Just in case you didn't believe me........

.........these zipper bags really are fast and easy. I made this one tonight.

I am joining in with Friday Night With Friends on Friday. Hope to see you there. I'll have to come back later to do the button.

Susan x

Zipper bag

Thank you Sharon from Lilabelle Lane for sharing the link to the Noodle head zipper bag tutorial. It was so easy to follow and a great result.

I used some scrap fabric just to test it out.

And now I can't wait to get started on my pretty fabrics I bought last week. Did I mention that it comes in three sizes........this is the small one.

Hope you had a good weekend too.

Susan x

FNSI

Finally got my act together to do FNSI. Takeaway for tea, hubby away, boys occupied.

Two of Gail Pan's little Christmas Delights jumped the queue. My son just asked me what they are used for............hmmmmm..........they're just really cute little Christmas things. He seemed satisfied with that answer.

Feeling very pleased with myself that SSCS is finished AND wrapped.

I did some quilting on In Full Bloom. Not really enjoying it as it's mostly quilting in the ditch, which isn't fun by hand.

TTS is pinned and ready to quilt. And even more exciting........I can see that my sewing table is actually wood, not just mountains of fabric and stuff.

So it was a very productive night. Have a great weekend.

Susan x

Sunset

Sunset over Mudgee tonight. A great start to the weekend.

Susan x

Christmas planning

Please don't shake your head at me for going to the Home Patch again. I really needed cheering up today so I thought a spot of Christmas shopping was in order. The fabric I bought is very different to what you usually see on my blog, but it was so much fun choosing them. They are all destined to be zippered bags or journal covers for Christmas gifts. Well that's the plan anyway.......it may end up being for next Christmas.

These fabrics are quite out of my comfort zone, so Michelle very kindly shared her opinions about my choices.........and some were put back on the shelf.

They look even fresher and brighter in real life. So beautiful fabric, a deep breath of H&P inspiration, and some retail therapy has worked wonders for me today.

Now where is that bag pattern?............

Susan x

Pretty quiet....

Not a great deal to show......but I can report that my SSCS is finished! Just need to do some fancy wrapping and I'm done.

Hubby has left on his pilgrimage to Phillip Island for the GP. Better him than me sitting on a motorbike for 600km today and another 500km tomorrow! I guess it's his version of going on retreat.

Hoping to get quite a bit of sewing done while he is away. Lots of unfinished things to work on.....including this Anni Downs stitchery that I got in Sydney in June.

Hope you get some time to sit and stitch this week.

Susan x

Christmas Delights

I did this little stitchery today while I spent a couple of hours visiting my Dad, who is in respite care.

I know I said I was sticking with DMC thread, but I just couldn't resist this Cottage Garden thread called Running Postman. It is a Gail Pan pattern and it's the thread she used.

It will become a little pillow........a little Christmas gift.

Hope you're having a lovely weekend.

Susan x

TTS

Finished my TTS top today.

I was so lucky to find enough of Scandinavian Christmas in the tiny red spot. At Hatched & Patched of course.

Now it has joined the quilting pile. Aaaaargh......I think I have too many projects on the go.

Susan x

Retreat projects

These are the other five projects we got at the retreat. The Christmas tree table runner is quite cute, I might make just the centre.

I was quite restrained with my shopping. Some plain fabric for stitcheries and the other two are for a bag lining......I couldn't decide so got both. The Christmas Delights will make some sweet little gifts. Crushed walnut shells, magnetic fasteners......unfortunately no extra hours in the day for sale. That's my little birdy from the table decoration.

Ta-dah! I just finished my needle case......

I am completely in love with 1/2" hexies.

Back to my secret sewing now.

Susan x

Blue Mountains Retreat Day 2

We were all packed and ready to sew at 9am today. We mostly kept working on our project from yesterday. I thought I would have finished my needle case today, but not quite, just a few more stitches to go. I'll keep you in suspense and show you when I'm finished.

These are the girls from my table...........me, Lou, Sandra, Bernie and Marg.........Ann and Sam are camera shy. We had so much fun....... I think that really is the point of going on retreat. We all stayed together as well, so the laughs continued well into both nights.

Carol Roberts designed my needle case project, and here she is with me reluctantly, but kindly agreeing to a photo with a fan.

A little bit of fabric shopping was done, but you will have to wait for that too.

Home tonight, tired and happy.........

Susan x

Blue Mountains Quilt Retreat Day 1

Snow yesterday, sun and blue skies today. Withy the extreme weather out of the way we could head off to Day 1 of the retreat. We were welcomed with goody bags and tables decorated with gorgeous little birds.

Gail, Lisa and Carol had so many beautiful projects and patterns on display.........it was hard to know where to look, what to buy, and which project to start with.

Of course I was attracted by the 1/2" hexies. So I'm starting with Carols' needle case.

We are having a great time, the designers are so incredibly friendly and helpful. More pics later.

Susan x

Safely stitching

We arrived safely and have enjoyed an evening at The Stitching Post. Will be back tomorrow with pics of the retreat and our mystery projects.

Susan x

It's snowing........

It should only take us 2 hours to Katoomba...........but it's been snowing all the way 3 1/2 hours now.........and the traffic keeps stopping. We have lollies and 3G. Just have to wait it out.

Susan x

Blue Mountain's Quilt Retreat

I'm so excited. The weather is cold and windy, and tomorrow morning Ann-Marie and I will be heading off to Katoomba for a weekend retreat at The Stitching Post with Sam.

The tutors are Gail Pan, Lisa Cantlay and Carol Roberts, and we will have six mystery projects to choose from.

We are staying in our own little cottage with five other ladies, so I am expecting lots of laughter, plenty of show and tell, and not much sleep.

I haven't had much sewing time this week, except to baste In Full Bloom and start quilting. I don't enjoy hand quilting in the ditch, but I think it suits this quilt.

Hope you have a great weekend - I'll do a post from stitching heaven!

Susan x

A little peek.....

At very little.........this is the back of my SSCS decoration.

And this is the pieced back for In Full Bloom.

Back to school tomorrow. Only ten weeks to go til Christmas holidays!

Have a great week.

Susan x

A little gift....

Like everyone else, I am busy sewing, but not on anything that I can show.

I love patterns that are so much fun to make that I want to make multiples. This little covered notebook by Anni Downs is one such project. Out of the gift box and off to a friend.

I gave in to temptation last night and bought the downloadable pattern for Brigitte Giblins hexie bag. Now there's a dangerous development - if Hatched & Patched starts that I am in deep trouble. But I am NOT starting the bag until my SSCS is done........

On a very exciting note, there is only one week to go until I'm off to the Stitching Post Retreat at Katoomba with Ann-Marie and Sam.

Enjoying the warm Spring weather and the last of school holidays today. Hope you have a great weekend.

Susan x

French General finish

I had about 3" of binding left to sew down when I got home from work today. And now I'm finished - yay!

Based on the design Chelsea Charm, my quilt used one Rouennieres jelly roll, and two charm packs. I really enjoyed the doing the hand appliquéd petals. The blocks were machine pieced, and then hand quilted. I love the red backing.

Best get back to some secret sewing tonight........... or maybe prepare In Full Bloom for quilting.

Susan x

The Drip

No sewing today but we had a lovely picnic lunch at The Drip, north of Mudgee. It is a beautiful spot, and it was peaceful, until we arrived with six kids!

Hoping to finish my binding tonight.

Susan x