Just A Little Crazy...

Feeling like my head is going here, there and everywhere. Yesterday I spent the day working on a blue teacup stitchery to make into a table runner for the Biggest Morning Tea raffle, and finished it tonight. You can print the free stitchery pattern from here.

Then yesterday evening I found an invitation to a baby shower that's in 2 1/2 weeks.... Gah! My hands will be sewing everywhere! I thought I had a month to make the Baby Girl Quilt, now I need to finish it before the raffle items. It seems the quilt will have to  be simpler than I first thought.

 This definitely puts the Swedish Baby Quilt on the backburner for a while (sorry Feupie! That's my sister, but she doesn't read this blog).

Isn't it strange that since I started sewing again, I now have all these urgent projects that just weren't there before? Of course, the urgency is all in my own mind. I don't HAVE to make anything. I just like to.

And so before next week at Su's I would like to have the teacup table-runner pieced and quilted, and the Baby Girl Quilt pieced and quilted, so that I can trim them at Su's, then hand stitch the binding on. I wonder if I can stitch another of these blue blocks to make another table runner... I quite like it.

And! Of course...

It's Mother's Day this Sunday, and I've been thinking that my Mum will be on the road, so I haven't posted anything to her.

There's a mother's day stall at the primary school tomorrow so that Rhette can buy some gifts... and yet I had completely forgotten about a gift for the new MIL.

I've had a rummage through the caravan stash and found these that I stitched well over a year ago.

Cinderberry Stitches Pattern "Twelve Red Robins"

They've needed rotary cut squares appliqued on. This is the next step. Then a simple border, quick quilting and binding. I got them out thinking of the raffle prizes, but my Sweetheart has sternly "told me off", saying I am not to give away these with hours of work on them to someone who won't appreciate their value and will use them as a handkerchief. Heh heh. He is such a Darling.

MIL loves blue, and she loves decorating for Christmas. I will finish the blue one for her.

These are the supplies for raffle items I picked up yesterday.

Amazing how quickly it adds up hey? I'll make do with all sorts of things I have here so that I don't have to buy any more supplies. That's it. Kaput. No more spending. I'll just have to be creative.

It's fun to have so many projects to work on! And at the moment, while I'm gestating a new human being, I have time to relax and rest.

Swedish baby quilt update

Just a bit of applique added so far. The outer stem is completely sewn down.

 In this photo you can see the music notes on the stem fabric.

I am particularly fond of the appliqued moose. It looks quite striking in real life. Unfortunately this quilt is not going to photograph well - it is going to look better in real life every time.

I've also stitched a few bits and pieces from the "Little Chicken Feather" book for the Baby Girl Quilt for our friends baby due in 5-6 weeks.

And I've bought some fabrics and found some free redwork patterns at patternbee.com  to make prizes for the Biggest Morning Tea raffle prizes. My new MIL runs a huge morning tea, and her usual raffle prize donor is no longer working due to injury and therefore cannot donate the prizes this year. I have decided to make some stitched heat pads/oven mitts, a tablerunner, and some Christmas banners.

I can see myself quite, quite busy this next month, as the morning tea is now only a couple of weeks away. Oh my! I've done it again!!!

Sewing with Su and the week ahead

It's time for a "Thursdays with Su" sewing day update!

Mum has definitely decided she is leaving on Monday, so I've put the brakes on the horsey quilt...

Here's the front of the quilt so far... I'm LOVING it! There's more to add on, and beautiful horse prints to make the back of the quilt. I need to be in the right mood to design a layout, and that will come.

Su and I enjoyed a lovely day of planning next projects and starting new ones... (What!!??? New projects??)

We are going on retreat to Magnetic Island in June for 3 nights, and at this stage I think I'll take the Double Wedding Ring for my sister (still to be cut out on the AccuQuilt), a small project we found to make an ironing mat that folds up into an iron carrybag, and I guess some handwork - perhaps it will be some handwork for my own baby quilt.

Today I pieced the background for the Swedish Baby Quilt for my sister, and made the 1/2inch vine around the outside. 

This is going to be a relatively small baby quilt.  I have other quilts she can use when the babe is bigger.

And I started some stitcheries from Bronwyn Hayes' book "Little Chicken Feather" that will be used in Nat and Cat's baby girl quilt (quilt required in only 6 weeks)!! Eek! So much to do!

The best thing is I feel so inspired reading others' blogs and sharing projects with Su. Feeling wonderful!!

This week is hand work week. The machine is going away, and it's time to applique the Swedish Baby Quilt, stitch the Baby Girl Quilt, and finish off crocheted blankies that are nearly done.

Inspiration come at me for my own baby quilt!!! Sometimes there is too much to choose from... I haven't even decided between bright or soft. *sigh*

Chances and Dreams

There's still a chance The Horsey Quilt will be made in time for Mum to quilt it before leaving on her holiday.

The remaining 6 pieced blocks have been stitched. They will not be joined next to each other like this, and so there should be a chain effect in the yellow.

The borders for the applique blocks have been cut out of the black strips in the batik jelly roll. And tomorrow I plan to sew, sew, sew to complete the front of the quilt.

Sewing with Su on Thursday, I plan to make the back of the double sided quilt. The final plan is not yet decided, as the size of the front is still unknown. I will use as much of the fabric I have, as long as it looks good. These are the last bits of the jelly roll, and I've cut some whimsical horse prints into strips as well.

Then, we had a visit today from very good friends that are having their baby girl in about 7 weeks... and I am thinking I might make the Lucky Ducky quilt for them. (I know! That was going to be for my baby!!)

And still yet, I am dreaming about the Swedish inspired quilt for my sisters baby. ("What Swedish baby quilt is that?" I can read your mind!)

I recently subscribed to a magazine Sandra showed me when I visited her last January. "Simply Vintage" by the makers of "Quiltmania". Ohhhhh... the projects are so gorgeous!

I found this naive folkish applique in my first copy, and thought it would be lovely for my sister!

Then I started to think about her tastes and experiences, and I know I really need to put some of her Swedish lifestyle into it, and some music... And so I will keep the pieced background idea, and the outer bias vines, then find some Swedish folkish motifs to applique, and mix in some music stuff.

I thought I might use these:

 These are leftover fabrics from the Colour Me Happy quilt and some batiks from the Horsey Quilt's jelly roll. Not a bit of pink in sight (sister hates pink), but fun and bright for a baby of any gender. All I need to buy at this stage is 40cm of cream background, and something to cut on the bias for the vines.

My mind must be going a million miles an hour with so many projects to plan, and still, there is my own baby quilt to make! I have another 20 or so weeks to work it out.... hopefully I will have decided by then!

Frantically busy happy

Oh my! It's been a frantic couple of days. The borders are on Colour Me Happy... and I think it's delightful!

It takes 5 days by post for the quilt top to reach Mum interstate. I think this will be the only one I will be able send before she leaves home in 11 days. Else I only have 3 days to finish both sides of the horsey quilt, and they are not even cut out yet, and I will be away for 2 of those days. I found this delicious batik wideback, and have machine stitched the label on, so that it is quilted right through.

And so, reluctantly, I have decided that the children will have their quilts (including the monster quilt) when we move into the new home, which should be just before Christmas.

Two pieced blocks for the horsey quilt - I've been able to use the leftover backing above in the centre of these blocks. I like it very much!

Ahhhhh. I feel a weight off my shoulders, and much more enjoyment to come from my sewing.

Tomorrow I hand sew the binding onto Pink Bananas, and give it away the following day.



What's next?
1. Cutting and piecing the front of the horsey quilt, then the back
2. Cutting out a Double Wedding Ring using my friend's accuquilt Go! (oh so exciting!) for my sister's belated wedding present
3. Make a baby quilt for my sister
4. Make travel change mats: one for my sister, one for me
5. Work on the Lucky Ducky baby quilt for my baby
6. Add binding to any quilts Mum is bringing up for me that she has quilted
7. Cot bumpers for my baby's cot
8. More baby sewing for my baby (nesting, nesting, nesting)
9. Sew a tee-pee cubby for the children as a gift from the baby
10. Finish the crocheted blankets.
11. Work on UFOs Mum will bring up for me

I'm excited!

Horsing around

The centre blocks of Colour Me Happy are assembled. Tomorrow I will be at a friend's house to cut my way into a fabric frenzy once again. Borders are to be measured and cut.

Its turned out to be a really good size. It covers the centre of the queen bed, and with borders will hang down. I think I have enough fabric to make pillow cases which would be nice. Note to self: check if the pillows are standard size on their bed.

 And I've finally figured out how to cut out and put together the front of the horsey quilt.

 Here are the next 3 blocks giving a total of 8 blocks, which is all I need, interspersed with pieced blocks.

 I've started another block and will turn it into a pillow case.

Tomorrow, I cut pieces for the blocks. Oh my! I've got to get these quilts to Mum pretty fast!!