A Tea towel challenge

Was issued by my quilting group last month.   Anything could be made as long as it was from a tea towel. Thinking cap on and several ideas were discounted until I mentioned the challenge to a good friend who suggested a plastic bag holder.   I know that plastic bags are frowned upon now but I always seem to collect a few when doing the fruit and veggie shopping.   This is the chosen tea towel

And this is the result.

It will be interesting to see what the other challengers come up with.

Back soon and in the meantime

Happy sewing all

Last week of July

Now that is scary....where has the last 7 months gone???????  Hubs and I did take ourselves out for a Christmas in July lunch during the week.  Hubs had "room" for a Christmas pudding with custard but I stopped after the main meal.  

Not too much has been happening on the sewing front.  I did have an order for an adult bib.   

Five more beanies were completed and handed over to one of the local charities during the week along with a couple of donation quilts.  

I was handed this bag of fabric today.     It was tipped out and needs to be sorted, pressed and cut.   A job for another day.

While hubs was doing a physiotherapy session I took myself for a walk along the headland at Mona Vale Beach.   The water looked so inviting looking down over the beach area.   Roll on summer.

Sadly no progress (not even a start) on this month's RSC blocks.   Note to self to be more diligent and get July as well as August blocks done.   Once the colour for August is announced I will get cutting and sewing.   Watch this space.  

Back soon and in the meantime

Happy sewing all

This week in the sewing room

Saw a few items moved along to the finish line.   First up a small donation quilt that was being worked on for sometime is now complete.

This was a series of 4 patches in various colour groups joined together.  No border and easy quilting done within a 1/4" inside the squares starting with the middle 4 squares and working out.  

Next finish was the black and white RSC blocks.

There are more black and white scraps so I will endeavour to get one more block completed in the not too distant future.  

This morning felt like it was a good scrap fabric cutting out morning so I set myself up on the kitchen bench with all the necessary equipment complete with audiobook.   

After about an hour of pressing, measuring and cutting 4 piles of various size squares were the result.

This is what one of the scrap baskets looks like after that session.  Sadly  it does not look any less than when I started.  

The kitchen has now been restored back to normal, cutting board, rulers, fabrics etc are all back in the sewing room ready for another cutting session soon.

I have yet to make a start on my aqua RSC blocks for this month.   Maybe they will happen next cutting session.  

Back soon and in the meantime

Happy sewing all

High Tea at the QVB

Today I was treated to High Tea at the Queen Victoria Tea Rooms by Miss M and her mother.  The Tea Rooms are very elegant as you can see below.

A closer look at the chandelier above our table and the decorative ceiling.

Delivered to the table was a traditional high tea tower for two complete with a plate of small hot savouries, finger sandwiches, plain and fruit scones with clotted cream and jam, a selection of mini cakes and sweet tarts.    Miss M and I ordered coffee and my daughter in law a pot of tea.  

Miss M had her own mini tower which included everything but the scones.

All three of us enjoyed playing "ladies" for the day and finished off with a bit of retail therapy at a couple of the nearby shops.  

While browsing in one of the bookshops today the title of this book caught my eye.

Back into the sewing room and yesterday afternoon was spent finishing off the drawstring casings on the library bags. 

Once that was finished they then had to be turned right side out.   Job completed and ready for delivery.

Now I can get on and finish off the black and white RSC blocks from last month and start on the aqua ones for this month.

Back soon and in the meantime

Happy sewing all

Sydney Fish Market and FNwF

Earlier on in the week I met up with two friends and we headed off to the new Sydney fish market (it was opened in January).    After catching two buses to Manly Wharf, a ferry across Sydney Harbour, two light rail trams and then a 400 metre walk we arrived. 

It was the perfect day weatherwise which allowed us to sit outside and enjoy our lunch.   I decided to go with fresh prawns and oysters seeing it was the fish markets.

The view across from our table to Anzac Bridge

After eating our lunch we then headed inside to check out the retail shops and of course  coffee and cake were a must to finish off with in order to give us energy for the return journey home. 

I did manage to finish off two beanies and make a start on another one during the week.

A visit to the library supplied this pile of books.  In my last post mention was made of a book which I thoroughly enjoyed and when I spotted another one by the same author- Rose Carlyle - it was quickly grabbed off the shelf and added to the pile.     A start was made on it today and it is proving to be a "page turner" like the previous one.

When joining in with FNwF last night it was time to start sewing the casings on the library bags.  I managed to get through about half of the 54 that need to be done before calling it a night.  

Back soon and in the meantime

Happy sewing all

Ready, Set, Overlock

Last week the 35 completed library bags were delivered and I was handed a pile of 54 - fortunately they were cut and ready to go.  The overlocker was set up with the bags all lined up next to it to zoom through.  

About 30 mins later all the tops had been overlocked.

Time for a coffee break before separating them and making a start on the side seams.

Then it was onto making some black and white blocks for this months RSC blocks.    Not a great deal of progress was made  with these.

I will continue to work with the black and white scraps to finish off the required number of blocks needed and then make a start on the aqua scraps which is July's nominated colour.  

Later on in the day I will be returning my library books and replenishing them with another pile.   The latest one to be finished is below.    While I did suspect the "twist" about half through the book it did not spoil the read for me. 

Back soon and in the meantime

Happy sewing all

A Late Start to FNSI

It was not possible to join in for FNSI last night but a start was made early this morning while joining in with Chooky and some of the other Chookshed stitchers for a coffee morning zoom session.   SlowNo progess had been over the course of the last week on the 10 bibs for Network Heaven but that changed this morning and I am pleased to report that I was able to carry on after the zoom session and all 10 are now finished and ready for delivery.

Next item to be worked on is this month's rainbow scrap challenge blocks.   This month is all about pastel colours.    I have decided to go with using up some of the black and white scraps.   I had best get cracking on this soon as the end of the month is closing in very quickly and nothing has even been started.  

Back soon and in the meantime

Happy sewing all

This week in the sewing room....

Was all about trying to finish off a few items.   First up 35 library bags that were started about 3 weeks ago have now had their casings sewn and all turned right side out.    They will be delivered to the co-ordinator soon to have the drawstrings put through.  

Then it was onto the three bowl cosies that were ordered.  

While this was happening an order for 2 heat packs was received.    Done and ready to deliver.  

This audio book was playing alongside me as I sewed.

Now all that is left on the sewing table to finish is the 10 bibs.    They are on next week's agenda.

Back soon and in the meantime

Happy sewing all

FNwF

Started early on Friday afternoon for me.    An order for 3 bowl cosies was received during the week.  Fabrics were gathered and cutting out happened.  

I was contacted by one of the co-ordinators of Network Heaven during the week and asked if I could make 10 babies bibs.   Fabrics were selected, the much used pattern was located and cutting began.

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Happy sewing all

From the pressing mat to.......

Handfuls of scrap fabrics were gathered together firstly to be ironed

Then it was over to the cutting mat

After a while there were 2 piles of 4 1/2" squares and a pile of 6 1/2" squares.

The 4 1/2" squares now look like this

Tomorrow there is a Zoom session for the Chookshed stitchers to celebrate the Chookshed's 14th birthday party.   My aim when joining in with the celebrations is to get the 4 patches sewn together.  

Back soon and in the meantime

Happy sewing all

This week in the sewing room

 First up 3 orange blocks for RSC were constructed.

Two orange beanies were sewn up and one pom pom made

Autumn also brings different shades of orange to the leaves.

The overlocker was located to the dining room table and the library bag  production line was started.

After a couple of hours 35 bags were overlocked.

Next step is to sew the casings around the top of the bags.   A job for another time.

Today I met up with a fellow zoomer.    Betty and I have spoken many times during our regular Zoom sessions with the Chookshed Stitchers over the years but today was the first time that we have met up in person.  Once coffee and cake were enjoyed we made our way down through the Rocks area of Sydney, alongside the harbour and under the harbour bridge where this photo was taken of Betty.

We then made our way across to the Botancial Gardens where Betty took me to a coral tree that had been planted in memory of her late husband.   

We had a thoroughly enjoyable morning and plan to meet up again in the not too distant future.  We then parted ways with Betty walking up the hill to catch a train and me down the hill towards the Opera House and the light rail.  

The scrap baskets have been tidied up and now look forward to seeing what June's chosen colour is.

Linking with So Scrappy.

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Happy stitching all 

Making a start

A couple of  weeks ago I was given the fabric below to turn into library bags for Network Heaven.

I am not sure how many metres there are but bear in mind that the fabric is doubled over as it was cut from the bolt.  Today was the day to make a start and cut the bags out.  Mission accomplished.

Next step is to bring out the overlocker and get them sewn up.   Progress reports will appear from time to time.

Sewing the orange blocks is happening  and an orange beanie is under way.

  

Back soon and in the meantime 

Happy sewing all