Melbourne and Giveaway winner

I had an amazing time in Victoria. The quilt exhibition Making the Australian Quilt was exceptional, such beautiful quilts made without the tools and conveniences we take for granted. Of course my favourite was Prudence Jeffrey's hexagon quilt nd Auntie Greens. It was exciting to finally visit Lucellos after the exhibition, a little treasure chest of goodies.

 

It was wonderful to catch up with Elyte and Marina on Saturday. We have been meeting every two years as my niece and nephews turned 21, not sure what next event will bring me to Melbourne but I'm sure I'll be back again. We went to Woolarium for sock wool, GJ's and The Cutting Cloth, and had a lovely lunch afterwards. The girls spoiled me with some rabbit themed gifts including fabrics for my bunny quilt, and a bunny spoon. My sister gave me the book from the exhibition.

 

On Sunday we left Melbourne, perfectly timed to visit Threadbear at Castlemaine. I think I have found my spiritual home. I could have bought some of every single fabric in the store! I was so overwhelmed that I almost couldn't make a selection, but it passed. I stocked up on some great fabrics and backgrounds. Almost bought the starter pack for Celebrating Mary Brown but decided to think about it for a while. 

 

After two days wandering around Daylesford we headed back to Melbourne via Millrose......another overwhelmingly beautiful store. Then on to the plane home and back to work. I'm hoping to spend the weekend finally playing with my goodies!

 

I have finished another pair of socks for my niece, and one sock of the self striping variety bought on holidays. It's quite amazing to see the pattern come out.

 

Thank you everyone for the lovely comments for my blog birthday, I've been a bit slack with my replies. I used my highly technical random number selector (hi honey, please choose a number between 1 and 42) and the winner is number 33, Helen. Email your address and this little package will be on its way.

 

Happy weekend everyone.

Susan x

Melbourne and a giveaway

I am very excited to be heading off on a little solo adventure to Melbourne on Friday. Of course I'm going see the quilts at the NGV! My sister has created a wonderful itinerary of quilt shops, cake and coffee...... On Saturday I'm meeting up with my Melbourne sewing buddies Marina and Elyte, between them all I will be crossing off a lot of dream destination patchwork shops. I just hope my budget can hold up.

I mentioned in my previous post that my blog turns five this month. What a wonderful, creative world blogging is. So many great friends and happy memories made. To celebrate I'm having a little giveaway. I've made a double sided hexagon pin cushion in my favourite red and cream fabrics, and I'm sure I can find a little something extra to add while I'm away. 

 

Just leave a comment on this post and I'll make the draw on Friday 19th August.

Happy sewing!

Susan x

Squishy mail

I have had two lovely parcels arrive on my doorstep this week. The first from my friend Elyte.....some beautiful blue fabrics and a cute wooden bunny. Could this be the beginning of a new colour direction? Perhaps a clamshell quilt in blues? I especially like the rabbit fabric.

The other package came all the way from the Netherlands, although I think it may have stopped off for a mini break on the way. I won a giveaway from Carin and now I am the happy owner of this beautiful pin cushion, and some much needed purple for my stash. 

Little packages of fabric from near and far really are the happiest mail.......thank you both so much.

It's a big day today, as I'm taking Mr 16 to have his braces taken off. He's had them for over 2.5 years so he's more than a little bit excited. Then tomorrow we're heading to Sydney for a university and college open day for Mr 18. I doubt there will be any patchwork shop stops, but I might try some more knitting in the car (maybe i'll get my cowl finished in time to wear it before the weather warms up).

Happy stitching.

Susan x

Giveaway winners

Oops, I'm a day late with the winners.......life got in the way yesterday. So without further ado, and with Mr 14's help picking the numbers, congratulations to Sylvia, you've won the charm pack, pincushion kit and reel holder. And the winner of the the stitchery kit and reel holder is Susan at Kiwikids. Email your address and I'll pop your goodies in the post.

Thank you everyone for the birthday wishes, fabulous gift ideas and all the day to day comments and emails. I think I have enough projects to keep me blogging for at least another four years!

Winter has returned with a vengeance today, and it's the end of my working week, so tomorrow I hope to spend some time sitting by the fire with my little dog.

Susan x

Fourth birthday giveaway

I still find it hard to believe that I started a blog in the first place, let alone that it has continued and grown so much in four years. What started as a bit of fun (with Chookyblue's encouragement) has led to so many new friendships, ideas and projects. Without a local sewing group my blog is a creative lifeline that I would be lost without.  

So on Tuesday my blog turns four and I think a little giveaway is in order to celebrate. I've made a charm pack of my favourite red and cream fabrics; ones you would have seen in tiny hexagons, Dear Jane and countless other projects. Add to that a red hexie reel holder, and a kit for Lily's Bluebird Pincushion which so many of you commented on here. The fabric in the kit isn't exactly the same, but still chosen by Anni herself.

And because it's so hard to give away just one prize, there's also a low volume hexie reel holder and Rosalie Quinlan stitchery (linen included).

To enter just leave a comment telling me what your go-to project for gifts is. I'll announce the winner on Tuesday afternoon.

It's a beautiful, sunny winters day here, so I think there will be some gardening.........and some sitting in the sun sewing.

Susan x

And the winner is.....

My husband has randomly generated number 18, so congratulations to Annette of Jindiscottage. You have won the little bundle of green fabrics which I unearthed in my weekend cleanup. Send me your address and I will pop it in the mail.

I haven't sewn any DJ blocks for a while, but here is where I'm up to. Still a long way to go.

I hope your week has started well.

Susan x

Odds and ends

I've been doing a little bit of finishing off. This cushion was stitched before I even started blogging, sewn together in Feb 2014, and finally stuffed last night. Better late than never!

Some lonely experimental hexies turned into a pincushion for an upcoming swap.

More leftover 3/8" hexies, these from the FiS Christmas swap in December 2013. Now a new mini waiting to be quilted. Very similar to one I made with 1/4" hexies for myself here.

And a little giveaway to finish. I won this set of smaller fabric pieces at a retreat, and they are just not colours I would use. The largest piece is 13" square, so suitable for a small project. Leave a comment and I'll draw a winner on Monday.

Susan x

And the winner is......

Thank you for your wonderful comments. It seems we are agreed that our blogs are about so much more than just our craft, they are a source of inspiration and friendship too, and often a sanity saver.

So, after using my highly technical random number generator (here son, pick a number)........the winner of the red pin cushion and fabric bundle is Wendy in NZ and the blue pincushion is on it's way to Carole......congratulations and thanks for joining in. Send me your addresses ladies and your parcels will be in the post.

I had a lovely time in my sewing room on Friday thinking about future projects and how they might fit with my current fabric diet. This sweet little block is the result. It may be the beginning of a new long term project......my own red and white(ish) version of Dear Jane. I have had the book for years but never the courage to start, mainly because I couldn't decide what colours I wanted to use. So red and shirtings it is. I'm only going to make the blocks I like , and will probably add some appliqué blocks of my own. It will be interesting to see if it ends up as a nine block mini, or a quilt!

I had a quick visit to Dad in Bathurst yesterday, and this is what I came home to for afternoon tea. Carrot, orange and almond cake. It is the first cake my husband has EVER made, and it was absolutely scrumptious.

Hope you've had a fun weekend and found some time to sew.
Susan x

Red or Blue?

I'm not a big swapper, but I do love a giveaway.
It's my blogs third birthday this week, and to celebrate I'm having a little giveaway. The winner will receive this selection of fat 1/8's of my personal favourites, and either the red or blue pincushion. Just leave a comment with your pincushion preference, and one thing you love about blogging, and I'll make the draw on Sunday. I'm happy to send overseas too.

Thank you to all my bloggy friends and visitors, your lovely comments always make my day.

Susan x

Pincushions!

Thanks for all the great pincushion comments. It seems I am not alone in my love of them......although my collection is not as grand as many. I thought I should gather mine up for a photo opportunity. It's very hard to choose a favourite, but I do love Anni's with the quote around the sides...."stitch with your heart, sew with your soul".....perfect for all of us I think. Natalie Birds Red home pincushion and the silver rabbit would be my other favourites.

So on to the winners. Fiona -Bubzrugz won the blue, and Hilda and Jan - Little Red Hen both win a red. Send me your addresses and I will pop them in the mail next week. Thanks everyone for entering.

Does anyone know if it's ok to post crushed walnut shells overseas? Apart from the weight, would there be a customs issue?

Hoping to lay out my Irish Circles blocks this weekend, so I can see where I'm up to. Time to start thinking about the next border I think.

Enjoy the rest of the weekend.

Susan x

A little giveaway

I went a little overboard with my hexie pincushions. So, if you would like to win one, just leave a comment, telling me how many pincushions you own and whether you prefer red or blue.

I think (hope) I will be able to part with one red and one blue. I'll announce the winners on Saturday.

Susan x

And the winner is.......

Thank you all for leaving such lovely comments on my Giveaway post. I wish I could give everyone a prize. I used the highly technical method of writing numbers on little bits of paper for the draw. Thanks to Mr 11 for doing the honours.............

The Esprit De Noel charm pack goes to Number 43, the lovely Peg at Happy in Quilting.

And my little hexie purse goes to Number 13, Elyte at Tea, Fabric and other things. This seems ever so fitting, as it was Elyte who gave me the idea of a small purse made of small hexies in the first place.

Thanks for taking part.

Susan x

FNWF

FNWF wasn't quite as productive as I hoped, but it was good to get back to my hand quilting for a while. I'm hoping to finish quilting my nephews quilt today because it's a lovely rainy public holiday.

Yesterday we went bush walking at Newnes in the Blue Mountains. It's part of the Wollemi National Park, and there are lots of ruins from the old shale oil refinery. It was a lovely day out.

I also finished my nine patches for June. I really liked these two fabrics when I bought them, but not so sure now that they're made up. I guess that's the beauty of a scrappy swap.

Back later with the winners of my giveaway.

Susan x