My first finish for 2012.

Hello, I'm a bit late posting this week, I misplaced my camera.  I seem to misplace things on a regular basis drives me nuts.  Found the camera right where I'd put it in a drawer in my sewing room.

The top photo is my first quilt top (flimsy) finish for the year, just before the end of January too.  Not the best photo it was very windy and I've managed to miss the top and bottom borders all together.I'm very pleased with it.The quilt was from Homespun no.47 it was called Home Among The Vines by Blackbird Designs.  I used the same fabric range as the pattern love those colours.

We have had some very hot weather this week not great for stitching.  I did use the time to look at mags and patterns for a new project to start.  I'm busting to start 2 or 3 new projects.  Just can't decide where to start yet, so many choices.

I spent more time cutting fabric, cutting up some of my scraps into useful sizes and a few old uglies that I can use in scrap quilts.  Its a good hot weather activity.

The other photo is of the baskets I blogged about before.  They are really fun to applique.  I have all the backgrounds cut out and I'll trace a few baskets as I go.  Only 295 to go!

Bye for now,

Debra.

 As you can see in the photo above the borders of the quilt I talked about last week didn't work out exactly as planned.  I've added leaves to one side of last border, maybe it will be finished for next week.
The Jacobs Ladder blocks below were started last year made using reproductions from my stash.  As you can see my design wall consists of batting attached to the wardrobe doors in my sewing room.  Although it was better than having nothing it drove me crazy.

Thanks to my new friend Susan I got the inspiration to make a much better design wall.  I bought 4 foam core boards from a craft supply store and used drawing pins to attach batting.  Then I used Command adhesive strips to stick them up on the doors.  I am very pleased with the result it looks so much nicer and is much better to use as I can pin the blocks directly into the wall.  Thankyou Susan!

I'm still working on the blocks for Orca Bay, lots of trimming and cutting going on.

I picked up my quilt from the machine quilters on Thursday  I'll try to get a photo this week.  No binding on yet.  I'm very pleased with the quilting it looks fabulous. 

I have a busy week this week.  Hope you have a good one. 

Bye for now.

Debra,

Flat out sewing!!!

I've been home alone this week with high hopes of doing lots of stitching.  Somehow I don't do as much as I expect I can.  I did take a photo of my borders for the blackbird quilt however my tech support (17yo son) is snowboarding in Japan for the week.  I wasted a couple of hours trying to figure out how to download the photos from my camera then gave up.

This photo from a couple of months ago will have to do.  There is a quilt under there.  Harry really thinks he's a cat and he adores Dougal (pictured) however he usually can't leave him alone and is either trying to lick his face off or lay on top of him.  So catching them asleep together was pretty special.

On the sewing front I did manage to stitch the 3 finished borders to my blackbird quilt.  I've accidently personalised the last border by stitching the stem across the whole border and not stopping it short and adding leaves to the ends.  After much discussion I have decided to leave it as is and just add the leaves to finish it off.  By the time I do get it finished Jack will be back from Japan and I will be able to show a photo of the quilt.

I have done a bit of work on the Bonnie Hunter mystery quilt Orca Bay.  I still have lots of cutting out to do and it seems like thousands of triangles to make. 

My friend Tracey and I have started to applique the small basket blocks from Blackbird Designs book When the Cold Wind Blows. I cut out all the backgrounds and did the 1st block last year but this year we are going to work on it more.  I've done nearly 5 baskets and Traceys done lots more than that.

I also made a backing in record time.  I took a large quilt to get machine quilted.  The first time I have ever had a quilt professionally quilted.  I'm very excited about it as I finished it a year ago and don't know when I would have got around to doing it myself.  It is from a Miss Rosie book and I have used similar fabrics to the book cause they are Blackbird Designs fabrics.  There is a theme here in case you haven't noticed I think I'm a Blackbird fanatic.  Love their fabric ranges and their patterns.  Tracey and I even did a weekend workshop with them a few years ago at Fragrant Cottage in Warrnambool it was fabulous and they were really lovely.Their quilts were amazing too.

Think that better be it for tonight.
Bye for now.

Debra.

Don't feel like I've achieved much sewing wise this week but I guess all the little bits add up.  I spent Monday cutting fabric for Bonnie Hunters mystery quilt Orca Bay which I have been doing.  I wanted to make it smaller I'll see how that goes.  As you can see my helper Ruby was determined to be centre stage.Every time I moved her she ended up back there again.  I think she won out in the end.

Wednesday I spent a very pleasant afternoon stitching with a group of friends.  There is usually more chatting than stitching but it is a lovely way to spend the day.

I have many projects on the go.  I prefer to think of them as works in progress rather than ufos.  I would really like to get a few of the older projects completed.  I've got plenty to choose from.
 
1st up is a Blackbird Designs quilt from a project on the front cover of Homespun magazine No.47.  I have some leaves to applique on one border, sew the borders on then the top will be finished

Before I go a photo of my gorgeous dog Harry when he was a puppy.  The photo in my blog header is Harry modeling my crocheted granny square blanket that I made last year.

Bye for now,

Debra

Happy New Year.

First day of the new year seems like a good time to start my blog.

2012 will be a challenging year for me for many reasons.  I'm hoping this blog will keep me on track with my

creative pursuits.
My most christmassy quilt with my santa collection.  Might try to pack them away tomorrow if the heat doesn't get to me.  It's going to be 40, waay to hot to be doing very much.

Thats it for tonight.  Stay cool.
So far so good....the adventure has begun!!!