15 Minute Challenge & Milder Weather

We had rain overnight and today is almost like a winters day.

It was a 7 out of 7 week and I have been doing stitching every night.  The flowers on the top border are done apart from flower centres and I have started to stitch the books and they are looking like books so I'm pretty pleased with the results.

I'm really tired today so this isn't much of a post.  Here is my progress photo of the border of Springtime Romance.

Check out how everyone this week by visiting Kate's.

15 Minute Challenge and Back to Work :(

After 4 weeks of not having to get out of bed before 9.30 it was a rude awakening this morning when I had to go back to work.  I spent the morning sorting through a months worth of emails but I am nearly on top of them.

I was expecting to have to start on a major job of boxing up all our old paper files, however the when I got into the office the boss had already done it.  So at least I won't be doing that.  There are still a few things that need to be sorted but the majority of the work has been done.

I purchased a new Yazzi bag this week to store my Wonderfil Efina threads.  I have been working on the top border for Springtime Romance and have one spray of small flowers to go before starting on the books on the end and flower centres.

My tally this week was 6 out of 7 nights.  The one night I didn't stitch was another scorcher so I decided to lay under the air conditioner and read a book instead of stitching.

Mo had me make her more pads so that took up a fair bit of the weekend.

So how did you go head to Kate's to see how everyone went.

15 Minute Challenge & Cool Ties for FIreys Sewing Bees

I will be joining the 15 minute challenge again this year.  It was an excellent way to make sure that I took the time each evening to sew.  It helped to give my life balance over the year and was instrumental in helping my stress levels when in the past work took over.

This week was another 7 out of 7.  The last couple of days I have been working on Cool Ties for Fireys.  All around Australia people are having sewing bees to make cool ties filled with water crystals for the necks of fire fighters.

Here is my contribution.  I'll be dropping them off at the local quilt shop for distribution to where they are needed.

The news has been heart breaking and the coming months are going to be hard for those directly effected by the fires.  Kangaroo Island where my kids went last year for a week long camp has had a 1/3 of its area destroyed, they estimate 25,000 Koalas have perished and countless Kangaroos and Wallabies not to mention all the livestock that farmers are having to destroy to put them out of their misery.  The mental health toll will be heaving in the coming months and years.

I have one more week of holidays to go the weather is heating up again unfortunately.

Check out who will be joining in this year at Kate Life in Pieces.

Free BOM Springtime Romance Block 7

I can't believe we are at Block 7 already.  In my last post I had a picture of the top border progress.  I've been doing a lot of sewing and am having a bit of shoulder problems at the moment so progress is a bit slower than I would have liked but it is coming together.

Block 7 was originally going to be the centre block but I think it works better as a corner block to the quilt.  The block will be available to download for free from today until 7/1/2020.  If you have missed any blocks you can purchase them from my Etsy shop at www.seabreezequilts.com.au.  All 9 centre blocks are now available.   Borders will be available once the quilt top is finished.

Block 7 is now available for purchase from my etsy shop.

15 Minute and last post for the year

Well I think I can say it was a 7 out of 7 this week.  I am sort of in the limbo between xmas and new years where its hard to tell what day it is and what I was doing on a given day.  I have been doing lots of stitching.

I quilted a quilt that I made on my last sewing weekend away for Mo for her new room and have put the binding while sitting next to a fan to keep cool.  We've been hit with another heat wave so haven't been venturing out too much.

Mo went to the beach yesterday with her boyfriend.  My husband suggested that he take the beach tent down and set it up for them which meant they could stay down there longer.  He has an original Moana Beach Tent (30+ years old) that still looks brand new that we used when we use to go to the beach and stay all day.  He set it up went for a dip and then I picked him up and left them to there afternoon.  We had to laugh when they walked out of her room ready to go they looked like a pair of hippies, with round John Lennon sunglasses, both have long curly hair wearing baggy clothes and big floppy hats.

This afternoon we have a cool change, which is a lovely relief but there have been a few fires started today due to Dry Lightening and there is concern that the winds that pick up could add to the dangerous conditions.

I haven't touched the border of Springtime Romance for about a week but did some more work on it yesterday. I gave it a good press and took a photo though it is a little blurry just to make sure it was still looking good.  There are still 4 or 5 sprays of small flowers to go but I think it is getting there.

Head to Kate's to see how everyone went in the final week for the year.

15 Minute Challenge, Merry Xmas and Heat Wave

We have woken up to smoke haze this morning. Due to record heat this last week, bushfires started in the Adelaide hills and on Kangaroo Island (so east and west of the city).   The fires have been downgraded now The Cudlee Creek fire (Hills) is still out of control according to this evening news and as the air is pretty still today everywhere is a smoky haze even though we are a long way from both fire zones.

Last week Adelaide sweltered through 4 days of above 40C I don't know what that is in F but it was bloody hot.  Luckily I escaped to Melbourne for 2 of the hot days though the heat followed me and the day of our Christmas party though it started mild but by 1pm it was heading towards 40 as well.

Sewing wise because of the heat and Christmas dinner with the girls I think it was only a 5 out of 7 for the week.  I took some stitching with my to Melbourne and did some each day.

There was lots of walking in Melbourne, I did management to walk an extra hour that I didn't need to thanks to google maps taking me on an unnecessary detour.  I went to the DFO (factory outlet) and did mainly window shopping bought a couple of Tshirts for my hubby and some shorts for Mo otherwise not much shopping was done.  I'm a little bit over the crowds and hustle and bustle of Christmas I am looking forward to 3 more weeks of doing not much and recharging.

Views from Jack Rabbit Winery

View from the Ferry across the bay 

My Christmas present to myself arrived a full set of Wonderfil Efina 60wt threads, I have enjoyed using these for hand piecing and decided to get the full set to use for appliqué.

I can reveal my Christmas Present stitching to you now.  Though they look pretty cool the cork fabric was a real bastard to stitch and turn through.  I have a kit to make one for myself and it has only uses the cork on one side so I think I will be sticking to that for my version.

Yesterday I managed to finish and upload pattern 9 of Springtime Romance, only the final pattern to go but I won't start on that till the quilt is finished the tiny flowers are slow going but hopefully will get to binge watch a few shows of the break and do lots of stitching.

Well that's my penultimate week round up for the year.  I think I was pretty steady through out, there would have only been a handful of weeks where I didn't make 7 out of 7.

Check out those who are still recording at Kate's.

15 Minute Challenge and First Day of Holidays

Had a nice lazy sleep in this morning and then went full steam ahead moving Mo into her new room. So we are all pretty tired.

The painting of the room proved quite a trial as we ended up needing 6 coats of paint to cover the previous colour, we should have done a primer coat first. Mo wanted to do all the painting but DH is a bit of a control freak and jumped in (he isn't the best painter but I didn't tell you that).  He bowed to pressure and let Mo do the last 2 coats (which came out perfect).

Today we put up curtains and the furniture in.  I was amazed at how much crap one nearly 17 year old could accumulate in her room all hidden from sight I might add because her room is always really tidy, but there were stacks of older school books in every corner that she is just going to have to go through and chuck out.  We got rid of a few bags of clothes and old bed linen... there is more to sort through in the next couple of weeks.

Stitching wise it was a 6 out of 7 week for me.   I'm working on small flowers on the border and I have been finishing up Xmas pressies (sneak peak right) and stitching up hems on curtains.

I saw on instagram that the Makers & Shakers Market was on at the local town hall so Mo and I made a quick trip there.  I picked up a Xmas Present for me and got some nice xmas cards from one of the stalls.

I know I'm really tired so it will probably be an early night but I might do a bit of stitching before I head to bed.  The weather is going to be horrendous for the rest of the week (40+ for the next 4 days peaking on Friday with 44C which I will be in Melbourne for (their forecast is only 40).  

Check what every one is doing on Kate's blog.