A Little Peek

Love my GO! Baby.!! The pattern that came with my funky flowers die is 38" square, I wanted to make it bigger so I cut 169 black and white 6.5" squares and sewed them together. Then I backed my fabric pieces for the flowers with fusible web and cut 4 layers at a time, so fast and accurate - love it - 35 flowers with centers in a flash. Incredible! 


                                      backed with fusible web

No waste - I used the left over pieces and cut leaves and smaller flowers using my Rose of Sharon die and  because they are already fused, they are on hand and ready to use at anytime.
Isn't that wonderful! I wish everyone had a Go! cutter.

Next step is to blanket stitch around all those flowers and then decide on the quilting.

                                           fused into position

                                              79" square (201cm)

Enjoyed some stitching - just have to make up the pillow/cushion


                                          a sewing room sampler

 A Jolly Halloween stitchery pillow

                              measures 7 3/4"  square design by Shirley Hudson


These two lovely patterns are free at We Love French Knots -  click on the button in my sidebar.

And finally finished the stitching on Noah's Ark.

  Noah's Ark design by Lynette Anderson Designs                                     


 I'm off  to have fun on the Moda Country Fair blog hop. 

Trip Around The World

 I love this pattern, so easy, it can be made in a weekend. I made this quilt a few years ago using lovely spring colours, its one of my favourites.

                                                        85" square (216cm)

 I used Shweshwe fabric here.

Quiltville has a wonderful tutorial.
             

ARE YOU MAD ABOUT BUTTONS?

Incomparable Buttons are the most adorable, fabulous and fun ceramic buttons ever! They are all individually handmade and hand painted by an amazing group of South African crafters " The Sunshine Team " -ladies from the local community who have been trained in the art of button making. Their skills have provided them with economic empowerment and has uplifted their families.

                                           The Sunshine Team
         
Incomparable buttons are fully washable and dry cleanable. This is a first for ceramic buttons. With embellishments becoming more popular, the buttons are fun and inspiring for quilters, knitters, crafters and cross stitchers who are looking to add a unique finishing touch to their project.

 

To see more of their gorgeous buttons visit their website Incomparable Buttons and follow their blog ButtonMad.                                                                                                                                                                                                           

            

ITS BEEN A WHILE....

 

At last this quilt is finished. I started this in 2007, I just had to make the 3D flowers and then quilt it, I can't remember why I hadn't finished it sooner. I'm happy that its done and on my bed. I love the colours, they make my bedroom feel so cosy and warm. The past two weeks have been very cold with snow on the Drakensberg mountains and it rained for a whole week.Too cold to sew, my fingers were frozen so I spent my days snuggled under quilts listening to Rural Bliss by Lou Wakefield and Noah's Ark by Barbara Trapido, did some reading and slept a lot.

                                88" x 88"  ( 224 cm)

Fun playing with my GO! Baby; so excited, no time to iron scraps.

                                                        added to my stash

                                                               and this

We were at the Pavilion shopping centre on Sunday afternoon, my husband wanted to get something from the music shop. We saw a huge crowd at the book store, well I had to have a nosey. It was Dr Rey - Dr 90210, promoting his skin care products and latest book. I managed to get a photo on my cell phone.

Books I  have enjoyed reading;
The Spirit Messenger - Gordon Smith
The Almond Picker - Simonetta Angello Hornby
Divine Guidance - Doreen Virtue
An Angel To Guide Me - Glennyce Eckersley
Cage Of Stars - Jacquelyn Mitchard

I WON.....I WON....

Logging into my blog on Saturday night to catch up on some reading, Barbara’s post was the first post on my reading list. She was giving away a GO! Baby Cutter. Mine was the 85^thcomment and she picked the winner based on her dog Dottie’s tag. I’m over the moon!!!

Big thanks to Barbara and,Accuquilt for this awesome giveaway.
Barbara Brackman's Material Culture and Civil War Quilts are her two blogs that I absolutely love.
Now, trying to choose 3 dies was the hardest thing. I love so many. So to start my collection I decided on applique dies, that’s because I love applique. Hearts - Funky Flowers – and Rose of Sharon.

With all the excitement I completely forgot to take a photo of the two blocks that I made for Kaaren. Just click on the button at the top of my blog, Allie has a wonderful tutorial for an easy block. It’s not too late, Allie has extended the time/date.

I love having my son home; we miss him so much when he is away at varsity. He is home on a 6 week break 10 June – 25 July.

I have been cooking and baking – all his favourites, trying to fatten him up. Needless to say not a bit of sewing is being done, enjoying him while I can.

My Raggedy quilt top is done

And I tried the Saral tracing paper – so much easier! Love it!

Its winter here, cold in the evenings and this afghan that I crocheted years ago is my favourite to use while watching TV.

 With so much going on while my son is home I have a huge backlog of blog reading to catch up on -so off to do some reading:)

Monkey business...... in my garden

A troop of vervet monkeys regularly visits my garden. I love watching the cute babies and their playful antics. They're inquisitive and love exploring. The adults constantly groom one another, a sign of affection and respect. They're friendly and intelligent, only spending time where they feel safe and where they can expect to find food.

Our property borders a nature reserve and I’ve gotten used to the noise of monkeys running across the roof,  it’s the route they have taken for years, they cross the road to other properties roaming the area searching for food.

Monkeys are actually very good for the garden eating insects that can become pests such as termites, moths, worms, grubs under the bark of trees and many others that the birds can't get to. They also eat fruit from indigenous trees ensuring seed dispersal and many seeds rely on the monkeys digestive system to break down the hard outer cover allowing for easy germination, they brush against flowers assisting with pollination and are natural pruners playing in the trees breaking dead branches.

They are wonderful creatures; I consider them my garden helpers!

Two quilts for Japan

This is my contribution for Japan's earthquake and tsunami relief. My guild sent members an email saying that they had received a plea for assistance for comfort quilts for those who had lost everything. It's my first time trying the triple rail fence pattern and I love how quick and easy it is.  So easy that a top can be made in a day!

This photo taken in the sun - shows the quilting. I did meandering hearts on the yellow fabric and meandering leaves on the green fabric.

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On this quilt, I did a simple straight line quilting on the diagonal, it feels so soft.

They have been washed, just have to wrap them and drop them off at Yamaha who have generously offered to deliver them to Naomi  Ichikawa  ( the editor of Patchwork Quilt Tsushin magazine ) in Tokyo, Japan.

Autumn

My favourite time of the year, wonderful balmy weather, lazy days, clear blue skies. With Easter and public holidays bunched together we have had a lovely 11 day break. Visiting family and friends, relaxing on the beach, entertaining, lots of braai's and its perfect weather for sewing ( no humidity) so I have been cutting 2.5" strips  

'

                                  and cross cutting

                             

                                                                                   

                                         added to my stash                                         

           

Michele had a giveaway and I received this parcel of Saral transfer paper,

it's an amazing product and I can't wait to try it on my next project. Thanks Michele!

Read all about it here 

Monika sent me these wonderful goodies that I won on her giveaway, in celebration of her 8th Wedding Anniversary. Lovely stitching patterns and thread. Thank you Monika!

And these are the books I've enjoyed reading during March and April,

The house at Riverton - Kate Morton

The bright forever - Lee Martin         

The Help - Kathryn Stockett            

The unbelievable Truth - Gordon Smith 

Playing in the Light - Zoe Wicomb      

Wordless Wednesday