Linen and Threads SAL travels through the Australian Outback to the Great Barrier Reef

For the longest time we have talked about 'The Road Trip'.  A trip that takes us away from city life and through outback Australia.  

And so, when we talked about going to Queensland, it seemed like a good idea to make *this* our road trip,  4 long days of travelling in the middle of no-where for most of the day, keeping watch for kangaroos, emus and wild goats that might run into the path of the car, not enough toilet stops along the way, sleeping in some basic accommodation, and most importantly, hours of stitching time in the car. 

 

Taken from the car window along the Barrier Highway, about 8 hours drive from home.

We started off in high spirits, travelling to Broken Hill (known for its silver mines), which is such a pretty town and somewhere we would like to go back and stay longer. There was plenty of wildlife, kangaroos and emus were close to the road, and although I have often seen kangaroos on country roads, I have never seen emus so close and the wild goats were everywhere. 

We travelled on to 'Warrawong on the Darling' where we spent our first night. The owners had the cabin's air-conditioner on when we arrived, and it felt like heaven walking into a lovely cool room.  Although I didn't stitch in the car, as I was either driving or on 'roo watch, I did manage to put a few stitches in that evening.

Two billabongs, formed next to the Darling River

Good ole gum tree!

Lately, the Darling River has been in the news as some of the water users upstream have been taking more of their allocation,  and so the Darling is drying up. I was interested in seeing the condition first hand.

Darling River

Well, the photo speaks for itself...

Final finishes of 2017

Well! This is a novel experience! Usually when I take photos with my tablet or phone I have great difficulty uploading them from google photos, but it seems Blogger has changed things since my last post.  So, here's the 2017 Christmas ornaments that I sent to a friend!

Tiny Modernist -Winter Cuties

I traced around the inside of the inner hoop on foam board, cut it out with a craft knife and then gently pushed foam board into the back for a neat finish.

If you haven't discovered Tiny Modernist yet, here's the etsy shop for some instant gratification

Tiny Modernist

I love to make a little Christmas mat each year to send.

The backing was just as interesting as the front!


I hope 2018 has gotten of to a great start for you.  

DMC Stitchable Mesh, Anyone?

Whilst wandering through the world of blogs, I came across, on an embroidery site, mesh from DMC that is stichable.  A quick check from Joanne at 123 revealed this -http://www.123stitch.com/item/DMC-Stitchable-Mesh-Fabric-Reversible-GoldSilver-10x10/DMC-MSH

From what I've read on a couple of embroidery blogs, the mesh retains hoop marks, so that would be an issue for cross-stitchers. But has any one used this mesh and found any other issues?

I am intrigued at its possibilities! Thoughts, please!!

Taking a break from Linen and Threads Mystery SAL

I hadn't bought any cross stitch since I started working on the SAL, so it was time to rectify that!

I had a few designs on my wishlist that are quick stitches, compared to the SAL anyway.  One needs a quick stitch every now and then when working on a BAP, doesn't one?

Blackbird Designs- Liberty House

the fan that I am of Blackbird Designs made me buy it and it kinda looks like home

Lizzie Kate - Aging Artfully

well I am getting older...

And Lizzie Kate - Be Who You Are

because teens need a gentle reminder that its okay to be themselves

And it really is time to start thinking about this year's Christmas stitching...

Linen And Threads 2017 SAL April's Progress

As I fervently stitch away, I marvel at the symmetry of this design. At how the motifs fit so well together, and how the motifs are created so that a full repeat or half repeat occupies its own space.

If you are also stitching this, comment on this post and I'll drop by and have a look at your stitching!

Looking for the SAL by Linen and Threads?  here is the main page, looks for Mystery Sampler SAL across the top.

Linen And Threads Mystery Sampler SAL

The fabric has been chosen (32ct White Belfast Linen) and the floss has been selected (DMC 964, with smatterings of 958 and 959) and the stitching has begun!

Note to self- do not stitch while watching Major Crimes. I will discover at the end of the episode that I am one stitch out. (Love Sharon, but miss Brenda Leigh.)

Find the Linen and Threads Mystery Sampler SAL here

I'm a sucker for a free SAL

So I just received my newsletter from Linen and Threads here in Australia, with news about their free Stitch-A-Long. (Look for the tab in their banner 'Mystery Sampler SAL' for details). Or they have a facebook page already going here.

Its huge, released over 12 months, and I'm already late! Anyone reminiscing about Mary Wigham?

Off to choose fabric and threads and get stitching before the next part is released...

I just managed to grab some pics before I mailed this off.

'Oh Christmas Tree' by Barbara Ana

Although I've been missing, my little fingers have been busy.  I've been quilting like crazy, but cross stitch remains my first love!

Oh, and in case you're wondering, it seems that Google and Blogger are the lesser of two evils, so I'm back on Blogger using Chrome as my browser. We'll see how this goes :)

Wishing you a Merry Christmas and a safe and healthy New Year!

Blogger, is was good while it lasted

But you're giving me too much grief trying to post pics, so I'm moving to here


https://astitchingfrenzy.wordpress.com/


Just spent 2 hours fiddling around trying to 'fix' you....

Oh, and look- now that I've used google chrome and not IE, you work. Not happy google. I don't want to use chrome...

Cross Stitch SAL Alert - Quilty Stitches Sampler Along

Corey at Little Miss Shabby is having a SAL!


Its a cross stitch SAL with a quilty blocks theme and looks cute and quick!


(Now when I can get blogger to cooperate, I'll post a pic)


Happy Stitching!

UFOs- the good and the bad...

The good news is that my UFOs, WIPs and NESYs (Not Even Started Yet) only take up one shelf in my bookcase.

The bad news is that means I have 4 shelves of fabric that I bought for no specific reason. Other than I liked it and thought it would made a great quilt, so I guess that counts for something, right?

Here's my WIPs.

1/

Started this on Dec 26th for this Valentine's Day. Used fabric in stash and bought the magazine a-la PDF style- how great are PDFs for instant gratification?

2/

Just need to make this into a little 10x12 hanging thingie in time for V Day.

 

3/



My hexies used to be my 'to go' project but my 15yo doesn't need me waiting around for him anymore.  So now that I have finished the hand quilting I was doing in front the TV, I'll start working on these. Got enough Lakehouse fabric to make a queen size quilt out of these.

 

4/

Snowball quilt for my 15yo. Started collecting texty-style prints when Hometown was first released. Picked this up again after it was in exile for a while.

 

Not so many, right?

Now the UFOs of various ages-

5/

Fat Quarter Stars QAL blocks. Finally decided on sashings and then put it away as some other project was calling me. Might need to buy some more fabric for the sashings, but then again, I could just choose a different print from my stash.

 

6,7 and 8 / Waiting to be quilted and bound.

 

A single bed sized Christmas quilt from the Layer Cake QAL.

Simple charm quilt made to practice my FMQ.

Another of Konda's QAL.

 

9/

A freebie wall hanging, circa 2010, possibly earlier. 

 

Not too many again, hey?

And now, the biggest list.

 

My NESY projects, already kitted and ready to go, and then some other prospective project caught my attention.

 

10/

Wall hanging for front foyer.  With a massive pile of Fig Tree fabric obsessively carefully purchased to choose from. Not shown here.  They're all variations of these colours. Really need to start this as I need to replace the Christmas wallhanging currently hanging in the foyer.

 

11/

 

12/

 

 

13/

14/

Missed finishing this in time for Christmas 2013.  2014 is looking good for its premiere.

15/

 

16/

 

17/

Bed runner for the 15yo's bed. Purchased when he was 13.

 

18/

Wall hanging for my bedroom.

19/

Bought enough of this fabric to make this runner 10 or so times over.

20/

Got lots of this fabric too! Well, we can always use matching cushion covers, can't we?

 21/

And matching pillow cases for my new bed quilt, too!

 

Non-quilty sewing

22/



 

Can't make up my mind what to make first, but if I don't hurry up, summer will be over.

23/

 

Another 'Classmate', this time for a friend.

 24/

 Just waiting for some different Nicey Jane to arrive for contrasting ruffle, sleeves and tie belt. Couldn't decide which one to chose, so bought 2 different prints so I can compare in the flesh. Plus Kay Whitt's new jacket pattern plus some heavier decorator fabric to make it in. Couldn't waste the extra space left in the envelope, could I?

So that's it. Apart from 4 shelves of fabric. And two baskets of patterns that just need to find their partners in the fabric pile. 

Guess I'd better go and look at everyone else's WIPs so that I can feel better about my lot!

 

 

Fabriholics Anonymous -here I come!

A few weeks ago I stumbled across The Elven Garden blog and it struck a cord about my obsessive need to collect quilt fabric.  Every time I am in my sewing  family room, I see this rather glaringly obvious stack of evidence that I buy too much.





So, here's my pledge-

GOALS:

- To use the Stash I already have!

- Finish UFOs without distraction by shifting to other new beautiful fabric.

- Stop the insanity of constantly buying the latest and greatest fabric.

- Save the $$ I spend on stashing. For me, this is going to mean I start saving for something. Maybe a holiday from all this guilt. That dream simply isn't going to happen while I spend every little extra bit of my husband's pay on fabric.

- Destash the fabrics that I realize I am never going to use.

FABRIC FAST RULES:

1) No fabric purchases for 6 months beginning January 1, 2014.   

2) At 6 months reevaluate status and decide whether to keep going for full year.  Evaluation July 1, 2014.

3) Create a UFO list and complete them!

4) Exceptions

• Backing: purchasing a backing to finish a quilt top is permissible.  However, attempting to use fabric in your possession for a backing is preferable.
• Books and Magazine purchases are allowed as they are not fabric.  Notions acceptable too.
• Swap Mama Fabric: if hosting a swap you are permitted to by fabric to execute swap duties, but you may not join a swap simply for the sake of being able to buy fabric!
• Quilts for Publication: if you are making a quilt for a publication and need certain fabric to execute it correctly then that is a major exception - who can blame you?

I felt rather smug as I was reading this pledge - I didn't have any UFOs so it wasn't like I never finished anything, I just had rather ambitious ideas on how  many quilts I could actually make, right? Then I spied this little basket.

 



 

Three basted quilts ready to finish, as well as twelve blocks from Fat Quarter Stars QAL just doing nothing. Hmm, p'haps I do have a problem with finishing.    'course if I looked at my cross stitch UFOs, I'd  know  that I have a problem finishing things.

 

And maybe I have a problem with actually starting anything  cos I have at least 6 patterns already kitted up and ready to start. So maybe my un-started projects are really my UFOs...

 

Hey Aussies- looking for a little 'Boo' in your life?

Then drop by Clare's blog - she's having a strange giveaway!

Photo from Clare's blog.

 

 



Getting ready for Halloween?

Guess what? I'm actually ready for Halloween this year.  Here's the decorations, finally finished and on display.

The Sew Spooky cross stitch was purchased from by Carol at iStitch and Voodoo Bob's chart was purchased from Stitching Bits and Bobs. I started these two years ago, I can't believe its taken so long to finish them and then blog about it. Talk 'bout procrastination!

Happy Halloween!

A peek at my bed

to see my new quilt!

I used Mary's instructions for  Framed Rectangles to make these blocks and then used lots of strips for the border on all three sides.

'scuse the floor, we haven't decided on new coverings.  It has Amy Butler Decorator fabric (so its thicker  and warmer), wool batting, flannelette backing and is really cosy.  It needs  more quilting, which I'll do by hand in Spring when I replace the quilt with a lighter weight one, yet to be made, but kitted up and waiting to be sewn. I made matching pillow cases by using one I already had as a template and so they have a flap inside that secures the case from slipping off.

Stay tuned for some cross stitching finishes- after a love/hate relationship with our family computer, I'm finally back online, and currently loving the computer cos its working again!

Happy Stitching!