Not much sewing going on here

I'm too busy putting new windows in at my place!

Dining room window was last weekend, today (and tomorrow) I am getting a new window in my sewing room/office..... YAY! I will be able to open it without fear of spiders entering (old one didnt have flyscreens) and I wont need to remember to close the window before I can open the front door (the old window swung outwards when it was open AND it was right where the front door opened!)

Will post photos as soon as the weather fines up - there is too much rain for me to venture out to take a photo.

I have made a postcard or two for a couple of swaps that I am in... I can show you this one because it has already made it to its final destination. I used a silver metallic thread to zig-zag around the edges and it was a big PITA, the thread was breaking every inch or so (and I was using a special needle for metallic threads) I ended up sewing VERY slowly and it looks nice but I wont be using that thread in the machine again.

Molly's quilt

Here are a couple of photos of a quilt that I recently finished for a friend's daughter as a christening gift.

It was finished with minutes to spare - I put the last stitches in the quilt label 5 minutes before I had to leave for the christening!

I love the pattern that the quilting creates on the back of the quilt.

I used a combination of machine stitching in-the-ditch and hand stitched butterfly motifs (using perle thread) in the center of the octagons

This was last years New Years Eve mystery quilt at FabricaholicsAnonymous - they are hosting another mystery this New Years Eve and I am really looking forward to it!

I LOVE my postie!

They bring the nicest parcels to me!

Here is a sneak peek at the parcel that arrived at my place this afternoon... a full photo will have to wait until I can get my Dad to hold the quilt for me!

Handmade clothing

A friend of mine (through work) has started a small business making BEAUTIFUL handmade clothing for sale.

Kerry of MyOneBrownMouse sells her creations through Made It, be sure to visit!

NYE Mystery quilt - fabric choices

Here are my choices for the 2009 NYE mystery quilt at FabricaholicsAnonymous:

Focus fabric: candy cane/ribbon/holly on off-white
Light: beige/cream tone-on-tone
Dark: black print
Medium 1: red
Medium 2: dark green

More fabric...

Patchwork Products is having a SALE!

Here's what they have to say on their website about the specials:

Patchwork Products is having a November Sale
There will be

$2 per metre off all fabrics
50c off all fat Quarters
$1 per metre off all waddings
$1 per metre off all homespuns,muslins
10% off all scrap bags and kits
Fabrics from $4 per metre

(During the sale: the normal prices will be displayed on the website but the total cost for online orders will be adjusted before your payment is processed)


I recently ordered two fat-quarter rolls from them (one beige roll and one white roll). My stash was lacking in neutral colors so when I got the email from Patchwork Products saying that they were having a sale and that they also had packs of 10 fat-quarters in a variety of colors and styles for AU$20 I jumped at the chance to expand my range of neutrals! Postage for my 20 fat-quarters was only AU$6 and the customer service was EXCELLENT.

Here is a photo of my lovely fabrics (and yes there is only 9 beige fabrics - I have already used 1!!)

There's a new mystery coming....

For those of you out there who like mystery quilts FabricaholicsAnonymous will soon be hosting their annual New Years Eve mystery (fabric requirements are already posted). I did the 2008 NYE mystery quilt and it was GREAT! I am gathering my fabrics and eager to join again in this year.

Membership to the group will close from 15th December 2009 to 1st February 2010, so if you are interested in in being a part of the mystery - join the group soon!!

Reading Binge

I love reading and tend to have regular reading "binges" - I will read a few books in a short stretch of time then not read another book for weeks! My recent reads have been....



"Dead and Gone" by Charlaine Harris






"One More Bite" by Jennifer Rardin









"Demon Mistress" by Yasmine Galenorn









"Bone Crossed" by Patricia Briggs








"Redemption Alley" by Lilith Saintcrow

More QAYG blocks

Now all of my blocks are done - I have used all of the embroidered carousel horses. I think they are looking pretty cute!

A couple more blocks

Another day, another parcel (or two!)

Mmmmm, two more lovely parcels arrived from the USA yesterday. The first one was from Sew Mama Sew, all cute and wrapped with a bow:
























Just look at these cute little fishes....













And the second parcel was from Fabric Indulgence and Art Supply:

Sewing again

Yay! I'm feeling better and am looking forward to getting back to work tomorrow.

I got some sewing done yesterday;

- first was a couple of pillow cases for the dog beds (much easier to wash a cover than the whole pillow!)

- second was sorting out my string basket into colors

- third was a couple of liberated log cabin blocks. The center of each is a machine embroidered carousel horse (each is a different design), and I surrounded them with logs from my string basket that coordinated with the embroidery color. I still have a few more of these to sew, then I will make them into a wallhanging












I have decided to send my leftover strings to a friend to make into Heartstring quilts (for charity). I figure that by the time I am ready to use the rest of these strings I will have another basket of them!!

I am very glad that the Stashbuster no-buy year is finished because I have been doing a bit of online shopping in the USA lately (our exchange rate is really good at the moment!)

I first of my parcels arrived this morning, this one was from Tennessee Quilts, the fabrics are from the "Forest Fun" range by Robert Kaufman and the "Mackenzie" range by Anna Griffin:

I've been SICK

I had a bad bout of gastro Friday evening - I was miserable and very glad when the anti-nausea drugs started to work. Saturday I felt like I had a bad hangover, today I have been a bit lethargic and VERY thirsty. I will be glad when I am feeling back to my normal healthy self....