Bricks and Mortar Shopping

Unable to attend the Australian Quilt Convention, I decided to assist with boosting the local economy, and visited two local businesses instead.  First up was visit a local bricks and mortar shop, loving the display of fabrics,  and assistance provided from the friendly, knowledgeable staff.

All photos are taken on my phone, did not think to put the camera in the car that day--so apologies for the poorer quality photos.

 

 

 

Candy Bloom by Aussie designer Rosalie Quinlan

 Lovely Softies, and also many fabrics from the Tilda fabric range

Pinwheels in a fresh spring palette.
Kits available for this quilt.

Vintage window display

Sew, Laugh, Love  by Leanne Beasley

I have seen the above stitchery popping up on Instagram feeds, and on some blogs,  I was pleased to see the pattern for this stitchery at  Quilters Harvest, so I quickly bought it.

Pattern transferred, and able to be seen!

 This pattern contained the iron on transfer, I quickly ironed the pattern onto some white linen that I had at home,  -- no instructions in the pattern -- but I chose to use a hot dry iron-- to iron on the pattern, which at the time --I remember letting it cool completely, before needing to re-iron several times- until I felt the pattern had been transferred onto the linen.
 I have been slowly doing a little stitchery some nights. 

Significant fading of the pattern transfer ---over a two week time frame

I must say, I am very disappointed with the iron on transfer,  the markings are quickly fading away - very difficult to distinguish at all, I have had to trace over areas that I am working on -- and feel I will quickly need to trace out the complete design soon- or it will have faded away altogether - unable for me to see the pattern markings.
I have ironed the piece of linen again with a hot dry iron, the markings have reappeared slightly, but still making it challenging to see the pattern.

I wonder if others have bought the kit with the markings already on the linen, or have transferred the pattern across to fabric.

Anyone out there with some handy hints for me ??

FQS 2012 Mystery BOM - Double Digits!

Blocks Nine and Ten have been completed, a quick check on Flickr- has revealed some others have also muddled the directional hounds tooth print on Block 10. I will unpick and redo Block 10 before the quilt top is all pieced together. Obviously distracted - as so many others were!

"Lakeside Retreat" by Johanna Figueroa

"Sunday Drive" by Minick and Simpson

Playing with some of the remaining fabrics from the BOM - I decided to try out this pinwheel block, I will complete and turn it into a Mug Rug. In my mind, I had planned to do a row of flying geese, using the same colour placement of fabric, down the right hand side of this block; however playing with measurements - I decided that upon completion - it would appear to be a placemat--not the intention that I had in mind.
It can stay the square Mug Rug!
Looking for inspiration on Flickr, I would guess that the Mug Rug was the go to Christmas gift - considering the prolific number with a Christmas theme.

Mug Rug  - to be!
 

Unintentionally, the fabrics above have the definite red and aqua theme- that Camille is so fond of.

A to C of baby names

Some more local babies have been born, the new Mum's have been putting their requests in for baby gifts.

Three little girls have received cosy blankets--awaiting the cooler months to arrive --it has been a warm start to Autumn in the Southern Hemisphere.

 

Others have requested the baby name bags as gifts.
Young Cooper is now 8 weeks of age, he was born with a head of thick dark black hair -- however over the past two months, that hair has now changed completely to a gorgeous burnished copper.

Welcome into our rural community - little babies.

Initial book bag

Miss 5BN had a birthday party to attend on the weekend, she decided the recipient needed an Initial book bag, it was filled with some drawing accessories, and activity books --for Miss E to whittle away the time - while the older siblings play their various weekend sports.

Miss E - the youngest of the family - reportedly was delighted to have a new and special bag---- none of the older siblings could claim -----as none shared a name with the same initial!

Zippered Pouch

 Now that AFL football season has started, I am finding the gentle hum / frenzied sewing of the machine in the evenings is too intrusive -(irritating!) for those in the household watching the football on T.V.
I needed to find a hand sewing project to do on those evenings- when all eyes and ears are glued to the footy.

I have seen some quirky completed sewing projects popping up on Instagram and on blogs, I soon realised that the patterns were from Anni Downs.

Anni has several books of patterns published - each with their own theme, Gardening, Christmas, Angels,  Stitching, Sewing.










Projects shown on the back cover.

 I found this little book, and decided to stitch the zippered pouch, it was quick to applique some scraps of fabric to the linen, and to stitch the design.



Those ladies  taking part in the annual Stitch-a-long have used Anni Downs' patterns in the past, and again this year, her book - Some Kind of Wonderful - is being used as part of the 2013 stitch-a-long.
I enjoy reading their progress reports throughout the year.

Applique pieces all ironed into place.



Zippered Pouch

After repeatedly needing to loan Mr 5BN's reading glasses to thread the needle, he persuaded me to wear them - whilst stitching. Less strain on the eyes; more even, smaller stitches, much faster! - the list goes on.

I then purchased a pair of mild magnifiers ( reading glasses of my own)  the next time I went to town, hoping this will make life easier - for when I am next stitching in the evenings.

Have some days home later in the week, I plan to find some small pieces of fabric to sew this little zippered pouch together and have a completed project.

Quilt completed - pattern repeated!

I have enjoyed a quiet sit this afternoon, and completed the binding on this quilt.

 

 

I printed off a label using Matilda's Own  ---Inkjet Printable Fabric,

 It is a basic but functional label.

How do you label your quilts?

 

 

The quilt is folded into a box, but I will make time tomorrow to package it more neatly in tissue paper, and find some ribbon to tie neatly about the box.

 

To be gifted  this week to its new owners - as they move into a new home.

Pattern Repeat!

Another quilt in the making---to be gifted, once the binding is sewn on!

 

 I repeated a pattern I have used prior, this quilt pictured below is in constant use in our house.

MoMo wonderland fabric range

 

Pattern is Wild thing by Thimble Blossoms

 

I admire Vanessa's new colour range, so I quickly bought two charm packs from Kate.

Added in was some homespun in the Sand colourway.

 

 

Vivid and fresh colours
 

 The pattern I used is a favourite --Wild Things by Camille, quick to prepare, and the blocks sew up quite speedily using the chain piecing method.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I was too impatient too wait for yardage of Simply Colour-- to utilise for the borders to arrive via post, so I enlisted a friend to help choose the fabric for the two borders- at our local Spotlight.

 

Backing fabric, border and binding fabric

 

Borders added and passed onto Mrs WB for some of her precise quilting.

 

 

lovely quilting - yet again

 

 

Binding sewn on, in the process of completing the hand sewing.

I am pleased with the vibrant colours in this quilt, loving the pops of hot pink --I did not want it to appear too feminine when completed;  I was not disappointed at all.

Hoping that this will cheer up and cheer on the sports mad family- who will be the recipient of this quilt.  A splash of colour providing warmth at the cool mornings and afternoons of winter sport.



Cookies and Cream slice

We love our chocolate in our household, we also love our slices that contain chocolate. When I see blocks of chocolate on sale at the supermarket, I stock up. Both schools now have a nut free policy - as a result, I often use Cookies and Cream chocolate as the topping for a basic slice base.

I must hide this stash

Cookies and Cream Slice

Base
125 gm butter
1/2 tin condensed milk
2 tablespoons Golden Syrup
1 pkt Marie biscuits

Topping
1/8 block Copha
180gm Nestle Milky Bar -- Milk and Cookies / Cookies and Cream

or  you may use
Cadbury's Dairy Milk / Roast Almond / Hazelnut
White chocolate melted with slivered almonds and diced apricots

Cookies and Cream chocolate as topping

Invariably, I make a double batch, it just seems to last into the next day!  Just double the above quantities listed in the recipe.

delicious

 

Another old favourite is the Mars Bars Slice.
I have been shopping at Aldis, and substitute their products - for the originals used in the Mars Bar slice.

Mars Bar Slice
3 tablespoons butter / margarine
3 Mars Bars
3 cups Rice bubble

Melt the margarine and Mars Bars over gentle heat, mix in the rice bubbles, press into a slice tin and let set, ice as you wish with a chocolate topping.

I use a pkt of Titan bars, instead of 3 Mars Bars, cut into pieces - to melt quicker, watch for sneaky fingers taking pieces!  This requires 4 cups of rice bubbles.



Melt before all eaten!

Sprinkle with the Lindt flakes---complete!

This slice seems to win a first or second prize each year at our local show.
The Show is on again in several weeks,  guaranteed, the children will discuss intently - who is to make and enter which particular slice!