Feeling Blue

Blue was the chosen RSC colour for February.   A blue potato chip block was created from the scraps in the blue scrap basket

6 blue library bags were cut, overlocked and the drawstring channels sewn.   They get passed onto another person who threads the cord through.

A blue beanie was started

Two small quilts were finished off.   One all over blue

And the second has quite a lot of blue in it to qualify.

And the first bowl cosy to come off my "production line" is blue.

There is still another 2 weeks of the month left so some more "blue" may happen but for now my main focus is the complete the production line of bowl cosies.  An order for another 6 came in this week so I had better get cracking.

Linking with So scrappy

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Happy sewing all

Ready, cut, sew

When joining in with FNwF an early start was made as my mission was to cut out the required fabrics and wadding for 20 bowl cosies  -  5 were for an order that came in last week and the remainder will be for my stall next month.

Mission accomplished now to sew them up.  

I joined my parents for a birthday morning tea during the week.   Their birthdays are one day apart. 

Over the course of many of my previous blog posts some of the items that I have sewn for our local hospital auxiliary stall have been shown so I thought that some of you might be interested to see a photo of myself with a few of the other volunteers - we do the set up and morning shift up to midday - taken at our stall last Saturday.  I am the tallest of the group.

On Tuesday at the first Auxiliary meeting of this year we were presented with a Certificate of Merit for raising in excess of $50,000 this financial year.

Time to head off to start the day with shopping and then attending my quilting group after lunch.

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Happy sewing all

This week in the sewing room

Was all about finishing off the last order for 6 bowl cosies

Blue is the colour for February.   The blue scrap basket has been pulled and needs to be sorted 

I had a phone call during the week asking if I would be interested in taking a stall on the Open Day in March that will be held in our complex in conjunction with Seniors Week.   My next task is to do a stocktake of what is in the giftie/stall box.   Bowl cosies will definitely be on the list.

Back soon and in the meantime

Happy sewing all 

In the pink

This month the RSC challenge is all about pink so in keeping with that pink fabric scraps have been pulled, cut and sew together into a potato chip block.   I did make a small design change in that instead of using all 2 1/2" x 4 1/2" pieces I cut the middle block as a 4 1/2" square just to give the block a focus point.

Pieces were cut and added so that it ended up being 16 1/2" finished and it will take 4 of these to make one of the small charity quilts.   

An all over pink fabric was used to make this small quilt

My quilting group was offered a lot of homespun fabric last year which gave me the  ideal opportunity to take some to use when making library bags for Network Heaven. These were the pink fabrics that were given to Miss M during her stay a couple of weeks ago that she ripped into the required size.   The over locker was busy during the week.   There are 12 bags in various shades of pink in the photo below.      

The cloud formation the other morning cast a pink glow over everything. 

A couple of pink/ish beanies were finished off during the week as well as another started.

3 pink bibs were also made from left over scraps.

Hubs and I celebrated our 52nd wedding anniversary during the week.    We did go out for lunch....the venue was disappointing but the food was delicious.    To finish off the day we enjoyed a bottle of bubbles with some nibbles.

A bit more reading matter.

The stack of 12 bowl cosies were finished off last weekend and delivered.  

As a consequence an order for 6 came in from another neighbour who just happen to see them. Fabrics chosen and ready to start the production line again.  

I look forward to seeing what the colour for February is.

Linking with So Scrappy

                     Quilting is more fun than housework

                     Joyful Quilter - Table scraps

Back soon and in the meantime

Happy sewing all

First FNSI for 2025

Happened last night but for me it was an early start yesterday afternoon as my mission was to clip, turn and pin closed the opening through which the bowl cosies were turned inside out ready to top sew.  This last step in the production line will happen at some point over the weekend.  They can then be declared a finish and delivered.  

This audio book was keeping me company while all this was happening.  

Don't forget to go here to see what others were creating last night when joining in.

Back soon and in the meantime

Happy sewing all

Two weeks of the New Year already gone

Miss M stayed with hubs and I for the first week of 2025 and while the weather was not the best for getting out and about we did manage a trip to the beach, some shopping, lots of UNO was played as the rain fell down, cooking a chocolate cake with Miss M when she stays  has become a bit of a tradition.    I gave her some fabric to rip into what will become library bags.   Her comment on this task was "that  would be great for anger management Grandma".   Arranging some fabric squares for future small quilts when I get to sewing them up.

Now that Miss M has returned home my first job in the sewing room is to complete the bowl cosies that were ordered by my neighbour before Christmas.   Her original order was for 4 which was  subsequently increased to 6 and when she saw me a couple of days ago her daughter who was the recipient of one of the ones that my neighbour bought prior to Christmas asked if I could make her 6 as well.   So the number is now 12.    All cut out and starting to sew

One needs to keep up one's strength while sewing all those bowl cosies so a coffee break from time to time is need as well as a little sweetie

Time to head off and make a start on the day.     Breakfast, a swim, do a few domestics and then back into the sewing room for the next step in the production line of bowl cosies.  

Back soon and in the meantime

Happy sewing all

Wrapping up 2024 and looking forward into 2025

The past 12 months have just zoomed by - not sure where they have gone.    Sewing has taken up a big part of my time and I am pleased with the completed list that appears on the sidebar of my blog.    I did join in with the Chookshed Stitchers Challenge organised by Deana from Dreamworthy Quilts which was to name 10 projects that we wanted to work on  during the year.   A number from 1 to 10 was chosen each month to work on and we worked on the corresponding number on our list.    A great way to start, finish off or make progress on projects that  have been waiting patiently in ideas files,  piles behind cupboard doors, sitting on sewing tables, benches or any other hidey holes that items are stashed.   I have decided not to take part again in 2025 but look forward to seeing what others who do achieve.

Reading has always been a great pleasure of mine and continues to be.    While sewing there is always an audio book playing alongside me

But when it comes to actually reading  I always prefer to hold a book in my hand and turn the pages. There is always a pile of books waiting to be read

 Looking back on the year the war still rages on between Russia and Ukraine as well as the conflict in the Middle East between Israel and Palestine.    Another year has ended with no resolution in sight for either of these areas.  

Covid still circulates within the community and has mutated itself many times over with new strains popping up wordwide.   Something we have had to learn to live with.

Bushfires rage around the country as I type this post and our very own suburb was subject to a backburn which got out of control in September and came very close to us....just across the road. The photo below was taken from our balcony at 2.30 pm on Saturday afternoon and water bombing continued until early Monday evening.    

Regular Zoom sessions are organised from time to time by Donna from Chookyblue which are always fun catching up with other bloggers from round the world and seeing what they are creating in their sewing spaces.    

                                          

The last 2 finishes for 2024 were 2 small quilts that were waiting to be bound which happened while taking part in the last zoom session for 2024 yesterday.   I was given the Sunbonnet Sue panels and matched the borders to the colours in S/Sue's outfit in order to bring the finished quilts up to 32"  square which is the required size for the hospitals.  

Hubs and I hosted our annual VIP New Year's Eve party - him and me - along with a bottle of bubbles, some cheeses, dips,  crackers, cold meats, nuts, fruit and other nibbles. 

We have front row seats in the loungeroom to see the midnight fireworks on tv with no traffic hassles  getting home at the end of the night. 

What will 2025 bring.    

Some years ago I did join in with the Rainbow Scrap Challenge and decided that it was time some of those colourful scraps were brought out from the various colour coded baskets and used up.   A good block to use those scraps in would be potato chip blocks.   Pink is the colour for January.

I do have an order to fill for a few more bowl cosies so they will be the first item on my to do list for 2025.  I will continue to make the small quilts for charity - I might even try and organise the colours for these around the Rainbow Scrap colour each month.  Once the weather cools down it will be time to pick up the knitting needles again and do more beanies.  

I also look forward to being a "daily tourist" in my own city and local area and enjoy the sights that others sometimes travel halfway around the world to see however while this very warm spell of weather that we are having is on it will be time spent in the pool cooling off.  

Over the past few years I have been the publicity officer for the local hospital auxiliary as well as serving on our monthly stalls and doing some sewing all of which I will continue to do in the new year.  I am also a member of two quilting groups - one is only small and we meet each week - and the other meets in the local community hall once a month.   Belonging to different groups is a great way to be motivated and try out new ideas as well as meet challenges set by members.   

Wishing you all a happy and healthy 2025.  

Back soon and in the meantime

Happy sewing all