Stars and Sprigs Quilt

I am currently in love with this................

Its the 'Star's and Sprig's' quilt by Kim McLean.

I discovered it over at Taryn's blog. I love reproduction quilts at the moment and especially Judy Rothermel fabrics. I just wish I could purchase a BOM within Australia. I know BOM's are alot of work for local craft stores but I don't think there are enough of them around (BOM's nor craft stores!). I would have thought from a business perspective you could obtain the interest, then purchase the fabric etc (only purchase the amount of fabric equal to the interest, (and a bit more!)), add on for expenses labour, postage and voila! Obviously it's not that simple.....perhaps its just too darn expensive to do.....

sigh.......what a pity......I'm sure I would stuff up the colour combinations if the fabric was left up to me to purchase....


Happy Stitching

Susie

I love giveaways.......

I am very excited about this give-a-way over at Stitches from the Bush.  I love this pattern and have had my eye on this for a long time. Like anything crafty there are so many possibilities and fabric co-ordinations for this table runner.

Pop on over and take a look.........

Fingers crossed........

Happy Stitching everyone,
Susie

My 'tis the season quilt top - done!

As I was packing for our (3mth) move whilst we renovate the back half of our home, I got out my machine and put it on the dining table (where I usually sew) and then realised the 30 Sept deadline for this SAL was looming..........at least if I could get the top of the quilt done........I made the post for the quilt top on time........

I could have cut the border fabrics nicer but I was in such a hurry.........

The fabric I used is Kate Spain - 12 Days of Christmas - so bright and cheerful. I'm not really sure what colour to do the border, I was thinking about the blue but someone on the blog as suggested red and perhaps that's what it will be! I've really enjoyed doing this quilt - thanks Chooky!. I want to finish it so I can be accepted into the next SAL - Some kind of wonderful by Anni Downs - I'll wait for the move and then get cracking to finish it!!

Happy Stitching everyone, Susie

My Baby Quilt

I've been meaning to show you this quilt for a long time but for various reasons got waylayed......not to mention frustrated at the amount of time it takes to upload my photos!

I bought this quilt as a kit from Primitive Patches, a gorgeous little quilt store not far from me. I'm not sure of the fabrics, I'm sorry. I was pregnant with my littlest one at the time. I was looking to make a unisex quilt but having already had two girls, I thought it was highly likely to have another.. This quilt caught my eye hanging in the shop and I knew I wanted to make it..........

(sorry for the photo quality)

After taking a good look at the fabric you can't mistake it for being a little 'girl centric'.....I think its just what I am used to and attracted to...........It comprises little hanky linen squares....

aren't the fabrics gorgeous?

I used a 'dick and Jane' type pattern for the back and decided to add the stripe border down the side.

I hand-quilted this one. (I love hand-quilting......)

These little pics are Too cute!! I think a fussy cut pillow with some of these cute pictures might be on the cards soon, I have a little left over.

So along came my BOY - Tommy......I only had the top completed when he arrived and with all that was going on with three kids and the thought that it was a little girly - this quilt didn't feature high on my priority. So when Tommy was six mths old I decided to finish it. It now resides on my 3yr old daughters bed. Despite being a cot-size quilt it fits quite nicely on her bed. She loves it - I think its Lily's now.....

Happy Stitching everyone.

Susie

Lucky me

I received this gorgeous package of goodness from Val in the mail during the week. I won it!! I've never won anything (doesn't mean I'm not the luckiest person in the world though.........)

The detail in Val's work was nothing short of  amazing..........

I love intricate work, so this was all right up my alley.....

Look at the little scissors - aren't they cute? I'm sure that is stem stitch all around the outside and it is so neat!

 

Even some gorgeous fabric!

I've already used some of the fabric. I'll post on that another time.

So thank you Val! Check out her blog  - grab a cuppa and enjoy!

Til next time.......Susie

Tis the season SAL -- about time...........

I suppose I'm alot like many of us, I keep meaning to 'do this and that' and when you actually get around to it - five or so months have passed!! One of these moments relates to the 'Tis the season stitch-a-long organised by the wonderful Chooky. I completed my stitcheries for this SAL a while ago but had to wait for my machine to get serviced and then ended being lucky enough to receive a new (beautiful) machine from my family for Mothers day/birthday (and then work out how to use it).

So, with hubby away and two of the three kids at their grandparents it was time to get the cutting mat and the new baby (machine) out. Its amazing how busy I thought I was when we only had one child! Now I can actually get some craft done with only one child at home to take care of!

With this stitch-a-long we are supposed to do two a month but when I'm on a roll I really have to run with it!!

I did muck up one block putting it together so I unpicked it all then I realised I had also mucked up another which I decided to keep.

Suprisingly I also found some time to stitch them all together.

I'm really happy with the result - I wasn't sure how the colours were going to all come together........... I had only six colours in the original batch of fabric and had to locate another .25m of some more of the range.

Now to border and bind!

Happy Stitching all

Susie

Handmade gift for a new baby

This is the first time I've ever made something as a gift for a baby (for anyone for that matter!).

This adorable baby's mother and I have been friend's since kindergarten, (that's a long time now). Over the last 7 or so years my friend has been through some terrible trials and tribulations. When she told me she was pregnant with another girl I was so happy for her and knew I wanted to make a quilt for the baby.

I used a Lily and Will charm square pack. I placed all of the squares out in an order that I was relatively happy with. I had no idea whether I was going to just bind or add a border. Clearly I decided on this gorgeous fabric (name unknown...but its new at Amitie). The binding is just a chocolate brown and cream stripe.

Its not a cot quilt size - more like a pram/floor quilt.

The backing fabric was purchased from Spotlight. I think it ties in with the Lily and Will fabric quite well. Bunnies and so forth........

I'm a huge handquilting fan............so portable. Especially once all the kids are in bed - its so easy to get out and put away again.

I was trying to capture the little bunny on the chocolate fabric - can you see it? Its so cute!

Well this gift is heading to its new owner tomorrow morning and I can't wait for cuddles.

On another note....I was lucky enough (after a week solo parenting the three kids and a little one with croup) to spend two days when hubby returned attending a machine quilting course at Amitie. It was so much fun and finally I am getting to use my new sewing machine.

Anyway, happy stitching everyone........

Susie

One word.....................Liberty

I was at my local patchwork store - Amitie the other week and just couldn't resist these. What on earth am I going to do with a fat 1/8th of each of these?

Aren't they just gorgeous?

Another Christmas Quilt

The Festive Season brings so much joy and happiness that we wan't to share around. My kids absolutely love Christmas time (like all children). I like the idea of handmade and useful items around the home with a Christmas theme. Other than my 'tis the season quilt I'm planning on having this gorgeous quilt done by Christmas - I started it about two mths before last Christmas.......ah well.

Here is a picture of the original by Rosalie Quinlan. I was looking for an advent quilt as I was sure SOMEONE would have designed one and came across this which I love. My intention is to put little candy canes/lollies or notes to my little ones in the pockets........

Here is some of my progress

I need to add the little pockets with the stitched advent numbers.

I love Rosalie's work. I'm also doing her Dollie's quilt but will post on that another time......

Happy Stitching everyone...........
Susie

'tis the season SAL update

Hello all, I have been working on some projects, despite not posting alot of the progress...now my machine is serviced I can put the blocks of my 'tis the season SAL together.....I've now finished all the stitching......I should probably have one last check of them as its easy to miss something that I haven't stitched!

I think this one has to be my favourite......

Although I am partial to these....

I really need to iron them now. Hoping I can get a chance to at least cut the borders this week.

Happy Stitching
Susie

Buttercup bundles of bliss!

Some may consider this lucky or unlucky but I have a husband who travels overseas for work quite often. I've never really taken advantage of it (other to ask for the odd face cream here and there) as I know he is always too busy to shop and just likes to go over, do his work and come home. However, on this occasion I just couldn't pass up the opportunity to purchase some fabric goodness I had been oggling for a good while now..........I had it shipped to his hotel just in time for his checkout!how good is free postage within the USA for such a large bundle!). Isn't it just gorgeous..........

Fig Tree Buttercup 

 1930's Buttercup - Robert Kaufman



I have decided to do the Vignette Hexagon Quilt in the 1930's Buttercup fabric. When I bought the fabric my friend suggested I do a hexie quilt with it and then Vignette Issue 2 came out - voila!! I haven't got around to starting yet. I might add that it has taken me six weeks to download these photos - been having problems with my computer and internet connection. Hopefully its well on its way to being fixed now.......

For the Fig tree buttercup material I have another pattern to show you later......it takes one jelly roll and two charm squares..........it also has some stitching in it which I love!!

Happy Stitching everyone!

Susie

Wow! An Award!

I'm stoked (that's really really happy for those uninitiated in Aussie slang - well I think it's Aussie slang, actually probably isn't..you get the picture) to have received a 'versatile blogger' award from the wonderful Pam at http://pam-paradisestitching.blogspot.com/. The best thing besides the visual of reading crafty blogs is obtaining the feeling of contentment, happiness and a strong sense of achievement through crafters posts. Blogging unites all those like-minded individuals from around the world and we can see from each other the commonalities we have - ie. Pam lives the other side of the world but loves stitching, walking and her Bernina's (I hope to love one soon too!). So thanks Pam.

I now need to note down seven things you may not know about me:

1. One of my first crafts as an adult (I had many as a child) was scrapbooking. Proposed to me as a hobby after a very sad time in my life. My friend who got me into scrapbooking - now loves quilting thanks to me!! However, my other friend who got me into quilting is being rather stubborn in trying out scrapbooking....I'm working on it!
2. My husband was in the armed forces for 13 yrs and we dated for 18months commuting between Melbourne and Newcastle (before they had direct flights on 'normal' aircraft, not 13 seated propeller aircraft) when we met. I would hate to know how much money we spent on flights back then at $400 a pop! But it was love at first sight.....
3. I love to swap patterns with my friends....stitching and talking about stitching/sewing over coffee. My aim is to have a stitching weekend away this year sometime..........
4. I hope my girls will enjoy crafting with me later on in their lives - I'm a little over paste-ing(?) and cutting with a small baby crawling around and bits and pieces all over the floor for him to eat.........
5. I'm really stuck as to how to design my new laundry..........lol....I'm shortly to turn to google imaging to find some inspiration.
6. I have an Arts degree in Japanese and a business degree with a double major in Accounting and Finance that I don't really use.
7. I was an insurance underwriter in a past life.......a claims advisor before that..........not the best time to be in claims....

So there, and now I nominate the following five bloggers for the 'Versatile Blogger Award!'

1. Leanne at http://lizzie-the-quilter.blogspot.com/
2. Rosie at http://rosieanddiggonthefarm.blogspot.com/
3. Tracee at http://quiltkittyloveslife.blogspot.com/
4. Perri at http://www.stitchesfromthebush.com/
5. Mandy at http://seamssewtogether.blogspot.com/

Happy Stitching!

Susie

Homespun BOM

Like most women I'm terribly guilty of taking on lots and probably not doing the best I can as I get a little overwhelmed.  As I have alluded to previously, don't get me wrong, I love being busy, can't stand being idle (although I must admit at times lately it has been appealing...). However, so as to not get bored, I like to have a number of projects on the go........at present the list is quite long but some of these are: 'Tis the Season SAL (see button), Vignette mystery block quilt, Vignette Issue 2 hexagon quilt (have the most amazing fabric but will show on another post) and amongst others, the Homespun Magazine BOM. Its the Homespun BOM fabric that I'm not too sure of at the moment. The actual quilt is being made using Wild Rose fabric by Moda, however, there is something about it that I'm not to keen on. As my friend Sam pointed out - it might be the mustard colours...So, I'm thinking of doing the quilt in the Oasis 3 sisters fabric. I just love it - can't get it out of my head.

Should I, shouldn't I?

Sleep School Stitching

When I realised I needed help with my son's sleeping habits I rang a local hospital who had a mother and baby unit that was well recommended. They rang me up a week after submitting my application and told me I had a position in four weeks time. I was very grateful and excited as I was quite concerned as to how I was going to cope during my husband's forthcoming trips overseas. Anyway, the best part on the form's they sent back were, "we want you to relax, bring a book, bring some craft"....I needn't have read on anymore.....I then went about wondering what project I was going to take along with me. Obviously it needed to be portable and not too big....so...............it had to be this..........



So I traced as many as I could.....

Maybe I am being a little ambitious..........

I was also hoping to work on another project I have on the go. Let's see how we go!