Spring has sprung

Spring arrived with blue sky but not much sun, however it was a very pleasant day, and we didn't need to light the fire. We are very ready for spring - especially in our vegie garden .

Our 6 beds are waiting for the vegies to be planted, they have their blankets of hay keeping them warm and moist.

We went to a garden lovers fair and have bought a few of our plants, just waiting for planting.

We have birds visiting our yard and the lambs next door are springing all over the place. They are running out of grass on their property so they have been grazing on the bridle track which is just outside my sewing room window. I didn't think of taking any photos though. Will next time they are out.

Our tea for the first day of spring was a Nigella recipe - Chicken & saffron pilaf. It was yummy.

i came home from quilters with a bunch of lavender - another reminder of spring - a floral smell in the air.

Ist of September was the opening day for the craft forum's apron swap. I swapped with Donna and this gorgeous purple striped apron with the pink striped frill is what she made me. I LOVE it. Its so me and it's a quilting apron.

This is the front of the apron I made for Donna, I was so pleased with how this has turned out that I have one cut out waiting for me to make up for myself.

The apron I made for Donna is reversible - so here is the back.

Here is the lovely spotty hexy flower made for me by Judy.

What have I been up to

Saturday 14 August was Royce's 22nd birthday but as I was
away at retreat we went to the Greenwell Point Bowling Club Chinese for dinner on the Sunday night.




I was given this lovely box of flowers by my dear friend Esther after I had minor surgery. Aren't they pretty, purple & orange 2 of my fav colours.

LAst weekend I was asked by my friend Andrea if I would give her a refresher course on sewing. So I gave her some scrap and let her practice for a little while. Once she had some confidence, she made this little pin cushion.

One very happy sewer.

I have joined a flower hexy swap in the craft forum and this is my very first attempt at making one. This is for Lynette. I hope she likes it - I am quite proud of my first attempt.

A sneak preview of the apron I have made for Donna - opening day is next Wednesday so you can't see it all just yet. I loved this so much I have one sitting cut our ready to make up for me. I am also hoping to make a few for the SECET fund raiser Garden party on November.

My niece is having her new baby girls next Friday and these are the bunny rugs and burpers I made for her baby shower last Sunday.

This months framed hexy was for Linda. I have made Linda a few things this year and had a little of the fabric left over so I used it on her hexy.

Jeanette made this hexy for me this month. I haven't been able to master embroidery so am very happy to be given a hexy with such beautiful work.

Designer & Quilt label swap

June was a great month for swaps in the Craft Forum not only did I continue in the Hexy & placemat swap but I also Joined the Designer swap and a quilt label swap.

In the designer swap we had to vote for a designer we would like to make an item with and we chose Leanne Beasley and Bronwyn Hayes.

I was made this gorgeous bag,featuring a Bronwyn Hayes redwork design, by Diane - I believe the bag itself might be a Leanne pattern. It's such a great size, quite long in length and will carry all sorts of things. In fact I unwrapped it and immediately put my work bits in and took it to work with me.





I chose to use one of the Butterfly garden block patterns for the bag I made for Allison. I changed a few of the smaller blocks & added a Bronwyn Hayes blue humming bird to one of the blocks. Allison asked for something very girly. I think I might have got it. One things I can tell you - it was very hard to part with this bag as it is such a "gail" bag. I will definitely be making one of these for myself in the summer months, possible with mostly similar fabrics.

I didn't take a piccy of the inside but I put in a large pocket running the width of the bag and used the gorgeous bright striped fabric as the inside bottom. I also have pockets on the outside gusset of the bag - these are fabulous to hold a drink bottle (I stole this idea form a bag made for em many years ago by Kelly in the children's swap)

Judy and I were partnered for the label swap. This is the label Judy made for me.

Quilt label I made for Judy, this was the very first quilt label I have made and really had no clue as to what I was doing. I am happy with the results though.

This years swaps so far

Hexy made for Suzy

Hexy made by Suzy

Hexy made for Barb.

Can't find the rest of the photos of swap hexies - they gotta be around somewhere. I'll post them when I find them.

I joined a pot holder swap and this is the one Michel made for me.

And this is the one I made for MAry.

I also joined a tuffet swap -a tuffet is a fancy name for a pincushion.

Here is the one Donna made for me - isn't it pretty.

And the one I made for her. This was made form one of my bags of fabric scraps - I am going to make quite a few of these up for the birthday box.

More place mats.

This one from Barb

From Sue

One I made for Sue.

One I made for Barb.

I think I have put a pic up earlier of the one I made for Linda in January.

Blogtoberfest day 28 - Recipe holder and other bits

Quite a few weeks ago now, when we had Jess & Kristy over for a scrap day, Kristy and I both made an altered recipe Holder. It was SO fiddly. Painting that scroll at the top and on the end of the legs took so long to do. BUT I am happy with the results and it looks great on display in my kitchen. I must say that I will NEVER do another recipe holder again.

here it is in use.

This little collection of dolls are mostly swap I have received over the years. The doll with the big bow on her head, Faith, was made for me by
Chrissy in my first doll swap - which was my 2nd ever swap in the craft forum. I made her a doll exactly like the shaker doll down the other end of the chair (which incidentally was my John's chair when he was a little tike). I can't remember whether the one I made her is Violet or Daisy - but whichever hers is called mine is called the other.

The purple doll, Sally, was made by Dawn in the forums paper bag swap. The bear I believe came in an advent swap by Hope and the Gold doll was made by Dianne in a Christmas in July swap.

This little collection of altered items (OTP's) is Haylee's monthly collection. Each month we alternate as to who has a display of their altered items. Its almost the end of October and I have not made anything for my November display. Better get a move on.

Blogtober fest - Christmas swaps

Have found photos of past Christmas swaps that I thought I would share with you today.

This table runner, bottle of bubbly and chocs came from Nicki Christmas 2004. She backed this in the most gorgeous fabrics that she told me was only used for special projects. She also sent me a fatQ of the fabric, which I still haven't used as ,like her, I think it needs a very special project.

I sent her this wall hanging. I remember this took me a long time to do as this was when I had my shoulder problem and could not lift my arm up at all.

The next 2 items were sent to Fiona Christmas 2005 and I think that may have been the last Christmas swap I have been in. This table topper uses one of my favourite techniques for using left over strips of fabric.

Start by drawing a line 1/2" either side of the diagonal centre of a square of fabric, I think mine was 7". Then start sewing and flipping strips until you cover both sides of the centre. Square up your block - I cut mine down to 6 1/2" . Then sew 4 different quarter together to make a new block. I have used 4 blocks on this table topper with 2 borders.

Fiona really loved cats so I couldn't help but to make this cute little wall hanging for her.

This wall hanging was made for Dianne in an advent swap as my large gift.

I joined a sewing swap int he forum many years ago now and with my love of buttons I had NO difficulty deciding what to send my partner. I had been eyeing off this Debbie Mumm Button jar design for some time. I had a nice collection of buttons so I got to work. Imagine my surprise when.......................








I opened my gift and my partner had made me the very same design.

It hangs very proudly in my sewing room.

Blogtoberfest day 24 - Swaps received over the years

I have been a part of the craft forum for

5 1/2 years now and have been in many swaps. Here's just a few - now these are not necessarily my favourites but ones I use or see all the time.

The first is a little bag sent to me by Sarah in the mini bag swap, I have hand sewing in this little bag so it often will go to my quilters group with me.

This bag was made for me by Linda but I cant remember which swap it was. Linda is still a part of the forum and in fact I have made 2 items for her this year - a shabby chic bag and cushion. They were both on my blog a few months ago.

I also take this bag to quilters depending on what size bag I need for that night.

This was from the girl swap and it was one of my early swaps - the 7th one actually - this came from Sambo, who is still part of the forum.

Mipsy sent me this cushion for the country swap.

This wall hanging I believe was sent to me by Monika in the universe swap. Monika is also still a part of the forum.

And last but not at all least Sandra sent me this little doll in the teeny tiny swap - this gift had to fit in a normal sized envelope. How cute is she. She is attached to my sewing room wall board so I can see her all the time when I am sewing or on the computer.