Sewing room addition

So my son went back to Uni in Sydney on Tuesday. He would have been happy to catch the train, but I offered to drive, as I had an ulterior motive. After many years in the planning I bought some new storage for my sewing room. I've been thinking about this for a long time, and now it's here. Would you believe that I walked through IKEA and ONLY bought what I intended to, and nothing else?

It was good to have a clean out as I went. Hoping to make some space for a design wall too......

It was also very exciting to finally visit The Crewel Gobelin. I couldn't help buying a new cross stitch pattern and some lovely dark blue grey thread. Great to meet some fellow stitchers while I was there too.

Thank you for your kind words about my wasp stings. When I did the post on Friday I was being optimistic. By Saturday my whole left arm and hand had swollen so much that I couldn't do anything, let alone sew. Just about back to normal now though thank goodness, so back to some hand quilting. 

Susan x

Happy Mothers Day

Happy Mothers Day everyone. I hope you have been spoilt and pampered, and enjoyed some sewing time too.

My day started with a lovely family breakfast before two of the boys had to work. Then home to attend to a long overdue project. From this in November.........

.......to finally this in May. Now just to choose the photos. Thank you Cardy for the inspiration.

One of the things I love most about Mother's Day and birthdays is that my boys still make cards for me, with lots of cute drawings and special words that I will treasure. Here they are, with my new book.

Not sure if I will take up this challenge, but it will be interesting to read about it.

Have a great week,
Susan x

Salvage project

Woodworking may not have been the best term to use in my last post. Restoration or salvage would have been better. I have been considering a quilt ladder for years......and it came up again last week when I saw one for sale locally. Unfortunately, I don't like paying city prices for my trash and treasure, so I went home to consider the poor, falling apart wooden ladder that I bought years ago and never did anything with. It was in pieces and has been moving closer to firewood every winter.

I thought it was too far gone, but hubby suggested giving it a go. After quite a lot of sanding, some gluing and new nails yesterday, here it is in all its glory. I had fully intended to stain it, but I'm quite partial to silvered timber. I think I will leave it as is for now, and see if I'm motivated to stain it in the future. I was also pretty worried about my quilts getting stained over time, depending on what finish I used. There is a little placemat under each quilt to protect it. I'd be interested in your opinion whether to leave it or stain it a darker colour.

Old Ted also had to be accommodated since he used to sit on the chair that was in this spot.

Susan x

FNWF

I had planned to have the top of my SIL quilt finished, basted and ready to quilt for FNWF. The extra fabric did arrive in time but unfortunately the local fabric shop (it's not a very good shop) has decided not to sell batting anymore so the top will be as far as I get for now. Not very happy about that.

I also spent a bit of time tidying my very messy sewing room, and started sewing together the blocks from the traditional nine patch swap. The blocks have been cut and sorted for ages, just needed sewing. My sewing machine and I have spent a lot of time together lately.........but I'll be ready to get back to hand stitching when I sew the last rows together.

So I got quite a bit of sewing done during the day, but sidetracked in the evening. We have been planning a fire pit for a while, and we finally got an old centrifuge basket from hubby's work. Before........

And after..........drinks around the new fire in the front paddock to start the long weekend.

Hope you find some stitching time over the weekend.

Susan x

Mini progress

I have started quilting my little orange peels.

A little sneak peek at a special mini swap for later in the year.

Remember our "unpaved" paved area.......well it has been paved! You don't want to rush these things, it's taken a bit longer than a year to do, although the actual job was done in a weekend.

Really looking forward to the end of the week when school holidays start. We are starting with my brothers 50th in Sydney and then going to North Queensland to see the Great Barrier Reef and the Daintree Rainforest. I have a little stitching packed......probably time to think about clothes as well.

Susan x

All finished

Another big day of painting and rearranging, but my sewing room is finished except for a notice board.

When I looked at the photos I thought "where's my stash?" Well it is all there in its containers in the white shelves and some under the desk. There is still quite a lot of stuff on the ironing board in another room too, so in just a few minutes it won't look so tidy. But it is finished, it's mine and I love it.

Time to squeeze in some sewing before the weekend is over. Hope yours was great.

Susan x

FNWF

For FNWF I was quilting my In Full Bloom. It's almost done, just need to decide what to do in the borders.

Today I was in Bathurst visiting my dear Dad in respite care. I needed a new chair for my sewing room so went by the secondhand shop while I was there. Funnily enough, this chair matches our old dining suite.

And after some fun with the staple gun.

I know you won't believe me but I went to Hatched and Patched too, but only for ONE fat quarter to finish a swap project. Anni was on the phone whilst I waited to be served, and who do you think it was? There is only one Dawnie! Of course I had to say hello........and she tried to do some hard selling on Anni's behalf.......but I was strong and have not signed up for the Tillies Lane BOM.

I am hoping to finish off painting my sewing room tomorrow and move everything back into place.

Hope you're having a great weekend.

Susan x

Sewing room reveal......Part One

I am one happy little stitcher this afternoon.......

The finished side.

The unfinished side.

The view from my window. Hmmmm, that would be the unfinished paved area out the window.

A treasure not seen for a while, Great Nan's sewing machine, complete with little silver oil bottle.

I am desperately trying not to throw everything out of Mr 11's cupboard, which will be coming to my room next week when we get his bookcase. Apparently patience is a virtue.

Have a great week.

Susan x

Creativity of a different kind

I am spending the weekend with a paintbrush in my hand, so it's lucky I like painting. For a long time I have had a sewing corner in a small spare room, shared with the computer and printer and other paraphernalia. Well the desk top has been replaced by a laptop which now lives in the "charging cupboard" and I am very excited to say I'M GETTING MY OWN SEWING ROOM.

It's something of a two stage process as I have to work around some of the furniture, but by the end of today I should be finished except for one wall.

It has a lovely view down to Mudgee, and is right near the lounge and kitchen....so I won't miss out on anything!

Getting ready:

I hope you're enjoying a lovely weekend.

Susan x

Recycled Treaure

Where we live there is no garbage service, so we have to take rubbish to the tip ourselves. My dear husband usually does the tip trip, and since it's a small country tip, he often brings home little treasures for me. He excelled himself last week with this lovely little ladder.

It just needs a light sand and clean. It doesn't have a home yet, but I can picture some quilts hanging on it.

I love surprises like this that cost nothing and save waste.

Susan x