PatchworkDreams

Hello every one, I’m on the count down till my family arrives from Japan. How we love having family come home even if it is only for a day.  While we are sweltering down here most of my family are freezing in some other part of the world!!!!!

1970's Black Sheepskin coat I'm revamping for my DGD in Vienna

I started my day with a intended walk along the beach but I had a very flat battery so it is a day at home today so I will upload things from the garden instead.

I’m thoroughly enjoying been barred from any heavy out side jobs in the garden!!!!

Frontage early this morning

I never thought I would say that.  I’m doing a lot of hand sewing and the last week has seen me sitting for 40 mins every now and then to make a tiny 4″ 1′ stripey block; yes that’s how long they take me!!!!!. I’m addicted to this kind of needlework.

one of my hubby's favourite plants in out garden!!!!

Loves the sun so is beautiful this year as we have had such a dry wet season.

4" blocks tagged to a shape ready to be sewn together; they were pined then tagged??? They are now sewn together!!!!!

I now need to make another 3 to have enough for the back!!!!! My gusset will be two men’s silk ties which will be the handles as well!!!!!! Well I made those extra blocks and now I have a front and back!!!!!

A Front and A back now!!!!!

I will do some sewing on my DGD sheepskin coat today, the lining needs to be re-sewn all along the bottom and down one side where I had to undo to put in new buttons, these are very beautiful funky buttons which Paola’s great Aunty gave to me in 2009 while I was visiting her in Italy.   I have been sewing my wee blocks early this morning before I went out in to the garden to pick up the dropped fronds and throw my dogs their morning tennis balls. I’m also unpicking a beautiful old child’s silk Kimono that I found in a bag of clothes at the Opp Shop.

5 year old girls silk Kimono. Click to enlarge and get some inspiration for applique flowers?????

I would not normally unpick some thing as special as this but it has all ready been cut in to, it is very old as the sewing thread that was used is rotten and breaks when I try to pull it; so I’m cutting each stitch!!!!!  I plan to do some machine sewing on my PP sewing my cotton reels to my wording,

I kept putting this off as I was so worried about those Y seams and would my 1/2 triangles fit?????????  Well those Y’s have been behaving so beautifully and I’m ENJOYING sewing them, a first for me as I normally hate machine sewing.

While looking for some thing in one of my sewing cupboards I have just come across these lovely Rose of Shanon cut out blocks 1930’s I think

there are 8 of them waiting to be appliqued on to a 16 1/2 inch block; they will need that big a block to fit. There was also some dark red scrap fabric and a large cardboard leaf template. I did a lot of research and asked some other quilt historians and they mostly felt that they were to look something like this when completed with a big green leaf added?????

Rose of Shannon 1930's I think????

I will applique them down with a black thread also in buttonhole stitch as the orginal ones were done.  So today I’m all ready side tracked and have hauled out some calico (or homespun) to make up 8 14 1/2 in blocks for them????? maybe this will be my next WIP  to finish now that I have completed my stars strips and hearts top??????? See what good things happen when your new BOM does not start when scheduled, so thanks to you  Esther!!!!!! some lovely old blocks are been worked on after 80 years.

Well I really must stop blogging and do some sewing!!!! For those of you who like looking at others links check out Esther’s blog at http://www.estheraliu.blogspot.com and have fun.

Cheers All Glenda

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Crystal clear water this morning Walking a long the Esplanade this morning

I was late down at the beach this morning as I took Chrystel to catch the bus at 7.30am for Lakelands up near Cooktown Far North QLD, one very excited young lady on a new adventure in the out back of OZ !!!!!! It is quite amazing what an hour later made walking the beach, temperatures were well up so we walked back under the trees rather than back along the beach. For the first time in months the water was crystal clear and the nets are back in the water so we can swim again. This is the driest monsoon season I think we have ever had so I’m making the most of these beautiful walks early in the mornings on the beach.

Trinity Beach Esplanade walk this morning

Because we are having such a dry monsoon season there is a lot less cloud base so we are having very hot days, up around 33C which is very unusual for us, we don’t have aircon just fans but it would be nice to have one room where I could go to and sew, I sit with two fans blowing a blast of air on me and hand sew while watching a DVD in the hottest part of the day.

Desert Rose

Nature at it's best.

Flowers are popping out and adding a dash of colour where they are usually dorment this time of the year.

Finished Hearts stars and strips quilt top!!!!!!

1" strips been sewen up in to small squares to make in to a carry bag

 If you want to see some interesting links check out Esther’s blog at http://www.estheraliu.blogspot.com 

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Cheers All Glenda

In to a new month already!!!!!! Just back from the beach; it stopped raining for us and we had the beach to ourselves except for 2 other walkers. I have a boil up of guava jelly on, washing on, clothes swinging in the breeze coming off the river and after I finish here I will be sewing my stars and strips quilt and finishing off a Mini Round Robyn centre to post off.

We had the beach all to our selves this morning. I saw the dolphins rounding up the fish just of the beach around 7.30am.

We are unable to swim at the beaches at present as they have pulled in the swimming nets as there are to many stingers around. This is so sad for the tourists that walk the beaches that look so inviting but can be deadly.

Trying to stop the cockatoo's from destroying the passion fruit

We have had torrential rains but nothing like down south, it is so sad to see all their homes bee flooded again when they were just getting their homes back in to ship shape from last Feb; some were still not in their homes again and they are flooded yet again. Having been through a major disaster myself I feel for these families.

Good news Chrystel arrives back to stay with us on the 4th only a few days away now before she heads back to France Via our family in Japan. She has seen more of OZ than I have I think now as she has been travelling none stop since the New Year over different parts of southern Australia.

Only 5 weeks till the family arrives down to visit from Japan; how we look forward to family coming home even for a short time, we are very lucky as they come home often. We are trying to keep the cockatoo’s from destroying all the passion fruit as DDIL loves them, the cockatoos just pick them off then toss them to the ground, like it’s a game??????

Orchid

Helaconia Crabs-claw

Sorting out the border on my stars and strips

Why Stars and strips, because the white back ground has strips running across it????? Last week I was not happy with the border to me there was definitely some thing missing, now I’m happy with how it will look with the added black and yellow corner stones. May be this week will see the border finished.

Quilt as you go block 6' finished

Quilt as you go quilts hanging outside my son's home 2008

I have been working on my quilt as you go squares, I do like making up these blocks as there are so many different ways you can make them; they take a long time to make but it’s a wonderful feeling to know there is no quilting to do after the last one is made and the quilt can be used straight away. I could not count on my fingers how many of these I have made. This time I’m working with Kimono fabrics, dark fine wool as the folding fabric and silks as the stainglass look. Kimono fabric is 14inches wide so that determends my finished size of the block which is roughly 6inches this time round.

I have still not found my scrappy blocks I was looking for last week???? I will stop looking for them and I’m sure I will rediscover them!!!!!

Cheers Glenda

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Well I worked on that Zip for the cape on Saturday and Sunday, a much more difficult task than I thought it would be as I wanted it to keep all the cold wind out, but with a lot of unpicking and resewing it finally is in, now to have it dry cleaned and post it off to it’s new owner in Vienna.

Scrappy 4inch blocks from the 1930's

I picked these up on the web about 10 years ago and they are amongst my to do cupboard, note I said cupboard not box!!!! yes there are so many of them. I use to see all these different  1930’s blocks advertised ( I have a thing about the 1930’s quilts and fabrics!!! Many years ago my very thoughtful hubby was visiting Kentucky and stayed in a lovely home there that was full of folded 1930’s quilts, he spent several hours unfolding these quilts and taking photo’s of them then refolding them and putting them back, yes it was quite a task, but since then 1930’s fabrics have fascinated me and the women who made do and made these delightful quilts.) of some quilter who had spent hours making them and was never able to complete them so I bought them with the intention of finishing them for them, now years later some one is going to have to finish the quilt tops I have made and never quilted?????? Now that my Hexagon top is nearly finished I have decide to look for my next project to finish, and I think I will go with these wee delightful blocks as I have noticed lately several other quilters working on them and this has motivated me. I will most probably stay with the yellow and red to join the wee blocks but may use a green strip and orange cornerstone to join them not the blue it is to harsh for these wee prints if I ever find them in my stashes?????

Stars and Hearts

Look what I found today (Monday 23rd) while looking for my scrappy 1930’s blocks which I still have not found???? I started making these many years ago when I was very new to the quilting world with an American lady my first online quilter. I’m not sure what happened but they were never finished!!!!. Now for some reason they have stopped me in my tracks and I have started working on them today, I need to finish them for some reason. They are all made by machine which is very unusual for me,  I did not have a pattern so had to work the blocks out myself. Background is cotton fabric from Japan to make men’s night wear. dark 5 fabrics around the hearts and red fabric also Japanese,  and the hearts them selves are European cottons.

Similar to cathedral windows!!!

I also found these 6inch window blocks 24 of of them with no wadding or colour centres, the blocks are made of  fabrics from  Japanese light weight wool from a unpicked Kimonos, lovely and soft and will be warm, why did I stop making these as they are one of my favourite hand pieces to carry with me?????  Of course I had work on it straight away, these 12 are joined and I have started adding the wadding and quilting in the coloured Japanese silk fabrics. I enjoy doing this kind of quilt as you go as the quilt top is completely quilted when you do the last square. I was working on this at 12.30am last night watching the Australian open tennis, a very very exciting game to good to go to bed!!!!!

24 base blocks made 24 more need to make a quilt!!!!

Yep been working on it??????

I was up very early this morning down to the beach which was washed spotless as we had had a Hugh tropical storm down pour last night, rivers are in-flood but a beautiful clean clear day and the beach was picture perfect. Home around 9am and in to this quilt, I’m not happy with the finished look, I think it needs black around the border will fiddle with it today. Still have not found my scrappy blocks would you believe!!!!!!  I stopped looking yesterday will have another look today if I find time.

I have completed 3 of my heart corner stones for Peaceful Pathways now, I’m working these in stem stitch using two threads of DMC with a number 11 needle, slow but I’m enjoying every stitch.

Hexagons finished 25th Jan 2012

a beautiful lace dress with the stench of a dead cow!!!!!

When I came back from the beach this morning my garden smelt like a there was a dead cow decomposing some where, I went looking for the decomposing body but no joy, then decided to see if there were flies in one area and bingo look what I found not one but two of these exotic fungi, they must of hatched out in the torrential rain last night and when the sun came out the bloomed phew what a stench they give off!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I could not leave them as the smell was getting so bad I was gagging. Rest of my garden looks as beautiful but smell a lot more pleasant?????

Looking lovely as we have had a hot dry monsoon season so far.Helaconia

Bromeliad

Bromeliad

Cheers Glenda

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As promised the latest update on my This Goes With That Hexagon quilt, but 40 of those little fellows need to be sewn on yet, they are just placed at present, I’m hopping to make the last 12 hexagons need to complete the quilt this week!!!!!

Corner block of the first round of Peaceful Pathways I'm doing my corner in Red-work using 2 threads of DMC and a number 11 needle.

Back working on Peaceful Pathways

Well our wet monsoon has not arrived yet???? the rains should of started end of Nov or early Dec when I put all my big projects away to protect them from mould. SO Peaceful Pathways is back on one of the beds and I’m back working on it, I’m really loving the time I spend of this beautiful red and white quilt design of Eshter’s

Inserting a zip in to a 1970's wool cape

I have been reconstructing a pure wool cape of mine from the 70’s for my granddaughter who lives in Vienna, but as it is soooooooooo cold there I wanted also to put in a full length zip, well after twice been specially ordered and them sending just the normal zip I finally received the open ended 90cm zip last Friday!!!! With luck this will be in the mail this week!!!! a month over due!!!! I have used tiny tags and pins to hold the zip in place ready for sewing, instead of tacking and pins.

New antique fruit bowl and Hugh local mango's!!!!!

On Friday I also picked up this lovely old fruit bowl for $1.00 the lovely flowers are hand painted and signed. I love these old fashion flowers  painted on porcelain.

Cherry Guavers from the garden

That is about to become a garden patchwork?????

That has become this; garden crazy patchwork????

Last Wednesday I started on a new area of the garden that needed a lot of help, I wanted these flood water drain pipes covered which would give us a larger area for walking down the side of the house. I had a few whole paves and lots of broken ones!!!! So I decided to make a patchwork area????? So my patchwork is not just inside?????

Fix or chuck?????

Hmmmmmmmmmmmm looks worse????????????

3 1/2 hrs of cleaning!!!! and motor is purring!!!!!!!!! but will it sew??????

On Saturday one of the ladies from the Opp Shop I work in as a volunteer rang to say there was a over locker handed in and could my hubby look at it to see if it was repairable!!!!!!  Well hubby fixes most electrical things but I do the sewing related machines. This poor old girl had been sadly neglected and stored for a long time; the rust had set in and I tossed up to do or not to do?????  To do one won as I can not resist a challenge where sewing machines go!!!!!  She is now purring beautifully after several hours of cleaning and a good oiling, but now the real question comes will it sew???? I now need to track down a manual so may be next week will tell.

So so tiny but he makes us close doors and windows some nights when he and his family decide to sing???????

No flowers in the garden this time of the year but we have our favourite wee frogs which are so tiny but in the 100’s keep us a wake some nights if we do not close the bedroom windows!!!!! You can see how tiny he is compared to the leaves.

Usually on a Wednesday I go down to my favourite beach but I have been and will be out every day this week, so have decided to have a day at HOME and Peaceful Pathways machine sewing, I’m itching to make some guaver jam and sew some fabric together after finding the right fabric and cutting out all those little pieces of fabric!!!!!! My father NEVER got it!!!!!!! he would always say but whats the point??????

Cheers all Glenda

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Start of a new year, I just hope it does not fly by so quickly as last year did.  I still have not written my yearly letter I send out over Xmas and New Year for 2011 yet?????

Over the last 6 months we have had lots of family and friends to stay and this makes the days fly by.

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Lazy Kate stand for my hand sewing chair!!!!!!!!!!!

What a way to start any fresh hand sewing  year, this is my Xmas present form my darling Hubby, it was his idea and he has made it for me, custom designed for me. I just LOVE it. Each table turns and each table can be set to any height. Every hand sewer should have one???? My blog this week is covering the last week as I was going to blog last week but forgot till Thursday!!!! So make a pot of tea as it will take that long to read to the bottom this week!!!!!!

Projects to complete in 2012!!!!

My challenge this year is to complete the 3 quilts above. Back one needs to have the applique finished on it, middle quilts needs to have the hand quilting completed, and the front hexie quilt needs 30 more hexes to complete it, 18 of these are just plain blue so hopefully I will finish these before March when one of the family are coming home for 3 weeks and all quilting will be put on hold again!!!! I started my hexie quilt with Sue Daley in 2010 but have added my own spin to her design that was a weekly online session then. I have been also making hexagon’s to add on the back around the border so I can have the edge as you see it now. More time consuming but I think it will look more interesting than straight sides??????

A gem of a find in a Opp Shop

Some times you are in the right place at the right time,  On Wednesday I pulled this out of a box of old used fabric and could not believe my eyes as it grew and grew, all in one piece and NO  rips or holes. It has been washed and the dark blue has bleed but it is still a beautiful piece of hand applique. I could not under stand why they had stitched it on to a heavy heavy tightly woven cotton but when I arrived home and had more time to look at it closely it is actually a cushion cover with zip and all. It is 1 metre square so some of the needle turn applique pieces are very small. I just love it and will turn it in to a wall hanging. yet another project for 2012!!!!!!

My Xmas table centre has some blood spots on it, I did not realise I had pricked my finger so bad till the next day, now I need to add 4 wee bees to cover the spots!!!!!!!!! Would you believe that I forgot to use my centre on Xmas day!!!!!! Hobby horses were handed in to the Opp Shop very much  pre-loved and to dirty to sell as is, so they came home with me and I cut the stitching around the neck and the stick sleeve and head went through the washing machine, they are so well made they came up like new, now to find time to sew them back together for sale???? Red bag needs a new zip in it, it is also a well made bag and needs rescuing for a friend who loves these bags. Love never fails is my last piece that needs the Stem stitch around the outer shape, Peaceful Pathways corner stones for my HD now need the hearts in the corners, main part is done on 3 and the last one 1/2 done!!!!  Birds need to have the buttonhole completed around them, I’m using invisible thread and it is so frustrating to use????? I need 25 more paper pieced hexagons to complete my This Goes With That Quilt!!!!! Looks like 2012 is all ready full does’nt it as far as hand stitching goes??????

Bees now instead of tiny spots of blood

I have finished all but the red-work and blue Hexagons but I still have the 15 pieced hexagons to make!!! I used bottom line from superior single thread for the bees, they are 1/4″ long and 1/8th wide. Hobby horses are sewn and ready for the Opp Shop Tuesday,  wee heart has been completed and sent to some one special, I forgot to take a photo of it though???? I can not believe I have been sooo productive this last week????

Old settlers cottage restored beautifully Mt Molloy

Valley farmland of beautiful Mossman valley FNQLD on the Great Barrier coast

FNQLD'S most famous tourist beach Port Douglas.

Port Douglas Beach miles and miles of it.

We took a day off and went for a drive up to Mt Molloy about 40 mins inland from home, on to Mossman back down the coast to Port Douglas and Cairns along the coastal road just breath taking.  A lovely lovely day out. May be we should do it more often.

Stoney Beach 40 mins from home just beautiful.

This beautiful drive is so close to our our home, it takes 3 hrs with a good lunch stop to drive inland up through beautiful country, down to the coast and a beautiful drive home along the coast. we really do live in paradise lost.

8inches long and flies!!!!

8inches fat and mean looking!!!!

Big and mean!!!!

In my garden now at this time of the year we are having so many Hugh insects, I have not seen so many of them here like this year, it must of been an exceptional breeding season for them all. I use to see them like this in PNG where I lived for 6 years, up there the stick insects grow to 14inches plus!!!!! Big and mean managed to get in to the house last night and land on me while sewing, I was not amused as he had long legs with little fish hooks all along them and they scratched my skin, I finally caught him and sent him on his way out side!!!!!!

We have what these wee frog call frog heaven!!!!!

These wee fellow all of 1/2 inch to 1 inch long come as soon as we get the first monsoon rains in the hundreds, they are sooooooooooo sweet but oh what a noise they make, they all came out last night as I had the sprinklers on yesterday!!!!!!

I’m just of to the beach I will upload some photo’s if I remember to take them!!!!! Have a wonderful day every one. Cheers Glenda

up date 1.50pm

Trinity Beach looking South this morning picture perfect!!!!

Trinity Beach looking North.

Look out point going down the range to Cairns from Home this after-noon.

I remembered to take some photo’s and this morning the beach was picture perfect, we walked from one end of the beach tot he other, it takes around an hour just perfect as we start at 7.30am before it is to hot. I also took a photo from the range look out looking towards Cairns at about 800feet above sea-level, it also looked beautiful this morning. Then After breakfast at the beach I went in to the city and spent some Xmas money see all the goodies I bought, you need to zoom in and see the delightful piece of yellow fabric it has the most delightful wee birds on it, it is just 3/4 of a yard I found it in a pile of material, what a find, you will see these wee birds popping up here and there over the next year!!!!! Then I went and bought my self a DVD Limited addition of Lord of the Rings with another Xmas voucher from Hubby, I love this story so I had  a WONDERFUL morning and home by 1pm, oh yes I also bought a length of drain pipe to extend the wet season torrential rain run off drain which I’m going out fit now!!!!!!

I splurged this morning Xmas money, and Paola's long zip at last!!!!!!!

I have been busy on my hexagons will show my progress next week!!!!!????? 

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Forgotten but not lost now??????

I’m sure most of you can relate to this, I was looking for the Xmas decorations and lights on Thursday and found several things I had forgotten about or missed placed for several years. This one above I must of missed placed many many years ago.  May be I can finish it over the next couple of months while my quilts have been put away!!!!!! It would make a nice carry bag for some one?????

I did find the Xmas decorations in the end!!!!

I also found that the mice or rats had found the attic last week as the rat bait was 1/2 eaten, luckily I had put bait up there a few weeks ago as Rod thought he heard rustlings in the night, I also decided to go through the clothes hanging up there and pass some of them on which we had not worn for the last 5 years!!!!! Well the moths have beaten me to some of them including one of my favourite short lamb leather jackets!!!!! It now has  3inchs of leather missing over one of the front pockets!!!!!!!!!! So I ended up been really ruthless and packing up 50% of the clothes for the Opp Shop rather than let the Moths or mice have them!!!!!

Xmas card holder for 2011

I’m in a 12 Days of Xmas swap with several other online moderators for a quilting group;  I have got to know these ladies over  the last 6 years, this year we did not know who we were receiving from so it was fun, we had a year to prepare so I had the enjoyment of working on things for my receiver who I admire for the way she helps so many other online quilters. My sender has spoilt me and sent some really lovely and fun projects finished and to do. My above one was one of 3 iron on transfers to do my self, they are all delightful and I just had to take a day off doing house work and Xmas preparations and do some thing for my self so I spent a day and night on Thursday making this wee one up in to a Xmas card holder for 2011, there is a pocket behind it to pop all 2011 Xmas cards!!!!! SO simple but delightful.

Christmas Crackers for 2011

I spent all Monday making Xmas crackers I really did not think it would take me so long to make each one???????

My Patchwork wrapped Xmas parcel

This is my Xmas parcel from hubby, he spent a long time picking up all the wee pieces of paper and made a patchwork parcel for me, I asked him if he wanted some wrapping paper as I had plenty and he said “No you like crazy patchwork”!!!!!! He must of used a roll of selatape but it looks wonderful and I think that is so thoughtful of him.

My 9th day of Xmas blocks!!!!

Today I meet my friends at the beach at 7.30am, now that it is sooooooo hot any time after 9.30am is to hot to walk the beach. It was picture perfect, I even remembered to take my camera with me but forgot to take any photo’s how dumb is that.  It takes us an hour to walk from one end to the other. From there I visited Bunnings hardware for some drain pipes and installed them when I came home around 9.30am and that took up the rest on my morning.  But now the rains can come and that problem area is ready for it. Hubby arrived home early today & now is off work till the 9th of Jan so we can have lazy mornings from now on.  At 6am one of out sons arrived home from Brisbane for Xmas so I’m very very happy. He has been driving since 11am yesterday and is now fast a sleep!!!! I have just opened my 9th day of Xmas parcel which was to be 9 patchwork blocks but my lovely sender has sent me 12, I think I will make some more and make it in to a bigger quilt, these ones are so lovely and the fabrics are wonderful.

No garden photo’s as I forgot, may be I will add some tomorrow. Merry Xmas all. I hope you all have some special time with your family or some of your family. Cheers Glenda

Esther Aliu's mystery quilt 2010.

The above quilt is my adaptation of Esther’s beautiful mystery quilt in 2010 you can buy the design on Esther’s blog http://www.estheraliu.blogspot.com. Mine is not finished by a long way but it is still lovely enough to hang as is. I really must get the Xmas tree up in front of it before the week-end!!!!!! but it is 33C in the day time at present so it is hard to be motivated to climb in to a very hot attic for every thing connected with the Xmas tree and other decorations??????

close up of adapted foot and tags I'm sewing felt on to silk????

Click on photo’s to enlarge to see details.

I started machine appliqueing the felt leaves and curved piece this week and thank goodness it has worked after hubby helped out by removing the cross front bar on one of my machine feet so I could see what I was doing. I have a 830 trusty Bernina nearly as old as I am so I’m limited with what she will do, but by using fancy stitch 5, stitch width down to 1/4 and stitch length at 1 1/2 it is working.  Not using pins is a Hugh improvement on the fingers and the needle!!!!! Tags are working out even easier than I thought,  I remove them when I don’t need them any more, this means I wont have 200 to remove at the end????? I have hand appliqued the flowers and centre. So it is 50% hand and 50% machine appliqued

I have moved to the back veranda for the wet season as it is to hot and wet on my front veranda now.  It only takes up a small area but if I need to I have plenty of space for extra tables. Luckily I moved as I found our large ants had just moved in to one of my sewing draws and laid 100’s of eggs, these ants are very vicious when disturbed so I was able to carry the draw out side and spray them still in the draw with out loosing to much of what was in there. Some times they will make nests in your clothes draws and they can be HUGH before you discover them. Oh the joys of living in the rain forest??????

My other sewing project this week has been hemming several pairs of trousers for my self on my over-locker and turning long sleeved 100% cotton shirts in to short sleeved ones. I have found over the years it is easier to cut the sleeves off at the required length then add a new piece of fabric for the turn back as it sits much better, I have been adding a contrast colour if I turn the hem under but a plain white if I make it a cuff hem.  Makes it much more fun and not such a boring project????

Sunrise it took 30 seconds!!!!Sunrise is sooooooo fast here !!!!

30 seconds and the sun is up and every thing is light??????

Nothing much to show in the garden this week, it is to hot for any thing to flower and toooo hot to do any work out side now except water the plants. At 10pm  night we had our first tropical monsoon down pour, around 3inches it took the temperature from 32C to 26C wonderful.

Our first monsoon rain and this wee plant looks so fragile now>

Christmas wise I still have not made my tarts, and still no Christmas tree up!!!!!

But lots of lovely Xmas emails coming in, several of my friends from way back & I swap Xmas letters on what has happened over the last 12 months. I love receiving these letters, snail mail or email.I’m off to the beach and to have my hair cut really really short.

Update 11.41pm Just received this lovely reversible carry bag from my friend Pat.

Reversible bag, note large pleats this makes it look small but it can carry endless supplies.

Xmas tree found but no decorations yet????? Rocket is guarding the presents!!!!

Cheers Glenda

Esther's Xmas gift Dec 2011

This December Esther http://www.estheraliu.blogspot.com gave us a lovely gift called Dec quilt in red but when I saw it I saw green and red on  white made as a table centre for Xmas!!!!  I have taken only part of the over all design; used white fabric for the background and felts for the red and green. Above photo is just with the felt pieces lying there, they are not basted or tacked at this stage hopefully by the end of the day they will be????????. I’m working on it between the garden, blog and house work!!!!!

Crazy Patchwork evening bag

Finally I have finished my crazy patchwork evening bag, it is lined with black velvet.

Click on photo’s to enlarge for details please.

Last week I flew down to Brisbane with hubby for 5 days, I was hoping to have lots of lovely photo’s to share with you but I was sick the last 3 days so was not able to get out and about, plus I accidentally put the camera on video after the first two photos I took!!!!! We did see this wonderful sculpture of The Drovers on one of the streets.

The Drovers in Brisbane QLD

On Monday I spent several hours restoring a 1980 Husqvarna sewing machine that looked so terrible it was going to be thrown out by the local Opp Shop, it was so dirty I did not think it would ever go again, but after cleaning a very very clogged shuttle area of dust and  lots of grim, I cleaned every part of the machine, added some oil then plugged in the controls and bingo the power worked the light came on I pressed the foot control and the machine sounded so smooth I could not believe it. I added a new needle, threaded her up and tried sewing; after about 30 mins I had her sewing like a charm. She is a super wee machine they must of been a dream when they first came out in the 80’s. She will now be one of my backup machines I have left it threaded with white and I used her yesterday!!!!! for a quick job.

Pottery instead of flowers!!!!!

From now till March I live in swimming gear as it is usually in the low 30C all day and I pop in and out of the swimming pool with the dogs, when I go in they want to cool down too. Flowers stop flowering now as it is to hot; so I add pottery around the place to add a little some thing, like the egg pottery in the pottery container or make some thing new for the garden like a umbrella stand??????

A week ago I saw an idea how to make a umbrella stand on a TV show this is my version of it?????

How to make a Umbrella holder for the garden????

First I had potting mix around the edge of the container added stones at the bottom to hold the pipe in place so I could add the concrete; added a couple of shovels of concrete to 3/4 of the way up the container, added a few more stones left it all for 30 mins added a desert rose more potting mix some stones and shells and hey presto 1 1/4 hrs later I had my umbrella stand??????

First stages, potting mix, wee plants, stones, pipe, and concrete.

I then made a pot of tea and sat out there in my new reading and sewing spot; I had a swim first then reread some magazines instead of sewing over a pot of tea!!!!!!!!!!

1 1/4 hrs later completed HEAVY umbrella holder

I have made several pincushions for Xmas presents. Plum-pudding one was made by a dear friend who is 84. 2 Xmas tree decorations one made from crochet pieces, and the other felt; they can be used afterwards as pincushions; finally several  thumb pincushion.

Xmas pincushions

Thumb-pincushion. Cut a 6inch square of fabric fold in to a triangle and sew around side leaving a inch gap (I make this gap 1/2 way along one of the sides)  to turn inside out; now stuff with wadding ( I use sheeps wool this stops neddles from rusting) it takes a lot as it has to be tight to stop pins from going in to thumb plus it sits better on your thumb. Sew up gap decorate to your own choice I used oldlace and beads, add a nice glass bead this weights the back down and sits well on the thumb. Join the two corners firmly and there you are.

Thumb pincushion

Before and after the final stages of Thumb Pincushion

To see older posts click on Patchworkdreams at the very bottom of page.

Cheers All Glenda

Healing heart. made with colonial knots.

A very dear quilting friend needs a healing heart, she loves her garden but it will be several long months before she can get back in to it, so I made her a heart of flowers using colonial knots with masses of tiny flowers.

Up early as I’m out all day but spent an hour on a embroidered crazy-patchwork evening bag using black velveteen for the lining and it is very difficult to work with as it keeps wanting to roll????? I wonder who will win this fight?????

Chrystel with her patchwork bag she made herself.

On Sunday morning Chrystel and I drove down to one of the local beaches, about 30 mins from home, it is a beautiful spot but is always crowed with tourist so I usually go to one of the smaller unknown to the tourist beaches.

Even the seagulls love the waves??? Click to enlarge photos.

But Chrystel fell in love with Palmcove so I took her there for her last beach trip with us.

Beautiful walk beside Pamcove Beach

She leaves us this week till next year when she will come back up here some time to catch her flight to Japan then home in France. We will miss her as she has brought extra fun and lots of laughter in to our home.

Even tiny people love Pamcove.

My waterlily is having pups?????? I was cutting off the dead leaves and then saw lots of tiny baby water lilies attached to the dead leaves, shows you how much I know of water lilies, so now we will have water lilies in all the down pipe water containers. Any one want some water lilies????? at the rate they are multiplying we will have enough for every one!!!!!!

Our first rain for the season arrived last week and all ready the mould is growing on the doors in the kitchen where there has been some thing spilt and I had not noticed, so it is back to washing walls and cupboards for the next 3 months.

On Thursday Hubby and I are flying down to Brisbane  (Our capital of QLD 1700 kilometers  from here) for 4 days. He will be working but I will just lazy around, sleep, eat and walk the days away!!!!!

Quilting wise this week, I managed to sandwich Esther’s Mystery Xmas quilt I made in 2010. I used a micro fine tagging gun instead of basting it with thread. Much much easier on the back and knees!!!!  I lay the backing on my double bed then the wadding then the top. Started from one side and tagged every 3inches up and down after 3 rows I rolled the edge in where I had tagged and pinned it; then did another 3 rows rolled and pinned and did this till I was in the centre.

Using a Tagging gun to baste Esther Aliu’s 12 days of Xmas quilt.

Then I unrolled it all swivelled the whole sandwiched quilt and did the other side the same. It worked beautifully. Not sure how happy I will be when I have to sit and cut and pull out 300 tags though!!!!!!

Kimono wool fabric joined to make backing of quilt.

I unpicked a lovely colourful wool kimono to use for the backing of my quilt above. As all quilt material is only 14inches wide I sewed 4 lengths together to make the backing. It is a very light weight fabric but will be warm if the Grandies want to snuggle under it????

Cattleya Orchid

Not a lot new in the garden except for the above beautiful Cattleya, unfortunately the insects found it first and ate two of the petals?????

Wednesday this week I will be acting as a taxi for a couple of dear friends who need to attend the local hospital then Thursday I fly to Brisbane so I have made my blog up early this week. Happy stitching every one Cheers Glenda

PS If you wish to see past posts click on Patchworkdreams  at bottom of page

Water Iris finally flowering

Well it will be a quite day for me today.  We have not had rain for several weeks

Mini water lilly is getting big and bigger!!!!

so I decided to starting watering the plants today and would you believe it started to rain?????

Cyclamen flowering again.

So no beach for me to day. But the rain was only enough to wet the sheets and me while I was taking some photo’s of whats flowering for you this morning.

Chrystel learning how to replace blades on the lawnmower

Lucky Rod and Chrystel mowed the lawns on the week-end so every thing looks so fresh after the small wash down of rain.

Sand and shell table base

I have just made a new base for one of the verranda tables, it’s a square glass case set in very heavy wooden legs, was made for a fish tank but has been broken around the top and it is much easy to look after a dry shell garden than tropical fish!!!!!

Large female Huntsmen spider

Chrystel found this spider out side her bedroom during the week, she was very big and this time of the year is out looking for a mate?????? With legs at full stretch when she was alive it would of measured from one tip of her leg to the other 8inches.

Esther’s 12 Days of Xmas 2010

Quilting wise, I’m working on a healling heart,  PP and preparing my top of Esther’s 12 Days of Xmas mystry quilt of 2010 to quilt so I can hang it this year!!!!! I’m making the back for it out of an old Kimono I have just unpicked and now need to sew the panels up to make it large enough for a backing cloth.

This has been a very quite day for me all round. Cheers ALL Glenda

I started my day by going down to the beach for a iced-coffee.  Waves were crashing on to the beach and the water was a muddy brown from all the sand been churned up but it was still great to be down there, there is some thing about walking the beach that makes me feel very calm. Below 3 photos by Chrystel

Beach at Agnus Waters

Sunrise at Caldwell Only palm tree left outside motel after cyclone Yasi 2011 Caldwell.

Airlie Beach

I came home and started cutting up my fabric for Lovers Knot of Peaceful Pathways,  I’m not keen on 16th when I’m cutting, first I put some masking tape on my cutting ruler but that was not so successful, then I thought about putting it on to the cutting mat instead, I lay it 5/16th to the left of one side of an inch line then nestled the fabric up against the masking tape and then cut on the 3rd inch line from the masking tape, it worked perfectly every time??????

5/16th plus 3inchs!!!!!!!!

I laid out one Lovers knot then another beside it to get the feel of what it was going to look like, I was not to happy with my Medium light fabric but seeing it laid out it looks OK now, some times you just have to see it cut and set as a block to feel confident, some times colours put together play tricks on you!!!!!!

I then went out in to the garden to take some photo’s of what is flowering today,

This a local weed but has such delightful wee flowers.

Cattleya orchid It smells as beautiful as it looks.

and then became sidetracked as Hubby had brought me home some garden pebbles and I knew just where I wanted them,

Where I wanted to make a stone garden?????

several hours later they were laid and I now have a very small Japanese pebble area in the garden.

Almost completed stone garden 2 1/2 hrs later!!!!!

A place to sit and be quite.

I had a lovely surprise package from Bunny on Monday,

Bunnys beautiful patchwork and cross stitch note cover.

it was a note book with a patchwork and cross stitch cover, how I love pretty surprises and it was on a day I need some thing special too. . Thank you Bunny you are the best.

It is now 8.20pm and the computer keeps dropping out when I try and upload any photo’s, very frustrating, I will try and upload the photo’s tomorrow now.

Chrystel at Milla Milla falls in the dry.

To day Chrystel and I went out to the Table Lands about 2 hrs from here and did the waterfall trail then drove around the table lands where all the dairy farms are and came back via Lake Eacham. A beautiful day.

Zillie Falls in the dry

Old settlers homestead built around 1910

Lake Eacham

Finally worked out what was wrong with my problem with the photo’s just in time to upload to Esther’s WOW!!!!!

I will leave you with a sunset!!!!! Taken by Chrystel last week.

Sunset near Airlie Beach Nov 2011

Cheers All Glenda

I lost a week at home last week but visited old favorite haunts and discovered several beautiful new beaches and parks on the QLD Coast. How beautiful the coast of QLD is, beautiful treasures

Stark but Oh so beautiful

around unsuspecting corners that take your breath away, some times they are so mind blowing I forget to even take a photo.

Beautful One of the beautiful spots at Noosa Heads

A young friend from France and I flew down to Brisbane to bring back a Mini Copper 2002 to Cairns we laughed and exchanged stories all the way; sharing stories and laughter are as good as a holiday but we had both.  Let me warn you if you have never driven one of the new Mini’s beware, the wipers and the indicators are the opposite to what you are use to in OZ,  We were constantly washing the window screen. I felt very sorry for the other drivers as I maneuvered my way out of Brisbane city constantly washing the window-screen every few 100 meters at round-abouts!!!!!!

We spent 4 nights near the beach and were up at 5am

Dawn breaking

to walk the beach

Newly Found Beach treasures

and watch the sun come up, there is some thing magical about walking a beach and seeing the birth of a new day on the QLD coast. Specially this time of the year as there is a lot of cane been burnt or bush fires so the sun comes up as a gigantic scarlet fiery red round fire and lights up the sea and sand, in 10 mins you see 100 changes around you which leave you feeling like you have just witnessed a miracle.

One of our special nights was spent at Angus Beach near 1770 just 2 hrs South of Rockhampton. We slept in a Canvas tent tree house over looking the beach.

Tent tree house accommodation at Agnus Waters Beach

We found some lovely rocky out points around low tide; all my life I have enjoyed rock-pool walking, you never know what you might find?????

Stranded on the rocks ; Left high and dry; Puffer fish

Like a stranded Puffer fish or dozens of different jelly fish, some very macabre and some stunningly beautiful.

Stranded Jellyfish

I wrote the above last night as I have a full day away today. I use to think I would have so much time on my hands if I ever retired but it has not happened yet?????

Nature playing with a tree design!!!!

I’m fascinated with the way some trees grow and in the QLD parks you see so many fascinating shapes.

Time to do your computer neck exercise to look at this one!!!!

Remember to click on photo’s to enlarge then.

Wheeeeeeeeee

I even found  Peaceful Pathway in the bush!!!!!!!!

Peaceful Pathways!!!!!

Whats flowering in my garden now???

My favourite Lilly.

My favourite Lilly is almost completely open, water lilies love their new home and are growing fast and the flowers are getting bigger?????

Mini Water lillies

Heliconias are starting to flower, Crabs claw is flowering??????????? Top of Crabs claw flower and frangipani on my kitchen window sill. Till next time. Cheers.

For those of you dropping in, I’m away for a week been a tourist with our young lass from France. We are going to drive up from Brisbane in a Mini Cooper!!!!!!! and play tourists. QLD coastal road is full of nature at it’s best, beauty 90% of the 1700klms. I have done this trip many times and never tire of it.

This week weather has been perfect; like living in Paradise for the tourists; even the river below the house has been sparkling.

River is even sparkling Remember to click on images to in large???

.

My garden is full of colour at present;  latest is a mixture of flowers.

Just starting to open

One is just starting to open and in a couple of days will be a perfect round red ball, this has to be my favourite flower up here.

Phalaenopsis

We have a new white Phalaenopsis just 3/4 open, our last 2 the insects have demolished over the last two days.

New addition to plant out in to the garden

Quilting wise I have been working on my swap12 days of Xmas gifts for another online quilter. I just have 6 Xmas decorations to make and I can then post them off. I finally finished one corner of BOM Peaceful Pathways by Esther Aliu, these corners are a beautiful piece of art and I loved working on it. Stitched in two threads of DMC using a number 11 needle and stem stitch.

Finished corner block of peaceful Pathways

Now 3 more to go!!!!

Beautiful corner design of Esther’s Peaceful Pathways

One of the above was taken with a flash and the other without, I could not decide which one to use so gave up and have uploaded both??????

I have decide to make another scrappy bag for a Xmas present as some one who saw the one I finished last week liked it so much I new it was the perfect gift for her this Xmas.  I will be a whole week away from my sewing, wow how will I cope!!!!! Hope you all have a fun week. Cheers Glenda

Peace after the storm this morning.

We have just had a week of rain, all up over 12inches!!!!! which brought down old timers as the land was so waterlogged.

An old timer down

But now the rain has gone and we have beautiful blue skies again with flowers shinning in the garden this morning; I took photo’s as I walked around enjoying the peace and quite early this morning.First was this lovely perfumed cattliya.

moth orchid

We grow lots of Bromeliads as Hubby is very fond of them and the turkeys don’t like the spikes so don’t dig them up???

Bromeliad

Hubby also like the Anthuriums which are hard to grow here except on the road frontage.

Anthurium

where the flowering ginger also grows like a weed.

Bell Ginger 

This is such a lovely time of the year for me as we have colour in the garden with out the turkeys been able to dig the flowers up????? as they are hanging or the bromeliads.

Bromeliad

Early morning in the garden brings so many surprises in the tropics.

First water Lilly bud

From nowhere there was our first miniature waterlily about to burst in to full flower.

Full flower of our wee miniature waterlily

Then an hour later it was fully open, nature is a miracle every time.

Miniature day irises just opening for the day

Completed feather

Quilting wise I’m still working on my corners of Peaceful Pathways quilt by Esther 2 down 2 to go???? and I’m enjoying every stitch. Bunny has completed her centre for this month and her colour choice is gorgeous, check out Esther’s free BOM on her website and look at the photo’s of Peaceful Pathways.

This week besides sightseeing with Chrystel I have been teaching her a little patchwork. It started out she wanted to make a carry bag

second stage of quilt as you go Scrappy bag; front.

and so I killed two birds with one stone as we decided to make a scrappy & men’s tie quilt as you go bag.

Where I start laying the scraps and quilting.

I like teaching this to beginner sewers and quilters as it is fun quick and practical.

Inside of bag pinned to men’s ties

Plus it helps use up those endless scraps from quilts made so long ago you can not remember them?????

Ties joined at the tail then used as gusset to join the front & back

or those fabrics you wonder why you bought them now??????? I like using the wide ended men’s ties as they give a lovely shape to the finished bag, plus a deeper bottom.

Back sewn on to the men’s ties read to add front section  of bag.

Finished bag showing men’s tie gusset.

Completed 5 mins ago!!!!!

Ready and waiting to be filled???????

Down side of sewing???? my trusty Bernina serger or over-locker motor stopped on Monday and is now in the workshop; there are no more motors for this model so my trusty mechanic is trying to find a second hand motor for it as it still looks like a brand new serger. I do need my serger as it is like my second hand when making sewing Xmas presents which I have started!!!!!!

For Laure. Pappa arrived home yesterday with a Hugh bunch of red roses and a Asko????????? See he does listen to you!!!!! Thank you dear.

I’m an X Kiwi if you have time check this site out it will bring a smile and a tear to your eyes.

http://heartsforchristchurch.blogspot.com/

Make sure you scroll down to the bottom of the page!!!!!

My gosh I have 20 minutes left till it is Thursday Down Under!!!!!!!!!!!!

I spent most of the day sightseeing around Lake Tinaroo

Point on Tinaroo lake

about 40 mins from here; although it was raining here it was a lovely day there if not rather windy????

Windy but the birds were loving it?????

. It started raining here on Monday night and we have had 32mm of rain since; yes around 9inches. When it rains here it rains. But we have not had a good rain since around August so we need it. We were so lucky not only was the day full of amazing picturesque sights

Arm of Lake Tinaroo

but full of  nature creatures as well. I was showing a friend from France some of our beautiful country

Beautiful arm of lake Tinaroo

and saw two things I’d not seen my self up here before. All these amazing photo’s were taken by Chrystel so it is thanks to her you are seeing what we saw.

First we saw a granddaddy Echidna

Echidna

on the side of the road, the very first one I have seen around here, I know they are here but they are such elusive wee creatures. They are spiny anteaters; mammals and lay eggs???? I stopped and went back and moved him off the road. Next was a paddock of Sulfur crested cockatoos having a wonderful free meal of peanuts from the farmers newly planted peanuts for his next seasons crop!!!!!, it was an amazing site for us but I’m sure the farmer would of liked to wrong every one of their necks. Around the next corner we saw around 70 Dancing Brolga birds . To see these birds do their mating dance is like watch a wonderful performance of your favorite ballet. We had not even reached the lake at this stage.  When we did finally reach the Lake after an hour as we had made so many stops looking at this and that it was windy and felt cold after weeks of 35C we were down to around 22C so no swimming but some wonderful sights of the lush bush with wispy clouds drifting down and inlets of clear clear water around the lake edge. We drove for around 40 mins around one arm of the lake and there were landscape surprises around every second corner. Then we spotted a wee black faced wallaby.

Blackface Wallaby

This is a small version of a Kangaroo, and they are such cute wee creatures, he sat there and watched us watching him!!!!!. At one of our beach stops we saw 4 Kookaburras fighting over eating a Jabby( freshwater crayfish) around 180cm long. Now these guys have a really hard skin when fresh and very sharps rock hard claws but they demolished every morsel of it??????? Kookaburras

Kookaburra

have very very powerful beaks and I haven even seen them attack young snakes and eat them. On the way back home we spotted a flock of Black Cockatoos

Black Cockatoo

these are magnificent creatures around 50cm high and need to be seen to believe.

Did I have time to do any sewing to day???? yes I did; I finished the main embroider on one of the corner blocks of Peaceful Pathways of Esther Alui’s; these feather designs are just gorgeous and a delight to work on.

I have just come in from the garden 8.40am. Spending 2hrs in the garden so early is a special time this time of the year, before it gets to hot. I have been weeding in the pool area

Pool early in the morning

and the Gardenia is in flower, the perfume is breath taking. Umbrellas and tables are back up on the patio

Patio seating put back out side.

as summer has arrived with a bang, we are back in to the late 20C early 30C.  Washing is now hung on the side veranda as it gets to hard and dry if put out side!!!! Then when the wet starts it at least has a chance to dry!!!!!!

Yesterday a friend called me to say she had several plants she no longer wanted (our plants grow like weeds all year round) that she knew I had my eye on!!!!! So I have just been finding homes for those, this is a beautiful water iris and you can see I had the perfect spot for it. I was lucky enough to score two very large (biggest ones I have seen up here) Desert roses. These are very temperamental to grow here as it is either to dry or too wet?????

Desert Rose

Our river is looking so beautiful and Serene this morning, not a breath of air movement yet and the ducks are just bringing their babies to the water from the nests, I never get tired of seeing the duckings playing in the water for the first time, they are soooo brave to just follow mum with out a second thought on to a Hugh water mass.

Last of the mist leaving the river.

On Monday our lass who is visiting from the South of France; and I visited Trinity Beach, it was a picture perfect day, not too hot and not too cold???? I managed to beat the birds to the strawberries this week I ate them yesterday and we are now eating our own bananas!!!!!

Picking our own Bananas now????

Sewing has not been productive quilting wise as I have been mending mostly; I think this is the worst kind of sewing??????? I have been doing a little with my Hearts Desire  designed by Esther Aliu, playing around with the borders even though I’m far from finishing my centre blocks, but I could’t wait any longer to see what it would look like!!!!!!!!!!!! I’m not very patient!!!!! and I have had such fun I’m glad I did start them??????

Start of HD borders

Maiden-hair fern in the garden

Well it has been a full on week, it’s our month for birthdays; around 10 of them!!!!! When Oct arrives I know it is the count down to Xmas for me if I want to make any Xmas presents!!!!! and get parcels posted in time for the over seas mail!!!!!

All photo’s of garden were taken this morning while watering and inspecting around 7am????? Last week I showed a tiny wee grass hopper eating one of my strawberry flowers, well he is still there but only eating the petals as the strawberries are developing still. From a flower last week to this today

From new flower to berry in a week

We will see who gets the ripe berry me or the birds????  At the moment the birds are eating the Paw paws first. But so far they have not found the bananas????? We have finger bananas growing down the front of the house, these plants are Hugh.

You have to do your computer neck exercise to look at it??????

We also have a wild banana come up and is flowering;

Wild Banana flower see tiny tiny banana fruit at base

which we will have to remove as they are classed as noxious up here in FNQLD the fruit never develops and if it does the fruit is very very tiny and not eatable, those bananas on the flower are about 1inch long!!!!!.  But it is such a lovely flower. Now the finger Bananas do grow!!!!!

Over 100 finger Bananas coming up for devouring!!!!!

These are covered to stop the fruit bats, rats, mice, birds, and possums getting them first??????

On the quilting side of things I have finished my centre of Peaceful Pathways, I have padded the hearts and used silk fabrics for them & the HST

Beautiful Peaceful Pathways centre by Esther Aliu

. Now it is resting till the next instalment. In the mean time I’m back working on my flowers for Hearts Desire.

My pink flowers for Esther Aliu’s Beautiful Hearts Desire quilt

Knitting a white Xmas jersey, making birthday cards for grandies, made another scissor holder, made  a mini storm water concrete wall for the coming wetseason in the yard, started cleaning up the front garden in front of the unit down stairs as we have a visitor from France arriving on Sat night, & finally this morning washed and dried  preloved toys, readying them to be loved by new owners. I do volunteer work one day a week  in the local fundraising shop and we have lots of toys donated. This is this weeks supply I brought home washed, tumble dried, patched, stitched and ready for more cuddles!!!!!! It is amazing what some soap and a tumble dryer can do???????? Poo Bear must be preprogrammed as he keeps asking for a cuddle when I go near him and I don’t know how to stop him asking???????

I’m ready to be loved again!!!!!

Oh yes I brought my first Xmas present yesterday so I’m very happy.Yes it was a busy week!!!!

This after-noon I could’nt resit any longer & drafted and cut out the first part of my swirly boarder for Hearts Desire, I’m using silk so backed it first with some iron on very light weight fusing violine, then drafted 1/2 one swirly edge,  made a 8″ template of the swills so that every 8″ is the same along the edges. Drew my pattern on to freezer paper cut out the pattern, ironed this on to the silk and have managed to cut out 2 sides which are now ready to stitch baste the edges over the freezer paper and it will be ready to applique on to the black boarder. To night I will do the other two sides hopefully. This red is the same as I have used in my centre block and rose buds that I’m still working on!!!!!!!! A exciting after-noon!!!!!

First part of first hoarder for Hearts Desire

Click on photo to enlarge.

Cheers till next time

Liam dear,

Liam when we visited Venice 2009 Happy memories

I will be thinking of you on Tuesday. Happy happy birthday. Love Mamies

Well this was meant to be written on Wednesday but it is now Friday!!!!! Not sure how that happened but I bet I’m not the only one it has happened too??????  Even my 12 year old granddaughter complains about the days slipping past to quickly!!!!!!

Last week I told you about the mini wasps that had visited us, well not sure if it was the same ones but they moved back in to another spot and one objected to me going near that area & left a visiting card on my right hand,  wowwwwwwwwwww what a punch his sting had I applied an antihistamine straight away but in 4 hrs my hand was so swollen I could not sew!!!!!  So I hit back they are no longer able to sting any one else. I have a saying leave me alone & I will leave you alone out in the garden!!!!!!!

This week we have a mini Cymbidium orchid flowering

Mini Cymbidium Orchid

and the strawberry plant is flowering again and look who else is enjoying this beautiful wee pink flower??????? He is having a lovely feast!!!!!

Is the flower HUGH or the grasshopper a midget???????

I have found  a little time for my Peaceful Pathways and almost completed  my 4 blocks, I have one block that I need to sew the HST on to & I could be doing them now but chatting to you ALL instead??????? I have completed 1/2 the centre completely

Top 1/2 finished of Peaceful Pathways

it is the top 1/2 in the photo; & I’m very happy with it, it is such a cleaver design as it keeps your eyes moving but restful. Hopefully over the weekend I will finish sewing on my padded hearts on the last two blocks so I can sew it all together next week.

I have just finished making a scissor holder

Tiny Scissor holders

for a friend & one in the processes

Pattern for scissors holder

for a Xmas present.  It is a simple pattern made from lightweight cardboard, glue wadding of your choice (which you cut 1/4inch smaller than cardboard pattern) , thread and fabric. I have used some heavy embossed Japanese silk for these ones.  Enlarge photo to see the two pieces used for the back which I have added the wadding too and glued down the fabrics to the back of the cardboard; these are now ready to be sewn together; join the two backs with tiny stitches to make the back of the holder, do the same for the front two pieces then join both sets together using a herringbone stitch see finished holder. Start this joining of the front & the back 1inch below the side of the front edge as this makes the finished holder more flexible putting the scissors in and out.

I have also started making my thank you & Xmas Postcards but only finished one so far???????  As I love to add bits & pieces they take me ages to complete!!!!

I have used part of a very very old piece of embroidered linen that was beyond repair but now has a life extension for some one special??????? Who ever embroidered this exquisite piece made the tiniest stitches imaginable. Click on photo to enlarge to see.

Till next time!!!!!!

WOW (Work On Wednesday) I write this to tie my link in with Esther Aliu blog http://www.estheraliu.blogspot.com as each Wednesday you can link in with other quilter from around the world & share what you are doing. This is a great way to learn and share from other  quilters. I also write for family & friends around the world so they can keep tabs on me or think they can??????

Well it was house cleaning for me all day instead of the beach as I’m going there for dinner with hubby tomorrow after-noon. I did take time out to  work on a friends Mini RR that she

Mini RR on arrival.I have now finished Mini RR

felt was not quite finished as it was and she was stuck with what to do, so I asked her to send it on to me to add the last round may be!!!!! I added a 1/8th yellow flange, then appliqued  1/2 circles in the last round that was there when I received it, finally adding the red border as a frame.

Finished Mini RR

I have just heard from her saying she is very happy now, so I can now post it back home to her.

Today it is Thursday here but still Wed in Europe????? so I’m just going to scrap in with my WOW!!!!! I have managed to add some more to Esther’s Centre blocks today, I just need to add my HST to the last two blocks now & make 8 more hearts & it will be completed, so I’m very happy with the progress as it has been a delight to make so far. It is a very cleverly designed quilt and looks startling fresh & clean.

Centre so far of Peaceful Pathways

Yesterday our mini wasps left they had rested for two days on one of our leaves,

Mini wasps

Underneath the leaf was just wasps on top of wasps. I was pleased to see they had moved on.

I have two friends touring Europe at the moment so I’m enjoying travelling with them on their blog from my armchair, oh the joy of modern technology!!!!!!

I have started making Patchwork Postcards for Xmas it’s a lot more fun than buying Xmas Cards that are not what I really want to go with my Xmas letter. Here is my latest one I received from Heidi a few months ago. It’s so cute.

Post card from Heidi

Cheers Glenda