Zoom & A Challenge

 Chooky invited us to a Zoom on Wednesday & whilst stitching these

the satin stich on this one above

and starting number 6 finally of the Christmas Club we were issued a challenge by Deana. 

We are to choose 10 sewing related item or goals to work on during 2024. Pop over to Deana's blog to find out all the details if you would like to join in. We even have a logo to post to your sidebar.

I think my goals this year will be to move along WIP's & UFO's.

Number 1: Presidents wreath. This applique quilt is probably 20 years old. The blocks are done but the borders are just sitting there. All the applique is prepped ready to go.

Number 2: School Girl Sampler. I was keeping up with this when started about 3-4 years back but we moved house & it fell by the wayside. It need more blocks, the centre applique & the flying geese border pieces made.

Number 3: EPP i have about 5 to choose from with very little left to finish them off. Or maybe i'll work on Lucy blocks. Or even start a new EPP project. lol

Number 4:Swap blocks from an Instagram swap about 6 or 7 years back.

Number 5: Purple tablecloth. needs embroidery & applique finished. It's over 20 years old.

Number 6: Sunbonnet Sue. Decide what to do with the 6 blocks.

Number 7: make the last 12 blocks for 2023 RSC & then make the blocks into quilts.

Number 8: 1 of the many kits i have hanging around.

Number 9: make the crazy patch blocks into a runner. I did this as a swap with Canadian & American friends about 10 years ago(roughly).

Number 10: hand quilt Karma quilt. Small EPP quilt i made about 2 years back.

Happy Stitching,

Merry Christmas

Happy Stitching,

FNSI December.

 I nearly missed out on the last FNSI for 2023. I'd forgotten all about it until i happened to see a post on FB. i had nothing prepared to be honest as it is just so hot at the moment. 

Hmm i'm behind by 2 months on Fig n Berry Christmas Club so i chose part 5 to start. Luckily it only ran for 6 months. :) lol.

I made it this far by bed time.

Looks like these hangings will be ready for next year now instead of this year. 

Passing the neighbours hibiscus the other day i thought its colours made it look very festive.

Not a great photo as i took it in a hurry. :)

Happy Stitching,

FNwF December

 Yesterday was the last FNwF hosted by Cheryll for 2023. How did it get here so fast ? And now it's just a few more days until Christmas. :)

My projects were a Christmas stitchery. It should have been finished weeks ago but i've had no inclination whatsoever to either so or stitch. :(

Where i was at when i started stitching last night.

all finished ready to be trimmed & the last one started

My large desert rose bloomed there are still about 8 - 10 buds to open

by large i mean the plant not the flowers.  All the blood lily flowers have also came out.

Pop over here to see who joined in last night

Happy Stitching,

Flowers

 I wasn't sure about my desert roses this year. They looked ok but were taking their time putting out leaves. Finally a few weeks back leaves appeared so now i patiently waited to see if flowers would come out. I've been rewarded. :)

Only 2 of my 4 have flowers this year. The big desert rose has buds as of yet.

The hydrangea i took photos of a while back has bloomed. So glad i saved it as it has such pretty pink flowers.

Waiting now for the blood lily to bloom. I was surprised this morning to see how many were in the pot. when i looked the other day there was only one.

this was a pot i rescued from Mum's. So glad i saved it.

The achimenes i rescued haven't faired so well & i'm not sure why. My brother gave me a pot with a few in & it has flowered. There is 4 blooms with another one coming out.

Happy Stitching,

FNSI November

 I was sorting out things in my sewing room the other day & came across a stitchery i have no idea where it came from. Despite having other things i needed to finish i made a start. :)

This is where i was up to last when i joined in FNSI hosted by Wendy. 

and how far i made it before bed called me. :) Just the bottom section to go & then the dreaded satin stitch. lol

Happy Stitching,

a new jigsaw

 I finally managed to get the last jigsaw done but upon completion found a piece missing. I've looked everywhere but have not found it. I don't know if it was already missing or if it it was lost whilst i was putting it together. Most disappointing.

Happy Stitching,

FNwF November

 Yesterday was FNwF hosted by Cheryll. 

Recently Gail Pan put out a 3 part Christmas pattern but i was a bit late to start. Finally managed that this week. Last night i started on number 2 stitchery.

By the time i went to bed i made it this far.

Hopefully i'll finish it tonight & can move onto number 3.

Pop over here to see who joined in last night.

Happy Stitching,

Hoya

 Mum had a Hoya plant near her back door but as it was entangled  around things & rooted itself into the ground i couldn't remove it when we were cleaning the house out last year. I did the next best thing & took a piece from it which had some roots on it. Planted it a hanging pot & crossed fingers it would survive.

It did & it has 4 flowers on it. 1 has opened, another is ready to open & there are 2 tiny ones just forming.

A while back i bought these 2 plants to put in the front garden. I've been quite slack in doing so but that just means i get to enjoy them looking out the kitchen window or when i'm out the back. :)

My brother palmed off gave me a hibiscus plant year before last. I honestly didn't think it was going to survive no matter what i did. The soil was looking a bit low so last week i carefully took it from the pot added more soil in the base & around it after putting the plant back. Low & behold flowers are starting to appear.

I hope my plants survive the heat of summer.

We had  random visitor last week. I don't know where it came from or where it went after it left as the house isn't near any bushland.

Happy Stitching,

FNSI October

 For FNSI i stitched number 4 from Fig n Berry Christmas club.

I'd started Thursday night

and got this far last night.

Pop over & visit Wendy, our lovely hostess, to see who joined in last night.

Happy Stitching,

a new jigsaw

 I found another company selling quilt jigsaws & decided to give them a try. I bought 2 & so far have only put 1 together. It was another frustrating one that i had to build inside out. Well bottom to top mostly but despite that i did enjoy putting it together.

Happy Stitching,

FnwF October.

 Yesterday was FnwF hosted by Cheryll. I was hoping for a nice long sewing day but between a Dr's appt & having plumbing problems sorted i ran out of day. Then to top it off a plant stand i had to move so the plumber could get at the pipes was blown over in the wind. That's a job to be sorted out today. Broken pots & damaged plants. :(.

My project was the next 2 stitchery blocks for Owl & Hare Hollow.

where i was at from Thursday night stitching.

a bit further along by bedtime.

Happy Stitching,

Rainbow Scrap Challenge September.

 I'm just scraping this months blocks in. I really don't know where September went. i just hope October isn't in the same rush to be someplace. :)

The colour choice was aqua. Something i have little of & it was hard to get this colour right. I'd find some & then when put in my little pile it would either looks greenish or blueish. Oh well i just went with what i have here.

Happy Stitching,

sewing with a grandson

 7 year old grandson staying over asked could he do some sewing but he didn't know what he wanted to sew. Meanwhile he asked for paper & pencils to do some drawing. Well he drew a bear & then asked could he sew one of those. Hmmm how about a quilt for a stuffed animal you already own. Lucky for me he was agreeable to that.

Tin brought out that contained 4" squares he chose what he wanted. He sorted out the placement of his chosen pieces & whilst i guided the fabric he used the foot pedal. I really need to find the knee lift for those with short legs. :). After that i asked GS what colour border fabrics. Out came the reds & fortunately i had just enough of the chosen fabric. After borders cut off we went again, me guiding the fabric & gs working the foot pedal.

I was abandoned after that for youtube videos. lol So i set to with a simple grid pattern to quilt it. Then scratched through my scrap bindings to find a piece big enough. After a consult we went with a white pice that was just long enough.

The finished quilt he happily went home with.

Happy Stitching,

Limoncello

 The limoncello is done & ready to drink. :)

as i still have quite a few lemons i'll see if i can find any vodka on sale & make some more Limoncello.

Another bulb has bloomed. this time a Tritelia or star flower.

No sewing happening here sadly. A little embroidery now & again but mostly reading. I'm hoping after a Dr visit tomorrow will solve a health mystery & i'll feel like sewing again.

Happy Stitching,

FNSI September

 Well another month is nearly gone by. Just 100 days until Christmas & then 2024 will be here. Next year is a big "0" year for me. :) but i digress. Yesterday was FNSI hosted by Wendy.  I had plans but like all good intentions that went out the window. :(

My project was the 3rd in Fig n Berry's Christmas club stitcheries.

Ably assisted by my furry companion. lol.

And where i left it at bedtime.

Another bulb has flowered, it's a sparaxis.

As i didn't get the tags made up so i've no idea what's in the pots now. :) 4 jonquils flowered but still only had one daffodil. :(

and the dwarf Brunsfelsia is flowering. 

Happy Stitching

Mystery bulb solved.......

......... & do i feel a bit silly? Yes i do. Lol.  I should've known what it was by the flower spike but it just never occurred to me. I'll put it down to old age. :) :)

Turns out the bulbs are Freesias. Of course they are as Mum used to have them growing in the area i pulled the snowflake bulbs from. 2 flowers have opened on the spike & they smell divine.

So happy i got to have some Freesias this season after all.

Happy Stitching,

Halloween.....

 ......shopping. I wanted to get some Halloween fabrics & as the local patchwork shop had nothing Spotlight was next. Well if i wanted Christmas fabrics ect plenty of that there. I finally found the Halloween fabrics but didn't care much for the choice on the bolts. I found a box of pre packaged fat 1/4's & they each had pieces i really wanted so i grabbed the 3 bundles i liked. Though i wasn't keen on the price of them (~.

On the way out the daughter i was with spotted the display of Halloween goodies & i found a white pumpkin to bring home with me. Everything was marked 20% off so the fabrics didn't cost me as much as they would have at full price. Yay a win for me. :)

Whilst in the shopping centre we popped into TK Maxx to see what Halloween goodies were in there. I bought the black pumpkin & a cute little ghost 

& found a cute pumpkin patterned bag at Spotties to bring it all home in.

 

Also from TK Maxx a table cloth

& from Spotties a sticky thing for the window

Now i'd better make the wallhanging i bought the fabric for. :)

Happy Stitching,

Stuff....

not a lot of sewing going on here sadly. :( 

I started a new jigsaw last week & although i quite like the company & the jigsaw they make this one was giving me the fits. Even my daughter who likes to help me  put them together kept saying "i don't like this". It's the first time i've ever had to build a jigsaw from the inside out. The pattern the used to cut the pieces in this particular one is terrible other wise i love the picture itself.

I bit the bullet so to speak & bought a bottle of vodka to make Limencello so that has been started.

Disappointed that very few of the many bulbs i planted flowered. This little bloom came out the other day

When i was digging bulbs from Mum's garden some mystery ones came up with them. They looked like mini gladioli bulbs. Still don't know what they are as this is what has sprouted from them

Still waiting for it to open. The one leaning right has to blooms on it & the one leaning left has one. I hope they open soon so i can find out what i brought home with me.

Happy Stitching,