It has been a while!

I have been absent for a week or two. End of the school term, preparing students for the HSC and the big Christening has kept me away from the computer and blog world.

Sewing myself silly has been not quite the focus but I have been sewing away.I have had the two Christening gowns to get done - the boys looked lovely. The dresses and jackets were simple but effective. The main thing is that my daughter liked them.

Fraser on the right and Oscar on the left. The gowns are white lawn lined with blue poplin. They have a line of white cotton heirloom lace down the centre front. The little kimono jackets are hand sewn and lined and have the lace down each side of the front edge. Little Oscar had to have the XXS size cut down even further. The boys were perfect on the day.

So finally home again from the trip out west to see the grandchildren. Had a lovely time cuddling my granddaughter and taking her her babushka quilt and pretty tee shirts.

I have finally got some time to do some catch up sewing and get back to my project. I finally finished a quilt I have been making for some time. It was a cut and slash block made out of a layer cake I made myself of Kaffe Fassat and other fabrics from my stash. I used black strips to create a stained glass look to the finished quilt. The quilt is heavily machine quilted with lime green wavy lines about 2-3 cm apart over the blocks. The black sashes are machine embroidered with glossy black vines. Many of the blocks feature detailed embroidery echoing the crazy patch feel of the quilt. I finished putting on the bindings yesterday ending a two year project. Nice to get back to the project..

This quilt will go to daughter number two to add to her collection. I am still making her bed quilt for the new flat but have run out of fabric and have to get more before I can finish. Might be a few weeks. I am happy to see this quilt finished; it looks lovely on the bed.

So, what should I get to today. I have three more days of school holidays and as I finished all the school work and marking in the first week I can now get a little stitching done. I have a stained glass crazy patch wall quilt to take out of a frame. I rent now so cannot hand it anywhere so have decided to pick up my plans to recycle the quilt from the frame and back and bind it. It is a favourite piece of mine. Made some ten years ago and has been carried around as a framed image for years and never hung. So that is today's project. Features some of my favourite fabrics ever. I will post a before and after pic.

I also have a wonderful yellow and black quilt to finish which is a strippy looking quilt. I will try and get back to that this week. Might get finished if I am snappy. Have a day out on Friday to spend with my girl so no sewing then but the weekend looms and as it is my last weekend before the rush of HSC and the final very busy term of the year I am going to have to put myself under some pressure to get through the last items to meet my goal of 100 in 100.

Hopefully be back tonight with more.

To keep up the tally:

100 - 7 - 1 - 2 - 3 -1 - 3 -1-0-7 -1 -3 -10 -1 -1- 1 - 1= 57 UFOs left to do with just 54 days left!!!!!

Sunday Retro

I have had an indulgent day. Today I cut out and sewed together a dress for myself - a rare thing indeed!

I found a great retro summer dress pattern and some retro look fabrics and hey presto....

just love the fabric in the skirt

the empire line with the gathered drawstring is quite flattering.

I am really pleased with the finished dress. It is probably a size too big but hey, a few choccy bars will fix that.

I fully lined the bodice (which is a complimentary coloured fabric to the skirt) with the skirt fabric. I used a different fabric for the waistband and repeated that fabric on the hem - which still needs finishing. I plan to put some old buttons on the shoulders for detail.I have top stitched all the seams and edges so looks quite snazzy.

Next time I will make a size smaller, in hot pink and orange fabrics. I like that I can alter the neckline - this one is a sweetheart neckline -  might do a round neckline next. I think a square neckline would be snazzy too. I was thinking some pockets might be cool- oversized on the side fronts, or even old doilies would be very pretty. Will try some other versions ...

.....and yes of course I have started something new when there is still so much to finish - but the fabrics did come from my stash and have been sitting there for a while and so whilst not strictly a UFO I am allowing myself the indulgence of sewing something pretty for myself.

The scrap fabrics left over will make a lovely little dress for my granddaughter.

I finished off almost all the little tee shirts last night - have four more to do tonight and can then count them in my UFO tally.

Enjoy your Sunday!

Higgledy Piggledy Babushka for Rory

Such as busy and productive day!

Yes, it is still Finish it off Saturday and I have 'finished another UFO off the list.

This little babushka inspired quilt was started earlier this year while I was living in the hospital residences with my granddaughter, then 20 months. We were living close by to support her mumma with the new twinny boys. I started the quilt in our fourth week of incarceration as my Rory girl didn't have any Granny love quilts with her. I had made her a hoot and a dolly while we were there but with the prospect of us being there for another few weeks I thought I would make her a quilt.

I bought the fabric- either from Spotlight or from Addicted to Fabric- cannot remember which. I cut out the blocks and the circles of babushka fabric and appliqued them on using buttonhole stitch. As things have a tendency to do, we had an all change when the twins and my daughter were suddenly transferred to a hospital closer to home and so I had to pack up and move out of the residences and move Rory and I back to her house. The bag with the quilt got stashed ready to come home here and has not seen the light of day since.

Out it came this morning after surfacing when looking for the backing for this morning's finished UFO. I have sat all day and finished the appliques - cheated on one and satin stitched on by machine - and then put the quilt together using a strip pieced design. I have placed two rows parallel and the third off kilter to add some eye interest.I was limited by the amount of fabric I had and did not want to go purchasing more so have restricted the size to a large cot quilt/cuddle quilt. My Rory girl is about to move into a big bed so I will have to make her a king single size eventually - but  not this week!

I have just sewn the last stitch on the binding and given the quilt a press. I am really happy with it - looks quirky but still very feminine and sweet.

I have put a beautiful Michael Miller fabric on the  back that I bought from Hancocks of Paducah last year when the dollar was high. It looks amazing. I was going to use for a dress for Rory but it looks so good on the back of the quilt.

The little babushkas.

Soooooooooo good to have finished another project. I might add some ric rac to the quilt yet but it is, for all intensive purposes, finished!

What a good day, what a good week. Two quilts finished off today, three in the last week. So many more to finish but cannot do them all at once - the wadding and backs cost so much. Getting there though.

I have the quilt for my youngest daughter still on the go; at least I have found all the blocks and fabric I purchased for it and have placed it in one bag.

Tonight I will get the cleaning up done - so many little scraps and bits of thread but I cannot risk any mess in case we get any sudden house inspections. Tomorrow is cooking and school work so the embroidery pile can go down a little as I get through more tee shirts and tops in the evening but that may be the end of the sewing for the weekend - we'll see how we go tomorrow.

So that would be:


100 - 7 - 1 - 2 - 3 -1 - 3 -1-0-7 -1 -3 -10 -1 -1- 1 = 58 UFOs left to do with 79 days left!

Sounds good but there are a lot of quilts up there in the sewing room and I don't think two each weekend will get me across the line. There are lots of half finished cushion blocks to do; dresses cut out to sew for summer babies; christening gowns and receiving blankets ( which have a  tight deadline), and  a cross stitch or two...three.... four.....

Keep on keeping on. They are getting done!

Seeya

Finish it off Saturday!!!!!

Welcome to Finish it off Saturday!!!!

Today is a beautiful sunny day here on the Eurobodalla coast. Sun is shining, the ocean is bluer than blue and the smell of spring resonates through the tree ferns at my door.

No open house inspections today so a lovely chance to relax ...and to get the sewing out again.

I so often berate myself for the unfinished things in my world then have to remind myself of the variables that present me with no time to get things done. I have had to pack up the sewing and put away so many times now that I am reticent to get it all out and start again - but with washing to be done, marking to get to, twinny christening gowns to get started on and a few other little projects to be realised I still need to have some time for me ( I have promised year 12 that I will cook - grrrrr hate cooking - afternoon tea for them for finishing off an essay and coming to an after school study session).

Today, just for me, I plan to sew. Went to the UFO box and fished for something I could finish before lunch. Found a quilt that I started a few years ago.

Initially I began this quilt when my oldest daughter was pregnant with her first baby. She had just bought an enormous king size sleigh bed and I wanted to make her a quilt for it. As with all my plans and projects I tried to think how I would be able to get something done that would not take years to create and finish - hahahaha!

I decided to try a Baltimore album style quilt - using the scherenschnitte concept. I thought I would make 16 blocks or so and then put a detailed appliqued floral border surrounding the blocks. Things got started and I decided on 16 inch blocks so I could see the quilt develop quickly in terms of size. I cut out and appliqued the four blocks in this finished quilt and then something happened ( probably school) and things got put away. A few months later I cut out  four more blocks but then realised that I had cut the background squares too small and they would not match. Not happy Jan! I had already cut out and appliqued long panels ( I was doing quilt as you go and then sewing all the pieces together at the end) but had lost the little bag of leaves I had cut out  so was getting quite frustrated.

In my frustration I decided to change the whole concept for the quilt. I made the decision to put the four completed  big blocks together then put a border around those - with floral appliqued vines and then use the four other blocks as corner setting blocks thus creating a medallion style quilt. What I would do with the border appliques was not an issue at the time - I put them away in the nether regions of the sewing cupboard and hoped they would not fall out and haunt me for a few years ( now I will have to search them out and make some decision as to what to do with them).

When the baby finally came along the quilt  was still in an unfinished state- had so many baby quilts to make in the meantime. I went out to stay with my daughter for most of the Christmas holidays and the future of this quilt went awry. Cleaning her house and moving things that just did not fit out to the garage I found  a precious Sunbonnet Sue quilt I had made and hand embroidered for my girl when she was about eight years old. There it was, lying on the floor of the garage, half covered in mud and grit. What could/did I say ?... too much probably!
My daughter had no realisation that the quilt had been taken out and dumped there ( the garage was not somewhere she frequented); her husband had thrown it out at some stage. I salvaged the quilt and have it now home here with me where it has been carefully cleaned and is in the process of being restored to its former glory (SO IN EFFECT IS ANOTHER UFO!). I was not inclined, however, to present her hubby with something else to discard, especially considering the colour scheme of the cream background.
So the quilt was put away.

I pulled it out about a year ago and decided to quilt each block separately and make cushions. I did some heavy echo quilting around each applique  and once the initial four blocks were quilted decided they would still make a nice lap quilt. I quilted the sashing separately with a green embroidery thread design of leaves and stitched the quilted pieces together. Loved it then left it. The quilt top has been sitting in the UFO box in its quilted state for about a year now. Today I put a back on it and finally some bindings.

I am really pleased with the finished product; may not be what I initially intended and will probably be something I give away but it is now a completed UFO.

Here are some pictures of the blocks and sashing and finally the finished quilt. The quilt measures approx 1.5 metres square.

So, in terms of finishing off a UFO - this is item number 41 completed.


100 - 7 - 1 - 2 - 3 -1 - 3 -1-0-7 -1 -3 -10 -1 -1 = 59 UFOs left with 79days to go.

Now onto finishing the babushka quilt for my granddaughter. So far have blocks started, some appliqued, some pieced. I will try to get the top completed today and then machine quilt so it can live up the the terrors of the washing machine.

 Onwards, forwards.....

A little of the pretty.

Just a little pretty applique for a pretty girl in my world.

Love the lilac and the bow

pretty little birdies

This is a newby so cannot include in my 100 things in 100 days - but I think is pretty.

I am working on another quilt- will photograph at whatever stage of finished/unfinished tomorrow and put up an image. Really want to finish off this week.

I have to get going on the quilt I started for daughter number 2. Lots more to do.

Back tomorrow.

This is Exciting!

Wow!!!!!

I am so happy. I finally finished the postage stamp quilt. This little baby has been going for a long time- I think I started about 1992/93.

I saw the image of a similar antique quilt in an American book or magazine, cannot remember which. I chose colours similar to the one in the book to try and simulate the antique look. I strip pieced the blocks- remember making lots of mistakes and it being tedious. I was always in such a hurry that I didn't take enough care with the strip sewing. After piecing the top I sun-bleached and then tea-dyed it. The top was then put in a box for one of the many moves I made over the years ( 19 in the last 25 years) and only resurfaced about two years ago when I unpacked a box of sewing materials.

About 10 years ago I packed all the sewing away, gave away my sewing machine and nearly all my fabrics and most of my books and had decided not to sew again - that was until my daughter became pregnant with my granddaughter. We sat and planned quilts and then it all began again- the obsession, the boxes started to get unpacked looking for any scraps I had suitable for a baby quilt.

When this surfaced I was a little sad. On one hand it was amazing that it had held together, but the sewing was so bad. I remember not having much money and sewing it together with blue cotton and the machine tension was wonky. I had  given up on the top due to its dreadful piecing but in bringing it out again I fell back in love with the design.

The first thing I had to do was to stabilise the piecing. I ironed stabiliser onto the back over all the holes and stitching that had become undone over time. I hand sewed other bits and have had  to darn the odd hole. I then decided that if I was going to keep the quilt - and there were moments I thought I should just throw out or use  under a new top - I should machine quilt and hopefully cover all the other bad stitching.

I quilted in straight lines each side of the strips earlier this year. Not too tidy but seems to suit the odd antique look. I didn't have any backing fabric and felt the quilt top was not worthy of spending 60 dollars or so on a back so went op-shopping. Found some gorgeous ochre brocade and embroidered curtaining. I cut to fit and attached after the quilting was done.

I stitched the turkey red bindings on to two parallel  sides of the quilt and somehow it got put away again. They were hemmed down today during the power blackout. I decided after my last blog post to finish this quilt tonight so went on a hunt for the other two binding strips which I had packed away wit the house inspections happening. Took a while to locate. I found them and stitched them on tonight and have just finished hemming the bindings down. This quilt was a priority for the UFO project. I decided that no matter how odd and badly stitched it was the design was so nice and if I take my glasses off or look at it from a distance it still looks great.

So here it is, 5 September 2010, some 17 or 18 years after it was begun, it is finished!

The edges are a little wonky but they will soften once the quilt has been cuddled for a while.

Just hanging on the rail. Love the colours. Don't zoom in too much or you will see all the errors.

So a special finish.

100 - 7 - 1 - 2 - 3 -1 - 3 -1-0-7 -1 -3 -10 -1 = 60 with 86 days to go.

No Power for the day!

What an interesting but long day. I awoke shivering about 5am and realised the power had gone down. here it is, 8: 54 and I have must had the power returned- well about thirty minutes ago. I am sooooo relieved. I had already gone to bed and was not enjoying the fact that a cup of tea had not happened today - so addicted to caffeine!!!!!!

I did , however, get through some hand sewing UFOs. All the tee shirts are now finished. I am feeling quite chuffed. I also hemmed the bindings on to two sides of a quilt begun in 1992/3. I will try and finish this week and will have completed a really really big UFO.

Five size 0 suits, five size 00 and four size 000 ( sold one last week.

They look so cool all set out. The little babushka is sweet. Might have to do more of those when I catch up with the rest of the UFOs.

So, in effect, I finished ten tees. I am back on track - woo hoo -t!


100 - 7 - 1 - 2 - 3 -1 - 3 -1-0-7 -1 -3 -10 = 61 with 86 days to go. Sounds good but the big things are coming up, the two quilts that need binding and the two quilts that need  finishing in terms of piecing then quilting. I finished off the piecing of one other quilt that needs quilting now and finished echo quilting a laptop. I will hopefully get all of these done in the next 86 days as well as finish of the embroideries and other bits and pieces still sitting in the box. I had better get onto the scarves as they will not sell soon; it will be summery before we know it.

The day was a little desperate for me. I rely on the food business for sustenance - hate cooking and with the need ( or excuse) to keep  the house spotless avoid even purchasing food. The fact that no businesses were open anywhere today caused me minor panic. Finally found a takeaway at Surf Beach who, despite not having power, put on the gas and cooked hot chips, hamburgers and steak sandwiches. For the first time in a long time I had a steak sandwich with the lot - all the gooey pineapple, egg and bacon. Regretted as always afterwards but oh so good in the moment.

Now  I will have to eat healthy for a few days to make up for the grease!!!!!

Enjoy the rest of your night. I am going to fill up on tea and enjoy.

Be back tomorrow

The Wind Whistles

Finally I can get back and visit my blog - what a long long week.

Had a teacher thing on Monday and Tuesday so was away from home - no sewing. Disastrous. After so many days of sewing I missed the relaxation.  I was back Tuesday night but the agent selling my house ( I rent) did a fuss about the house not being to her 'standard'. I think that means she wants me to clean professionally so she doesn't have to charge the owners - upshot - the rest of the week was doing spring cleaning- stuff I usually only do in the school holidays. Imagine me, 50, 5ft 2inches, in the dark, with a  torch and the hose washing the outside walls because the agent saw a cobweb - dear lord!!!!!!!!!  I was not happy - wet, soggy shoes, cold, miserable and cranky! Anyway, I finally got the place super scrubbed and should be able to keep the twit agent off my back - we had a 'meeting' today where I was very clear about the rights of the tenant to live in the home they pay a lot of money for- let's hope they got the message. Put on my teacher voice and went for the jugular - cannot stand tarty little real estate agents who are nothing more than checkout chicks in cheap coats. Sorry of you are a real esate agent out there but this one is the tarty kind.

Enough of the rave. I finally got back to some sewing today. so thrilled. Managed to get two tee shorts embroidered and hand appliqued a hoot cushion.

Love this little mumma and baby hoot. Buttonhole embroidery is in pink. Pink stitching around the neckline. This tee is a size 00.

Three little hooties all in a row. Size OO

This hootie cushion is a velvet feel plush fabric with orange floral spot. Hand stitched applique owl on a branch. Sooo cuddly.

So I have finished three items today. Thank goodness I was ahead before having this last five days with no work to add.


Need to get the count back on - where were we?

O last post was

100 - 7 - 1 - 2 - 3 -1 - 3 -1-0-7 -1 = 74

This post -

100 - 7 - 1 - 2 - 3 -1 - 3 -1-0-7 -1 -3 =71

Days left:

30 days has September minus 4 so 26 +31 +30 =87  days to go.

Not so bad - thought I was going to be really behind.

Tomorrow I will have to get stuck into some bigger stuff - hard when I have to keep the house ready for inspections all the time but will just have to pack everything away every night.


Will be back online tomorrow night with something new finished and some more tee shirts done.

Ta ta!

Frippery

Today is Sunday, the day of rest depending on your religious affiliation.

I have sat and pondered today - solved the issues of the world- not - but like to think so.

I have sewn myself a bit of frippery - something for me - something I can keep with me all the time.

I just love this felt- olive lime colour, with blue and turquoise embroidered wool felt flower. The embroidery is in gold, fuschia and emerald. I will use for my sunglasses. I purchased the purse frame from Stephs on Friday. Didn't realise until i got home that I can add a little chain to the handle so will pop back for one of those next week.

Technically this was not an existant UFO but the flower and left over felt is so I am claiming this one as well. So:

100 - 7 - 1 - 2 - 3 -1 - 3 -1-0-7 -1 = 74 with 93 days to go.

I took a new photo of the felt pin cushion I put on the blog a few days. Looks much better in natural light.

 

Enjoy the rest of your day. Enjoy sunshine, space and frippery and let it be known that the day is your own.

Not such a bad night after all

It is the wee small hours but feel I can go to bed now knowing I have achieved something today. Managed to get seven hoots stuffed. I have to admit that I am feeling a little 'stuffed' myself. Hope you enjoy the newbies.

Today's finished UFOs

Think this could be my favourite so far. Vintage wins make it all happen.

The whole hatchery

So, another seven UFOs  complete:

100 - 7 - 1 - 2 - 3 -1 - 3 -1-0--7 = 75 with 94 days left.

Aiming a little High!

Here it is, Saturday evening, 7pm. I am going to have to accept that getting through all the tasks I wanted to is just impossible - where does the time go?

I have managed a little sewing today, sewed together twelve of the hooties I had cut out; very cute but now need stuffing. Might get to some of those tonight.... might....

What I did get done was one cushion- I love it! Hopefully will be a wonderful nursery addition.

The cushion is a wonderful warm orange. The hoot is flannel with a flannel paisley applique. The detail is in lime green. I have embroidered 'hoot hoot' on the cushion.

Today I bought myself some pinking sheers- how cool! Haven't had any in years. I often wonder what has happened to all those things I had and lost and have no idea where they went - I moved away and never went back for some; gave away others and well.... just don't know what happened to life really.

I did do some 'shopping' today - I bought myself a slow cooker( had one of those in Once Upon a Time Land too!) and actually went food shopping. Noeleen, you have much to answer for... your yummy dinner reminded me that I do like food other than chocolate and ice cream ( but not suggesting I should give the latter up).

So, maybe in my revised weekend list I might stuff a few more owls and perhaps applique a tee or two.

Hope  you are loving your weekend.

And an update,

100 - 7 - 1 - 2 - 3 -1 - 3 -1-0-1 = 81 items to go and just 94 days to go..... looking good but then again, might not be able to get much done in the next week with school stuff. Keep me on track!

The First Night Off!

Well good day to you all committed followers of the blog - all two of you!

As you will have noticed, or perhaps not, I did not post last night- nor did I finish any items last night - I am most disappointed with myself- had all good intentions.

I did, however, have a lime and soda with a mate after work and dinner with another which, for those of you who know how much I hate cooking and how much I rely on chocolate as my only food source, was yum. Spaghetti bolognese never tasted so good.

My staple diet for the last week has been chocolate cake and ice cream so a lovely change - not that I am complaining about the chocolate cake and ice cream, in fact, mourning that there is not much left and I will have to restock.

So today I must get back into my UFO projects. The day is somewhat hampered by the fact that the house I am renting is up for sale and I have to put  everything away for Open House this afternoon. :-(
Not only will I have to spend ages finding all the bits in the unpacking process ( I have had to pack up machine, fabric, threads, everything), I cannot spend any time sewing until the open house is over to ensure I make no more mess.

I do have to admit that seeing the house sparkling clean ( well perhaps not sparkling but definitely an improvement on dust bunnies and thread scraps and felt droppings of an hour or two ago) is rather nice.

So, school work may be the option for the morning and then a trip to school this afternoon to get the next week ready and running. Then home to begin again pulling out my bits and bobs.

The weekend plan is to:

1. Bind a huge Kaffe Fassat inspired crazy patch, machine embroidered quilt that has been sitting waiting since April.
2. Sew some vintage doily wings on and finish six owls - might even get started finishing the big hoot cushions I have had cut out for  a while from gorgeous flannels.
3. Buttonhole the appliques and finish eight hoot baby tee shirts - all the rest of the 000s and the 00s.
4. Make a spring flower birdy cushion similar to the black one on the blog using up some of the overflowing scrap bag
5. Embroider more felt flowers, make a brooch cushion and maybe make some hair ties  and finish a bag of scarves I have had for a while - bought the elastics, scarves and threads ages and ages ago, topped up on felt flowers from Stephs yesterday - by the way, very proud of myself, only spent - well that is all I should confess - I spent - but anyway, have a broader range of flower colours to finish off my scarves - six of them which need three flowers at least so embroider 18 or so flowers..

 Mmmmmmmm Well there are plenty of other things I should do but that might be it for this weekend as there is so much school stuff to do as well.

My picture for today is one of the quilt on my bed.  Making the bed looks so nice- should do it more than the once a week when I change the sheets, looks so nice but then again, my excuse is that it is upstairs and I don't even go past the door so never see it any other time than when I get out or get in - ahhhhh - I really should be a better person.

Made this quilt over sixteen years ago. The bindings are till only tacked on which is a deplorable state of affairs but I just love it on my bed. Made out of scraps, about 150 different fabrics. Love it. Something else I plan to finish as part of this project.

Here's to you having a great Saturday full of love, life, laughter and sewing.

A Late Night

well it is a bit late but at least I finished one thing for today - a new little hoot..... orange sorbet spots with a ziggy zaggy feather base.

I cannot wait for the weekend to get some more projects ready for the week ahead.

A biggy but would be a real 'finish'!

See you tomorrow with a Friday special.

Just a touch.....................

So I did stitch a little more. I embroidered two more tee shirts - one for a boy and one for a girl. 000 size. Sold one of these today. They are very sweet.

I also tried to use up some of the scraps from previous projects. The flowers are pure wool felt I have embroidered and beaded. I have stitched them to ovals that were leftover from cutting out the handles for the felt bag two days ago. I think it would be useful as a pin cushion bu even prettier used as a brooch cushion.

These little flowers are from Steph's at Moruya. Love Love Love them!

I have enough ovals left to make a few more. The good thing is that it will use up scraps and be a home for the pretty flowers. Not sure if the flash pays tribute to how pretty the colours are but what is is.

The night is over for me so another three items finished.


100 - 7 - 1 - 2 - 3 -1 - 3 = 83 with 96 days to go......................

Bye Bye Blackbird!

Well I think I have not only done myself proud- but have loved putting this little cushion together.

Wool felt black bird with patchwork trim. Vintage lace doily flower. Appliqued onto linen cushion.

Inspired! I am thrilled to see this come to life. I started it weeks ago, paper cut outs of birdies and then drafting sizes before getting to the stitching phase. I just realised, if I sell this little beauty it would be

Bye Bye Blackbird!

Think that as I have achieved this little baby today I might enjoy a rest tonight. No marking, no stitching, maybe enjoy some lounging on the lounge and talk to my bestie.

So to keep count -


100 - 7 - 1 - 2 - 3 -1 = 86 with 96 days to go......................

way to go blackbird

Another Day Another Dollar Another Finished ITEM!!!!!!!

They laughed at me when I started but I have stuck to this for four days now. Just home and ready to being. had the chocolate rush and can get on with a stitch or two.

So what should it be tonight?

I stopped in at the thrift shop on the way home and bought them out of vintage doilies- I did say I would confess about purchases - sort of think these are justified as they are recycling and will be an aid to finishing off some more flying hoots.

Stitching those would be fun but would not be a finish as I have no more stuffing - forgot to buy some - oops, more purchasing - this is going to be an expensive 100 days!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.

Might get the blackbird cushion done though. Applique and stitch and embroider perhaps. And I think I should set myself the task of buttonholing another tee shirt for the tweeny tiny twinnies collection.

Be back soon I hope with pics.

Revived and rejuvenated; the miracle of tea and chocolate and three little hoots!

So I have stuffed three hoots for today's offering.

Lovve the black and white spot. She has a vintage lace lower feather bed. The other two owls are mauve vintage cotton with little bird trims. The orange, red and gold stripe is a charmer. Very cuddly.

Sew/So I managed three things off the list. Maybe I should have posted the list of UFOs first.... never mind. I shall just keep trogging through.

Where were we?

In my last blog I was down to 90 things to go in 97 days! Sounds exhausting.

Now there are three more off the list so,

100 - 7 - 1 - 2 -3 = 87

woo hoo

I will be back tomorrow.

Another day, hopefully not so long.

Seeya

You know it's been a long day when you squeeze chocolate sauce on your chippy sandwich!

Hi All

What a long day. Just home after a 13 hour day at school. I am about to have a cuppa and some cake and then try to get at least one UFO completed. Had such big dreams last night but I am beat - still - the show must go on.

I am thinking I will do well to get one owl stuffed and sewn.

Will update when done.

Pamela

Tonight's Pleasures

Well it has taken some time, interspersed with strawberries and cheesecake, phone calls from my youngest daughter sharing her Sociology essay and drinking Chai tea.


I finished a tee shirt, an order from Carol. Little owls on a tee shirt for a friend's newborn. I have stitched around the seam lines to keep to her brief of making it 'boyish'. One of the fifteen I ironed appliques onto on the weekend so constitutes as a finish.

Buttonholed owls. Quite cute I think. 93 minus 1 = 92 things to go in 99 days!

I stuffed an owl!

Here is the little owl from last night. I just love the doily wings. This owl will be hard to give away.

SEWLED THIS LITTLE GUY TODAY !

I finished the bag! Love it!

Just love a touch of vintage and retro.  Olive/Lime pure wool felt trimmed with grey felt. Lining is opposite colourway. The doily is another op shop find, beautiful lavender and lemon pansies embroidered onto cream linen with fine crocheted edge.  The deep purple wool felt flower is embroidered and features vintage button trim The bag is hand stitched and embroidered. Lining is machine stitched. I really enjoyed making this bag. Cutting full  circles of felt and then cutting the handles out. The original idea was to leave raw edges but I ended up folding in, next one will be a square one piece, still have so much felt to use up.

 So that is my night. I feel like I have had a sewsessful evening and have so enjoyed seeing the finished products. 

100 - 7 - 1 - 2 = 90 items to go and have 98 days from tomorrow. Just as well I am ahead as the quilt plans for the weekend might take me a day or week or so to get finished off. 

Time to end the day. Half an hour of sitting back and thinking about tomorrow night's projects. Stuff at least one more owl of course- so many to get done - and think I will get the little blackbird appliqued onto a cushion front.  Have a good day tomorrow.

Look forward to hearing from you all soon.

Home at Last!

Sew....yes it is another pun......... I am home at last. 40 odd creative responses marked and ready to hand back.

Now for my evening - Eliot may have suggested Prufrock's evenings were spread out like a patient etherised upon a table but mine seem to be joining the desperation of Marvell's To His Coy Mistress!

Sew to food and sustenance and then finishing off at least one item before falling in to bed. What should it be?

An owl- stuffed?
Finish the felt bag I stitched together last night- lovely olive/lime wool felt from Steph's with grey lining?
Buttonhole the applique on a tee shirt or two?
Embroider some felt flowers?

MMMMMMMMM let's see what we can get done.

Be back soon!

Sew satisfying a day!

What I got done today so far - between talking and singing with my 21 month old granddaugher on MSN!

I finished this tote today. I have had the fabric, a wonderful retro curtain, for about twenty years. Bought some beautiful mustard colour wool felt to make the handle. The handle is all hand stitched with detail in red and grey. The flower is wool felt and hand embroidered.

This is the reverse side of the tote - can be used both ways. This fabric was a purchase from Hancocks Paducah last year. It has been sitting waiting to be made into something beautiful. The inside of the handle is made from a very nice acrylic worsted grey felt from Addicted to Fabric in Canberra. I was a regular customer once I found the store while living at Canberra Hospital  for four weeks with my daughter and granddaughter when her twin boys were born.

Here is the first of the tops I appliqued for Rory today. her mumma loves loves loves Babushka anything. I purchased this babushka in a set of pre-cut and pre-fused pack from Applique Heaven on etsy.

Pretty mint green. Should go well with Rory's red hair. Love this babushka. Also from Applique heaven.

Twinny skivvies for twinny tweeny grandsons. Little hoots are the theme of their world.

This outfit is gorgeous. Little tiny babushkas. One placed on the hemline of the tights and three slightly larger ones on a pretty pink tee. Rory will love this - her mumma more.

I finally finished stitching around this birdie today. He is black and white felt with patchwork fabric applique on his wing and tail. I purchased some beautiful new fabric ( see below) from Steph's Patchwork in Moruya which inspired me to draft up the design for the bird. I may or may not applique the bird to black felt or may choose a patchwork fabric such as black and white spots etc. So this one is an ongoing UFO. I want to make into a cushion and make a few more with embroidered bird cages to echo the fabric.

Just love this fabric from Steph's.

This gorgeous little owl has been sitting in an unfinished state for two weeks. He is made from a lovely mauve retro fabric from somewhere- have had the material for a fair while. I cut him, along with twenty other owls out a few weeks ago. I finally embroidered the eyes and sewed on the beak yesterday and then went to the Op Shop to find some old doilies for his wings. I haven't made any previous owls with wings - see my What a Hoot facebook page for the hoots I have been making up until now . This owl is extra cute. wonder when I will get around to stuffing him - I hate the stuffing part!

Likewise I sewed this cute little black and white owl together today. he has been cut out for a while. He also has a vintage doily for trim. Stuff stuff stuff to do!

And finally... three little hooters, girly hoots. These all need stuffing as well. Maybe we can visit them again next weekend when they are all stuffed and trimmed and can join the family already sitting on the armchair.

The family awaiting homes.

So what is next.

Well... apart from the stuffing to be done I have ironed on appliques of little hoots to 15 tee shirts ranging from 000 to 0. These will add to my What a Hoot range to sell at the markets or for my daughter to sell/give to her friends. I also have the bird to finish and some ric rac needs to be sewn as trim on the floor quilt for my new grand baby due in November to my son and his wife. I also should get working on the quilt I have been making for my youngest daughter now at uni. The one I made for her when she first went does not match the decor of her new apartment so sew sew sew... mummy will make a new one.