First fall of Snow

We went up the road for a drive on Sunday to see the first fall of the winter, a bit early so hope its not a sign of things to come.

Do Your Own Block 2

These are my two naked blocks for the Do Your Own Block on the Chains of Hearts group. Each week we will do a different seam treatment with a stitch given to us by one of the group members, this month the stitches are being called by Faye Dianne

Wishing Well

Our new addition to the garden, this part of the garden was started 20 years ago, it was looking a bit messy so has been under going a change, starting with the wishing well. DH has planted grasses around the gravel/cement base.

This is was wedding anniversary present my dh has been wanting, eventually it will be sitting in a small pond somewhere about that spot. Not sure whats his mind but I think its the next project.

DYOB swaps

So much for keeping a blog. I really do have to much to do and not enough time. Well the do your own block is finished and the swapping block has gone to its new home. I have received mine. It was a lovely challenge and I am looking forward to the next one.

My finished block that went to Faye Dianne.

The lovely block I received from Helina.

First heart

I've decided to put a heart on all 3 blocks, they will all be different. This is block 2.

Week 4 Chevron Stitch

Not many more to go.
Block 1
Block 2

Block 3

Block 3 redone seam

Week 3 Paisleys

These are the Paisleys from week three.
Block 1
Block 2

Block 3

Third seam and Paisley's

The weeks are flying past the stitch this time was feather stitch and a paisley motive. I tend to use feather stitch mainly for plants, bushes and seaweed so it made a change to use it just as a seam. Paisley's are not a favourite of mine but I did quite enjoy doing them. Margreet used the print on the fabric as a base so on one block I placed a scrap of fabric onto the patch and stitched around it. Scan of those tonight.

Second DYOB seams

The second row is chain stitch. One has since been changed as I didn't like it but I will have to scan it again so you can see the change when I put the next lot up.

Waved chain stitch with chain stitch flowers and french knots.

Not sure what you call this, I saw it in a book and now can't find the book to tell you its name. it was fun to do and when I have more time I really want to play with it, maybe a bit of ribbon under the stitches or a little bead or french knot in the chain.

Open chain stitch with bead and twisted chain. the twisted chain makes a lovely filler or outline. I love it but not on this row.

First DYOB seams

First stitch is herringbone, theres so much you can do to expand and dress it up.

Chains of Hearts DYOB

A few weeks ago I started a DYOB with the Chains of Hearts group, these are my blocks, two I will keep for myself the other will be swapped, we are on our fourth seam, blocks are 20cm (8")

And Two More

Cream pastel


Ginger cat

New Hearts

Have worked all week on "things" most will end up as more UFOs. I finished the last of the blocks for a star quilt I'm making all 49 hand sewn using English paper piecing, while trimming I sliced one of the blocks so its now in the "to disgusted to do any more pile till I find a piece of the same fabric to replace the patch otherwise I will have to remake the whole block.


I've done my first seam on my DYOBs at Do Your Own Block and have just got six new hearts made for Chains of hearts At least they are not UFOs.

More of the Calender Quilt

Spring showers
Only block that I have so far managed to follow, well except for the flowers. every Spring garden has to have flowers, can't help feeling it needs something behind the fence or maybe a little blue bird sitting on it.

Problem with having so many interests is that its hard to know what I want to do at any given time. I have more UFOs then projects on the go and more ideas in my head than the both put together, it usually means I draw up the pattern, pick out the fabrics and so it goes on. Then theres the magazines, always something in them to be reproduced, they'd get finished quicker if I actually followed the patterns.

This one all started with an ATC swapped on Chains of Hearts with Wilma, (she knows who she is). It was blue, it coincided with a block in Magic patch 42 magazine. Magic Patch is to blame for much of my planning and mind wandering.  I’ve been getting it since issue 1 and only missed one. Wonderful mag but gives lousy instructions but since I never follow them anyway it doesn't really matter. The block was red and white, the quilt was to be red and white, a search in my fabrics, didn’t turn up enough red and whites to do more then a couple of blocks and this was suppose to have 12, but well you remember Wilma's ATC, I was sure it would look good in blue.

First blocks went well. I think December is a Christmas church with snow, the snow look had to go but since I haven't decided what month its to be the wreath became a window, not sure yet what I will do on the door but inspiration will come eventually.

January had a pair of skis in the front and since we do actually get some snow I built a snowman instead. January will have to become May or June and since I just uploaded the wrong block it could be May before you see it.

I was soon waiting for the next issue, 3 in it but with a note on the page saying pattern was wrong, issue 44 didn't have any in it 45 had one I don’t like and no promised pattern correction so I did my interpretation. February is definitely the right month, the rest are undecided as of now the count is 7, trouble is I have found a picture of the finished quilt on the web so may need some inspiration for more then one block, beach huts are just not Aussie and the note about keeping the scraps of fabric for the finishing of the quilt didn't say long strips, might have to have crazy blocks between each one, got an awful feeling it may become a UFO.



This is the school not very Australian but I like it, type you see in childhood nursery rhymes and story books still needs a bell and a sign, it did have a banner across the front but I replace it with some "iron trim"

Since just about everyone I know has a blog I thought I would give it a go. Trouble is I have so many interests that it was hard to think of what to focus on, hence the name. If writing future notes is as hard as thinking of things to say in this one then its not going to be a very active place to visit. Maybe I'll get better at it, for now.
Cheers