Quickest post on record?

Hi, keep those entries coming in for the 200th post, loving this!!! Entries are just what I had in mind-did anyone notice he smashed the dropper post so when I went near him he could move the whole fence-lucky I still have fingers.

I have a beautiful 3 hour stretch to retire to the sewing room now, so what am I doing here? Well, mainly promising you and myself that there is to be some sewing content posted by tonight, even if it is a dress and blanket...... I also had a fabulous new idea for a quilt.... from a photo of Madonna no less....and want to start that but must deplete the 'to be done" pile first. (Do you think anyone would notice if I just worked out a couple of blocks?)

I took these photos the other night after a shower, not sure which focus I prefer. I do know that the one with the focussed tanks could do with some judicious cropping. What do the experts think?

I arrived first at Quilters on Friday night and Kerrin's garden was just bursting with Iris colour, mine didn't flower this year, apparently they need sun to their base and mine have agapanthas and groundcovers at their bases so will require shifting. Here is just a sample, it was my favourite light of day.

And finally, some more quilter's updates. Kath was hand quilting her Amish piece. Helen bought us all little packs to make this table runner when she visited Lancaster county several years ago. Looks good doesn't it. Click on it for a close up.

And Robyn was busy, as usual. While we watched in awe she needle felted this little doll for her daughter for Christmas. That has definitely gone onto the lesson agenda.

OK 15 minutes is up, lucky blogger was again in the quick uploading mood, see you soon with action!!! Tracey

200th post...give the photo a name.

Last weekend we had 4 inches of rain and this weekend I spent all my time supervising the kids in the pool. The coming week is predicted to get up towards the high 30's, or 100 fahrenheit.

I have decided we should have built the pool next to the sewing room, with big windows so i could do my odd yell of 'stop jumping on/don't drown your sister!' while actually achieving something.

I did 3/4 finish my Christmas shopping yesterday, and half finish-I mean help to finish, one child's project for School.

The kids and I have been bike riding, we came across this fellow when we were looking around the sheep.

Now you would really have to wonder why a ram would do this, he was completely hooked with both horns, we tried unsuccessfully for a while to get him unhooked, but the chances of not losing a finger to the wire weren't looking good so the kids had to ride home and call Dad, who still took a while. Looks like he has had other difficulties previously as he was already short half a horn.

Had quilters on Friday night, I have a few other quilts to share, but blogger is doing that thing where he can't connect so they will wait.

This is Christine's Kaffe Fassett blocks. She is making one for herself and her daughter, following the pattern from his book. It looks very similar to the book, nice and bright....I was a little inclined to put chocolate brown sashing between the blocks, as there is brown in some of the fabrics, but that doesn't seem to be what Kaffe does.

I have realised this is my 200th post!

I just had a comments competition for my blogiversary, so I think I will borrow from the Pioneer woman and have a "name the photo or at least tell me what he is thinking".

Here is the photo, notice even the flies are conspiring against him. I wonder what is going on in that mind...or any males' to be honest.

You have until Sunday.

Also, still wondering if anyone can help with the batting query or getting Dawn-Maree to contact me again re Quilt frame "zippers".

Have agreat day, Tracey

I have been having a few trips down memory lane in the last week.

I attempted to sort out some of my 100's of photos and have taken the kids albums at least to 2005! There still seem to be a lot of loose photos to be sorted and many to be printed but I am seeing some reduction. Sad when you have a photos stash as well as a fabric one!

The other trip down memory lane was while looking for old baby clothes patterns for Ruth in South Africa. i found a good amount and then became all nostalgic so had to go back through the photos again. I am sorry now I didn't take more photos of the kids to specifically see the outfits-but who knew I would ever care! (Totally unrelated aside, but is blogger all of a sudden uploading photos quickly for everyone, how fantastic is that!!!!)

I found a few that I thought I would share, and as my scanner hates me, I took pictures of them in the albums so excuse the quality!

I am not a cross stitcher, but got all nesty when I found a book of all the cross stitch motives from classic and popular children's books and made a few. Here is Maisy the mouse on a jumper I made for DD. It took me forever to cross stitch so when the sleeves got too short on the jumper I added cuffs to make it last longer. then when my sister had her boy I cut it off the jumper and made it the centre panel for a little quilt to match is wall murals. I really do hate waste!!!

Baby born needs matching outfuts, here are "the girls" in their dresses, both even had matching bags.

Now, it is not the dress upsetting my girl here, it is the tiger prowling behind her at the zoo that she isn't sure about!

Isn't this great chook material, when it got too short, I cut the bottom off and used it as a ruffle type arrangement for the top to be a tunic style shirt.

This was my take on Barbie as Rapunzel, DD'd favourite movie at the time of her 5th dress-up party. No pattern just shirring elastic mainly. I love shirring elastic for girls clothes.

And, of course, i can't leave my boy out!!There were innumerable sleepsuits and overalls. I found about 5 metres of this fabric at an op shop and made him heaps of rompers with zips or studs in the legs. I felt a little like Maria in the Sound of Music making play clothes out of the curtains, but he was always getting into filthy things and dribbling , he was also a nappy taker offerer, these washed like rags and took some taking off in the cot-just Dh thought he looked like a prison escapee!...And no, he didn't always have 3 dummies, but would've if he could've!

I have all of DD's old clothes that were precious, and many worn ones that couldn't be handed down. I have also kept the leftover material scraps as I am intending making her a quilt from her old clothes. I have been seeing a few of the people one around the net and think this may be just the thing for her next birthday.

Thanks, but he is all mine!
Hi, pleased you like my quilt frame...and the DH!
Always knew he was a keeper, only thing that surprises me is that no-one snavelled him in the 15 years he waited for me!!
Also, Dawn-Marie, you left a comment about a zipper for the quilt frame, that makes for easy loading of the tops. You are no-reply and I can't get to your blog, can you email me with more info please?
Also, Wadding, I want to get it in a roll, what is the best type and who might deliver it here at a less that $18 per metre rate? Answers to either question appreciated!
Tracey

Remind me he doesn't have to stress about Christmas.

Wandered past the local sewing machine shop a few weeks ago, saw a sign in the window saying, "come and try the new Husqvarna Inspira quilting frame". Unusually enough, DD was actually at school and I was at leisure, a dangerous combination!

Now, some people are quilters, they race through the patchwork to get to the quilting stage....they quilt wholecloths, something i appreciate the look of ...and may even try one day....but the love of the quilting process is not why I cut up my little pieces of fabric.

I love the patchwork of it, the sewing together of the little bits, (like the pixels that make up a photo) to get the big picture. I adore using the discarded and giving it a second life but I equally love holding a beautiful fabric range, like my Roman Holiday pieces, in my hands to play with.

I have all this fabulous creative fun...then the basting and finishing comes along and spoils it for me, wrecking my knees, further upsetting the old scoliosis and generally bringing the whole process to a halt....amd I hate a slowed finish.

I tried the wooden quilting frame and was very happy with it-until I went inside the doors of the sewing machine shop.

I saw, I played, I took a brochure and went home.

I told DH I had a new project for the egg money, yes, it may take until DD goes to University but it is fun to save.
Put the brochure on the office fridge, told the quilting girls and pretty much left it at that.

Then, the Saturday after shearing, DH turned to me and asked where he needed to order my Christmas present, I hazily asked what he meant and turns out he meant this.......

I said, "but i was going to save!' and he answered, "don't worry, you can always think of something else!!"

And of course if the deal is far more reasonable with the Husqvarna Viking Mega quilter machine and a DH thinks that you have had a tough year...etc etc, then you may even have this as well......

It can be used separately to the quilting frame, but i doubt it will ever be off.

It all arrived yesterday, the shopowners husband and DH spent hours setting it up, I just have to add the laser for following the patterns ...and the practise fabric and batting...and it will be right to go- after i watch the DVD of course.

It is on a moveable slide so it moves forward and back and up and down, you quilt all the one length, then just roll the quilt on the the next section. It can be done with the laser, following patterns, or free hand, using those handles you can see at the top of the machine. It is not quite a longarmer, but then I have no intention of taking other work in-I would lose my patchwork time- probably just letting my quilting girls have a go. It will make a lot more sense when you see it all set up with a quilt loaded.

So my husband is smelling about as sweet as this rose at present, he wasn't sure about me getting it pre-Christmas, says I will be disappointed on the day!!! But i just have so many quilt plans/tops, I couldn't wait 7 weeks!

Will I be disappointed on the day girls?? I shouldn't think so, but that is where you better remind me!

Off to go and dream happy quilting dreams! Tracey

Gratitudes: Need you ask!

Friends, new, old, and 'imaginary'!

Received a couple of emails in the past day, both from very talented girls, one an absent friend...and one our husbands would classify as 'imaginary'-a fellow blogger.

I will start with the contents of Carol's email.(Pins and Needles)

There is nothing imaginary about Carol, she is very keen on digital scrapbooking and asked permission to scrap my pic of the kids in the Canola.-I very kindly gave her permission(LOL!!!) and sent her few extras as well. She did very well even though they are not technically sized right by me, that is all too confusing for me. She actually only lives an hour from here, if we ever co-ordinate our calendars we could actually meet!

Here is the fabulous result that I just love. Thank you Carol!

I think I could get very keen on that kind of playing...so had better stay well away, I am trying to not even download photoshop.........but that is tempting me as well.

The second email was from my Australian friend, Susan who relocated to the West a few months ago, she is the one I made the Sewing machine mat for.

The new location and DH's shiftwork have meant more patchwork time...and don't we all love that. She sent me some photos of her progress and I was so impressed I asked her permission to share.

Susan is a fantastic appliqeur, she has made at least 10 of these bags, they are from Nancy Halvorsten's book, 'Peppermint and Holly Berries', they are made from her tea towel range and available from her website www.arttoheart.com apparently.

Some person who shall remain nameless also introduced Susan to the Fat Quarter shop, here is an 'in progress' quilt top.

I know Tonya always likes to see how people are using her ideas and as that same nameless identity showed Susan where to find the instructions for pieced lettering...she is now onto the houses. Here is her first attempt at tonya's wonky houses-making this for her 9 year old son.

A great job.

I thought I had better post this today as Susan may not be speaking to me when she finds out why I am going over now to clear a big space in my sewing room before tomorrow-I'm not letting you in on the secret, you will have to check in tomorrow night.

It will be a big day tomorrow, Melbourne Cup luncheon and the filling of the cleared space all in one day....can hardly wait!

Have a great day, Tracey

Gratitudes: Lovely friends.

It's raining....rain!

It never remembered how to rain like this in Winter, but here it is late Spring and it seems to be kicking an all over the country.

Oh boy, is it ever raining.

Over 4 inches here in 2 days, a huge % of that was last night, with lightning, thunder and huge winds thrown in. Thank goodness we had not cut all of our hay yet, it would be underwater.

Like this barley is.......

and these chickens were.....

-miserable!
DH woke this morning and said he had better go and check the sheep, I said that the good shepherds looked after their sheep in the middle of the night. Well, they aren't sheep, but they are my responsibility anyway. I donned wet weather gear at 1 am and went out to check my babies and they were copping it from above and rising groundwater as well, many were about had it so I had to move them into cages and into the kitchen under reading lights. I sat with them until I could see them starting to preen and this morning they are as good as new. More than can be said for me!

-happier this morning

Luckily DH's stone bridge is holding up well under the torrent and the water should all hopefully be dispersing soon.

The wild weather knocked over my favourite Yukka/succulent pot as well, I foresee shopping.

The weather didn't stop the morning coffee ladies yesterday though, they are tough! At least 18 with another 18 children showed up, we made $200 from the trading table and had a lovely morning, the kids were great and didn't seem to really miss the backyard, playing well in the lounge together. I was only disappointed that after all that gardening no-one could go outside but as they say, at least that is done!!

I turned an experimental block into another experimental chook, it wasn't allowed to be sold! Both kids came out to the trading table with their money boxes to buy my chooks, sad when you have to buy them , I said I'd make them some later, but no, the cash came out.

Well, better go and swim out to the clothes line and at least get some school uniforms into the drier, you would have thought forecasters could have picked up 4 inches worth of rain and warned us.....but no!

Have a great day, Tracey

Gratitudes-

-rain, can't be fussy about volume

-a warm house

- photo albums that are now only 12 months behind after a few hours work last night.

-DD happy and pain free..

Cleaning and gardening....pretty much!

Not a lot of quilting to report. Tidying the garden, surrounds and house for a morning coffee is taking longer than I like, throw in a few days of drafting the lambs off the ewes to wean them and only little trading table projects have been possible to squeeze in.

I have really jumped into making these nice tea towels, I know that I can happily keep these if they don't sell...make that REALLY happily keep them, I have a penchant for burning, staining or losing my nice tea towels. I still find a lot of use for them, even with the dishwasher.

I used up all the blue curtains so I dug out this yellow, another op shop buy, and there are metres of it. i think I had visions of covering deckchairs or just that it would be handy "one day"-well it's day has arrived!

I thought if I was putting the label on to jazz then up, then I should add some of the appropriate fabric to make it legitimate, what do you think?

Also made about 20 more little chooks. Used some of my chenille stores, I am very attached to the lemony cream one-so are my kids!

These projects have all used scraps and recycled unwanted items. Great fun and no hesitation in chopping and trying new things, makes them a joy to sew.

Off to school storytime, DD at school for her 5th day in a row which is just the bees knees, can you see his knees on my echium?

How quickly they grow up.......

Remember these times, only a few short months ago?

One minute they are one day old and being lead around on a ribbon

...then vying for a feeding position,

...then racing from backdoor to frontdoor in an effort to get inside

....and all of a sudden time for the first shearing.

he was quite excited, not many get to walk up the stairs to the shearing board, they normally come in through the gates.

...after watching the customer before him, he did have some hesitation-and ran for the hills....

But, like anything, a moral boosting chat from your mother can overcome all fears...

and off he went. Only to immediately regret it when he had to suffer the indignity of this pose.

...he did sit still, contemplating life.....and the chance for a free cut and blow dry...

..apparently not the style he was hoping for...

As he closes his eyes to avoid the mirror.

But his mother, as all good mothers do, has a plan, she lets him wear her Canteen National cancer fundraising bandanna. It looks good on him as well, and then he throws it off and gets back about the business of pretending he is the dog!

Shearing sheep is a very physical job, our shearers generally do between 150 and 200 per day. Most of the sheep are a lot bigger than this pet. I think I will stick to quilting!

Some sewing, designing and gardening.

With a Church Ladies morning coffee here next week, I am trying to get some more tidying done in the garden. We are also planning a trading table to replace worn Church carpeting so I jave a legitimate reason to sew...if I needed one! I have been playing around with some of this weeks' Op Shop finds and come up with this.....

I took the tab top curtains and i have made 2 large tote bags, here is one. One end of the curtains had gingham and the tab top didn't so the shoulder straps are from the end that did, half the top stitching work was done, I love that!

I had enough fabric left for 2 tea towels, they were a little plain until I added the embellished herringbone tape...recognize it anyone?

I figure I can sew that to something that I am keeping, I like recycling...though I am well aware that the fabric did not come from that company!

There was another Op Shop purchase that I missed the other day as blogger refused to upload it, it was this cot sized teddy panel. It has a good amount of hand quilting done to it and batting was attached. But the machine quilting around the outside border was all puckered and the batting was ripped and uneven around the edges. It was 50 cents so once again i had to rescue it.

I snipped off the border at the puckered quilting and evened up the wadding, added a pre-quilted part of bedspread to the back, used the border as the binding and here is is.

Should be good for the trading table, and easily worth $10 or $15 finished.

I made a few more blocks form my Judy challenge. I think these will pull it up and I like the on point idea, but what do we think of black between them, any better plans I could try?

And, to finish, we have this little helper that flew in to investigate the fuss, I love ladybeetles, we usually leave something floating in our pool so they have an out if they accidentally fall in.