Sweet surprises!

Like all of us, it has been a week full of "stuff"....work, family, paying bills, doing chores...just the same week we all share really. But into that "normality", sweet surprises come which just make you smile!

Sandy sent me a lovely gift for being her blog friend...really kind & generous...vibrant fabric that is itching to go into something special & some treasured Liberty pieces...yummy! And a most beautiful card! Chookyblue recently talked about the sweetness & camaraderie of our blogging ( or "imaginary") friends & Sandy's generous gift demonstrated those bonds we develop...thankyou!

Last night I had the pleasure of the company of my dear friend, Penny. As happens, work required them to move away, but luckily I was able to have her sorely missed company for a night. We laughed, talked & stitched till very late & then today headed with Lea for lunch & a spot of shopping...lots more laughter! She left me with this great looking bag kit...I will see if it actually takes two hours as it proclaims.

So a happy week here...I hope you have had happiness at your place too!

Cardygirl xx

It was a train...

...not a light at the end of the tunnel that is my Sue Ross BOM!

Kerbang...it hit me today...after countless hours & agonies over this BOM I am ready to walk with it to the nearest bonfire & sacrifice it! It has not been a happy day...I felt happy that all the blocks were ready to go together...setting triangles measured & sewn on...recheck instructions...remeasure...sew!

Sounds great...but here comes that kerbang moment! It is not fitting together...yes, all the blocks are the same size, but no neat points where the blocks join...if the seam allowance is 1/2" it will be right...oh no...then I lose flowers in my applique medallion....I can feel tears coming.

I am so over it at the moment...DD has sat & patted my hand...I can see some ways around it, but I am not sure that I will like the "finish" of it. I feel like there is something I am missing...goodness knows what.

Packing it all up & putting it in a cupboard has been the solution...might go & mow the lawn...need some distance from it. It does look pretty....

Cardygirl xx

9-patch nearly there.

My repro 9 patch is back from the quilters...it was made with blocks from an Australian swap hosted by Christine. It isn't bound yet...everyone knows how much I hate binding...but I plan to at least cut out the binding tomorrow. I was really happy with the layout I used & I love the chocolate sashing.

Thankyou so much to all who joined in the swap & especially Christine for organising it all.

It was one of those glorious days yesterday...calm winter sunshine...lovely to sit outside.

Perfect day for taking a pic of the quilt on my back deck.

Cardygirl xx

Comfort shopping...fabric style!

Yesterday was one of those days...cold & foggy...and a funeral that I HAD to go to a couple of hours drive away. We all do them occasionally & they are never much fun...our mothers said there are some things we just HAVE to do & yesterday was one of those things. I did listen mum.

So, to brighten the mood I stopped at a great needlework/patchwork shop on the way home at East Maitland...Southern Cross Needlework. Comfort shopping...not eating! Rhonda has gorgeous fabrics & is really kind & helpful...it was tempting to just back the car up to the door & load it all in...but I was good & just bought a few treats...not as fattening as chocolate thank goodness!

Found some great Paris fabric...not sure what I will do with it yet...DD loves it!

Great repros...perhaps a repro hexie project????

 And some fabric loveliness from Phillip Jacobs and Kaffe Fassett...delish! Aah...I feel better now...

Cardygirl xx

Back to the '60's!

Whilst cleaning up last week I rediscovered these vintage chenille squares lurking at the back of the meat safe.

Gorgeous squares...waiting to be made into something...I am thinking a retro comforter...soft, fluffy & oh so '60's. As a little girl I had a very beautiful lemon chenille bedspread...groovy!

Any ideas?

Cardygirl xx

Sue Ross BOM...in the home stretch!

This has been a rewarding & sometimes trying experience! Challenging...but I am pleased with how it is turning out. My corners may not all be perfect, there may be the odd "ripple"...but I am proud of what I have achieved!

I have been working on the setting squares & now just need to find some quiet time to start the assembly process. DS has headed back to uni after his break and I have made some decisions regarding my overloaded work situation- hopefully that will free up a little stitching time!

I think it is the juggling of three different jobs that makes it hard...they are all very separate...but I have the good fortune to work with lovely people in each place. But I have reduced days/week at my first job, and increased my days/fortnight at my second...in theory I will have an extra day off/ fortnight. Yay!

How do you think the Sue Ross BOM from Material Obsession is looking?

Cardygirl xx

Paris scarf

I thought of a few clever titles for this post...but dreaming & Paris in the title made me fearful of the "hits" I might get...LOL...I had an interesting response to "friendly encounter" once! You do need to be careful!

But...I have made a scarf for my DD in readiness for her trip with her show band to Italy & Paris over New Year. We bought the fabrics recently & the spot is a lovely soft cuddly cord- it is fully reversible too. She thought the striped ends with ricrac looked like the awnings over street cafes. It looks fun!

Cardygirl xx

Questions from Lea...

Lea was over today with her latest project...purchased from amitie at Darling Harbour. A pattern  by Red Mumma called Chain Reaction...it had a few great variations too. It also looked really good in pastels.

She is using a collection of Kaffe Fassett prints...some from the show...some from Jackie at Canton Village Quilts...some from her stash. With a nice black with white pindot for the triangles.

Lea is a little unsure about her placement....so here are some pics...what do you think?

What about these 4 patch blocks...coordinating or contrast circles? She would love some input...

Cardygirl xx

Who, who' s birthday?

One of my longtime stitching buddies had her birthday today...Raelee!

What to make to put a smile on her face?????

DD bought this pattern at Darling Harbour recently & had made it in the smaller sizes in the Japanese fabrics for some of her friends...see them a few posts ago. I was a bit bolder with my fabric choices...and I love how she turned out! Those "Perfect Circles" made great eyes!

Names...we thought...Olive...Octavia...or the teenage male thought Hooters...gotta love them!

Raelee loved her...and that made me smile!

Cardygirl xx

Circles,circles...

What am I doing?

Making lots of perfect little circles...these templates by Karen Kay Buckley are marvellous...making the job so much easier...they really are "perfect"! Great additions to my tools draw.

Hopefully the project that these little guys is destined for will be finished soon...

Cardygirl xx

Hexagon playing!

Since the craft show I have spent  time playing with hexagons...I am going through my scrap bag & stash & making these little cuties...fun remembering scraps from the bottom of the bag...amazing what is at the back of my cupboard! Just joining in rows at present...a relaxing task for those few spare moments.

Don't know what they will become...

Cardygirl xx

The owls & a pussycat.

Another purchase from our recent quilt show trip...this time from Be Be Bold...sweet little owls...they are apparently good luck when given as a gift. DD has been making them in a few sizes...here they are modelled with our pussycat (looking quite smug!).

"The owls and the pussycat sat on the lounge on a beautiful dresden plate...."

Cardygirl xx

Dolly quilt...take 2!

About 18mths ago I participated in Material Obsessions Dolly Quilt club. It was great...new techniques...intro to rulers...new colour combinations...stretching my boundaries. While trying to sort my sewing backlog, I found this wheel...I had made one as a DQ & had enough left to partially construct another...well it is complete...edged with ricrac on linen...I think I will make it into a cushion...any other ideas?

Cardygirl xx

No.35...I have been waiting for you!

I love this little guy...after taking a very looooong time to do an invisible zipper with an ordinary zipper foot, I gave in and bought this handsome fellow whilst in Newcastle yesterday. Worth EVERY cent! I put the invisible zip in this chocolate spotted skirt today in minutes...amazing! Skirt looks great & I am not frazzled from the zip...yay! Thankyou Bernina! More skirts coming up...Barcelona skirts are so easy.

What is your favourite needlework tool?

Cardygirl xx