JADE`S FIRST QUILT

This is Jade`s first quilt. She is 7 years old and loves to do crafty things especially with Nan. So while her sister Brooke and Jade had a holiday with Nan and Pa after Christmas we decided it was time to make a quilt. Jade chose her fabrics and pattern and I cut it out as I didnt want her to go home minus a finger or two.Jade was confident using the machine but at times forgot to guide the fabric so Nan had to help a little bit. She also had to undo seams that had gone astray but did so without complaint. Jade thought it was good to tape the fabrics to the table to make her quilt sandwich but got a sore finger putting in all those pins. Getting the binding ironed was a trauma for for me as I didnt want any burnt fingers, but she did it very well. Sewing the binding on was fine until she got to the corners, so help here from me to get the mitred corners right. Last was the sewing down of the binding, a complete disaster as Jade is left handed and I am not. I tried several ways to show her how to hand sew but she could not master the step so I sewed the binding down. I now need some help in teaching a left hander how to hand sew, any suggestions would be helpful. 

 I then flew back to Sydney with the girls and stayed for a week and enjoyed lovely walks in the country side and breakfast on the verandah watching and listening to the abundant bird life. There were magpies, eagles, galahs, parrots, kookaburras and many more I didnt know. The valley was very green and populated with cows and horses, very nice way to start the day. Back home now and lots of sewing to catch up on. 

Bye for now Jude

JANUARY STITCH-A-LONG

This year in the Stitch- a -long we are doing smaller projects each month.They are more achievable and will make lovely gifts for birthdays and Christmas. Some are also projects I had put on my to do list and now they will all get done this year, what a bonus.Thanks to chooky blue for coming up with this idea. 

 My thread catcher, and it was very quick and easy to sew, will probably do some more soon.

My shoe bag. I needed a couple of these for when I visit my DDs. I have added a lining, so no seams are showing, looks much neater on the inside as well.

CHRISTMAS IS OVER... NOW BACK TO NORMAL

I have had a great Christmas and New Year and it is now time to work out my sewing plan for 2013. My 2 eldest GDs Jade and Brooke are with us for another week and then we fly them back to Sydney and I will stay with them for another week. Lots of lovely presents were exchanged, much food eaten and a drink or two downed over the hot weather. Below are the photos of the tepee I made for my youngest GS Henry for Christmas, it definitely was a hit on the day. Have to go now as the girls need to get to bed after another fun filled day of activities and then a lovely dinner at the local hotel. Also we are off to the park tomorrow for a picnic and a paddle in the wading pool. Be back soon with more photos of our trip to Victor Harbor.

TWINS IN NEW DRESSES

School holidays are the best time for visiting Nan and Pa, they have time to make things with you like kites and also make you a new dress, take you on a bus ride to the shopping centre and just play. All of this was enjoyed firstly by Emma, Charlie and Henry except the two boys didnt get a dress and Emma made a peg fairy instead of a kite. Forgot to take a photo of Emma in her new dress but the picture is in my previous post. I had enough fabric left over to make Chloe`s dress  but this one is not double sided, I just added a facing . Then to make Hayley her dress from the yellow fabric she had picked out at Spotlight on Thursday along with some others, dont know how I am going to do all this sewing before our next visit. Up at 5.50 this morning after being awoken by these two little monkeys " cos Nan you have to finish Hayley`s dress so we can go shopping." Would have had to gone naked unless it was done. Had a great time with them all and I get to sleep in tomorrow before starting the next lot of dresses. Bye for now Jude

LAZY SATURDAY

After a stressful week I have spent Saturday trying out the new dress pattern I bought to make up for my GD`s. Monday I spent in Modbury hospital with my DH after he suffered an AF attack, this is where the heart beats so fast you can hardly count it. when he was stabalised and back to a normal rythm in his heart i took him home. Thursday It was my turn at the doctors and mine was all good news, so now back to normality for me. Friday and this time take DH to the heart specialist to be followed next week with a heart stress test. The dr assured  my hubby all will be well but he needs to slow down a bit. .Here is side one of the dress and I really like the pockets as they have a gathered top that will keep those little treasures safe.The shoulder straps have two rows of elastic in them and this will keep the dress sitting nice.

The reverse of the dress. I have changed it a little bit and added a pocket and I am very pleased with the results. I bought the pattern from Heart `n` soul at Port Vincent last week and I can see it will become a very popular dress with the three little girls.

Bye for now Jude.

A DAYS FISHING

We are visiting Port Vincent in our caravan for a few days. Arrived Tuesday at lunchtime and the weather was perfect, a warm 22 degrees. Went for a walk along the beach and looked in the local shops. Went to visit the marina, lots of boats and even more shags were in residence. The closer you got to the shags the more putrid the air became and we didnt stay very long. Went fishing from the wharf this morning and caught 10 nice mullet, would have caught more but it is a dodge tide here at the moment. Sorry forgot to take a photo of the fish but here are the fish scaled, gutted and filleted ready to cook for our dinner tonight.

 Pelicans quietly waiting for the fish offal.

 Beak wide open and waiting for me to throw him his tea.

This is a view across the bay on Tuesday. Very blue and clean water and the temperature was a lovely warm 22 degrees. Cup of tea time now so will be back later. Jude

A LOVELY XMAS WALL HANGING

 This is so cute, easy to make and looks wonderful. It is a mini quilt from the temecularquiltco.blogspot in Calafornia and its titled the 12  DAYS OF CHRISTMAS. You get all the patterns to make it at no cost as well as they explain how the 12 DAYS OF XMAS song came in to being and the religious meaning behind it, I never knew there was a story behind the song, so check it out and I am sure you also will be making 1 or 2 or maybe even more as I will  be in the coming weeks.

I have finally finished the top of my SOME KIND OF  WONDERFUL QUILT stitch-a long and I am very happy with the results. Now just to decide on my backing and get it quilted and bound.
Dear Veronica I will try to blog more often so that you can see all of the wonderful things I get up to, well nearly all that I get up to. Cheers for now Jude