Swoon Block 9 Completed

I am sure I need a Bex, a cup of tea and a lie down!

Block 9,
I feel that this has been sewn in total 3 times!

So much reverse sewing / unpicking in this block,  I had it pieced some time ago and then thought --Hmm  not sure about colour 2 in this block; it was the Flurry Panel that came in the FQ bundle

Sewing incorrect pieces together,

I auditioned other Kate Spain-'Flurry" FQ's; but came right back to the original colour choice.

Swoon Blocks Finally

Now to piece it together this week, not sure to use straight strips of sashing, or to intersperse it with colour blocks of a myriad of the nine fabrics used--at the intersections.
Was not even going to attempt the sashing last night, after the dismal sewing effort of yesterday afternoon.

Smocked dresses

Twirl Factor in Liberty of London fabric

twirling at your older brother's kinder break up in AS&E Best Of
Fabric is Australian Wildflowers by Liberty of London

Cuddles and carry ons from your cousin

Miss 5BN wearing Blossom, AS&E  Issue 65, a favourite pattern and print, always looked smart for swirling and twirling.  Both dresses seen in previous post on display at The Show!

Local Agricultural Shows

Smocked Liberty and Blossom Dress

Award winning Beauty



More gorgeous  Dresses




Display circa 2008
 Royal Melbourne Show

I need to begin finishing some smocked dresses for our local Agricultural Show in a month's time. The above photos were taken at the State Show, the BIG ONE in September. I had more time to sew then, working part time with little children who slept in the middle of the day.
 Now it is much more difficult, working more paid hours, and children who no longer sleep in the middle of the day --children who chant --WE ARE STARVING--what is there to eat?  So every waking moment seems to be baking, and attending to needs and the needy!
Yes they do attend school--however I seem to be at the paid work job at the same time!  So it seems little free time to sew, but I am in the process of pulling out nearly finished  smocked items to ponder over and hopefully finish in the next few weeks.
At the end of the day, it is therapeutic to be a blog lurker--rather than finishing some bullion roses to a smocked bodice --but I must begin to prioritise,and finish some items to help with the dwindling entries in the local Ag show.

Friday night sewing







Glad to see some of our sewing group have been productive.
Here is Mrs ZippyZippy busily churning out metres of bias binding for her to use in her wonderful laundry bags or on her bright and colourful buntings.

It was fascinating to watch, and very relaxing to see the transformation of fabric strips into ironed bias strips.

Bias Tape Making

Laundry bag with striped bias binding



Sandra has made her first quilt, part of the Pinwheel Quilt -a-long that Mrs ZippyZippy co-ordinated in the later half of 2011 for our sewing group.



Fantastic work Sandra!



Well done Sandra, who is busy planning her next quilt, thanks to her Mum who had passed on a kit with the fabric and pattern to Sandra. It certainly makes it easier to begin, when the fabric choice has been made already.





Sewing? Not yet

The children are back at school, but no sewing yet, I hope to do some today however. Instead I have spent a pleasant Saturday afternoon playing tennis.

You know you are involved in country sport as whilst at tennis; we noticed a plume of smoke not too far away,
Shortly, the local CFA tanker called into the Recreation Reserve to collect some volunteers to make up a fire crew. Dutifully, off went one of the opposition tennis players, and some spectators of the cricket.
The fire was contained thankfully before it was able to reach the forest area.

Picturesque view



Smoke visible in the near distance



Gorgeous rural setting





Ahhh A cup of Tea





School begins again for another year



School has commenced for this year, all three back today, all very keen, early to bed last night, early to rise this am.  The older 5BN child was lucky enough to receive an Ipad this year as part of the essential items required for learning!!

I am sure the essential music and apps have been loaded; prior to text books having been loaded.

An Australian Blend

As soon as the school bus departed, I made another cup of tea, and enjoyed the peace in the house.  Twinings have released a new blend, it was all ready for Australia Day on January 26th. This smells devine and is a lovely blend, I must stock up on more, prior to it being taken off the Supermarket shelves.