Sewing

Still Here …

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I have been a bit absent, but still pottering along … A few interesting things have happened.

Not long after my last blog entry I had surgery on my right hand for Carpal Tunnel.

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Ouchies!

I had 4 weeks off work and even more time off sewing and crafty type things. I am considering having my left hand done this year. It’s not as bad yet tho.

To get back into the swing of sewing early this year, and because I wanted something I could just mindlessly do, I made a big push and completed the top of my Leaders and Enders project!

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Excuse the bad photo, but I do love this one!

Then, in early February my city had a “500 year weather event” and experienced catastrophic flooding from days and days of torrential rain. The local dam was so over full that authorities decided to open the flood gates and release millions of litres of water which inundated many, many homes and businesses. We and our home thankfully stayed safe and dry – despite always being told we were on flood plains! While a lot has returned to “normal”, a lot hasn’t for many people.

The floodgates are opened!
Up close

I haven’t done much sewing since then, but plan on quilting my Leaders and Enders top in the next few weeks. It will be the largest job I have attempted on my home machine and I am a bit nervous lol

In the last 2 nights I picked up an old hobby that I re-discovered while cleaning out our spare room closets – X-stitch! I chose a dead easy project to attempt to get me back in the game!

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Night one’s efforts.

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Night two.

Well, that’s a bit of catching up for now. Hopefully I will have some interesting things to share in upcoming weeks.

I hope you and yours have a safe and happy Easter!

KATE Sig for Manic Mumdays

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Another Finish!

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Yes! You read that right! I have finished another UFO quilt! 🙂

This one is the baby quilt for my little nephew who is about to turn 2! At last, oops!

Here is the front :The back :The awesome striped binding and it is tagged! :

I did a FMQ meandering stitch all over (yay me!) and it finished about 54″ x 48 “.

Going to see if I can squeeze a new start (and finish) into the next couple of weeks 🙂 Hope life is treating you well, thanks for stopping by! ❤

My First Finish

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Even tho my 2018 word of the year is “Finish”, they are thin on the ground so far this year … But, I did finish this beauty a few weeks ago now. You saw a sneak peek here and on my Instagram. A granny square quilt and made all from Bonnie & Camille’s “Hello Darling” fabric, I am calling her “Hello Granny”! ❤
She’s already moved on to her forever home, but she took a piece of my heart with her.

At slightly under 80″ x 90″, she’s a good size! Too big for me to quilt so I had her long armed by a local quilter, Cheryl. I LOVE her work and will definitely book her again! If you’re in or near Townsville, Qld and want her contact details, let me know 🙂 

Please excuse the inside pics, we had days and days of rain before I took the pics and there was no way I was going to lay her in mud lol

I’m working over Easter and school holidays, but only short shifts so I hope to get a little sewing done … And I need to play catch up on my course in which I have fallen badly behind. Hope you have a happy and safe Easter ❤

2018 – Friend or Foe?

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Well, most people I know think the last couple of years have been, to quote the Queen …  “Annus horribilus”. And I tend to agree. It’s been a rough couple for our family too.

I wish for us all that 2018 is a better one. A “Friend” if you will …

If you’ve been round here for a while you’ll know I don’t make NY resolutions. But I do choose a word for the year. For 2018 I have chosen :

Finish is something I aspire to do more of in 2018. And I started off the year by living my new word. Wrapped around my 2018 word above, is a pic of my very first Quilt top finish for the year. Granted, it’s not a totally finished quilt yet, but it will be quilted soon and I will bind it and prepare for it’s new home … How pretty is that Bonnie & Camille “Hello Darling”? 🙂

Besides being horrible, the last couple of years I have found it challenging to actually make a plan and finish things. I make lists that don’t get completed, start projects that turn into UFO’s, extended my Interior Design course (again!!), and basically, constantly feel disorganised and chaotic.
I did not finish one single quilt last year.
NOT.ONE. ==> This one has been sitting for a year!!
I made blocks. I did a little sewing. I didn’t finish anything. Sad.

Anyhow. Here’s cheers to a fantastic, safe, creative and productive 2018.

Wassup?

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Well, today is officially my last day of school holidays. I work all weekend and the babies go back to school on Monday. Which means today was my last sleep in *waahhhhh And I can’t see any possibility for a sleep in for the next month or so either! *double waahhhhh! I do SO love my sleep ins – can you tell? And more to the point, I love my late nights before the sleep ins. So I guess I have to go to bed earlier. Which encroaches on my ‘me time’. Which often includes my sewing time.
My boys aren’t very happy to be going back to school either. especially Mstr 10. It is his last year of primary school and he senses the effort required is about to go up haha
He is going to be school captain this year!!
We are incredibly proud 🙂

Anyhow. Here is a little of what I have been up to over the school holidays. If you follow me on Instagram you might have seen some of these.
img_1365^ I have a loooong way to go with these cute Granny Squares. I think I’m going to sash with cornerstones to add to the size a little. I love it so far 🙂
img_1530^I have joined in with Molli Sparkle‘s Honey Pot Bee! Here are my versions of the Starflower Block. Molli’s January block choice (via this Ellison Lane tute). I could totally see myself making a whole quilt with this block. It’s so easy and effective!
img_1528-2^Here is my version of the Strawberry. It’s Angie from Gnome Angel‘s January block choice (via this Skyberries tute) I couldn’t resist including the cute little fussy cut strawberry.
img_1516-2img_1518-2^These two X Blocks are for Kate over at talltalesfromchiconia
Kate is making a quilt out of heaps of different Teal X blocks to raise money for Ovarian Cancer.

I think I’m kinda up to date with sharing. I hope to do some paint-y furniture things once the kids go back and I get some spare time (haha what’s that?? 😉 )
Do you play on Pintrest? There is a world of inspiration on there! You can find and follow me HERE if you’re interested. Forewarned tho, you might literally lose hours of your life browsing Pintrest 😉
Anyhow, hope you have a great day, see you soon!
KATE Sig for Manic MumdaysP.S. I am trying to sew without buying this year! So all of these were in my stash, a bundle I’ve had for a while for the Granny Squares and scraps mainly for the rest.

A New Year …

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… Means a chance to start over, yeah?

I know so many people have been looking forward to end of 2016. I guess it was pretty rough for us too. But then again, 2015 was a shit one no walk in the park either *sigh.

I have seen some great sayings online today. Here’s a mash-up I made for myself 🙂
2017Brad Paisley is credited for a similar quote. I mashed his and another couple for this. It just makes sense to me. We make our own story … MAKE IT AMAZING!

Do you choose a Word of the Year for yourself? #onelittleword
I have done it the last 2 years.
2015 was “BALANCE”2016 was “POSITIVE”
2017’s word was easy to choose. It was the first word that sprung to mind when I first pondered and it stuck! It is :
moderationAs in … everything in MODERATION.
I think I have a somewhat obsessive or addictive personality. I’ve always been a bit ‘all or nothing’. In some ways it’s a blessing, but in others a curse.
My weight and health (MOST importantly my HEALTH!)  is one aspect of my life where I need to exercise moderation. “Moderation” covers that like a vow to eat better, exercise more, etc. without making a ‘resolution’.
I need to stop over-thinking everything!
I need to do a few of the un-fun things like chores (and exercise) every day instead of a huge day or two and then nothing for a few days and wonder why the place is a mess! Same with the fun stuff … a little each day instead of 3 days sewing, and then have to catch up on everything else.
I also have to start doing a little study EVERY day.
Even blogging seems to feel a little all or nothing – I will often post 4 times in 6 days and then not again for a month … Hopefully I’ll have a little more to say in 2017! 🙂
Anyhow … I will be back soon for another chat.
Happy New Year!
I wish only fantastic, amazing, joyful things for you in 2017 ❤

KATE Sig for Manic Mumdays

Time to Bite the Bullet

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Well, she’s been sitting round for most of the year now … waiting.
And taunting … and waiting some more …
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Waiting to be finished …
Waiting for me to take action …
Waiting for a decision …
The reason she’s been waiting is because I want to keep her for myself. But she’s too small for what I now want her for. I was originally going to make a couch throw out of her. But I fell in love! ❤ Now I want her for my bedroom.

*sigh* But what to do without any more charm squares???
You see, this gorgeous baby was the product of my “Ms Midge’s Aussie Tula Pink Charm Swap” charms! And I only got the one bundle this time round! *kicks myself*

Basically I want to bump her up from a single size to a generous queen size.
So I’ve been keeping half an eye out for some charm squares to use but we have been broke as hell this year eeeekkk! Anyhow, I just got a little tax back and decided to treat myself to some pretties! And what better pretties are there than some Tula???
(I thought and thought what I was going to do with my tax return this year and I have wrung just about all I can from that little baby! haha)

Enter : this gorgeous bundle of Slow and Steady that just landed on my doorstep!!!
slow-and-steady

So … now comes the “Bite the Bullet” part!

I need to bite the bullet and take her apart to add some of these beauties!! I might have a quick look for a Chipper Charm pack to add in if the prices arent too ludicrous. I’ve also stashed away a small bundle of True Colours which I will use too.

Anyhow, it’s school holidays at the moment so who knows how much time I’ll have to sew lol! Plus, I have another project on the boil that must be finished first!

Catch you all later! xx

KATE Sig for Manic Mumdays

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Absence makes the heart grow fonder, Yes?

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So then you guys must be VERY fond of me then, hey? haha

How are you?
I am still plodding along.
It’s been an extremely busy and tiring few months here … We have 2 weeks of school holidays coming up and I have some time off work booked and we are just going to do NOTHING! I am working the weekends, but otherwise PJ days is the plan 🙂 Oh, and we might go to the movies one day and see Finding Dory {I wouldn’t be able to wait for the DVD. Yes, me not the kids haha}

I love Dory! Crush and Squirt are firm favourites 🙂

This is probably going to be my last ever raggy quilt. It’s just getting too hard to find quality flannel here these days. Oh well … I enjoy regular quilting more anyway these days I guess 🙂 This one is for my little niece! It’s a large single bed size and I am a little bit in love with it!IMG_8320Front.IMG_8317Back.
I have a brand new nephew! He was born last month on Star Wars Day {Mother of boys info I never knew I needed to know! haha}
May the 4th be with youHe is the most precious little bundle! I have started nearly finished a quilt for him. Then I need to get cracking on one each for my elder two nephews.
They have been waiting long enough so patient!
A sneak peek :IMG_8522It’s a simple square patchwork with meandering quilting. But it’s very cute 🙂

I also have another top-secret project on the burner. As well as trying to get a bit of furniture painting in somewhere. I did do some painting a couple of weeks ago –
IMG_9257This is chalk board paint around my pantry entrance {… and this is the tidiest it’s been since we started using it haha The boys LOVE it!} There’s usually a small canvas covering the yellow phone point because we don’t use it and it annoys me to see it there. But I need to sand the spot for the hook …
Anyhow, I am about to crash!
Cya next time ❤

KATE Sig for Manic Mumdays

Perfect!

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I haven’t been round much of late cos I have a heap on my plate atm … Not doing much sewing or quilting either *sigh.
But, I just wanted to share some good news with you all –
Tonight I got my latest assignment marked and …

10100 percentWoooop!!!! Happy Dance!
xTgMELxTAheehee
Hope you’ve had a great start to the week too!
KATE Sig for Manic Mumdays

Tula Pink Charm Swap ~ Quilt Along

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Towards the end of last year I participated in the Tula Pink Charm Swap run by the fabulous Ms Midge.
OMG!!! They are so pretty!
After each Charm Swap there is a Charm Along!
And here is my contribution :IMG_8088 (2)It’s only the top right now, but I have a backing in the works and will keep going til it’s done – I’m determined not to add it to my UFO pile 😉
It is 49″ x 74″ { 125cm x 188cm}
It would make a gorgeous single bed quilt but since I don’t have a single bed to use it on, {except the boys and they won’t part with their Batman quilts for a girly one! haha} I think it’ll make a nice sized throw or couch quilt for meeeee!.

I am also pledging to get cracking on the aforementioned UFO pile! There are a couple of half {or more} done pieces, so I am going to keep plodding along and get some finished soon 🙂

I’ll endeavour to get my holiday pics up soon – we had a fantastic time staying at Manly Beach, Sydney!! And hubby was very surprised 🙂
Hope you have a fantabulous day!

KATE Sig for Manic Mumdays{P.S. It’s my birthday today! Yaaay! 😀 haha }