Still Sewing

100's of web pages and re reading all my books has still not solved the problem of what to do with all my new fabric. So I stuck to working on my baby blanket.

I'm enjoying the quiet from my sewing machine but I am still

missing the chaos of colours and surprises that

patchworking can bring. 

Bits and Pieces

I have been neglecting my blog since school has gone back. I have been neglecting my making of things a little bit too. I have started a baby blanket for my nephew whose wife is having a baby.
The blanket is a cashmere wool and the wool fabric pieces are from Amitie and Creswick.

I like to embroider so I think that I will have fun adding the details.  The only problem is, that with babies there is a finite time to complete the task.

I have also been reading lots of blogs rather than writing my own and it seems that lots of you have this idea for using old scraps of fabrics and just adding them on to each other, so I pulled out all my old Amy Butlers and the gorgeous yellow strips that I cut too many of from the wedding quilt and made these.

I really was quite happy with myself when I had finished this lot and I ended up making a stack of others, all shapes and sizes.  Fabrics that have been lying around in boxes for years have been quickly sewn together to make rather interesting shapes and combinations. 

So now can someone please tell me what to do with these guys? 

What have I done?

I think I went a bit overboard with the sales on line. Rosebud Quilting and QuiltHome had sales on Kaffe Fassett and I bought all this at great prices but I think I went too far.
I am going back to work on Monday and maybe its a good thing because I won't have time to spend so much money.

Old Stuff

I was digging around the craft cupboard when I accidentally tipped over my father in law's old sewing basket which he gave to me because he won't sew anymore. He used to be a tailor but that was 60-70 years ago.  Anyway it made a huge mess on the floor. Unfortunately there wasn't anything that old in there but I did find a few bits and pieces that brought home old childhood memories.

Beach Days and Redback Spiders

I just spent 2 blissful days on the beach in Blairgowrie. The weather was fine, the tide was out so we could dig around for crabs and creepy crawlies, the walks were long and beautiful and the food was delicious.

As for the Redback, it was huge and in the outdoor fireplace but my photo was not so good of it. The snake was a baby Brown Snake-very poisonous so it fit in with the theme of the Redback. Lucky it was squashed before we got there. Anyone would think the coast was dangerous.

So going on the theme of Redbacks, today I was helping a friend baste her quilt. She took her fabric out of the bag and out popped a spider. Yep, another redback but the bag was from her son's bedroom at home in Melbourne. I don't know that I would be sleeping in that room tonight.

School Chair Bags

What can you do with old towels?
Do you remember when you move out of home and your mother kindly gives you some of her off cast bath towels which you gratefully accept and enjoy until you discover the bliss of bath sheets?
These towels, too good for the rag pile, after 20 odd years have finally found a new use.

I have turned them into chair bags for my kids at school. There are about 5 students in my class who came to school without their chair bag from last year and their stuff is strewn all over the tables. My classroom is so tiny that the mess is driving me nuts. I've converted 2 towels into chair bags. If they fit, I am going to free up some space in my linen cupboard.

Wedding Quilt is Finished

As much as I get very attached to the quilts I make, I can't wait to give this quilt away. I love the way it has worked out. It was really easy to machine quilt as it is not too big to manage. I hope they enjoy snuggling up under it during the colder months.
If anyone wants to tackle a design from Kaffe Fassett's books, this is a good one. I would love to see it in another colourway.