This Week in the Sewing Room

Very little was achieved due to having Miss M stay for a few days.   We did however find time to make a small blanket and pillow for one of her favourite toys and while we were finding suitable fabrics for them she saw this love heart fabric - as she called it - and asked if her new apron could be made from it.

I declared this weekend "a catch up on sewing weekend" and managed to cut out and sew up her new apron.  I used the same pattern that is used to make the childrens' aprons for the hospital stall but enlarged it in a few places.

Next onto a job which I have been procrastinating over doing for a couple of weeks.   Hubs bought a new pair of trousers without trying them on and of course they needed to be altered.     Not only were they too long but they were quite loose around the waist so a complete make over was needed.  Here they are all fixed up and ready to wear.

After that episode it was time to reward myself so out with my pretty pink fabrics to cut and sew four curved log cabin blocks which was my nominated OMG for July.

What were you able to achieve in your sewing room over the weekend?

Linking with So Scrappy
                      Oh Scrap

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A little piece of Scotland

Hubs likes all things Scottish - especially shortbread - and when shopping in one of my favourite quilt shops sometime back  I saw a fat quarter which depicted all things Scottish so home it came with me and sat in my sewing room until the other day when it was made into a cushion cover.

Hubs was delighted with his little piece of Scotland.   With all the heavy fog that we have been having lately anyone would think we lived in Scotland.  

It is good weather for eating lots of warming soup.  I like to make a large pot so we can have it over a couple of days for lunches.

Fortunately the weather  has cleared as hubs and I have had Miss M with us for a few days so we have been able to get out and do all those holiday activities like scooting around the lake

Playing in the playground

Riding on the Manly ferry and seeing the sights of city as they come into view.

Doing some potting of plants at the local garden centre to take home and look after.   Miss M is proudly showing the poppy that she planted.  

All the toys have been picked up, the colouring in books and pencils back where they belong, the sewing machine and computer are mine to use again and Miss M has been delivered back to her mummy and daddy.     I will miss my "little shadow" and hope that she is able to come and stay with us again  next school holidays.

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Christmas in July

My quilting group issued the challenge of making some small Christmas decorations/ornaments which will be given  Kris Kringle style at our meeting next week.    Digging into the pile of Christmas scraps I came up with the idea of making some Christmas tree trivets which can be used as table decorations.

I made a couple of these for my own use a few years ago and found them good to put under small bowls of goodies that we tend to put around at Christmas time.    They are a fun a quick project to work on even though I had to re-think how to do paper piecing.    Working backwards does my head in at times.    

I was working on these over the last couple of days and finished them off this afternoon after returning home from enjoying a Christmas in July lunch with my walking companions.     We will have to do an extra long walk to justify eating such a large meal.   We were  however very good as none of us caved in and order the pudding with custard.  

Thanks Cheryll for organising FNwF 

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Pretty in Pink

The rainbow scrap colour for July is pink and I am looking forward to sewing these fabrics below  to make up the next batch of curved log cabin blocks which I will nominate as my OMG for this month.

Since my last post I have slotted through the drawstrings on  20 library bags so these can now be considered a finish.

Linking with   OMG

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Barrenjoey Lighthouse

Is where my walking companions and I decided to walk to yesterday.    After parking at Palm Beach the lighthouse can be seen at the top of the hill in the first photo.    Ignore the time that the sign gives to do the walk .  You would have to be a marathon runner and not look to the right, left or enjoy the view from the top once reached to achieve that timing.

Here we are at the bottom of the first set of many steps ahead of us.    As you can see from the second photo there is no railing to grab onto so the rocks alongside the walk helped us to steady ourselves. 

Time to turn around and see how far we have climbed and have a well earned rest. 

We made it and here are the photos to prove it.   The lighthouse was built in 1880 and has an interesting history as do all lighthouses.

                                     

Some of the views that can be seen from the top.    The first photo is looking south with Palm Beach on the LHS of the photo and Pittwater on the RHS.    The second photo is looking north towards the Central Coast with Lyon Island directly in front with some fog over it.

And now for the descent.   I am not sure which was worse - the steep steps going up or the slippery slope coming down.    Some interesting rock formations and caves were seen along the way and nearly back down to the beach where we started.  

On level land again.    Our feet and legs deserved a well earned rest so the photo of our feet was taken sitting down as we all enjoyed a coffee.  

It was a perfect day to do the walk and even though we found it quite strenuous in sections it was worth it.    Back soon and in the meantime

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Click clack up and back

Was the sound of the knitting needles over the past few weeks while knitting beanies as mentioned in a previous post.  I was allocated 5 six years old - 2 boys and 3 girls.    Here they are all finished with their pom pom on top.   I tried to vary the stripes each time to make them a bit more individual.

Time was found to top stitch around some bibs and sew on the Velcro closures.   This time 6 were made as the last batch of 3 sold very quickly off the hospital stall.    Some of the fabrics are leftovers from previous projects and  have been sitting around my sewing room for sometime so it is nice to find a good use for them at last.  

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FNSI

Yesterday was one of those super sparkly winter Sydney days that just had to be enjoyed so hubs and I decided to head to Balmoral Beach for lunch.    Driving  to the Beach entails heading down one of Sydney's steepest streets.   Every year "the Balmoral Burn" is organised by the Humpty Dumpty Foundation to raise much needed funds for childrens' essential medical equipment.   It has been run for the last 19 years and is not for the unfit or fainthearted.  

Once down the bottom of the hill good views can be seen of Sydney Harbour

The photo below was taken showing one of the many Morton Bay fig trees that are growing around the area and if you look very closely the Manly Ferry can be seen in the RHS of the photo crossing the harbour.  

Many examples of Federation architecture can be seen around the beach such as the rotunda below and the promenade.

One of the many restaurants which can be found to sit, relax, enjoy a lovely meal and a view of the area.

Time to head on home and make a start on getting my blue log cabin blocks sewn together.    This is my nominated OMG for June.  

Thanks goes to Wendy for organising another fun FNSI.   Looking at the list there are 16 other crafters who were going to be busy last night so head on over here to see what they did.  

The knitting of the beanies is progressing well and my aim is to have the last one off the needles sometime this week.   Then begins the sewing up and making of the pom poms.

Linking with So Scrappy

                      Oh Scrap

                      Elm Street Quilts

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Happy sewing all