I MADE IT ON TIME--

Barely---

 

 now take these 3 pictures and put them together and we get---

and now we have one long panel of appliqued and embroidered blocks for the SAL!!!!

So with alot of homemade cookies from a friend and lots of dark chocolate I have made it on time!!

But then now we have to start over with some new blocks--oh well!!!!

Is everyone ready for a new year of stitching and sewing--

I am!!!!!

Hugs, Di and that Miss Gracie

Nearly there...

I have progressed with my SKOW quilt. Today is the last day and I have done the jeans.

 I am part way to finishing the piecing between the blocks.

 And here is the suitcase. I left the places as they were as I have been to all of them fairly recently.

I hope to do a bit more work this afternoon and start cutting the border pieces. I hope everyone has a fun New Year even if it is just at home stitching.

Nothing to Show....

...but not because I have been ignoring this project...I've just been working on preparation of the whole quilt as I did for GJ and TTS and that takes a lot of time...all the backgrounds have been cut...the small squares are residing in their ziplock baggies and the sashing strip pile is growing nicely.  I was going to blanket stitch the applique blocks but while wandering through some books, looking for something not at all related to SKoW, I chanced upon really good instructions for a method I knew about but haven't tried before - back basting - so I am now tracing all the designs on the back of the background fabrics then I want to prep them all so that I can simply pick up and go to stitchy group and take along a block all ready to be stitched...once all the prep is done the actual applique stitching should fly along nicely (well in theory anyway)...my usual methodology is the turn and baste method anyway so same amount of preparation but I should get a nicer finish (again, in theory).

Happy New Year to everyone...next time, pictures! (again, in theory)...

AnnetteM

Jindi's Cottage

PS I logged in to write this post and see that the previous one is from Chooky...I go to the reader to see what she had written and oh oh, the whip is cracking...those vibes to get a progress report up must have gotten through!  That whip sure does its job!!

Chookyblue housekeeping.......

Hi just need to sign off everything for a few days.............I am way behind here with Christmas.........but keep up the great work as our deadline is tonight and I have done nothing................(part of the signing off to be able to sew)......i'll be back soon.............nothing to worry about I just want to have an internet break..........i'll get the blog updated as soon as I get back on here................

Keep stitching.............there aren't many people finished the first section............the whip is being cracked............approx 60 people need to get moving...........and fast............we are going to be meeting the deadlines this SAL...............it's too much work not to keep up..............hence my panic now............the machine is calling bye............

Chookyblue.

PS please make sure your signing off your name as per the sidebar list so I know who you are and also label posts please..............

Happy New Year - Greetings from Finland!!!

My favorite things... 

SKofW is proceeding well also here at the quilttales

 I have earlier introduced Pattycakes and The Umbrella blocks and the changes on them.

Maybe few words about the other three blocks too...

My jeans are old, cosy and grey with silkribbon embroidered rose on the left leg.

We finnish people drink a lot of coffee. I was about five years old, when I 'learnt' to drink it. Oh, that sounds really nasty, but it's true and I'm still drinking it about four- six cup in a day. 

During my life I have travelled in many countries. For this suitcase I picked up some extra fun journeys with my dear mother.

These are the stories behind the latest blocks, which I today sewed together...

I didn't sew those narrow stripes, because I haven't yet decided what kind of fabric (= colours) I want to use... I'll make a decision of them after the second row is ready... Hm, I'm giving myself two extra months for very difficult decision ;o) I hope you all understand me...

During boxing-day I finally made 'a sandwich' of my GJ...

... and it's ready for quilting. My dream is to finish it before summer ;o)

This year gave me a lot of fun memories with you all...

and I'm really looking forward 

a new exciting stitching year 2012

together... with you!!!

with hugs Satu

December complete

I have finished the target for December. It has been a learning curve for me with the needle turn but I am kind of liking it now.

I spent yesterday cutting all my little teeny tiny squares (and the bit bigger ones) and all the strips as well as all the necessary background blocks for the rest of the quilt.

I have also pieced all the 2 and 4 patch units so now when it comes time I will just have to decided which ones go where! I really need to keep reminding myself that it is supposed to be a bit scrappy and not get too carried away trying to "perfect" it

Hope everyone else is nearly there too!

D_E

First row finished!

Yeeey- I made the first deadline for the SKOW stitch-along.  I am really enjoying sewing these blocks, and I started my chocolate block yesterday- I am ready for row #2 :-)

Have a great day!

Anne Heidi

My Favourite Things Quilt

A couple of blocks have now been completed for my December deadline !!  In amongst playing with our new puppy NALA (the classic time waster) - I have managed a little bit of stitching!!  My old blue jeans!

My suitcase which I have altered with the names of our recent travel destinations!

And although not a stitching project - this little time waster has been lots of fun!!

My First Block.....

Here's proof I have finally started & will catch up very soon. I thought the blue jeans block would be a good one to start with for a needle turn newbie. Funnily enough, the crotch gave me a few problems with 1 or 2 stray threads not wanting to tuck, but while not perfect I got there in the end. Lots to learn doing this new method of applique.

I didn't add the Peace sign as that was just before my time but sewing my stonewash denims had me racking my brain for the name of that fabric that came out in the 70s that changed colour as you wore it depending on how warm you were. I loved it & had a couple of tops in that fabric that looked just so 'choice' with my stonewash jeans. I was in NZ at the time so there wasn't that big a change in temp but that poor fabric must have worked overtime here in Aussie.

Now block 1 is done, on to the next tonight. I admit I am a bit worried about getting those points right on the umbrella block. After my crotch problems they seem a step up in trickiness. As almost everyone is ahead of me, any tips or tricks you found when doing this block or any others would be greatly appreciated. Hopefully in a few weeks I will feel confident enough to lose my L plates.

It's great to be on the SAL again!

Happy Stitching
Tracee xx

Wonders will never cease...

three of my favourite things

... I have started!!! I am so excited! I decided to go with 1930's fabrics the second after reading that that's what Chookyblue was going to do. (Not copying, just recognising a great decision the instant I see it!) I have a bunch of 30's fabrics in my stash so I wouldn't even need to buy any! (My Bradley was soooo proud of me.) Sat down to begin this morning (December 29, not last minute at all. I was busy, so busy, till today.) and realised that I would probably need a few background fabrics for the applique and stitching. Oh. (How I had not gleaned that from reading everyone's posts I don't know.) So, I googled patchwork shops to find out which one would be open today and then bought great background fabrics. I'm very happy now that I have a plan. Oh. And since this is "My Favourite Things Quilt", I am going to include some of my favourite things. (I love Anni, but our favourite things don't all coincide!) And since I don't actually like cakes I thought a trio of some of my other favourite things might suffice. Wish me luck! I'm late, but I'm working on it!!!

Kris from Rosemaryhill.

December Deadline met and a Sneak into January

I have finished the first column and added the strips.  I accidentally added strips to the right hand side (oops) so left them and did another set for the left.  Here is my "holidays" block - but since I also like getting away for any reason I changed it - well why wouldn't I??

(The pictures are of the places I like to go.)

And here is my completed strip.



Finally I could take along with SKOW. How nice! The work filled me with enthusiasme! I love Fig Tree's colours! I also love this way to make appliquè... :)

Pepe

Some blocks done....

 These last few days have been fairly quiet and I am enjoying working on my Some kind of Wonderful blocks. I am almost finished the jeans and have been organising the suitcase just now. Might go and do a little appliquing soon!

Merry Christmas Everyone

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas with a lot of fun, family & friendship.
I spied this lovely Christmas tree over on mamcjt's blog and thought it summed up Christmas in Australia.

If you have never visited that blog - its worth a look, She creates the most amazingly artistic quitlts - she is in the current Homespun magazine - her quilt is the beach house one on the front cover.  And you should look for the ladies she has done too!.

Finally started and Happy Christmas

Last minute shopping was done yesterday and lots of baking ready for tonight and for Sydney. Today feels a  bit more relaxed as there is just dinner to organise. I was a bit tired last night but managed to finally start my Some Kind of wonderful quilt! Only a week to go and there are lots of blocks to do but I am pleased I have begun. Might just get another block ready today!

I have really enjoyed seeing everyone's progress and hope to get a few more blocks done next week! Have a very happy Christmas.

SAL SKOW 2012 - Started

I've started to assemble my December/January blocks so I can stitch them over the Christmas Break.... I will be using blanket stitch on my blocks. Can't wait to get them started.

Wishing Everyone a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year - Hugs Fiona@Dragonfly-Crafts xx

Happy Christmas

Happy Christmas to all. Enjoy the Festive Season. Looking forward to 2012 and lots of progress on SKOW. Sew happy.

The Gift of Giving..........

The gift of giving is so amazing..................it is such a good feeling..............seeing, hearing, reading those precious responses........when you give someone a gift...........it is even more precious when you can make your gifts............thinking about the person receiving the gift as you go along..................
This is a special gift.................this quilt is a group project for one of the SAL members................earlier in the year I got an idea emailed some girls and was blown away by the response..............so promptly people got stitching and the blocks were stitched for Deb and Andrea..........both having terrible times in there lives and both girls had been part of the smaller GJ SAL group........(poor Deb has had earth quakes again today)..
Miche'le got to work on Deb's  (here) quilt but it took a little while for Andrea's to happen............lets say life interrupted............finally it got to the machine as was pulled together............popped into the mail and landed on the sleigh today................just in time for Christmas.......

and here are all the blocks with the girls links.......sorry some are a little scrunched...........

Yvette..........

Sonia

Diann..........

Annette............

Helen.........

Suzitee.........

Dawnie...........

Lisa...........

Sammie 

Lorraine.............
Continue to spread the Christmas cheer and love around the globe.....
.....life is too short and precious.............
Enjoy your quilt Andrea..............

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

Chookyblue...........

My Favourite Things Quilt

In between the christmas shopping, cooking, wrapping gifts and working ... I am making time to do a little bit of stitching each day .... some Christmas and some current projects ..... here are a couple of completed blocks (in amongst the wrapped gifts) .... 

Mmmmm .... I am enjoying a cup of peppermint tea as I write this post!

As you can see I have opted for the blanket stitch method as I enjoy the texture of the applique!  I hope your Christmas stitching is going along nicely and you make time each day to relax and enjoy this festive season!

GJ finally all stitched!

Just a quick post in between a bit of baking.....

a few more Christmas cookies...LOL

 I have finally stitched all my Gardeners Journal blocks.

 Now to assemble them and quilt it... and hopefully I can in the next few days...

if the days don't dissappear....LOL

 Then I have about 10 days to do SKOW's Dec blocks..easy.. he he

 Merry Christmas to all

 Catch you next week...

 Hugs Dawn x x x

 As Sweet as Cinnamon

On track in time for Christmas

I put the last few backstitches into my suitcase yesterday and finished stitching the first column together. I'm quite eager to start on the next blocks but have decided to wait until January and catch up on a few other things in the meantime :)

Wishing you all a lovely Christmas and a very happy, healthy and stitchy New Year :)

A Gardeners Journal Progress

Hi there fellow Stitch-A-Longers!   

I believe I'm running about a year behind schedule on this one, but here is my final block of A Gardener's Journal.......

And here it is with all my blocks joined ..... now for some borders and then the quilting!!

By then I might be able to start thinking about My Favourite Things, but I'll be practising some more needleturn applique before then!  Thanks for the encouragement and inspiration in 2011, it was fantastic to finish my Tis the Season quilt (and on time even. lol) and to get this far on AGJ before the end of the year!

Wishing you all a wonderful Christmas ......... see you back here in 2012!

Nicky

Farm Girl Stitching