Unbelievable!

Those who know me are aware of my binding phobia...I can stich it on post quilting but it can literally take me years to handstitch it down! Shameful!
So to surprise everyone (especially myself) I have nearly finished stitching the binding on DS's funky robot quilt. It feels good & it really wasn't hard once I got started. Doesn't it look nice?

My dear mother is home 7 weeks after her fall...still some issues but at least she is more mobile. After visiting her the other day I stopped at the lovely Quilt-Essentials in Newcastle. Jenny is always a delight & her shop is lovely. This is what I found...

I am in love with chocolate at the moment!

Hope your week has been a happy one...

Cardygirl xx

Stitching day Part 2

It is so lovely to catch up with like minded souls...we stitched,ate & talked all day.

Here is another block of Julie's fun quilt...

Raelee worked hard cutting out aprons for her family...gorgeous fruit & vegetable prints...then she began remotivating herself on a fabulous repro quilt...so much paper piecing & applique!

Lea arrived later & had fun catching up!

I decided to be good and finish projects. With all the talking I only managed to do the last 3 sets for my repro 9patch swap...nice to see them done. The pink & red fabrics are much brighter in person, but I am happy with them...now to finish those cushions!
Cardygirl xx

Stitching day Part 1

Each school holidays I get together with a couple of my stitching friends to have either a new project or catch up day. Last time we made Bonbon bags, but we decided we needed to work on some of those projects which had been WIP's for a bit toooo long!
Well, today was the day...I was like a schoolgirl waiting for my friends to arrive...the dining area was set up with power cords, cutting mats & iron...lunch was organised.

The day started with show & tell...Julie has finished a quilt for her son...

she also made this lovely bruschetta...

and then she began working on the last few blocks of this fun quilt

(she is being very good & getting some WIP's done so she can start something special)!

Raelee was the recipient of the hexagon project I had been working on...a birthday present...no excuse to lose this amazing pincushion!

Lots of chatting & a lovely lunch...I managed to do some sewing this time...that will be the next post.
Thankyou ladies for a great day!

Cardygirl xx

Sweet things

Well, the computer is pretty much organised...lots of work that was quite confusing for my only techno basic brain! Lots of talk of disc partitions & allocating what to what drive! I think all I did was "drive" DH nearly mad.

So here is a catchup on the last few days...

a pretty button for the Ruthie's clutch bag...

some brown sugar & cinnamon cupcakes for DD to take back to uni...

some more sweet things (inedible)...
which are growing like this...and some sweet garden blooms which always remind me of the ones my grandparents grew.

Cardygirl xx

Upgrading...

Not too much blogging at the moment....I am graduating from the overworked family computer to a cute little one which will be all mine!

It will be lovely not to have to fight for computer time & not have everyone else's info/schoolwork clogging it up. I am a lucky girl.

But...OMG it is a lot of work setting it up & moving things across...DD is being very kind & doing the bulk of the work. Thankyou darling!

So I will be back in a day or two with more news & pics!

Here are some fabrics for the 9 patch repro swap... found a really gorgeous colour combo after taking this...will post it soon!

Cardygirl xxx

Catching up...

A day of achievement...nice to get back into the sewing room!

I am a bit annoyed with myself for not being as organised as I should be...I hear you all laughing...okay what is organisation!

So today I have tried to put it into practice...did some folders inspired by the Spoonful of Sugar Girls...one is for projects under development, one is for sweet recipes, one is because I liked the paper, & one is for DD. They look good I think.

Then I found an almost complete cross stitch (I don't even remember starting it...LOL), & have finished it. Yay!

And then added the borders to the jelly roll quilt. I had to wait until I was at Blueberries last week to find the "right" fabric. I am pleased with it...a bit windy for good pics.

Cardygirl xx

Oh where,oh where...

A bit of time available to stitch...hmmm...might attack those gorgeous fabrics I bought last week at Blueberries...another Thelma bag would be great....but where is the pattern?
I searched high & low...not a sign of it...maybe a stitching buddy has it?

Don' t you just hate that?

But I did make the bag for DD...just waiting for a nice vintage button to put on it...I will find something I am sure!

I might start to play with this cute pattern...one for DD & perhaps one for a friend's daughter who will soon be 21...she loves vintage.

Looks like stitching is on the return here...hope all is well wherever you are!

Cardygirl xx

Stitching & celebrations!

Busy days, not a lot of stitching going on!

Gradually getting over the very effective virus that laid me low over the last week...the voice is still a bit husky but on the mend.

To add insult to injury, a nastily infected tooth had to be extracted as it was destroying my jaw.

I am not a fan of the dentist at the best of times, but he has assured me that I will love him over the next few days as I start to feel better. Then I am on the very expensive merry go round of getting a dental implant when the bone heals!

Phew!

But thankfully the sanity saving stitching is there for me.

I have been doing the Tail Feathers BOM, here is the first month...

cute stitcheries.

I made mum a mug bag for her birthday, it matches her knitting bag. It holds a cute red & white spotted mug. Nice to take to her craft group.

Here is a pic of me with my sewing assistant/pattern holder.

He makes sewing interesting.

Hope you are having a good week...

Cardygirl xx

Shopping day!

DD & I went to pick up our visitor in Sydney yesterday....perfect excuse for a quick shop!
We went to The Crewel Gobelin at Killara... lovely threads & linen for DD & her cross-stitch.

It is a great shop with a nice coffee shop & a National Trust shop next door.

We then zipped up the freeway to Blueberries at Wyong.

My first visit here...really nice shop, well set out, lovely fresh ideas & really lovely staff.

Here is some very sweet eye candy...

a bag for DD...
and this was on sale!

I lost my voice with my cold...for the last week I have sounded at times like Marge Simpson, a man or a demented rodent!
Not at all attractive & very wearing! I am hoping that I can rest it a lot today & tomorrow as work is very hard when no one can hear me (over their laughter at times!!!!!!).

I saw on someone's blog about an Australian Patchworker living in Singapore....does anyone know who this is?

Cardygirl xx

Lea's quilt

My dear stitching buddy, Lea, has just been over to leave her latest quilt with me. I am going to give it to her daughter when I am in Sydney tomorrow. Lea wanted to do something different for her DD, and we spent some time a few weeks ago brainstorming, and this is what she came up with. Taa daa!I love it & I think her DD will too...fresh & fun.

Cardygirl xx

First quilt

I have been reading on a few blogs (here and here) about first quilts. It made me think back to the late '80's when I made a tentative start into the world of patchwork.
That first quilt was exciting, drafting patterns, choosing fabric & all the blocks done by hand.

No quick quilt in a day! Laura ashley & Liberty fabrics were pretty popular.

Firstly I got a few packets of Laura Ashley squares & made a doona cover for our first home. It is actually still in use for camping & sleepovers.

Then I did sampler quilt classes....here are a couple of the blocks....

the colour scheme is interesting to say the least!

Mauves & blues....hmmm....wonder where that trend went! LOL!

Sportscraft actually have a blouse this season in one of the mauve Liberty florals...maybe I was ahead of the trends?????

But the points are pretty impressive & the skills learnt in that course have proved invaluable.

I have a certain fondness for the beginnings it represents.

Do you feel brave enough to share your first quilt?

This has been a long term cross stitch...lots of fine work & advanced counted threadwork stitches.

But I thought I would share the sentiment it expresses...


I am still a bit "off", lots of sleeping happening here. Thanks for your kind thoughts. Another day off tomorrow & hopefully I will feel better for work on Friday. Even better is the news a little while ago that a dear relative will fly to Australia for a week's holiday on Friday! That made me feel better!

Cardygirl xx

Slow progress

There has been a bit of a "go slow" on at the Cardy house!
Too much work, driving to see Mum & Dad & now I am trying to fend off a dreaded cold!

You all know the feeling, a pile of cherries "stuck" in your throat & a "big" head!

Very attractive!!!!!

I am hoping that the power of positive thinking will frighten it away...fingers crossed.

As a consequence my stitching has been progressing in a somewhat leisurely manner- not a lot happening at all. I walk into my sewing room & feel inspired, but that is as far as it is going at the moment. I will try this week for a little oomph....hehe.

Here is DD's bag...she is pleased with it!

Here is my Lakehouse fabric...WIP...applique nearly complete.

Hope your week is a productive one!
Cardygirl xx

Fads & favourites

Isn't it great to see new fabrics & feel inspired?
Your creative mind goes into hyperdrive...but sadly there are not enough hours

in a day to achieve what we would like to achieve.

A common complaint I know!

Here is a favourite...

anything with stitching...I love to embroider...play with stitches & threads

...another favourite is overdyed threads...mmm!

Another favourite is traditional with a little touch of quirkiness!

Add a little braid, some bobbles or ricrac...fun.

A current fad with me is clear colours...especially spots & stripes
...can't get enough of them.

Some of my friends have very cute birthday pressies heading their way this year!
I have signed up for a Sue Ross BOM with Material Obsession...irresistable!I love her work but have never been fortunate to do a class with her...but Kathy from MO is putting together this BOM for people like me!

I am so excited...Kathy was a delight to chat to...I have gone for a less saturated palette ( still a bit conservative)...but it will be great!

Here is a Dolly quilt I did from MO.

Look forward to sharing my progress.

Cardygirl xx