Bit chuffed with myself

My good friend Lyle gave me some early birthday pressies last week, including a marble scrap bag, a print scrap bag and a New York Beauty pattern which came with lots of great templates and quilting stencils.


It's a difficult block (for me!) so I thought I'd give a test block a go before deciding to make the full quilt, and while it is not perfect, I am pretty chuffed with myself!

Attacking UFOs

I was looking for something easy to work on yesterday and found these half finished blocks, made from charm squares and a jelly roll, in a bag in my sewing room. I can barely remember even starting this, and don't know why I put it away unfinished.

So I finished off the easy blocks and put them together without sashings.

And today I should finish off the borders.

Update: borders now finished. Here is another pic:

Star Quilt Coming Along

I've spent this cold, dark morning making the chain blocks to set my star blocks from Crazy Mom's Quilt Along of some time ago and am now just playing with the layout. I think I will put it together without the optional sashings as I am just having one of those days when I can't cut or sew a straight line, so I want to give myself fewer opportunities to stuff up!

I made my blocks with all different white tone on tones for the background, to give it a scrappier look.

Yesterday I had a lazy day in front of the TV crocheting another doiley:

A couple little projects

I've been catching up on my DVD watching this week, while crocheting this cute filet tray cloth:



And also made a smelly wreath for my kitchen with cinnamon sticks and star anise:

Nine Patches

I spent yesterday morning putting these nine patch blocks together in a simple design with a narrow sashing. These blocks are from a block swap I took part in several years ago with an online quilting group and I have been determined to finally do something with them. I'm not sure what I will do for the border, probably something scrappy and simple.

A Fine Day?

It is looking like we might get the first rain-free day in over a week today. Fingers crossed, although it has been good weather for snuggling up to warm pups and doing some crafting in front of the heater.

I bought these pretty pastel fabrics from the local Big W, when I went to get some sewing cotton last week:

And made these Penny Pockets using Happy Zombie's pattern:

Not sure what I am going to do with them - I'd like to make a little hanger for the bathroom for odds and ends. I also made another set of the doileys I blogged about previously, this time in a very light mercerised cotton in blue:

The rain cleared enough yesterday morning to hit the local markets at North Rocks and Blacktown with my friend Lyle. My favourite purchase must be these old magazines from the 50s and 60s, and one from the 1972 because I liked the crochet patterns in it:

They are interesting to flick through. The recipes are quite appalling though. Were herbs not invented in the 50s and 60s? Feel really sorry for the Australians in that era for all the bland dinners! Will have to have a better read through and will share anything interesting.

Lyle also gave me some lovely patterns he bought for me last week:

I finished my panda quilt. I didn't do much quilting on it, just in the ditch around the panda and the borders and bound it in black. I gave it to Lyle as he loves pandas, and he has put it on his wall.

Panda Quilt-Along

I had my second attempt at AJ's Panda Quilt-Along today. This time I read the instructions properly and pinned my pieces together so I didn't get them jumbled up between the cutting table and the sewing machine!

I lost a couple of points on my pinwheels, and I just realised I put one of the borders on wrong, but overall I am really pleased with it. It's such a cute design. Thanks for sharing this pattern, AJ!