April !!!

 Ok April is done, almost.

Brad and Sophie's baby shower -done

Scrub Stitchin -done

Gunnedah show-done 

My Birthday - done.

I read 2 books My friends by Fredrik Backman, I loved it I finished it on the train to Sydney and there were tears, it is about 4 friends, it is never mentioned where they are, most of the story is being told to a fifth person, I highly recommend it and now I want to find more of his books. 

The second book was The Confidence Woman, I did enjoy the book but I didn't like the main character, she conned people and felt justified when she did then felt sorry for herself when it turned bad.

I listened to a couple of books while I was sewing or driving, this one was interesting, it was a group of 3 couples away on their annual new years trip and they find a bag of money and what goes down afterwards. 

 Chookshed Challenge was number 10 which for me was Bag Month, well with everything happening this month I didn't like my chances of making a bag, even though I wanted to make a nappy bag for Sophie, but the scrub stitchin project was a Liberty and linen pouch! made not used yet I haven't decided what it will house.

 

I took a few pics at Scrub Stitchin but I mainly sewed and chatted and ate, as usual there was yummy slices and homemade biscuits, fresh scones yumm.

 

 I took 4 projects I got 1 1/2 done. and the pouch.

 

 

I got zip it sewn up and I got a lot of Lighthearted by Camille Roskelly made no pics yet, I am thinking of quilt as you go in 3 strips but I still haven't decided what I will quilt on it, probably echo quilting.

 

The week before scrub stitchin I caught the train to Sydney, I really enjoyed just sitting back and reading or sewing my hexies for 6 hours each way, I decided not to drive as the parking around Brads is limited and there would be a few guests of the baby shower looking for parking as well and my air con isn't working so its not good for a long trip. I have been told if you go by train from Gunnedah on weekends you can't check your bags in as the station is unmanned so I scored a small wheeled suitcase for $10 for my next trip.

 

I sewed just about every day through April except for baby shower day and my birthday, I have almost finished the 6 blocks for rainbow scraps and I have tried a few new to me recipes the thing I haven't done is take photos. oh well lets see what May brings, hopefully some rain. 

 

 

April!!!!!!

 April is a busy month here, we have Easter this weekend, than next weekend Brad and Sophies baby shower in Sydney, then Scrub Stitchin and on the same weekend Gunnedah show , then my birthday.

Deanna has drawn number 10 for Aprils Chookshed Challenge which for me is bag month and to quilt Grant's quilt. I'm not sure if any of that will get done.

I didn't get many of my March challenges done never mind, I had a busy time.

Lunch with the kids and my niece when I went to Wollongong, it was the worst service I have ever experienced at a restaurant but the company was good.

 A selection of the quilts that I saw at the Modern Quilt Guild Show and also Illawarra Quilters Show

I have done a power of hand binding getting ready for the local show.

March Catch up

 Wow march is half over, I have been busy, it has been hot, sometimes too hot to be sewing.

Deanna has drawn number 2 for March, my number 2 is Farmers Wife Quilt and the quilting number 2 is Smitten, I have done 5 Farmers Wife blocks and Smitten needs another corner sewn on. I put the farmers away so that I can get my Gunnedah Show quilts bound I may go back to Farmers after they are bound.

February no 8's didn't get much done to them, the Anni Downs Christmas wall hanging got about 6 stitches done on it and Rosie's stars stayed in the project bag.

I did go to spotlight again and I got 15 metres of fabric that I will use for backings for $55, I think my no buy, use what I have is way out the window.

My green RSC blocks for February, done and packed away I haven't started on the red yet for March

Books I have read/ listened to

This was a bit far fetched anyone that has watched any sort of crime solving show can pick out the flaws, it was a good easy to listen book, alcoholic wife, perfect husband, perfect sister can you see where this is going? I finished it it was ok

I have loved every Kate Morton book that I have read or listened to and this one is no exception, as with most of her books it is a story that spans decades with a twist at the end, very enjoyable.

I enjoyed this as well it is a story of the dictionar compilers and how the words get into the "new" dictionary. very enjoyable read.

I did a workshop at Coolah where we did a jelly roll floor rug, it is a work in progress. I am trying to get the show quilts finished and thinking about what I will take to Scrub Stitchin. 

January final summation

 My last post when I was summing up January I didn't add my Chookshed Challenge progress.

My Number 3 was Frivols quilt top, I had one star done so I finished the rest of the top. 

I also got this top done I have decided to add 2 borders so I will get onto that today, this was the project from the 2024 Advent Box from Sew Fab, it was packaged as a BOM in the box. Last years quilt is underway, it is blocks from the Moda Blockhead series.

These are my RSC blocks in Blue, now I will dig out green for February.

I joined Peel Country Quilters in January they meet in Tamworth which is an hours drive, they seem nice ladies, I went to a couple of their sew days when we first moved here and one lovely old dear told me my quilt would be wrong because the colours don't go together. I didn't go back after that. silly really I could have just ignored her. Anyway it looks like all the old dears are gone from the Staurday group. They are having a Challenge year where you show what you're wanting to complete in the year so I am sure I can find something.

Deanna has drawn 8 for February! my 8 is Anni Downs Christmas Tree wall hanging and for the quilting my Rosie's Stars quilt. Wish me luck.

Fabric in for January 15 metres

Fabric out fo January 9 metres 

Net Gain                   6 metres

January summed up

 Even though the month isn't over I know I will not get anything more finished.

I am very pleased with January, except for the insane heat of the last few days every day hitting 40c. My sewing room is too hot to sit in in the afternoon.

Goals for the month!

To bind a quilt top, Done! Two actually! the first one is from my facebook Bee group I think this was mine from 2018, it is called Treasure Hunt from Blossom Heart quilts. I will donate it somewhere when I find somewhere to donate to. The second quilt is a Me and My Sister design, I don't know the name , it was the mystery quilt for 2022with Coolah Country Quilts.

No garment sewing yet, again it's too hot.

I missed one day of sewing, it was a Friday and I went to the pub instead of sewing.

Hand stitching has been done, I have made a lot of Hexagon flowers and binding on the quilts

Books I read, Mad Mabel in two days it was great I loved it no tv watched until it was finished

I listened to two books, both were ok not earth shattering.

Try a new Recipe, well yesterday I made mini chocolate and zucchini loafs. Dave said they were dry but then he ate 2 more so I would say they were ok.

Do something fun, When Grant was here we went to Narrabri, he had never been there, to be honest there isn't much there. We found the Australia Telescope, which is actually a set of 6 radio telescopes. One is rigid and the others move along a rail line, they have the Echo dish thing like at Parkes where you talk into the dish and the person about 30 metres away can hear you clearly, Grant liked that. We wondered around for a while then we went to Yarrie Lake whis was a few k's further along the road it was a pretty little lake there were a few campers still there. We had lunch at the pub on Goober St, we liked that.

Goals for the Year

 I am at an age that I need to set some goals I think, no more just blindly going along, if I document it here I have to be accountable.

Sewing Goals

Bind and quilt 1 quilt a month-I have enough of them and more coming.

Do some garment sewing- at least 1 every 2 months.

Sew at least 30 minutes a day.

Join in with So Scrappy for the monthly Rainbow scrap challenge, making at least 2 blocks a month.

Do some hand stitching weekly.

Life Goals

I have copied this from Janice 

Read a book a month and review it here.

Listen to a book a month as well.

Try a new recipe a month.

Have a fun day out. I like this idea, I'm thinking like a holiday in our backyard.

I spent the morning drawing circles for my grandbabies I spy quilt, then I went through the cupboard and I have a few sewing things that I will take to Scrub Stitchin to pass on to someone who might want them, a few old kits and patterns that were started about 25 years ago, I have too much stuff.

Happy New Year 2026

 Well I have made my first trip to Bunnings and Spotlight for the year! I am trying No Buy January so I think I need to go on American time and cancel today. I got fabric for backings at Spotty so that doesn't really count, 15 metres @$4 per metre.

I got 7 metres in an aqua spot and 8 metres in a cute bright animal print. Also .5 metre drill to mend Daves work pants so that surely doesn't count as it is necessary.

Thanks to Deana for organising this again. This year I am going to finish some things no new starts on my list, that doesn't mean I won't start something new just my list needs to be finished

1/ Blue Baskets, I started doing needleturn but now I am going to do it my machine or it will never get finished.

2/Farmers wife, I think I have about 20 blocks done maybe more, all done FPP.

3/Frivols Quilt , I have 1 block done and need 3 more.

 

4/ Dwell Quilt, all the blocks are done they just need to be assmbled into a flimsy.

5/ Swoon Quilt, All the blocks are done I need to decide if I want sashing or not.

6/ Message in a bottle, this was a BOM from several years ago.

7/ Blue Triangle Quilt. this was given to me to finish, I had it laid out on the bed and was deciding what to do next and we had visitors so it had to get folded up.

8/ Anni Downs Christmas tree, from Memory it is a wall hanging.

9/ Dresden Block quilt, all the dresdens are made backing and sahing need to be cut.

10 Bag month, I need to make a nappy bag for Sophie and I want a large tote and a train case.

Ok so this is my list. my to be quilted list is 

1/ Tilda flower vase

2/Smitten

3/ 2024 Mystery Quilt

4/ 2023 Mystery Quilt

5/ Potato Chip quilt

6/ Fuzzy quilt

7/Oh My Stars

8/Rosie's Stars

9/ Panel Quilt

10 Grant's quilt.

Wish me luck.