Chookshed Challenge # 5

Was to knit 4 beanies with pom poms and these were finished off yesterday

While soaking up some autumnal sunshine and listening to this audio book which had quite a lot of twists and turns and an unexpected ending which I did not see coming.

During the week I finished off reading this book which had been lent to me.   I enjoyed the beginning of the book but  felt that it was a bit too long and did drag in the middle however I did stick with it and thought  the ending was very fitting for each of the characters.   

While waiting for the next challenge number to be drawn more 6" squares have been cut ready to sew up.

Back soon and in the meantime.  

Blogger is not playing nicely again - it will not allow me to change to colour of the font below from black to blue.    Grrrrrrrrrrrhhhhhhhh.

Happy sewing all

Manly to Shelley Beach

During the week I was a tourist in my local area and spent the day at Manly.   I  pass through Manly on my way to the city but thought I would make it my destination.    I used to do the Manly to Shelley Beach walk frequently but have not done so for a few years now and being the lovely day that it was made it all that more enjoyable.   

Start of the walk- looking back across Manly beach.  

Some lovely sculptures along the way

Destination - Shelley Beach - reached.  This is a very popular beach for scuba divers as you can see.  

Time to about face and head back to Manly

I enjoyed my day out and planning my next expedition to - not sure where yet.  

The beanie that I was knitting last week with the variegated yarn was finished off during the week.

Back soon and in the meantime

Happy sewing all

In and out of the sewing room and FNSI

Two small quilts that had been hanging around the sewing table waiting to be bound were finished off during the week.

Met up with some friends for lunch at the Dunes Palm Beach and as you can see it was far from busy being the day after Mothers Day. 

I am sure that the staff were grateful for a quieter day as the restaurant had been fully booked the previous day.  

It was a superb day yesterday just ideal for a ferry trip to meet up with another group of friends at the Woolwich Pier Hotel for lunch.   This photo was taken from the Woolwich wharf looking back cross to the City.

A cute "no smoking sign" at the hotel.

When joining in with FNSI only a few rows of knitting were achieved.  You can see more crafting from last night over here.

Back soon and in the meantime

Happy sewing all

Ramses Exhibition

I have always had an interest in ancient Egyptian history and when learning that the Ramses Exhibition was going to be in Sydney until mid May it was put on the "to do list" and seeing that the middle of May is fast approaching it was time to visit the Museum before this opportunity was lost.

It is hard to imagine that you are standing and looking at pieces of jewellery and other artefacts over 3,000 years old with just a glass case between the object and yourself.   What a clever and inventive civilization they were.    To think of the primitive implements that were available to them and the massive structures that were built as well as the intricate and fine jewellery pieces that were also created during this time is just amazing.     

It was an incredible exhibition and just thinking about the logistics of transporting and setting up all those priceless pieces is mind blowing.   

Saw this rainbow late yesterday afternoon from the bedroom window.   Just after this photo was taken it disappeared so no chance of finding where the pot of gold was.

Back soon and in the meantime

 Happy sewing all

FNwF and From this........

To this

And no not all the fabric has been sewn up.    It has been bagged up and stored in the cupboard

However I will not show you behind the doors.......that is to be sorted another time but for the time being the room looks rather tidy compared to what it was a couple of weeks ago.   

Last night when joining in with FNwF I worked on getting this quilt pinned ready for quilting.   You can see more of what happened with fellow FNwF participants  over here. 

During the past few weeks these beanies have been knitted.  You are most probably thinking that they are not colours that you would knit for babies but the charity that they are going to requested darker colours so darker colours it is.  

This month's number is no 5 for the Chookshed Stitchers challenge which upon consulting my list turns out to be knitting up 4 beanies with pom poms.    These colours have been pulled and cast on during the week.

Back soon and in the meantime

Happy sewing all

A Sewcation

I decided last weekend that I should give myself a few days "sewcation" seeing that all the domestics were caught up with and after having been out everyday last week with Miss M while she stayed with us.  When checking the calendar there was nowhere that I needed to be on any particular day and as I needed to catch up on my Chookshed challenge #9 as well as try and get a few of those small quilts that were in various stages of progress finished this week was the time to do it.  

First up my Chookshed challenge #9  which was to make some small snap top bags is now completed. (One of them has already been gifted)  You can see more  No 9 finishes over at Dreamworthy Quilts.   Now to see which  challenge numbers comes up for May.  

Two tops that had been pinned ready for quilting are now both finished.

More cutting, pinning, quilting and binding ended up as two "I spy" quilts

While cutting some of the fabrics I kept cutting and now have a pile of 6" cut squares to be used in future.   

Both of these audio books kept me company while in the sewing room.

I thoroughly enjoyed my stay at home "sewcation" and will definitely be making this a more regular activity.   I did make sure that we had a couple of lunches out and when cooking meals of a night my one pan dinners were on the menu to minimise time spent in the kitchen and gain more time in the sewing room. This  pasta, chicken, carrot, onion and bok choy along with cashews is a favourite both to eat and cook.  

It was 3 years ago this week that hubs and I moved from our home of 45 years to where we are living now.  Of course we had to celebrate  this "anniversary" - where have those 3 years gone.  

Just happened to look out of the bedroom window around 6 am and saw this colourful sunrise

Back soon and in the meantime

Happy sewing all

FNSI

Miss M had been staying with us over the past week and now that she has returned home and all the domestics that were neglected while she was with us have now been attended to it was lovely to be able to join in with FNSI.    I was beginning to have withdrawal symptoms from not spending time in the sewing room. 

Last time I was in there blocks had been cut out for a couple more children's quilts, blocks which had been cut out for a few weeks waiting to be sewn up were piled up in various areas along with fabrics that are waiting to be cut up making the room look like a bomb site.

It was a good feeling to get stuck in there late yesterday afternoon and make a start somewhere which resulted in this

Unfortunately one side of the room still looks like a bomb site.   My aim is to get it tidied up by the end of the month.   Those piles do mean something to me!!! 

You can see what the others achieved last night here.   

Back soon and in the meantime

Happy sewing all