It's Hump Day again........

Ah, it's Wednesday again.  Must be the short week we had here due to our Holiday on Monday for a horse race.  Anyway, the extra day has given me a chance to finish some more things off.........



Above is the  matching cushion for the green quilt.  All the quilts were posted yesterday, so fingers crossed Australia Post doesn't let me down.....



3 Ply wool baby jacket....

The baby jacket above is another one for the stockpile.  Must say it's a pattern I'm not overly fond of...it starts at the bottom & then all pieces get joined for the yoke.  I don't think I'll make it again, but it looks OK now it's done - it looked really wierd during the making process as I wondered how we were going to reduce all the stitches down.  (who ever reads patterns in advance, but this may teach me to in future lol).  Now to do some matching bootees with the left over blue wool.  I really do enjoy crochet with wool, especially for clothing, but acrylic is OK for rugs.



What about this grasshopper.  I couldn't get close enough with a ruler without the grasshopper flying away or me falling off something, so you'll just have to take my word for it, that it's about 8 to 10 cm long (nearly 4 inches in the old scale).  Beautiful markings though.....

Now for the coming week.....must get back to the cross stitch of the family tree - it won't stitch itself, then I think some hand sewing maybe on the hexagons - they're portable to be able to take with me.

Final note.....while I've been enjoying an extra day off, Japan has been suffering - I think it's going to take a long time for those left behind to get back on their feet.  Watching the news is becoming such a sad time of day.

Thoughts with those in the world cleaning up & finding loved ones......

~Karen~

Thinking.....

Since completing the second block of the Gum Tree Designers 'Things we love' BOM (see previous post), I've been thinking about what it is I love, aside from family & friends.

First would be 'Rain' - so important when you rely on the rainfall for your drinking, washing water etc and it really is nice just to stand in it...

Second would have to be the 'Garden' - trying to establish trees & shrubs, fruit trees & the like when you really don't have a lot of experience or knowledge.  It's satisfying to see your tube stock grow or have the first apricot from our new tree.

Third would have to be the 'wildlife' - watching the local creatures going about (and eating my shrubs) when we've invaded their space.

Finally, it would have to be sewing, crocheting & crafting - being able to create something that brings a smile to someones face (or your own) when it's finished.

Now to think of some ideas for the remaining blank blocks for this little quilt, plus enjoy what's around me.

The 2 pictures show a quilt I completed  - I didn't sew the top, but put the quilt together & then quilted it - just finished the binding a couple of days ago.  I love the colours & have to post it back to its owner, who I'm hoping will be thrilled.

Have a great week

~Karen~

Hump Day........some finishes

I always seem to do this on a Wednesday lately...not sure why, anyway that's why today's is called Hump Day.

I must admit I'm feeling kind of pleased with myself.  I got myself organised & have finished the blue quilt & binding is machine sewn on, green quilt too has it's binding on, finished quilting around the Lion (but I'm not sure what I want for the binding - keep changing my mind). 

Lion is now quilted

Latest cardigan

On top of that my cardigan is now finished too.  I haven't been able to find a shawl pin, so will have to make my own.  (Have some ideas already, so watch out for that one).

I've been reading the gumtree-designers blog & sent a 'New Beginnings' kit after the Queensland Floods.  I've never tried a stitchery in a quilt block, so thought I'd give this one a go.  I've just finished block 2, but haven't put the fabric around either block as yet.  I did buy 4 beautiful blue fat quarters with this project in mind plus some blue homespun for the back (I love blue).  The BOM is called 'Things we love' - check it out.

Block 1 - A Happy Home

Block 2 - Friends

4 fat quarters

In the next week 2 bindings to be sewn down & decide what to do about the Lion....then back to the Family Tree Cross Stitch & maybe some more baby crochet in between....have to see where the week takes me.....

Have a great week......

~ Karen ~

how much more.........

I was thinking how much more can this corner of the world cope with?  Fires, Floods, Cyclones and now Earthquake across the Tasman.  Thoughts for all as you get your lives back together.

We had about 66mm rain in 24 hours on Friday - a welcome gift when you live on rainwater tanks.  Farmers may not be happy, but we have no control over what the weather and nature dishes out to us.

Today is our 31st Wedding Anniversay - a milestone where divorce is commonplace.  I'm happy to be married to someone who tolerates fabric, wool & threads so well about the house (and it's just as well coz there's so much of it)

Enjoy your day

~Karen~

Hexagons.....

Bella Baby 'Sugar' 4 ply

 Here's the jacket I did after finishing the 7th pair of bootees.  I bought the wool (and it is wool) on sale at Spotlight, and have a small amount of the 3 50g balls left over.  Another item to put aside......I've now moved onto making a new winter cardi for me.  However, it isn't going to look a lot like the picture as I've already altered it.

I love these hexagons (boy have I gone a bit loopy), so I bought the blue bear fabric to add to these hexagons and try & make a cot quilt or something from the completed panels.  I've cut 24 blue shapes, so there will be 9 panels in all, so 3 x 3 with a bit of a border should make something useful.  The blank stack of carboard shapes is just half of the total, so at least that bit is done.  When my current lot of sewing is done, I'll probably start on sewing these things together & see what I can make.

We had so much rain last week, that the ground is still soft.  Not that I'm complaining, asit's watered my trees & shrubs in nicely & I can see grass slowly coming up (and probably the weeds too).  Such wierd weather we seem to be having.......

Enjoy your week....

`Karen`

Another week.......

It's amazing how tidying away anothers life has an impact on your own.  We're clearing late MIL's unit and I found some more fabric yesterday.  I've never really wanted to try hand patchwork, but I've found so many hexagons, that I will finish them off.  I've also resolved to be very tidy & keep like stuff together.

Final count in 3 ply - top row in wool, bottom row in nylon/acrylic

Not much sewing happened here, but some gardening instead.  I have to get back to the quilts - so they can go to their rightful owners.  And I've finished another pair of 3 ply bootees - in red & white.  There's enough red to do a jacket, so while I'm on a roll, I think I'll keep going.

Glorious sunset

 We've had a couple of these lately as the sun is setting - the photo never does justice, but I like the way the tree fits in.

I'm looking forward to a great week, hope you are too!

~Karen~

3 Ply.....

I've had a painful few days - tooth needing a root canal, but nothing compared to the floods, fires, blizzards etc around the world - just feeling sorry for me.

8ply cotton jacket (cotton from Bendigo Woollen Mills)

 Finally finished this jacket.  It's not for me, but a friend (hope she enjoys wearing it).  Was fun to crochet, but I always like to see things go to their new home.

Baby bootees in 3ply

I ended up with the baby yarn from my late mother in law.  This lot is in 3 ply, as there's mainly just odd balls, probably enough for 1 to 2 pairs of bootees, then I'll need to do colour matching.  I did try to get some more 3 ply in Spotlight, but noticed they had almost none, (lots of 4 ply), so I grabbed some.

Why am I making bootees?  Am starting a bit of a stash for daughters & their friends - thought it would save some time when I get asked again & then I have assorted colours depending on gender etc.  The top row is in wool and the bototm row is in Nylon - I much prefer the wool - so soft & really nice to work with - & should wash well too.

The big quilt I'm working on keeps running low on sewing cotton & I have to wait for more to come in - so pictures will be a week or so (at least) away.

That's it for now - thoughts to those in any part of the world affected by crazy weather.

Bye for Now

` Karen `