Can you believe it?

Can you believe that next week is Easter?  Where has the time gone?

Do you have any special plans for Easter?

As we have lots of pets we are unable to go away but instead have lunch on Friday & Sunday with family and spend the rest of the break watching movies and just spending time together.

For me that will mean having some stitching on my lap - I am looking forward to that.

Here is some recent stitching - One of this month's Framed Hexagons - My sweet little butterfly

The thread I used is Cottage Garden Threads - "Forget Me Not".  It looks great in chain and satin stitches.   Isn't it adorable?

I am hoping that I can practice my machine quilting on "Molly" over the easter break too - I recently purchased all of these delicious threads for the studio so that I can match colours - They look pretty in their case.  What about you - Do you have some stitching planned for the break too?

Hugs,

Fee x

Launching A New Blog

Last year I decided to launch a "New" blog aimed at people who had the same values, principles, hopes & dreams as me. The domain name was established back then and it has taken me some time to get things arranged behind the scenes.

My dream is to lead a simpler, less stressful life and the launch of this new blog are the first steps for me down that path. I do hope that some of you would like to come on that journey with me.

The blog will have many articles on creating less stress in your life, saving money and being creative. It will include household tips, recipes, furniture makeovers, Trash to Treasure tutorials and even a few "freebies", trial offers and competitions as well as articles, vouchers and much much more.

My aim is for this blog to be your "Go To" manual on living your every day life. Will you join me?

Pop over to the new BLOG HERE and join My Circle to keep reading my posts.

It would be really great if you added me to your side bar too.

Hugs,

Fee

Projects on The Go

Are you like me and have lots of projects on the go at once?  This is how I store some of my current projects.  It makes it easy to grab which ever one that takes my fancy to stitch.  Today I thought I might share a peek of what’s inside a couple of them.

I am very fortunate to be able to stitch Jenny’s new upcoming BOM “Daisy A Day” – I just love every block – Just wait until you see it – It is adorable.

The gumboots just had to be red for me – I had lots of fun choosing threads.

Each block has so much detail – Wait until you see the book store – That’s the one I’m stitching next

Inside another box is all of my blocks from my “Garden Treasures” BOM.  I am enjoying drawing and stitching each block.  This one is the large centre block of the quilt.

What about you do you have lots of projects on the go at once to?

How do you store yours?  I would love to know.

Love and Hugs,

Fee xx

Stitching Up A Storm

I don’t think I can recall in recent times a stitching frenzy like I have had in the past week.  It feels so good to be crossing things off my list like this block from Angel Story.  At this rate I will have the quilt finished this year for sure !

This was the pile of thread ends near my chair this morning from the past few days.  Off cuts of some delicious Country Garden Threads in lots of delicious flavours

Shades of Pink and Green

Of Rusty Red and Vintage Brown

Of delightful blues

And hues of Mint and Green – All are secret sewing projects and personalised by colour preferences.

Molly has been busy too with her table covered in little bits from the Paris Flea Market Quilt.  But wait …..

What could this mean?

No I’m not finished yet but I do have an ironing board full of rows – That is REAL progress.  Maybe today those rows will become a quilt top?

And finally today I will leave you with an image of my “Let’s Get Stitched” Brooch.  Mine of course had to have a shabby twist.

Dawn and I decided that a brooch made from the same fabrics would be great for air port pickups and our bus tour at our upcoming retreat.  I delved onto the shelves of “Fees Shabby Shack” and came up with a delightful pink fabric which was sent pre-cut to all attendees to make their own brooch. 

There are lots of different versions floating around blog land which will all come together on Thursday as we all arrive in Adelaide.  Am I excited?  Nah not much LOL

Hugs,  Fee xx

This & That

It’s been really nice to have the time to just stitch over the past few days.  I decided to re-stitch a few blocks from my BOM “Garden Treasures”.  These will be made into companion items to go with the quilt.  I stitched this one in different colours to the original.

This one is a favourite I have stitched it a few times now and never tire of it.

I think when we craft it is important to recognise our strengths and weaknesses and even though I love the finished result of piecing I am not a patient piecer and get very bored with the process.  I really want matching quilts for our recliner so I am determined that the 2 Paris Flea Market Quilts will get finished and not become yet another UFO BUT

 

I am sure that when I looked at the pretty photographs of the finished quilt that my brain did not register about how many small pieces were contained in this quilt – What was I thinking??

But I came up with a strategy of making a little pile, stitching it, ironing it and then walking away until I began again.  It worked and I now have all of the bits pieced and ready to assemble into rows including all of the little flying geese !

I know that once they are finished that I am going to be thrilled with the result so I am hanging in there – Just a little bit at a time.

 

Another project that I would like to keep going with this year is “This Goes With That”

 

This morning I opened up the box again and decided to get some ready to take with me to Adelaide next week,  They will be perfect for our sit and stitch sessions

This is going to be a lovely quilt once it’s finished I wonder if that will eventuate in 2013?  I really hope so.

I hope you are enjoying your Saturday.

Hugs,

Fee xx

Hanging your quilt the cheap way !

Now that we are a one income household it is important for us to watch our spending and I am always looking to save a $ here and there. 

This quilt as you know has been a UFO for over 2 years.  I finally got myself to finish it and it has now been quilted and bound and ready to hang.  BUT there is a problem.  It is 44” wide and not going to be easy to hang and isn’t going to look good unless it’s kept nice and straight at the top.

I decided to hang it with dowel, eyes and ribbon.

The first thing I did was to cut a 2” wide strip around 44” long.

I folded the raw ends in and then folded the strip in half so that the raw edges were together.  I pressed it flat and then pinned the raw edge to the top raw edge of the quilt before I put the binding on.

I then put the binding on as I normally would and the pocket edge was sewn into the same seam.  After sewing down the binding I stitched the folded edge of the pocket down to the back of the quilt.

Next I cut my dowling  so that a small part of it poked out of each end of the pocket – In this case it was about 42” long. 

I then screwed a brass eye into either end of it.

Finally I tied some ribbon to each eye to make a hanger.

 

So there you go – I was able to hang the quilt for just $4

And finally it is hanging on our bedroom wall

Today is the 1st March and the first day of Autumn here in Australia. 2 Months of this year have already passed us by but I am pleased to say that my little promise to myself of finishing 1 UFO per month is still in play.  Next time I’ll show you the quilt I finished as my February UFO finish.

Thanks for the well wishes about my surgery.  It went well and now I just have to be patient as it heals.

Hugs,

Fee xx