Simple ways, simple days

Well I had been working along on Stitch Along but just found that I was going through the motions and not really enjoying it, I had no idea why as hand stitching is one of my favourite things. I persevered for another month, but just the same thing, then I started looking longingly at another project, you know the one that calls out to you until you cave in and start it. I kept trying to ignore it "no stay with the stitch along you have always wanted to do one, don't drop out". But alas the call was too strong and I ventured over to the other side and began this other project and the joy returned with each stitch. Then the light switch moment, I was not happy with my background fabrics on other project and the needle turn  and the reverse buttonhole stitch circle just did not sit right with me. So lesson learned, if your fabric, stitches or heart is trying to tell you something, listen you idiot. Hence new background fabrics, stem stitch around circle and buttonhole appl...

Well the day begun with a jolt, whilst we were all having a sleep in, too many Easter eggs. The phone rings and for once I can actually find it and it is the Personal Alarm Company, letting me know that Nan has pushed her button three times and they can not get any response. So I call to girls and in record time everyone is dressed and in the car heading to Nan's, we only live one block away. We race in through back door expecting to find her on the floor, but oh no she is watching her toaster waiting for the toast to pop up. She looks casually at us and asks "where are you off to this early". Once we had turned off the radio so we could hear ourselves think and got the hearing aides in we told her that the alarm company were worried because you pushed your alarm three times and then they could not hear any response over the radio, " oh is that all ". Well all was well, and seen everybody was up early off to Bunnings we went and we took Nan with us just to be s...

Yeah. March blocks completed, have been for past week but I just kept forgetting to post, so here we are at last. Yours in Stitches  Maxine

Well it has been a few weeks since last post and I was going to tell you all about them but something better happened over last couple of days that I thought I would start with. ( Me being unwell, the pending engagement party and its preparations and the GOAT incident will just have to wait.) Both of my girls are creative and have artistic abilities but they fight that urge like the plague, "one craftaholic is enough for one house" they will say, but they dabble and interfere ( sorry they give advice freely"). Last year I got very excited when DD23 decided she wanted to make a baby quilt for her friend at work and she did a great job and the friend loved it. But this was it, nothing more, so I slumped back into my shell and got on with my creating occasionally hearing orders being placed and whose turn is it for the next quilt. Anyway DD24 now, is a Nursing and Midwifery student and as part of their course they have to recruit and follow women through their pr...

Yep, just when you think things are all systems go Thunderbirds the computor has a melt down, so here we go take two. February Stitch Along blocks complete,Yeah!!! Well that feels better I am off the blocks with my part 1.

Finally some quilting and stitching, I am a huge fan of Craftsy.com and have purchased numerous classes across many craft genres.  Whilst watching a class called Simple Fresh Quilts by Joanna Figueroa I felt that the spool block quilt was perfect for this jelly roll that had been kicking around my craft room so I thought why not let's do it. So early December I set about stitching the top and here it is as I was making the sandwich, this was also the first time I have tried spray basting a quilt and I must say I really like this technique. My furry, four legged helper is Mimi who just loves to help make the quilt sandwich and tries to take ownership over all quilts, she will only sleep on a bed with a quilt on it. Maybe I should make her one of her own. This quilt is also the one that I decided to bite the bullet on and started to free motion quilt it myself, my previous quilts I have quilted in the ditch and basically with straight lines. I found the free motion side ...

Slowly getting back in the groove. Trying to settle back into the groove after our camping holiday. One of the first requests was " please Mum can you make some bread", isn't it funny the things you miss , the smell and taste of homemade bread has to be right up there. I hope to step up the bread making this year and branch out into fancy plaits and rolls etc, Sorry about the photos, I am not to smart with the phone and I have not located the camera in the unpacking yet. I was pleased with these 2 light rye loaves and somebody else was also as a slice was missing when I returned, they were still hot. I was also very relieved that the vegie garden had looked after itself whilst we were away it is always a worry during the heat to leave it to it's own devices, but it seems to have coped. I will need to get busy over the next few days to deal with the over sized zucchinis and the apricots look not far off either and I am very curious abo...