In 2 days ....

I'm packing up and heading off for a 3 month vacation heading north doing the grey nomad thing.

Hubby and I will be seeing the sights in far north Queensland without the encumbrance of ankle biters (kids for the uninitiated).  Hopefully we won't get stuck too often in mud or sand, or rained out, or eaten alive by small bitey things or see many of the large bitey things (unless they're fish we can eat).

I am taking prbably way too many handcrafts with me - there's some knitting (22 pairs of soul slippers), some patchwork (be attitude quilt to make), and a cross stitch or 2 (a japanese bell pull I have been working on for a few years now and Van Gogh's starry night).  There's also my DS going and 5 books.  I think that's enough to keep me busy. 

We are towing a camper trailer - that's a tent attached to a trailer - and the associated paraphernalia that goes with it.

With a bit of luck we will have internet capabilities, so I may be able to update you all along the way.

Just Finished !

I have just finished this quilt - like 5 minutes ago.

It is an Apple Core quilt - COMPLETELY Hand Sewn and Hand Quilted.

I feel very proud of myself.  I did a knife edge - so no binding and quilted lightly around each of the cream blocks as well as a row just inside the outer edge and another around halfway in around the border.

This next pic is the chocolate bunch my eldest gave me for Mother's Day.

So nice I don't want to eat the chocolate.  When I do I think I will replace them with a cut paper or felt heart shape.

Thoughts In Thread

You may have read in a previous post that I am following Val Laird's Thoughts In Thread stitch along.  It's a free pattern that she puts out each month to make up a small quilt or wall hanging.

I finally got around to doing the first 2 blocks the other day.  I wasn't too sure of my fabric selections, but in seeing them all in these 2 blocks they look OK together.

This photo does not do them justice.  if you too want to follow along, you can find Val on my sidebar.

Now it's onto blocks 3 and 4.

Sewing Days

Over the past few weeks I have had mum's from calisthenics come over on Wednesday afternoons and Friday nights to do some sewing - they need to learn and I have been attempting to teach them.  Five ladies have taken up this opportunity.

Not only have I been showing them how to put together their child's costumes but I have also been showing them how to use their machines.  That is not something I thought they would need.

But each lady has gone away with a sense of accomplishment in having made a skirt with attached petticoat, or a pair of shorty overalls, or even sewing up a leotard.

yay for them....

More of my Garden Quilt

Took some time off from calisthenic costume making to have some me time.  And this is what I did with that time - some more blocks for my Pam Bono quilt.

A pretty peachy one....

A bright Pink one....

And a rich Purple one....

I also made a cushion for youngest daughter's buddy.  It's in the club colours.  I hope the buddy likes it.

The buddy's name starts with a E.

And I started a painting after reading my current issue of Cloth, Paper, Scissors.

It's actually a lot darker than the pic shows.  When I get the next layer of paint on, I'll show you.