to sew the binding on and hand stitch it down.

So I thought that I would share with you the finished quilt.

I actually love it. I think that it is a great scrappy quilt. Members donated the fabrics to make the quilt top. We have a number of very talented ladies in the group for sure.

I have decided to use the same pattern to make another quilt for a special lady as an end of the year present. It is my next project at my Mum's house. Stay tuned...

Mystery Charity Quilt Top

I have recently had the opportunity to start sewing at my Mum's house again every second weekend (time permitting) when DH is working his 5 nights on. It has been a wonderful time as I have been able to sew on her faithful Janome and my little man is actually letting me sew. Woo Hoo.

So I made the decision to work on some new projects that I haven't had the opportunity to complete or start because of a Mummy's time constraints.

My first project off the list was getting the Mystery Charity Quilt completed. I posted about it here in March this year. Where has the time gone???

So I started with a bunch of greens and blue fabrics.

I cut strips and squares.

I sewed blocks together. 12 of them to be exact.

 

I trimmed my blocks and squared them up to 13".

I cut sashing, corner stones and borders.

I sewed it all together.

Ta da a finished top. It has been a long laboured process with many stops and starts but its a finish. Now its off to the quilter who is quilting the quilts for charity. There have been approximately 13 made so far from the Murray Mallee Quilter's Group. Well done ladies for all your support in this charity adventure.

Where have you been??

Recently I attended a 12 hour Sew A Thon hosted by my very special friend Michelle. It was a fantastic day. I sewed until I dropped. Figuratively speaking.

I just happen to work on a long overdue quilt top. Not completed yet but getting closer. I also won the mystery door prize and made my very own lanyard.

A few of my sewing friends scolded me for not blogging.  So in light of my recent scolding, I'm writing a post to say, I've been busy doing some projects. I've been dealing with sick kids yet again. Attending specialist appointments. Getting back into shape and adopting a more healthier lifestyle. Also I have been doing my favourite past time, hexagons.

And as of last week, I'm the newly appointed President for my quilting group, Murray Mallee Quilters. I also talked my Mum in being the Secretary. So for the next 12 months I am wearing another hat.

Toot Toot

I'm sorry that I haven't posted in a while. I lost my sewing mojo with my bout of flu. It's slowly returning. My sewing mojo.  It's been a nasty strain and lots of antibiotics later, a slow road to recovery.

Anyhow, Master L has recently discovered Thomas the tank engine. It's definitely becoming an obsession to the point he taken the DVD to bed.

So guess how happy I was to discover in my stash. Some flannel backing fabric, straight line quilting and ta da... A Thomas quilt. I used a variegated blue thread from Gutterman to quilt it.

He loves it and it was super easy. I love how it came together from a picture in my mind to the actual finished project.

 My Thomas Quilt

Finished Quilt Size: 42" X 58.5"
Fabric:  Thomas the Tank Engine fabric. Blue flannel for the backing and a black and white spot for the binding.

Quilting: Straight line quilting using a 3" cross hatch design.

Made for: Liam Lloyd
Completed: June 2012

 

A Paper Piece Challenge

My local quilting group issued a challenge to its members for our Annual General Meeting in August. 

The challenge was to make an item using English Paper Piecing. Of course how could I refuse a challenge like this. It happens to be one of my most favorite things to do.

So I put my thinking cap on and came up with my project. I've decided to play around with baby blocks and 2" hexagons using solids. The fabric is Kona solids of course in the color way for Quiltcon. When I saw these fabrics at the Fat Quarter Shop I could refuse them.

My challenge is only going to be a mini quilt so that I can have it finished in time. Stay tuned to see how it comes out. I'm going to start playing this week.

Making a commitment

I'm making a commitment to my little girl. 

As part of her becoming a permanent member of our family (it was supposed to happen in May but has been adjourned off till October) and at a request made by her in 2010 for a "Love Quilt" in purple, I have finally pulled out a long awaited W.I.P. to finish off her Love quilt.

The love quilt is made up of 9 stitchery blocks designed by an Australian designer, Rosalie Quinlan. The quilt was called "Love Is". Hence Miss A has called it the "love quilt". My Mum and my friend Michelle have already completed their quilts. Here they are.

Michelle's Quilt

Mum's Quilt

I have stitched the first block. It is actually block 6.  I used a variegated purple thread (DMC 52) to stitch. In the original pattern, the designer back stitched various hearts in the blocks to fill it in. I have decided to use applique with blanket stitch instead.  I will applique all the hearts on each block for variation to the pattern.

Here are blocks 1, 2 and 8. Traced and ready to stitch or have started to be stitch. They are a bit hard to see but hopefully they will be clearer once these are fully stitched.

The next round of blocks are waiting to be traced. This will be done at my next Sunday sewing group.

So I have a deadline to have a finished quilt by the end of September in anticipation of Miss A becoming a permanent member of our family.

Hello

Sorry that I've been away. This month was supposed to be a celebration but our reasons to celebrate have been postponed until later in the year. So over the past 2-3 weeks, I have been picking up the pieces in our family. We have been living with tantrums, defiant behaviour, sleepless nights and periods of pulling hair out (figuratively speaking). Life has been a roller coaster. 

I have been checking up on all my favourite blogs even though I haven't left my mark around. I have been sewing away both on my machine and by hand just to keep my sanity.

I have been enjoying the May for Me Bingo though I haven't had any wins as yet. 

So I just dropped by to let you know that I've been around but I've had some reasons to be away.