May WOOFA Challenge

My challenge this month did not actually involve sewing but it did involve my sewing room.    For more than ???????? years I have been using the couch in my sewing room as a holding bay for all those items, fabrics and projects that are in either the idea stage, the soon to be tackled stage, I will get back to that later stage or I do not know that to do with it stage as can be seen below.

On and off during the month time was spent sorting into various bags, boxes and drawers all of the above mess.    Now I have designated spots for all stages of creating and a lovely big space to sit and do research for future projects.

Head on over to Cheryll's blog to see what others achieved during May for their WOOFA challenge.

My couch has remained clutter free for over two weeks but I have to admit that I have had to stop myself from putting bits and pieces on it from time to time.

More fabric for girls skirts was delivered during the week.    These are for 10 year old girls.   There are some pretty pieces in this bundle.

Back soon and in the meantime

Happy sewing all

Back in the Box

A couple of weeks ago a start as made on a 1,000 piece jigsaw.   Now I am not usually a "quitter" and I like a challenge but sometimes you just have to admit defeat which is what I did.   I began to realise that the world would be ready for another pandemic by the time this would be finished at the rate progress was being made.

So time to pack up,  put it back in the box and back into storage.   I did put all the sorted pieces into separate bags so that if ever it is tackled again all the sorting has been done.

Time to lower the bar and start a 550 piece one.

Good progress is being made

It is looking like a lovely clear morning outside so off I go to cruise around the garden to do a quick  trim, clip and pull out the odd weed.    If the weather holds I may even get to sit outside in the sun after lunch to enjoy reading my current book and knit.    Beanie no 5 was started yesterday.     And put a few more pieces of the puzzle together later on today.

Back soon and in the meantime

Happy sewing all

No more burnt fingers

An early start was made in the kitchen one morning during the week once  breakfast was out of the way.    First up I made a plain butter cake and a savoury loaf.   While these were in the oven it was time to make a batch of pikelets.  

Anyone would think that we were expecting a crowd for afternoon tea but no just the two of us.    These have been divided up and now reside in the freezer and will be enjoyed with a cup of coffee each afternoon for a few weeks to come.

While taking the cake tins out of the oven a couple of my fingers learnt the hard way that  a new oven glove is sorely needed.    This fabric was found in my stash and I think that it be suitable to use for a new double oven mitt.

The old oven glove will be used as a template but will add in extra wadding at both ends.

Mission accomplished but I was surprised at just how long it did take to make.     It was made thicker at either end by cutting an extra  piece of wadding about 1/2" smaller than the hand pockets so that there would be less bulk to get the bias binding around.     This was sewn in as a patch onto the wadding before placing the fabric on the top and bottom.   Then all layers were quilted together so there will be no movement of the extra wadding.   I gave it a trial last night when taking a tray out of the oven and no heat was felt on my hands.     

The chosen fabric is part of the Domestic Goddess range and  has been sitting in my stash for just the right project.

Show me Something Blue is the theme for May over at Sarah's blog so I am linking up my double oven glove.

Linking with Friday Finished or Not Finished

                     TGIFF

Back soon and in the meantime

Happy sewing all

It is Cool To be Square

Today is the day to reveal my It is Cool to be Square project.  On my way to the sewing room one day when thinking about what to make  I saw these strawberries growing wild in the garden.

Unfortunately the bandicoots and possums seems to like  strawberries as much as I do and they never get any bigger than this or ripen properly.  

This inspired me to use this last piece of leftover fabric which is one of my favourite pieces that I have hung onto forever even though it is only  6 1/2" x 6 1/2".   Why because strawberries are my favourite fruit and you just never know when you might just need that very last little piece.    

Next thought was what am I going to do with  a small piece?     Teaming it with some white and green

I thought that it would make a  table mat for the dining table so just to be sure that to be  square I chose the square within a square block and here is the result.

It is the first time that I have used a single fold binding and I am not real happy with the result.  I had trouble getting a neat and even mitre on the corners.     I chose to use this method as I thought that the normal binding would be too wide and cut too much off the white points.  

Thanks Carol for organising another fun blog hop and to see more Cool Squares just follow the links below.

May 18

Creatin' in the Sticks

Life in the Scrapatch

Day Brook Designs

Songbird Designs

The Darling Dogwood

Kathleen McMusing

Quilting Gail

May 19

MooseStashQuilting

Beaquilter

Quilt In A Not-Shell

Elizabeth Coughlin Designs

Seams To Be Sew

Daughters of Dorinda

Kathy's Kwilts and More

May 20

Ms P Designs USA

Selina Quilts

Karen's Korner

Just Because Quilts

Becky’s Adventures in Quilting and Travel

Sew Many Yarns

May 21

Scrapdash

Websterquilt

Quilt Schmilt

Vicki’s Crafts and Quilting

May 22

Just Let Me Quilt

Vroomans Quilts

Patchouli Moon Studio

Den syende himmel

Quilt Fabrication

Samelia's Mum

Linking with Midweek Makers

                      Put Your Foot Down.

                     Finished or Not Finished Friday

                     TGIFF

                     So Scrappy

Back soon and in the meantime

Happy sewing all

FNSI

In between gardening, daily walks, domestic duties, cooking, reading, "Zooming" with family and friends and knitting time has been spent in the sewing room this week moving this lot of fabric that was delivered last week

Through my "production line" style of sewing into these size 14 girls skirts.   

I finished off the last one yesterday afternoon when joining Wendy and many others for FNSI

Last night while watching some mindless tv beanie no 2 and 3 were sewn up.

Early last year hubs and I did a huge clean up in our garage and as we all know when there is a clean up things get moved around and can never be found again.     We both knew that there were boxes of jigsaw puzzles in there somewhere but where.   Both of us had looked everywhere except where they were neatly stored which was uncovered this morning.

I will see how long this takes me to do.

Back soon and in the meantime

Happy sewing all

You are not welcome here

It was such a beautiful autumn day yesterday that hubs and I - who have been social distancing and isolating like everyone else only going out for a daily walk  and to the shops once a week to do our shopping - decided to venture out for a local drive to Palm Beach.   After much debating whether we would buy some fish and chips for lunch and enjoy them at the beach it was decided to have an early lunch at home and then go for our drive.

Well that was the right decision.    You could buy a take away coffee at one or two shops but for the rest of the area it was tightly closed.    If we could have bought food we would have been greeted by these scenes in the picnic areas.

As you can see all the tables, benches and BBQ's are taped up whichever way you looked.  

I know that this is the only way to stop large groups congregating in areas but it was a strange, hostile and unwelcoming feeling.  After sitting in the car and enjoying the view of the water it was time to head back to the safety and comfort of our home.  

We both agreed that it would be best to wait until things are "mostly back to normal" before we start venturing out again.   In the meantime we will  stay at home and continue with our COVID-19 projects.

Back soon and in the meantime

Happy sewing all  

Remember this.........

I can report that hubs has been working diligently on his photo sorting since the beginning of last month.    Every day after morning tea he has headed off and worked solidly on sorting photos  and labelling boxes up until lunchtime.

The dining room table now looks like this.

And the photos now look like this.

You will notice that most boxes are not wearing their lids - that is because they are being used to hold those favourite photos from each box that he wants to scan onto the computer.  Once the scanning is completed the boxes can then all be stacked neatly on top of each other on the shelves.

I joined Cheryll and the others for another fun FNwF when beanie one was stitched up and finished off with a pom pom and a start was made on beanie No 2.   I only got as far as casting on and knitting into the back of the stitch  before calling it a night.    Time to head on over here to see some more creativeness.

Back soon and in the meantime

Happy sewing all

A Finish and a start

During the week I finished off the binding on the last three remaining small quilts that I was working on.    This is how they look now.   I had nominated getting the binding done as my  OMG for May.

I have really enjoyed making these quilts and it was fun remembering the projects that the different fabrics were left over from.   I will get them off in the post in the near future.

More fabric for skirts was  delivered to my front door yesterday.    The co-ordinator's hubby had to make a necessary trip out and seeing that it involved passing by my house he stopped off to drop in a bag of fabric.

Due to the fact that I have plenty of time I offered to cut them out as well as sew them up.   The first one is on the cutting table.

As usual these will be "production lined".   Cutting, overlocking and finishing off with the sewing machine.  

Don't forget to sign up over at Cheryll's blog for Week 2 of FNwF.   

Linking with Midweek Makers

                      Put Your Foot Down

                      Finished or Not Friday

                      TGIFF

Back soon and in the meantime

Happy sewing all

Time to bring out the knitting basket

While casting my eye around the sewing room the other day the knitting basket was spotted which has been sitting on top of a cupboard since last year.   Now that the weather is cooling down it is time to start thinking  about making some beanies.

Taking my basket, yarn, needles and green tea with a squeeze of lemon outside after lunch to enjoy the beautiful weather that we are having at present will be the ideal time to sit and knit.   I have been asked if I could make beanies for 6-8 year olds - both girls and boys.    There is plenty of yarn to knit up quite a few beanies.

I have been spending about an hour each day after lunch outside and good progress is being made on  my first beanie.    I am up to shaping the crown.

I will top it off with a pink pompom when finished.  All little girls love pink and purple.  

Back soon and in the meantime

Happy sewing all

In a bind

During the week I managed to quilt and trim 3 more small quilts for the PICU.    An early start was made today in the sewing room for  FNwF where I was able to cut and join their respective bindings.

All that remains to be done to get them over the finish line is to bind them.   That will be my OMG for May.

Once these are completed I will organise to get them sent off to Cheryll for delivery to the John Hunter hospital.

Head on over here to see some more FNwF projects that were worked on by others.

Linking with Put Your Foot Down
                     TGIFF
                     Finished or not Friday

Back soon and in the meantime

Happy sewing all