Progress !!!

I have made some progress on my Farmer's Wife Quilt.

after some more careful sewing preparation

I was so impressed with my latest blocks coming together so nicely, I decided to cut some sashing strips & cornerstones and setting triangles and put some rows together :)

after 30 blocks completed - only 81 left to go!

Thank you for visiting my blog today - I hope you have a good day - any day doing something you love makes it a good day ;-)

Doing what you like is freedom. Liking what you do is happiness.

Farmer's Wife Sampler Quilt - revitalised :)

I have rediscovered joy in sewing my Farmer's Wife Sampler quilt - all due to Karen Walker, of Farmer's Wife Quilt Revival fame :)

I came across her lessons on Craftsy, after reading her blog.  I wasn't too keen on paying more money for this quilt, as I had bought the book, and an awful lot of fabric ...  I was beginning to doubt whether I had made a good choice to make this quilt :(

I bit the bullet, and purchased two lessons - US$8.50 which turned out to be A$12 per lesson with the exchange rate at the time - that made it approximately $1 per block instruction :( with 111 blocks, this could turn into an expensive proposition :(

Well, let me tell you, Karen's instructions are great! Following Lesson #1 has revitaslised my interest in the Farmer's Wife Quilt, and brought some joy back to sewing :)  I was really struggling using the templates alone :(



My collage of blocks made from Lesson #1

















All this ofcourse, was completed after some very careful sewing preparation :)

Thank you for visiting my blog today - I hope you have a good day - any day doing something you love makes it a good day ;-)

Doing what you like is freedom. Liking what you do is happiness.

it feels like forever ...............

since I have done anything with my Farmers Wife Quilt

So, with the hot weather and the cricket on the TV, it was the perfect opportunity to spend some time in the sewing room.

I had been a little disappointed with some of my previous blocks made using the templates from the book - there is nothing wrong with those instructions from the book, I just had a bit of a hard time with them - especially the smaller pieces :(

Anyway, I came across some instructions in Craftsy - from Karen M Walker - I was a bit reluctant to purchase at first, but I bought two lessons and here are the first three blocks made from Lesson #1







The cricket is on for a few days, so hopefully, I can get some more blocks done :)
29 completed - 82 left to do!

Thank you for visiting my blog today - I hope you have a good day - any day doing something you love makes it a good day ;-)

Doing what you like is freedom. Liking what you do is happiness.

Christmas Tablerunner Swap

My Christmas Block Swap group had a special tablerunner swap :)   I was running a little late in sending mine, but now that it is sent, I gave myself permission to open the package I received.



My photo does not do the fabrics justice, they are such a rich burgundy and green, and the gold is just so luxurious :)

thank you Michell :)  I hope my package gets to you quickly and safely :)

Thank you for visiting my blog today - I hope you have a good day - any day doing something you love makes it a good day ;-)

Doing what you like is freedom. Liking what you do is happiness.

On a roll ..........

I love long weekends :)

here is block #2 for Do Good Stitches bee



I am thinking I might just flip one of those rows - there are two light blocks close together :(

Thank you for visiting my blog today - I hope you have a good day - any day doing something you love makes it a good day ;-)

Doing what you like is freedom. Liking what you do is happiness.

a long weekend means ......

lots of time in the sewing room.

I have finally finished sorting through my stuff and have set up the new shelves.

this is what it looked like BEFORE

this is what it looks like NOW

I am now able to keep all of my quilting magazines in the one spot - they were spread out in different bookcases before.  ALL of my active projects are in clear containers on the left - the white basket in the top section holds all my Farmers Wife Sampler fabrics and the completed FWS blocks are in the box on the top of the shelves.

The white baskets hold various bits of fabrics, and all of my batting and interfacing stuff is on the bottom shelf.

My coloured scraps containers are the next items to be sorted out - they are on the right in the BEFORE photo, but I think I might put that off for another time, as now I am motivated to sew!

Thank you for visiting my blog today - I hope you have a good day - any day doing something you love makes it a good day ;-)

Doing what you like is freedom. Liking what you do is happiness.

FNwF - show and tell

FNwF again!  they seem to be coming round quicker and quicker as the year progresses.

For October for Do Good Stitches, we were asked to make two scrappy blue pineapple blocks - I have never made one of these before, and was pleasantly surprised on how easily it came together.

I think this is the perfect scrap busting block :)



Now to find some more blues and greens in my stash - it's a long weekend here in Adelaide, so while hubby is working at home, I will spend time in the sewing room - how much better can life get?  LOL

Thank you for visiting my blog today - I hope you have a good day - any day doing something you love makes it a good day ;-)

Doing what you like is freedom. Liking what you do is happiness.

Doing good stuff ..............

for my quilting bee, Do Good Stitches





Dutchman's Puzzles for DoGood Stitches September bee blocks

Thank you for visiting my blog today - I hope you have a good day - any day doing something you love makes it a good day ;-)

Doing what you like is freedom. Liking what you do is happiness.

Farmers Wife Sampler catchup

I realised I had missed sharing some block for my Farmers Wife Sampler - 25 down, only 86 to go!


Block 20 - Churn Dash


Block 16 - Calico Puzzle


Block 14 - Butterfly at the crossroads

Thank you for visiting my blog today - I hope you have a good day - any day doing something you love makes it a good day ;-)

Doing what you like is freedom. Liking what you do is happiness.

Time in the sewing room ......

is so wonderfully theraputic :)   I spent a few hours with my friend Cynthia in her shop, Cynthia's Ark, yesterday.  I was motivated to get back in the sewing room on my return home.  I have been quite busy with camera club secretarial duties, and after spending time sorting through some stuff in the sewing room after I was able to acquire some shelves (see my post HERE), I was itching to get my foot back on the sewing pedal!

First up, I finished my Christmas Block for my September partner.


I have decided to step down from being the Co-Ordinator of this Christmas Swap.  I have been doing it for 3 years & 8 months, and I think it is time for a change.   I really want to spend more time in the sewing room, and less on the computer doing swap admin stuff - it can be very time consuming process.  The reins will be handed back to the group's founder, SueB, in preparation of the October swap.

Then I got to finish off one of the Farmers Wife Sampler blocks, that was half complete when I started rearranging everything for the new shelves.  I thought I had lost some of the pieces, but I found them.  I wondered why some of the pieces did not come together as nicely as my last block, and I remembered that I had not starched these pieces :(  so there was a little bit of stretching on the HSTs



I am happy enough with it :)  I may redo it, when I redo some of the others .... I may not LOL

This is what motivated me to get back sewing ............

I saw this up on Cynthia's shop wall ............. I just have to make this one!  Already playing with fabric combinations in my mind LOL

Thank you for visiting my blog today - I hope you have a good day - any day doing something you love makes it a good day ;-)

Doing what you like is freedom. Liking what you do is happiness.

FNwF - Friday Night with Friends

My LQS has closed :(  but there is some good news in that A Quilter's Odyssey will continue with workshops and classes and guest speakers at another location :)  They are still on Facebook so it will be very easy to keep up to date on things :)

Some of the fixtures and fittings were for sale, and I was able to buy two shelf units and a trestle table.

My Friday night was spent with Mr Fixit putting all the shelves together :)

So, this is my sewing room at the moment - a mis-match of storage options.

Stay tuned for more pics over the next week or so, as I sort through that wall of 'stuff' :)

Thank you for visiting my blog today - I hope you have a good day - any day doing something you love makes it a good day ;-)

Doing what you like is freedom. Liking what you do is happiness.

Light the Night in Adelaide

You may remember I recently made a quilt for my friend :) 

Well, Di has been sent home - sadly, there is not a lot more then can do for her, but there is one more ray of hope - a clinical trial.  We are all hoping and praying that this trial will have a positive outcome :)

I'm lighting a lantern at Light the Night on October 9 in support of my friend, Di.

More information on this event, can be found HERE

Please support the Leukemia Foundation with a donation to help Australian families impacted by blood cancer. 

Di's team 'Di's Peloton'  will hit the streets on October 9, walking to support the Leukemia Foundation and our wonderful Di'sy. Please consider joining me, or if you cannot make it, making a donation to support this special cause.  Light the Night, we are doing it for Di!

If you would like to support me, My Support Page is here

Thank you for visiting my blog today - I hope you have a good day - any day doing something you love makes it a good day ;-)

Doing what you like is freedom. Liking what you do is happiness.

FNSI | I met Pam Holland!

Well, my FNSI was a doozy ................... I met Pam Holland ...... and what a lovely inspirational lady she  is too!

My LQS, A Quilter's Odyssey, organised her for a guest speaker role, which was held at the Jubilee Community Centre, Wynn Vale.

I was really taken with this method of embellishing a quilt :)

this was my personal fave - the lines are all stitched :)

this one drew lots of ooohs and aahhhs!

The lady herself!

My photos don't do Pam's work any justice at all ..... her work is amazing, and if you get an opportunity to see it up close and personal; go for it!

If you would like to read more about Pam, and her wonderful varied talents, see her website HERE

Thank you for visiting my blog today - I hope you have a good day - any day doing something you love makes it a good day ;-)

Doing what you like is freedom. Liking what you do is happiness.