Natalie's quilt

A couple of weekends ago I decided this quilt had been dragging on and I was in danger of loosing interest.  That thought spurred me on to get more blocks done and I am feeling pleased with my progress.  I now have only one more large basket block to make and then six mini baskets before I can start piecing it together ... it suddenly feels achievable!  The first photo shows the latest blocks I made and then all the blocks together.

After today another month is finished!  Here are some of the happenings for October:

From three chooks to two, our girls are getting old and not laying

Josh's team won their 5 aside soccer tournament

Getting a window seat installed

After a lazy winter I'm walking again, 40 minutes to get around our local lake

Our Charlie had a birthday

Colours of my latest knitting project

Apple and pear blossoms, hopefully we will have our first fruit this year
And progress made!

Thanks as always for your visit, happy weekend to you! Wendy xx

Natalie's quilt update

Wow, this year just keeps racing by!  I can't believe it's been three months since I updated photos of my Natalie's quilt, first started here.  I didn't get to my quilting class last term hence the slow progress; only three more blocks made.  But slow progress is better than no progress, as they say!
Some of my friends have been updating and decorating the foyer at our church, making it look bright and welcoming.  My contribution was to make some bunting, one is four meters and one five meters. Unfortunately I haven't got a photo of them hanging but they really help to make the foyer look fresh and fun!
All the signs of spring are here but, to be honest, it is still pretty cold!  However, the sunshine and the flowers make up for the cold.  In spite of my love of winter, I am ready for spring!  Wendy xx
(Ha ha, I just spotted the spider near my little jug!)

Natalie's quilt

I have three more finished blocks for my Natalie's quilt that I started and blogged about here.  To be honest these were made before Dad's hospitalization but I got them out today to motivate me to continue with them.  Please excuse the wrinkles, they have been packed away for a while.

Some lovely things:

I thought I would share some lovely things I have come across or bought recently.  The first is a lovely package that came in the mail last week.  I joined the Happy-go-knitty 4 ply shawl club which runs May, June and July to expand my knitting skills.  Each month I receive a hand-dyed yarn, a shawl pattern and some extra goodies.  May's package came last week and as you can see it is on my needles already.  The extra treats were these gorgeous cat stitch markers and some yummy Frooze balls which is a healthy but treaty snack (they didn't make it to the photo!)

My second lovely thing is my new stepladder, an old one that has been given a new lease on life with a gorgeous spotty top.  A new shop has opened nearby called Home and it is full of vintage/retro goodies as well as crafts and clothes made by local artisans.  I had been thinking we needed a stepladder and this one is just perfect.

Thank you for all the kind comments about my Dad.  It is such a pleasure to see him regaining strength each week.
I hope you all have a wonderful week with plenty of time to do what you love, Wendy xx

Quilting projects for 2015

2015 quilting.  The first project is Natalie's quilt from the Simply Vintage magazine, volume number 3.  I am mostly using French General fabrics I have collected with extra greens added to the mix.  The pattern gets you to applique the basket bottom and handle but I am piecing the bottom and just appliqueing the handle.  I am loving how these blocks are looking, especially the one with a flower.

The second project is The Vintage Kitchen, a free BOM by Jenny of Elefantz here.  I think these beautiful little stitcheries will look perfect in my kitchen.

It's been very quiet in here lately as February is always busy.  Thank you for your visits and comments though, I really do appreciate them.  Shirley F, I want to especially thank you for your lovely comments as I am unable to email you.

I hope you all have a wonderful week with plenty of time to do what you love, Wendy xx

Chateau hexagon

I love the week between Christmas and New Year.  Suddenly the city becomes hushed and empty and all my responsibilities and work quiet for a little while.  I have taken advantage of the quiet and worked away on my Chateau Hexagon quilt.  First I stitched on the last row of hexagons, pieced the border and sewed them on the quilt.  Then came the quilting which is not the easiest for me.  I know I need to learn and practice machine quilting but do not seem to have the time at this stage.  I tell myself that wonky quilting adds to the naive appeal of the quilt :)  Holly gave the quilt her seal of approval and interrupted my sewing more than once.  On Sunday I was ready to make a scrappy binding, attach it and sew it down.  The final step was to sew the beautiful wooden buttons to each block.  And hang it ... and step back ... and enjoy!  I get to enjoy it each time I leave my bedroom :)
While I have been sewing away we have also been enjoying time with family and friends, welcoming the New Year in with a barbeque and fireworks.  I love the New Year just like I love Mondays; the start of a new year or a new week is a chance to start fresh, putting any mistakes behind and trying again.  Wishing you all a Happy New Year, dear friends!  Wendy xx

Catching up

December already, where did November go?  

I have been working on my summer-wardrobe sewing but this was interrupted when Colette Patterns released their new pattern, the Dahlia dress.  I had some red fabric from years ago and I thought it would make a perfect Dahlia.  It is a polyester crepe I think, it has no give to it at all but it drapes nicely.  I made an American size 10 and graded up to size 12 at the waist and hips although ended up trimming this off again.  I also added 5" to the length.  This was the first time I used my dressmakers dummy properly, fitting the bodice to it as I went along.  I have narrow shoulders so I ended up adding a dart on the shoulder and removed some of the fullness from the raglan seams.  I realized later that the top of the bodice was meant to be gathered (somehow I missed that step) and this would have taken up some of the fullness that I removed.  I finished the neckline and sleeves with a purchased bias binding in a maroon colour and I quite like the little contrast it gives.  I really love this dress and I think it will be great under layers for autumn and winter too.

Charlie had requested a crochet bunting when she saw the one I made for my room here.  It is finished and the cream looks pretty against her pink walls.  By the way, why do cats insist on sitting on wool when it's blocking?

I have also been keeping at my Chateau Hexagon, stitching away on the last block.  

The tree is trimmed, the house is decorated.  Just some last minute gift-making and shopping to go ... it's beginning to feel like Christmas!  Wendy xx

Beautiful spring

In truth spring has been cold and wet so far but today the sun shone and it was nice to get outside.  The flowers don't seem to mind the weather and are looking their best; spring is the prettiest time in our garden before the summer sun dries everything out.  I haven't had too much time for crafting lately but I did finish a little crochet project, a half lotus bunting which is a free pattern here.  It looks pretty hanging at our bedroom window with the morning sun shining through it, although Paul thinks it is perhaps too pretty since it is his room as well!  I finally have my Chateau Hexagon out again and have started the applique.  There are sixteen windows to stitch in place and then quite a bit of embroidery.  But it is starting to feel like I am on the home stretch! Wendy xx