I set myself a goal last week to complete the first row of my SKoW quilt. Despite my entire family including mother, father and brother whom we had spent the first part of the week with coming down with gastro - I finished it! (not sure how I was the only one to escape it......lucky me).

 I was quite hesitant to start this daisy block as I was a little concerned about the curves on the leaves but it was fine.

More curves in the ice cream........

So here is my first row.....gee, they really are hard to photograph aren't they?



And I was able to get this far along in the second row today!

I am really enjoying viewing all the finalised quilts. Such a wonderful journey for all involved.

Happy Stitching,
Susie
xo

OMG I made it........

yep this it is all rolled up ready to pop into the mail bag and send to my quilting fairy to work her magic

Just to recap..........late last week I rang my quilt fairy and she said she could quilt it for me if I got it in today's mail..............Friday and Saturday were horrible hot days 34 and 35deg'sC..(no air con in the Chook shed - need to win lotto)..........Sat night I was over run with bugs coming into the lights............I gave up at 9pm........but I thought possibly I could see myself making the deadline.........Sunday was heaven............ maximum 23 deg C I had to clean all the bugs up before I could start sewing at 6AM.............in between getting lunch and starting dinner, washing some clothes........organising kids..........I sewed and sewed and sewed and sewed some more........started to feel like a sweat shop (except I wasn't sweating like the previous days......) at 9.30pm Mr Chooky came to check on me on his way to bed.........I said I won't be long.....woops.............finally I had all the borders on..........at 12.02AM we headed to bed........had a few issues with the length of strips..........not sure where it went wrong but in the end I just cut straight across..........I think I could have fiddles for hours.........and I didn't have hours so chop it was and on went the bottom border and I was done..............

I had a little stitching to do today and some applique ends to pull through and tie off.........

but I got it all done today at work in my lunch time............

&&&

Last week I had a great visitor..........actually one of the SAL girls..........

You can see my progress in the background on my SAL.........I had a long way to go............

So glad you stopped in Jenny..........it was great to meet Mr Bird too..........the nibbles and champagne was perfect.........here she is earlier in the day having a cuppa and doing a little binding for me.........I was supposed to have it finished by today too but I didn't make that deadline so that will be top job for the next night or 2.........

I cracked the whip on Jenny too............she needs to get a move on with her SAL quilt............

off to bed............I don't function to well on 5hrs sleep.............just ask my family............
I have pics on my other camera to download so I will share some more soon...........
Oh and I have to catch on the blog posts here too...........
Keep up the great stitching...................

Chookyblue.........

Hooray !!!

It is finished !

A view of the quilting....

I'm very happy to have taken part of this beautiful adventure !!

 

Thanks to Chookyblue and all the wonderful quilters !!
It's a great pleasure to look at all the wonderful versions of this fabulous quilt !!

Now I'm ready for a new challenge !!!

Slow and Steady TTS

Seven stitched, five to go....

I have worked out how I am going to border these stitcheries now so you should see some piecing this week hopefully!!

I'm still working on them

I was able to sew today and yesterday on my blocks. It has been a while since I last posted on what I have accomplished. But it has been on my mind, thank you Chooky for encouragement 

So here is what I have so far.

I know it's not much but I have some blocks to embroider and when I do I will have the first 2 strip completed.

Time it ticking.

I'm Finished.....................

Yesterday I proudly showed the family my completed quilt top ......................

Mum I think you better have another look  (why?? is what I was thinking)  

Chicka was right ...................... it was slightly lopsided  arggggggggg

Off to find my unpicker...................... 

Then a couple of hours later.....

Ta Dah!!!!!



It's now ready to head to the quilters .......

Thankyou Chooky for allowing me to participate in this years SAL. I have loved every minute of it!

Keep up the good work ladies - everyone's quilts are looking amazing!

Until Next Time - Happy Stitching

Ann xox  

A fire

There's an irony in writing this - one year ago this weekend a fire ripped through our property in Childers - took out everything except our sheds and caravan. We were so incredibly lucky.

Yesterday afternoon, I was sitting in my craft room getting organised for a night of sewing/crafting. My eldest son had just taken my youngest son to a mate's place. Second youngest came up the hall and said that he could smell smoke. He's very good with that as he is asthmatic. I said that we should walk around and see what was happening, but no smoke alarm was going off. However, within minutes, the smoke alarm was going off and smoke was billowing from my eldest son's bed room.

On to the fire brigade. Within minutes of the alarm going off the smoke became flames going up the wall. It was right on dark, power was off and it was horrible to say the least. I grabbed photo albums, kids (not necessarily in that order!) and we went to our evacuation point. DH and eldest DS continued to do what they could to bring the fire under control.

Several hours later we were given the all clear to return to the house.

We still have a house. Everyone is safe, including our animals and birds. It was probably the scariest event in my life - hoping for it to remain so!

The worst casualty for me is one of my quilts. It was near the power board (that may have been faulty) and is completely ruined. It was a log cabin with stars. The one Australian Patchwork and Quilting put out on their first video.

The quilt was made at a time when all my children were small and time was even more precious than it is today. I remember how I struggled to eke minutes out of the day to work on it. The top was then put aside and it was a few years before it was actually quilted.

This is it today!

When I look at all the maybes of last night I am very grateful that this is all I have to lament. Of course, his bed is gone and mattress. And the other bedding. But to me that's all replaceable. And, yes, the quilt is replaceable, too. But in a very different way.

Then I look at all my other quilts, bears, dolls, special kids toys, memorabilia and gifts from overnthe years. We're all ok. We still have a home. We slept in our own beds last night. We have been very lucky.

Needless to say, my plans for SKOW have gone a little pear shaped. But I will get back on track.

26-24 sleeps.......

I won't be back here over the weekend unless i finish my quilt top...........which as you know is a long way off............but if I get it done it means I can get it to my quilt fairy and she can do it for me on Tues/Wed..........OMG the deadline is tight but i'll see if I can make it..............so this post is 3 days of the countdown and I will see you when I return.................and I hope there are heaps of posts here of progress...........

&&&&

still have not heard from some people in the SAL so not sure what to do there............should i just take them off or email them again???? Tell me what you think please..........

&&&&

You know where to find me for the next for days.......oh and I have another quilt to bind and wash before Monday toooooo............aaarrrhhh............

Stitching madly.........Chookyblue...........

27 sleeps............

So how are you going with your quilt..............

Keep Stitching...........

Chookyblue........

Quilting

Cherise, in the previous post, is going to hand quilt using perle thread. Some of you have sent your quilts to professional long-arm quilters.
What did the rest of you do or plan to do?
I still have not ventured far from the ditch. I was thinking of ditch stitching all the columns, locking down horizontally at the little squares in the columns and going around the applique blocks. Some of the applique blocks are too big to leave unquilted.This is where I'm looking for inspiration.
Any ideas????

Kayly

Quilt Top DONE!!!!!

Hello!  :)

Chookyblue please mark me as TOP finished!!! Yea!  :)  Here's a blurry hanging picture . . .

What do you think? Do you like the borders? I love the color it gives to the quilt. I second guessed myself many times as to whether I should change them or not, especially as everyone keeps posting their beautiful quilts. Here's another picture with it laid out on the floor.

I wanted to change the borders to bring all the beautiful Pam Kitty morning prints and colors to the outside of the quilt. I just had to. I absolutely LOVE this fabric!!! I've already planned another quilt with the leftovers. I may even get some more as well (I can't help myself!). Here's the top half . . . 

And the bottom half . . .

Now I need to sandwich, pin, quilt and add the binding. I plan on hand quilting it with the same perle cotton threads I used with the appliques and stitching. I wonder how long it will take? Hummmm . . . I'm sure I'll make it by the deadline of the end of the month. I'll be using a red gingham recycled sheet as the backing that goes perfectly, and the Pam Kitty Morning blue polka dot print for the binding. I can't wait until it's finished! Wish me luck!  ;)

Until next time . . .

heart block............

Sorry about the pic.......I have a friend coming to stay tonight......yippee........wished I didn't have to go to work today so I could spend more time with them but that's life............

How are all your quilts coming along??

I have nearly got another section of strip joined............need to start cutting all the tiny bits to go in between.............

28 sleeps................come on I know you can do it..........

Keep up the great Stitching...........

Chookyblue

Meeting deadlines.....

I have so enjoyed stitching along this quilt with all of you .... and to avoid some snaps of the whip from the special Chookyblue  it is best to keep up with the set deadlines!!!

.... I have loved stitching each of the blocks......

..... and making the backing from leftover fabrics ......

.... I just gotta have a picture of the quilt in a tree...

Thanks Chookyblue  for the inspiration to do this quilt and and everyone in the group for the motivation and encouragement to keep up with it..... I love it.....

 

Almost a Quilt Top

Hello!  :)

More progress to show!  :)  Last week I managed to sew the strips together. I forgot to take pictures of that step but you can see them here . . .

Yes I actually got the rows and strips all sewn together this past weekend.  :)  It's really hard to get a good picture since it's so big. It's even harder when your dog keeps wanting to get in the picture.  ;)

I think he's showing his approval.  ;)  It really could use a few more dog hairs added to it anyway (rolling eyes). Here's a closer view of the top half . . .

And a closer view of the bottom half . . .

The next step are the borders and then the quilt top will be finished!  :)  I'm not going to follow the original design for the borders. I'm going to do something different. Just because I can!  ;)  Stay tuned!  :)

Until next time . . .

Tis the Season progress report

Five stitcheries completed in a week....not bad progress really!!

They are so cute and very addictive!

I havent pieced any borders as yet as I cant decide whether to use several colours, which goes totally against my ordered and symmetrical brain,

OR use just 1dark and 1 light fabric, which is much more controlled and more my style!!

Chookyblue has set me a challenge to complete this quilt by the end of October....maybe the top will be finished....I think I can?

Happy stitching, Cathyxx



Another SKOW block done

My latest block: Daisies.

I'm leaving the last of the stem stitching until I have cut the block to the correct measurements.

6 blocks left to complete.

My plan is to finish preparing the blocks for applique this week. And get the rest of my sashings cut. If the blocks are prepared, they are portable. For all those waiting moments with kids!

That's the plan.

Cheers

Marg

Two more blocks

I didn't get as much time to stitch on my blocks this week but I have still managed to finish two more.

The cat...

and a beehive with some embroidered bees that I drew up to replace the fancy shoes...

I've almost finished the tree block. I stitched a flower on but didn't like it and took it off. Since then I've been looking at other finished tree blocks and they look great with the flowers on so I think I'll have to go back and start stitching flowers again! I'm aiming to finish my strips this week too - that's the plan anyway. Thanks for the whip cracking Chooky, it's working a treat!

Three done....a few more to go :)

Hi all thought I'd show you three more finished blocks. Great to see some finished tops and quilts...hopefully will be me soon!! Will have quite a few more tomorrow as I like to take pics in daylight. Cheers Suze.

Some Progress...

There has been some progress...the stitchery on four blocks yesterday afternoon/evening...and two more today at craft group...

If I could draw then the umbrella block would be Gene Kelly swinging around a lamp post in the rain but as I can't I had to stick with Anni's version of Singing in the Rain...the daisy is appropriate being Spring, well in theory, seriously it's 1 October why is it cold enough to need the heater on!...the choice of hot cuppas doesn't go astray in this crazy weather...I've now done the stitchery on about half of the blocks I've finished the applique on...which one to choose next?...

Happy Stitching...

Annette

Jindi's Cottage

A little peek.

Hello everyone.

 Love looking at everyones progress. I was hoping to have mine totally completed last month but not to be. Anyway a few peeks. Will show all next post.

 I will be busy with other things for the next few days,so early next week I will blog again.

This is draped over my quilting frame.

A close up of some of the quilting.

A small show and tell Chookyblue. More to come,but till then :

Happy Stitching,

Clare



My Promise with Chookyblue

As you will have read -- Chookyblue and I set each other a challenge - to be strippers for Sunday.  I did already have some of my strips on - up to after the chocolate row, but I really wanted to finish the top. Well, I didn't get there - but I do now have all the vertical strips done and the other 2 sets are done and cut to size, so will hopefully be on by the end of next week.

As you know its a big quilt to photograph and today is drizzly wet and overcast so lighting is a problem - I just re arranged the lounge room and took a picture.

Thanks to everyone on the blog for all the encouragement along the way - and especially to the Whip Cracker.  And also to the girls at my sewing group yesterday for their encouragement (and compliments).

I have a few embellishments to add after the quilting...end of October did you say Chookyblue???

promises.........

On Saturday morning I set a challenge with Susan..............

We were going to get our strips done by Sunday night..............

I worked pretty hard yesterday I was all stripped out........ and I am not finished but the end is in sight..........3 strips pieced............3 strips pinned together all worked out.........top and bottom have piles of fabric and that is about it......

And also yesterday morning Shez showed us her daisy block and I said I would get mine done.............well it was my last job in the Chook shed for the day but I did get it done before dark......just.....

Thanks girls..............I achieved lots with your motivation........blogging is great..........

Susan's your good at cracking the whip too............the really weird thing is we both emailed each other pics of what we had done right at the same time last night...............how freaky is that..........psychic minds...............

Keep Stitching............

Chookyblue...........
PS it's wonderful to add another finished Gardener's Journal to the list.............congrats Cathy
PSS 30 sleeps

Another 1.5 blocks done ...

Although I had hoped to have finished off three new blocks for my 'Some Kind of Wonderful' quilt and  have four prepped for the needle turn appliqué ... I only got one finished and completed the appliqué on a second block.

I love how my "old blue jeans" block came up, though instead of a peace sign on the left leg I put in a butterfly.

I also got to work on my "chocolates" block, but unfortunately I only finished off the appliqué.  I actually enjoyed the challenge of getting that circle pretty close to properly-round!!

So almost 5-down, 19 more to go ... I am aiming to get at least 8 more blocks finished this week.