Oliver's Back

Yesterday I decided it was time to turn the stitchery below into something useful!

 

Easier said than done when this fellow's about!

 He just doesn't get that rolling around on a cutting mat is NOT a good idea!

 And potentially perilous!

  

Oliver Henry

Brat and sooky la la!

 Anyway, here's where I'm at with my (modified) Cottage Blessings bag.

Pattern by Natalie Lymer and  Rouenneries fabric ... still loving it!

 

Tail Feathers Blocks 7 and 8

Hope you're not sick of seeing my Tail Feathers blocks. Here is Block 7 ...

consisting of Family Tree ...

and Blossom.

 Block 8 is made up of ...

 Dreamer and ...

 Birds Eye View.

These Tail Feathers blocks have been great to stitch on cold winter evenings.

(usually with a big cat on my lap!) 

The last two days I've been at the Devonport Eisteddfod with my Penguin Primary students. They have been very successful in both the Vocal Solos and Choir sections. Today my niece Tali won the 10 and Under Solo and my nephew Micah came second in the Boys Solo section. I have more children performing tomorrow and Friday then maybe I'll find the time and energy to stitch this weekend. Just remembered I start holidays next Friday ... only 6 more work days and another term will be over.

Tail Feathers Blocks 5 and 6

Yesterday I woke up to blues skies so quickly pressed Tail Feathers and rushed it outside for some photos. Below is block 5 which sits in the centre of the quilt and features this stitchery/applique block called Three Blossom Birds.

Next is block 6 ...

with  Quiet Time ...

 and Day Spa.

So far this weekend has been 'stitchless'. I have a full week coming up at the Devonport Eisteddfod with choirs and vocal solos. With nearly 40 entries I have been busy preparing CDs, music for the adjudicator, and lots of other last minute chores.Hope you find time to stitch today even if it eludes me! See you soon.

Back in Blogland!

After an unplanned but necessary blog break here I am again! Last month I took part in Christmas in July over at Quilt Fabric Delights. This Holly  Pincushion, designed by Gail Pan, was one of the many lovely patterns I received.

 I used some Glace on the back. After last month's dismal tally at least I'll have one finish for OPAM in August.

The stitchery below is another I received from QFD's Christmas in July. Once again it's a Gail Pan design and will be the centre of a wallhanging called This Christmas Night.

 

During my absence I managed to finish stitching all the mini blocks for Tail Feathers and today I sewed the nine centre blocks together. Looks good, but I'm waiting for some better weather before I take it outside for a photo shoot.

If you read last month's Homespun (No 86) you might have noticed I made the Readers' Showcase pages. Just a bit exciting!!

Tail Feathers Block 4

Well, here is Tail Feathers block 4. The mini-blocks are ...

Little Tweet

Nesting

and Applique Bird

Blocks 1 - 4  ... it is growing!

Today I had a pyjama day! After finally finishing my school reports yesterday, I was too tired to do anything other than watch TV and do some hand stitching. Tomorrow I hope to spend some time in the sewing room  .... it seems ages since I used the sewing machine. Bye.

Lucky Me

Recently Catherine at Our Shabby Cottage celebrated her 250th blog post. I was the very lucky winner of her celebratory giveaway. Take a look at all the gorgeous gifts she sent me.

A beautiful Matryoshka doll called "Elsa". Isn't she sweet?

A cute "Lavender Strawberry Kit" to make two pretty strawberries!

A lavender filled "Elizabethan style Kissing Ball".

and 3 lovely Mary Rose fat quarters.

Thank you Catherine. It is all beautiful.

Cottage Blessings

Last week I took a litttle break from Tail Feathers and stitched up this cute little design.

  Like Tail Feathers, it is also by Natalie Lymer of Cinderberry Stitches. I used DMC 3831 to stitch it on one of the plain Rouenneries fabrics. Still deciding whether I'll make it up into the bag Natalie designed or do my own thing.


At the moment I'm in the middle of writing reports ... a 70 word music comment on 300+ children is a big job, so there's not a lot of stitching happening here!

Tail Feathers Block 3

  Yesterday I was able to get outside and take some pictures of Tail Feathers block 3.

This little stitchery is called Bird Statues.

Each block has an Applique Bird. 

 My favourite part of block 3 is the Tree House stitchery.

After dreading satin stitch for so long, I have actually started to enjoy these sections ... as long as I do them during daylight. (Even with a lamp I find it too hard to see at night time!!)

Here are the first three blocks all sewn together ... a sign of progress.

Back soon with block 4.

A Little Retail Therapy

 From Sarah ... patterns from Figtree Quilts and Thimble Blossoms to use up some of my collection of jelly rolls and layer cakes ...

 and Lynette Anderson's Scandanavian Christmas pattern set. I've had my eye on this one for a while .. love the red stitching with the applique.

 

 From the Quilt Patch in Launceston ... fat 8th rolls of Rural Jardin. This range is rapidly becoming my new favourite.

 I took some pictures of some recent stitching but they were so awful I'm going to have another try today while the light is better. I'm NOT a fan of winter and the cold, grey days that accompany it!