The first step.....

Has been taken for the square dance mystery party - that being having a play with my stash and deciding on what fabrics will be used.    There was not much deciding to do as I have been waiting for a project to use up a lovely fat quarter bundle I was given for my birthday last year.    I also pulled more fabrics from my stash to go with the fq's and I can just "see" them sitting on the table.  Today's job is to make a start on the cutting instructions. 

While going through my stash I found a whole lot of 2 1/2" squares and strips that need "something" done with them.    Not sure what that something is yet but my mind is working on it.  I am thinking 
this will be an in between project over a period of time.   No goal - no timeframe - just sew and see what happens. 

Back soon and in the meantime

Happy sewing all

A Dance Party........

During the week while doing some blog hopping I read about a Square Dance Mystery quilt along that is about to begin and of course I was intrigued to find out more.    Over I went to A Square Dance begins and the more I read the more interested I became especially since the mystery includes all sizes from a tabletopper to a king sized quilt.  Having decided that this is "the year of the smaller project" I was in with the tabletopper.  Clues are given on the 3rd Friday of each month for the next 6 months.



All that remains for me to do is raid my stash and come up with the said fabric suggestions.  I have taken part in a couple of mystery quilts-a-longs and have always been very happy with the end result. 

Back soon and in the meantime

 Happy sewing all

Red roses and a bottle of bubbles

Today hubs and I celebrated our 45th wedding anniversary by having lunch at our favourite restaurant.   Where have those last 45 years gone.   It only seems like yesterday that I was walking down the isle with my father towards the man of my dreams.   The photo below shows us signing our marriage certificate.

Such a lot has happened during that time - like everyone there have been the good times and the not so good times but you have to roll with them, hang on tight and hopefully come out the other side as we have been lucky enough to have done. 

Hubs came back from the shops this morning with a gorgeous bunch of red roses and a bottle of bubbles which we will enjoy this evening. 

Back soon and in the meantime

Happy sewing all

Something Blue

This month the colour for the Rainbow Challenge is blue and keeping this in mind I made an early start on the first  FNSI for 2018 using up some blue scraps.    I have two very good friends who are heading off to Vietnam in a couple of weeks time and while I will not be joining them in their travels I will send something along with them which  will enable me to  be there in name as well.    I  find when travelling that a drawstring bag is always a  handy item to have in my luggage for a number of things especially shoes.   I  made one for each of them - both the same and the photo below shows the front and the back of the bags.

The third friend in the group - who like me will not be joining them- and because I did not want her to feel left out I decided to make her an  origami bag - in shades blue of course.  I had already made the bag and only needed to slot through the ribbon tonight.

Sometime ago - about 4 years - I made a change pad for Miss M and there was a piece of the waterproof fabric left over which was put to good use today as well.   I always carry a bottle of water with me when going out for the day and I am sick of having a "wet patch" in my bag from condensation.   No more will this problem occur again.

As you can see the outside is  waterproof  and is lined  inside with terry toweling  to absorb any moisture.     I now have a dry bag and the water keeps cool inside its holder.   A win win situation.

Tomorrow hubs and I celebrate our wedding anniversary.    We are heading off to our favourite restaurant for lunch to celebrate.

Linking with Rainbow Challenge and Oh Scrap.

Back soon and in the meantime

Happy sewing all

Apples and pears

Once I finished working on the pile of red strips I then made a start on the yellow scraps 

 To end up with apple and pear hot pads.

I have put these in my "giftie box" for a later date. 

Linking with Oh Scrap and OMG for January. 

Now onto the next project but in the meantime

 Happy sewing all

FNwF

Tonight is the first FNwF for 2018 and in keeping with my motto for this year....keep it small.....a beach bag for use by hubs and I when going to the beach each morning was the first cab off the rank.

Seeing that hubs usually carrys the bag I thought that the pink flamingo fabric that I saw would not be appreciated by him so  my choice was toned down to the above and besides it was on special for $4.00 a metre and a metre was all that was needed.    A cheap beach bag!!!!!

It has a pocket on the inside secured by velco in which to put the car keys for safe keeping so all in all it only took just over an hour to make tonight. 

Back soon and in the meantime.

P.S.    It was cut out earlier in the week!!!!!! which I always think is the slowest part. 

Happy sewing all

Back in the box

The time has come to take down the Christmas decorations which have been adorning the inside of our house for the past month.   Somehow it is not as exciting to have to take down and put away the decorations as it is to get them out and put them on display.

While I was "undressing" the tree and putting the decorations and tinsel in their respective boxes ready for next Christmas

Hubs was collecting the Christmas cards, taking down the wall hangings and other decorations on tables and shelves in various room.  Then of course at the end of all the putting away comes the vacuuming of the tinsel that somehow seems to float off the tree and onto the floor to be tracked through the rest of the house. 

When doing this job each year I always think of those people who do the most amazing displays all over their houses including the garden and roof and wonder just how long it takes them to dismantle all those bits and pieces and then where do they store them? 

The Rainbow Scrap Challenge is being run again over at So Scrappy .  I took part in the Rainbow Challenge two years ago and ended up with a beautiful quilt which now sits on Miss M's bed.  I did not take part last year but thought I would join in again this year in order to try and get those scraps down.    I did say that I was going to keep my projects small this year so I have decided to make an item of each month's nominated colour.  January is blue so I am going to have a dig around and pull all of my blue scraps out and see how they end up.

                                                    

Back soon and in the meantime

Happy sewing all

OMG for January

A New Year brings new goals.    Taking a look back on my sewing from last year I have decided to keep my projects smaller this year.     During the time that I was working solidly on my hexie bed topper I did take some "diversional therapy breaks"  to give me some instant gratification of a quick finish and I really enjoyed sewing these smaller items such as hot bowl holders, an origami bag, snap top bags and I did make a start on sewing these strips of fabric together but never got any further so my OMG for January is to finish sewing these strips and turn them into something useful.

Back soon and in the meantime

Happy sewing all