Design Wall Monday - FQs sent & received

This has been on my design wall for far too long - it is time to sew it up - ready for Monochromatic Challenge.

Check out other design wall participants HERE

I received some gorgeous yellow FQs in the mail last week from Wendy, along with some extra bits & pieces - thank you Wendy. 

These are the fat quarters I sent to Wendy & Barb

It's the end of the month - time to play catch-up ;-)

I have spent most of the day playing catch-up with all my swaps.

Cheryll has let me know that the towel toppers I made have arrived.

It was a bit out of my comfort zone, but I did so enjoy this particular challenge.

I made two towels, learning something new with each step of the way.

I hope Cheryl likes them - they have antique buttons on them - the buttons came from Mum's stash that could be anywhere from the 1930's onwards.

My May blocks for Block Swap Adventure and Quilt Block Swap Australia are in the mail.

I received some gorgeous yellow FQs in the mail today from Wendy, along with some extra bits & pieces - thank you Wendy.  It is too dark to take a photo now and will try again tomorrow morning.

May swap blocks finished and in the mail ;-)

Hi everyone

I don't know where my head is lately - I just can't seem to concentrate on anything for any amount of time.

I finally got to spend some time in the sewing room today and was able to finish up the last two blocks for my swap groups.

Here is a sneak peek of the block for Lana, for Block Swap Adventure

Here is a sneak peek of the block for Larissa (no blog),
for Quilt Block Swap Australia

These blocks will be in the mail on Friday, with apologies to my swap partners for leaving it till the end of the month.

FNSI - will now resume normal programming :-)

As mentioned in a previous post, my FNSI got interrupted :-(

Here is the list of what I wanted to complete!

1. Block for Block Swap Adventure
2. Block for Quilt Block Swap Australia
3. Block for Christmas Quilt Block Swap
4. Buttonhole on Towel Topper for Let's Exchange swap
5. Pineapple blossom blocks for Block Lotto
6. pick Fat Quarters for May yellow Fat Quarter Swap
7. work on Red & White quilt with blocks won on Block Lotto

This is how far I got on Friday

Fabrics washed, ironed, sorted and ready to cut.

 I completed cutting my FQs for the May FQ swap.


Wendy & Barb, please use the photo above as your sneak peek - you won't know which ones you will receive ;-)
your FQs will be in the mail on Monday, with apologies for being late.


Next, I tackled the buttonhole device on the new Brother and made my first buttonholes - YAY

I need a bit more practice to get some really nice stitches in future ;-)

It is only a snippet photo as this is for my Let's Exchange swap partner who I know reads my blog, and I don't want to spoil the surprise.

So, along with my first buttonhole, I have made my first towel topper.

This will be in the mail on Monday, with apologies for being late.

so I resumed my FNSI - making it a SMSI (Saturday/Sunday morning sew in)

I worked on a block for Pat (no blog), for the Christmas Block Swap

Pat, your block will be in the mail on Monday, with apologies for being late.

Saturday sewing was interrupted with a weather warning.  We were expecting the same bad weather that hit Perth a few days earlier.  So we went out and checked and cleaned our gutters, while we were out we pruned a few bushes and cleaned a bit.  It rained a bit overnight, and was a bit windy, but nothing like what we had been warned about.  I suppose it still may hit today.

This tree has had all of the lovely autumn leaves blown off - the skies are completely grey as far as the eye can see.  A good day to stay inside and sew, me thinks ;-)

Here is my list of what I actually completed!

1. Block for Block Swap Adventure 
2. Block for Quilt Block Swap Australia
3. Block for Christmas Quilt Block Swap - completed
4. Buttonhole on Towel Topper for Let's Exchange swap - completed
5. Pineapple blossom blocks for Block Lotto
6. pick & cut Fat Quarters for May yellow Fat Quarter Swap - completed
7. work on Red & White quilt with blocks won on Block Lotto

Three out of Seven - not good - time for some more sewing.

Christmas block for Sharon

Here is a sneek peak for my April block for Sharon (no blog)
for the Christmas Block Swap group

Sharon had let me know that the block had arrived, but silly me, I forgot to blog about it.  **insert sad face**

So here is a full pic.

Sharon asked for "Traditional Christmas Colors, any theme would be great and interesting."  I made up a block based on the wonky tree block recently made for Block Lotto.

FNSI & Create & Chat night :-(

My plans for FNSI, which actually started at lunchtime so that I could participate in Create & Chat a bit later, were put on hold with the news from UK that my Uncle Frank had passed away.


Uncle Frank came to Australia for a visit in 1993 and he stayed with us for a short time, as well as spending some time with my sister.

We had a ball and have some great photos to look back on.  I am so glad to have had the opportunity to meet him and spend time with him.

We kept in touch when he went back to Wales, using the internet, but he had to disconnect due to the high costs.  

Here are a few pics of Francis and myself in 1993.

Here we are in Rundle Mall, Adelaide.

here we are at Victor Harbor - I had his camera, and he had my handbag ;-)

RIP Uncle Frank - 1933 - 2011

Getting ready for FNSI

I am in preparation mode for FNSI - I have a heap of things I want to finish!

1. Block for Block Swap Adventure
2. Block for Quilt Block Swap Australia
3. Block for Christmas Quilt Block Swap
4. Buttonhole on Towel Topper for Let's Exchange swap
5. Pineapple blossom blocks for Block Lotto
6. pick Fat Quarters for May yellow Fat Quarter Swap
7. work on Red & White quilt with blocks won on Block Lotto

I have a good supply of coffee and chocolate biccies - time for some serious sewing.

Baby Shower - Card & pressies

Baby fever has hit our household.

With Riley's first birthday just last week - see card HERE - now we have a baby shower card for Riley's Mum - yes, Riley will have a new little sister soon - around the end of June beginning of July.

I went to a baby shower today, for my nephew's wife.

My own creation using the CraftROBO.

I also made this big carry bag for her and filled it with goodies.  I made the bag up as I went ............. and it came together like a dream.  I am rather pleased with myself ;-)

Check out the gorgeous butterflies on the bibs - oooh, so clucky and she hasn't arrived yet.

They say Adelaide is so small, well they are right - it seems I went to school with my nephew's wife's aunty - does that make us Aunties-In-Laws??

Another Christmas Block received

This beautiful Christmas Log Cabin block is from Pat (no blog) for the May Christmas Block Swap.

Thank you Pat, I love the fabrics you have chosen.

Look at that golden goodness ;-)

I have had some paid work to do and have not had time to sew just lately, but I am hoping that will change this week.

Look at me ......... hoping not to get too much paid work .......... is that bad of me? ;-)

FQs from Olivia

These gorgeous FQs were in my letterbox today ;-)

Yes, Olivia, they finally turned up - I don't know where they have been - the postmark is all smudged so I can't tell exactly when they were posted.

Thank you so much Olivia.

Michelle's block has arrived

Michelle has let me know the block I made for the April swap for Block Swap Adventure has arrived.

here is the sneak peek I posted earlier

and here is the block

Michelle asked for either Birds in the air, Road to California or Wagon tracks. 

I made the Birds in the air block and really enjoyed the way this block came together - another favourite added to my list - thanks Michelle ;-)

FQs received from Alex & Vanessa

I have received some beautiful FQs from Alex & Vanessa

Thank you both so much for chosing such beautiful fabrics

Let's Exchange Hot Pad has arrived ....

and I'm doin' a happy dance

here it is on my new microwave - although it is far too nice to actually use on a daily basis - I think this one will be for special occasions ;-)

I pinched Carolyn's photos from her blog, as her photos show up the FMQ so much better

thank you so much Carolyn, you could not have done a more perfect job ;-)