Seasons Greetings

happy stitching jenni

Fabulous 50

This week saw me turn 50 [yikes]

It doesn't sound good, but I loved every minute of it.

Lots of good wishes, hugs, gifts, outings,

surprises, tears, cards, calls, meals, cakes and a few drinks.

I LOVE IT.

birthday flowers 

and my gift to myself

"Star a day"

 piecing started when I turned 48

quilting started when I turned 49

 all finished in time for me to turn 50 

happy stitching jenni

Quiet week

The pace has slowed this week, which is

 always good at this time of year.

So I have been able to enjoy some

slow sewing.

flowers have been added to

the applique centre, and berries have been pinned into place

two stitched down 54 to go.

.

A couple of cool nights and the binding is stitched to

the back of the pickle dish quilt.

It is now officially a finish.

happy stitching jenni

Reporting

A few weeks ago I gave a run down of all the projects 

I have on the go at the moment and promised to

 report back at the end of the month. 

So here I am

as I said last week

wickersham is requilted and back up on the wall.

Pickled dish has been machine quilted,

the binding just needs to be stitched down by hand,

I'll wait for a cool evening for that

New York Beauty is also quilted

this quilt has been quite a journey

started a few years ago, long before life took such a change

so this quilt has sweet memories of friends I spent time with

in the beginning of this quilt

more sashing on more farmers wife blocks

slowly coming to the end of these time to start thinking of putting them together

remember this book

this quilt took my fancy but no pattern so a fair bit of thought

and I made my version of a template

and 256 block have been made

from all sorts of reproduction fabrics mostly from my stash 

but some new purchases as well

Next to sew the  diamond shapes in between

no hurry this is an in between project that will come

together in it's own time

my applique panel is coming along nicely despite me 

being very needle turn rusty,

Looking at this photo I think those leaves will

have to come off and be replaced with a stronger colour

That's just a bit more practise.

So November has been very productive

let's see what December brings

happy stitching jenni

Busy

It's almost 2 1/2 weeks since my last post and life has been very

busy in that time.

Work has been super busy and we have celebrated a major 

birthday [not mine yet]  many times. It's not turning a year older that makes you 

feel old. it's all the socializing that goes with it.

So  a report on my stitching,

look where I have been

Somerset patchwork as moved so I had to check out the 

new shop. Look what I found

  

a good mix of reproduction fabrics for the stash

or projects I have in mind

and some great shirtings

Wickersham is finished.

1 inch cross hatching all over, so glad this is done.

but well worth the effort.

So one project finished another out of the cupboard.

This is"Stars hanging about Ingrams"from

Carolyn Konig's book Creating Heirlooms

One Stitch at a Time

I have started with these

that then become these, many more to go yet.

These had been started many years ago and just put away

because I didn't love the center applique,

so I've decided to change it.

This is only the start. Not a stitch yet but I have made a start.

happy stitching jenni

More Sewing

Hand quilting has been the focus of this week

I'm over 3/4 of the way with the Wickershan

signature quilt

I don't think I will get this finished before the nights

start to warm up. But I am stitching most nights trying

to beat the weather.

Other sewing has been at Thursday sewing group

more sashing strips in farmers wife blocks.

Sunday we had family drop in 

so I received these lovely flowers

Iris have always been a favorite and the waratah are such 

an interesting flowers. Lovely combination 

happy stitching jenni

Sewing diary

This week I stitched a little on lots of different

project.

Sunday

hand quilting

Monday

pin basted pickle dish quilt top

fun backing

Tuesday

more backing and wadding

for the folly 

also pin basted

sore fingers by the time this was done

Wednesday

traced some pattern shapes for new and old projects 

Thursday

more sashing strips sewn to farmers wife blocks

Friday

cut lots of little pieces that were traced on Wednesday

more on these projects later

Saturday

a little machine quilting

Since it is the start of the month I will check this post at the

end of the month to see how much each project has progressed

happy stitching jenni

Quilt with no name

A few weeks ago I was very taken by this 

range of fabric

so a fat1/4 of the entire range came home with me

very quickly I started to cut these

then one of these was made

followed by more

then very soon they became a quilt top

a couple of weeks later all quilted.

very simple big stitch quilting, so good to have a quick quilt

every now and then, especially when I have been

stitching a few long term projects.

The pattern I used is called the 30's quilt

because it was made in 30's reproduction fabrics.

Looking on the internet I can only find this pattern 

called a flowering snowball.

My will remain the quilt with no name.

happy stitching jenni 

Road Trip

A change of scenery this week.

Look where I was.

Castlemaine

So of course I had to visit the ladies at 

Threadbear.

I had never been to this store before but I have wanted to 

for a long time.

I was not disappointed, worth a visit just for the

display quilts and the fabric is amazing.

I found this interesting border print, so many possibilities and

the colours are a bit different.

A strippy quilt or perhaps a border?

Just a few repo's for the stash

I have been after a tumbler template for a while,

luck me I also found that.

I was really taken with this quilt hanging in the shop,

It will be a massive challenge.

Hope I'm up to it when the time eventually comes.

Next patchwork shop on the tour was 

Pick Up Stitches

on Kyneton,

Lots of fabrics and wool but I restricted myself to 

just 2 fat 1/4s.

Very textural so I am looking forward to playing with these 

to see how they stitch.

Happy stitching jenni

Half Way

The re-quilting of the wickersham signature

quilt is coming along very well.

I am about half way.

again not a great photo, but it is sitting much better than it was

so worth the extra effort.

I should push along with this before the evenings are to 

warm to have this on my lap quilting.

Another project half way along is the farmers wife,

I sped along and got all (and extra blocks) made but

 the sashing strips are taking me forever.

I might have to get serious about this and stitch it a little more

often than just at my weekly sit and sew (chat alot) days. 

 I pulled another UFO out of the cupboard,

not even close to half way but something to look forward

to revisiting. I was never in love with the center applique

so I think that I will have to change it  from the original

pattern to rekindle my interest.

happy stitching jenni

More than just stitching

I thought I would share some pics of my little 

garden to prove I do more than

 sit around stitching all day[I wish].

the annuals really started flowering early.

fuchsia just starting to come into bloom.

the fragrance of this magnolia is amazing.

I have finished 2 quilt tops in the last

 2 weeks so what is a girl [ha ha] to do.

Go shopping

and this lovely bundle is what came home with me.

36 fat 1/4s 

I have a plan or 2

and I've started to cut already

watch this space, it will not be long.

I am getting the machine out of moth balls,

 cleaning off the cobwebs.

It has been a while old friend.

happy stitching jenni