Welcome!
Welcome to “Bits My Way” … I created this blog to share my quilts and titbits with you!
Catch-up Flaunt!
Apologies for not posting the last few weeks, the house is in a bit of disarray – we’re renovating! I have managed to still get some stitching in, but haven’t had time to sit and post or have a good look around the blog’s for a while. I’ve still had the stitching bug (must get back to my quilts!). Hope to have A Christmas Wish by Gail Pan finished next time I post.
First up, up table runner designed by Leanne Beasley from Under the Mulberry Tree stiching club. You can imagine my delight when the parcel arrived and the fabric was from Rosalie Quinlin that I have used around the canvas stitcheries. Now the table runner can go in my daughter’s bedroom too.
As mentioned in my last post, I purchased Rosalie’s new book and just had to get cracking and make this one.
Feeling the urge for a bit of Christmas, I made up ‘Five Golden Rings’ a pattern by Material Possessions. I made mine in reds and greens. The stitching took quite a while to do, but then they came together quite quickly. I much prefer the smaller rings, I think they sit better – so may not use the larger ones.
Another cute stitchery
I liked doing the last stitchery so much, and it looks very pretty in my daughter’s room – I thought I’d do another! After rumaging through some magazine clippings I found this cute bird in a heart and thought it would match the last one, stiched it in the same threads and used the same fabric. Had to do a little retail therapy to by some more of Rosalie’s fabric and buy her latest book ‘Stich in Time’. So I’m sure there will be some more coming up!
Friday Flaunt (making up for missing last week)
It’s been a busy 2 weeks working and sewing. Last Friday I attended the Glenharrow Spring Stitch-in with Vikki and some other girlfriends, what a lovely day it was! Good company, great food and yummy stitcheries to do. I really enjoy doing the sticheries as a break from piecing and applique. Here are my finished projects from the day.
Firstly, ‘Your Way Home’ by Rosalie Quinlan - a cute stichery put over a small canvas, the fabric is from also from Rosalie’s new fabric range (not yet out) – this one is now hanging in my 3yo daughter’s room.
This is a little sewing bag ‘Precious Things’ by Leanne Beasley.
Of course while I was there, I just had to look at the patterns on offer and purchased yet another bag pattern – “Marie’s Roses Carry Bag” by Leanne Beasley. I adapted the pattern a little, by putting pockets on both sides of the bag (instead of only one side), used a different fabric for the inside, and put on a shoulder strap instead of carry handles. It’s a great size, 49cm (19″) x 36cm (14″). The fabrics I used on the outside pockets (roses) and the inside (spots) were of a heavier weight fabric which I think worked really well for a bag this size. I love it!
I’m off to the Quilts in the Barn (Wonga Park, Vic) tomorrow to meet up with my girlfriends to do our first swap of the dresden plate blocks …. of course in preparing these I just had to get some more fabrics – and here they are.
And what else have I been doing….. oh, 3 days of work, family stuff, sewing the above of course and a bit of gardening last weekend. I got my husband to make me some new garden beds for my strawberries – probably was I had to dig them all up first (and de-weed them), then plant them all again …. all 230+ of them! I originally started off with just 3 plants a few years ago and they just kept having babies (off shoots), they are the yummiest strawberries – Hokowase is the type. Mum and I swear by them, you can even eat them when they are just starting to colour up. Now I just need to get back out there and set up my netting.
Friday Flaunt
Yes it’s Saturday, but I was up stitching all Friday afternoon and night (until 3am this morning)! Have been hooked on watching a new vampire series True Blood, so it’s been great just sitting and sewing. It’s been a fair bit of preparation work during the week, and Friday was my sewing day. Some girlfriends (see Vikki’s) I go away with each year to the Parsonage have a just set up a new swap – dresden plates. We each make our own block (mine’s 14″ ), then provide background squares, and a fabrics/s to use in them, with the others adding their touch (in your colourway). We therefore get to make a block for each person and then at our weekend away next May at the Parsonage we do the unvielling of all the blocks, and then we take them home to sew into a quilt. In previous years, we’ve done 6″ blocks with applique theme’s, a bag swap and last year a show bag of sewing goodies.
My block prefrence is for a 20 petal dresden (I’ll do the centre’s when I get all of the blocks back and decide on a fabric to suit all), but being the over-achiever or the person that just can’t stop at the one small task, I’m thinking I’ll make some blocks during this time and turn what would be a 9 block lapquilt into a queen size bed quilt, as I’ve still not managed to get one finished for my own bed yet. Now I’ve just worked out I’ll need to make about 36 blocks!!!! Think I’ll just keep cutting petals and then sew when the mood takes.
First there was fabric, then samples were made, and now the block kit swaps are made up too!
This week I also received my first parcel of the “It Takes Two” BOM. So again the preparation has started – I’ve never done paper piecing before, it seems easy enough, just more preparation!
Friday Flaunt …. a tad late
My post for Friday is a tad late, but I wanted to finish the quilting before posting. I hand quilted it in pearle thread this week.
Friday Flaunt
Finally got around to doing an update!
Have also signed up for a new BOM from Sue Daley called “It Takes Two” because I need a nice surprise in the mailbox – am waiting on the first package.
Have been working solidly on Floral Beauty, but still many blocks to go.
Have caught up with Gail Pan’s A Christmas Wish BOM.
Have done a Rosalie Quinlan stitchery from her book Gift, just need to frame this, am thinking over doing it over canvas.
Have also had to make a book character costume for my 8yo son for school next week. He’s going to be Prince Caspian from Narnia.
Furry Friends
I have been preparing and sewing lots of blocks for my Floral Beauty quilt this past week or so, and have begun to notice a lot of fluff/hair on everything……. wonder where it’s coming from!
Coco & Bluebell
The long awaited updates!
Well, I’ve been busy! More Morrell blocks, some DJ blocks and starting a couple of new quilts and doing some cross-stitch and stitcheries…. yep heaps, I just haven’t posted in ages. So here’s some photo’s I’ve what I’ve been up to.
Morrell Quilt – I’m a bit over it (have been the last couple of months) so I’ve decided it’s going to be a generous single bed quilt. I’ve sewn all the blocks made together and left space for the ones left and then there will be the border to do. If you would like a closer look at the individual blocks have a look under the Morrell tab.
Dear Jane – have sewn up a few more blocks that were already cut out (need to cut out some more for when I’m in the mood for DJ). I’ve put these all under the DJ tab. I’ve also been working on a DJ cross stitch. Silly me forgot that I was suppose to do this over two threads – but it’s been so long since I’ve done any I did it over one thread on 25 count aida – it’s a strain on the eyes! The pattern is called “Quilt Sampler VI” by Linda Myers, I purchased this on a trip to Maldon from The Village Patch.
Girls Day Out Weekend – Attend a lovely weekend stitching with 80+ women hosted by Country Thyme in Mooroopna with Rosalie Quinlin, Melly and Leanne Beasley. Country Thyme is a lovely shop with lots of goodies, and a great range of fabrics and patterns. We got a great show bag with about 9 patterns from these three designers, I also bought kits for a couple of them. I’m please to advise that I’ve finished Rosalie’s bag and needlecase, and have stitched one of Leanne’s doilies. I’ve really caught the stitching bug and am keen to do some more now.
Topiary Trees Cross Stitch – I’m loving working this in one colour, sorry but I can’t find the orginal link for this freebie pattern.
Floral Beauty – This is my last project…. I’m loving working on 6 1/2 ” blocks for a change. This pattern is by Irene Blanck, and is sold through the gorgeous Threadbear quilt shop. I’m using a mix of fabrics but quite a few are from Blackbird’s “Beach House” range.
Bags – this is one of my all time favourites
Very productive weekend!
Spent Friday night cutting out another 3 Morell blocks. Saturday I completed an applique block, Sunday completed a Christmas Wish block and the last two nights I’ve sewed the binding on a charity quilt.
The quilt was started way back in response to the 2006/07 Victorian bushfires (which were our worst on record, till this year). My friend Vikki and I went through our stashes for fabric and got some work collegues together and taught them how to make Ohio Star blocks. Some of them hadn’t even sewn before so it was quite an effort, but they did really well. Our intention was to donate the quilt to another employee who is a CFA volunteer – our wish was for them to raffle the quilt to raise money for that CFA brigade. Both Vikki and myself have long since left the organisation, but have continued to pull the quilt together. Now in light of this year’s bushfires they may decided to raffle it themselves to donate money ….. as I’m no longer an employee of the organisation I’ll leave it up to them. My other wonderful friend Julie (of Jules Quilting 0402 497745 Mitcham, Vic.) donated her quilting service and only charged us cost for the batting and thread. Here it is… 184cm square
I’ve been busy…
So busy in fact I haven’t posted for a while, that and the fact the PC died and we had to get a new one. I’ve been really enjoying the way the blocks have been coming together and the colours – really liking the teal I’ve added here and there.
