15 Minute Challenge and only photo's from Japan

It was a 6 out of 7 again this week.  Friday I was pretty beat, busy day at work and just didn't feel like lifting up a needle.  Might be a bit more of the same tonight will have to see how my shoulder is after treatment this afternoon.

Border 2 is coming together slowly, I've done a bit of most of the flowers but none of them are finished.  I really need to finish writing the rest of the block patterns, but my husband has got a project he is working on and every time I  turn around he is on my computer.

There hasn't been much news from Mo she is more than halfway through her trip now.  I still keep refreshing instagram in the hope of seeing pictures at least.  She heads to Tokyo today so I think there will be a little less moving around this week though she will be going for her homestay.

Maestro asked us to come out to his work and watch the end of the Grand Final (Australian Rules) on  Saturday, so we didn't have lunch and had a late lunch early dinner at the restaurant were he works.  The meal was good, the restaurant was pretty empty being Grand Final day most people are at home watching the final or in a pub watching the final.  

Maestro is different from the rest of the family, we are all mostly introverts, Maestro is an extrovert and is really confident, he will talk to anyone and obviously has a lot of fun in his workplace.  My husband is really picky when it comes to food, Maestro just talked to the head chief to get him a special meal, then ordered himself a special meal.  I was quite happy to get something from the menu.  

How did your week go.  Head to Kate's to see how everyone is getting on this week.  

15 Minute Challenge & Missing Mo

It was a 6 out of 7 week this week.  Head cold then sinus headache took me out of it this week the other days were minimum 15min stitching.  Last minute Mo running around she flew out on Saturday evening.  Today I am feeling a little bit bereft.

The teachers with them emailed Sunday afternoon to say that they had arrived in Japan and were off to their first excursion ... Samurai Sword Fighting (hopefully with sticks and not actual swords) and she did post a few photo's on Instagram so I know she is ok.

You don't realise how much you interact on a daily basis until they're not there 😔.

She won't be happy because I am all mopey and I keep checking instagram for posts.  I took some sneaky photo's off her while she was waiting.  The photo's the teacher sent her must have been after exposure to more humidity because her hair was way more curlier than here.

I've managed to hurt my shoulder, hoping that it settles down soon as I can't take advil at the moment as I am having treatment on my heal spur but if I can't take anti-inflamatory meds, I'm using ice packs and panadol.  

At least next post we will be halfway through and I won't feel so down.  

How's your stitching going this week? Head to Kate's to see how everyone else is doing.  

15 Minute Challenge and back to Green Tea and Sweet Beans

I've been hit with a head cold, I've been taking everything I can to get over it quick Sambucol and some other supplements to knock it on its head.  I don't want Mo to catch it as she fly's out this Saturday.

This weekend we did more last minute shopping for the trip, this time a spray jacket and more Yen.  We found out during the week that Japan works more on cash than credit cards and not all credit cards may not work, though Mo has a travel card with Yen on it so hopefully that will be ok.












Its been a 7 out of 7 week, even with the head cold and japan trip running around.  Border No1 got finished and then I had a little break from Springtime Romance and did a block for Green Tea and Sweet Beans BOM so that I was only 3 months behind on that project.  Here is my hexie block which were hand pieced and was exceedingly easy to do ... I had been putting this off mainly because of the cutting out of the hexies.  Stitching them together was easy peasy,  could even get into stitching these together this way far easier than paper piecing.

The stitching girls and I are planning another sewing weekend in a couple of months, and will be staying in the same house we rented in July, can't wait hopefully I'll have Springtime Romance all finished by then, might be at the quilting stage with any luck.   But maybe it will be a hand piecing few days instead of lugging my machine.... I have plenty of those to go on with.


Want to check in on everyone else.  Head to Kate's to see how they went this week in the challenge.  

15 Minute Challenge and the Week that Was

It was a 6 out of 7 week this week.  Friday I had a bit of tummy trouble actually I still have a bit of tummy trouble don't know if it is a bit of stress building up or I'm holding something off.

Saturday saw me do a production line of scrunchie sewing.  I made 15,  some for Lydia to give away as gifts and some for her to wear while she is away in Japan.  We are inching closer to her being ready I know my wallet is going to happy once she is on her way and there isn't any more last minute thing that she needs.

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I finished the Springtime Romance Block 5 Pattern this week and loaded it into the shop and the first side border is probably a good night of sewing away from being finished.

Make sure you head to my 2019 Online Quilters Meet & Greet post and enter in the competition.  I've had lots of new visitors drop by and say hello in the last week.

Head to Kate's to see how everyone else is going.  

2019 Online Quilters Meet & Greet

I was very honoured to be asked to participate in the 2019 Online Quilters Meet & Greet.

If you are new to my Blog welcome I hope you find something here to keep coming back.

A little bit about myself.  I have sewed and done all sorts of craft for as long as I can remember.  This was encouraged by my Mum and my Nanna.  It wasn't until I got married that the quilting bug hit and I took my first quilting class with ladies that are still my good friends 23 years later.

A few years ago I opened my Etsy shop and designed quilts and patterns.  Every year I try to design a Block of the Month Quilt which I host primarily on my blog.  The patterns each month are usually for free for a short period of time and then are for sale in my Etsy shop so you can catch up if you miss out on one of the months patterns.  I usually try and make each quilt a bit different and give you a few options of how to finish the quilt off.    You can check out my past Block of the Months here and find the patterns in my etsy shop.

My favourite quilt at the moment is Flowers for Alison, it was a block of the month I ran a couple of years ago.  The quilt was designed with my mother in mind, she died when I was in my early 20's and I designed it at a time when I was getting to be the same age as her when she died and I had reached that milestone when she had been gone more than half my life.  So there is a lot of nostalgia in this quilt.  The quilt also won a 3rd place ribbon at the Royal Adelaide Show that year.

Probably my 2nd favourite quilt is Blueberry Botanicals picture below which features stitcheries and well as piecing.

My current Block of the Month is probably going to surpass both these quilts for being my favourite.  I am just starting out on the Borders but the centre of the quilt is all finished.  I'm a bit behind on pattern writing but I should be able to get in front soon.  We are up to Block 3 which you can download for free here until 7/9/2019, if you want to join in.  Blocks 1 and 2 are for sale in my Etsy shop.  If you want to know a bit more before you jump in use the link above.

I hope you enjoy your little look around and you will visit me again, especially for a freebee once a month.

Make sure you enter the contest to be in the running for all the great prizes and visit all the other quilters for more chances to win.

15 Minute Challenge and Class with Judy Newman

Another 7 out of 7 this week.  Have lots to do on borders that is going to be my main focus for the foreseeable future.  Here is the first border progress.

There is only 3 more weeks until Mo leaves for Japan, I'm a bit concerned about their Hong Kong stopover.  I don't think they will be going through customs there so hopeful all will be well.   Apart from my worry I think we are pretty much organised I just have to top up her travel card with spending money.

Back to sewing.  On the weekend I did a class with the lovely Judy Newman, who is very giving of her time and expertise.  Everyone worked on different projects and spent way to much money on fabric, patterns and templates.

I planned to start a new quilt with her this time as I had lost the plot on the last quilt I started with her and just didn't want to go there.   The quilt is called Sugar Plum, and I managed to finished 1 block the quilt has 25 don't know that mine will be that big.   I took my box of liberty prints and  I had purchased the backgounds and the main fabric a while ago.  Judy's classes are all hand piecing which makes it a lovely weekend without the whir of sewing machines and everything is slow paced hand work and you can work on whichever quilt of Judy's takes your fancy and she imparts all her know how.

As I said I finished 1 block.  I plan to just cut up a heap of pieces and pack them in bags so that I can just put blocks together when I need a break from all my other projects.  It will be very scrappy and I'm not going to plan the blocks to much just grab a piece and stitch.  I have lots and lots of fat 16th liberty to choose from.  All the background are soft muted checks and spots which will offset the business of the liberty prints.

The block is surprisingly easy to piece by hand, though the outer square can be sewn in by machine, but I chose to do it by hand this time.... that might change down the track.  2 straight days of stitching was so much fun and I have put my name down for next year as well.

So how is you challenge going.

The Quilters Meet and Greet starts 3/9/2019 so make sure you come back tomorrow and click enter the competition.  

Block 3 Springtime Romance Free BOM

Hows your stitching going.  As you may be aware it is time for Block 3 to become available for free until 7/9/2019.   This completes the first row of the quilt.

I am just about finished the block 5 pattern and that should be posted soon.

Stitching wise I’ve started stitching one of the side borders.  There are lots of hours to stitch in the borders, but I know I am probably going to have to come up with some alternatives if you don’t want to do that much applique.   The patterns for the side borders will be a bit different too.  As they are so big and involved I will only be supplying the backbasting full size pattern.  I have to limit the number of downloads and the size of the files so that is the compromise.  It will be easy enough to make templates from the back basting pattern and it will be easier for you to keep track of all the shapes and placement.

So Block 3 The Tulips.  Tulips were a big part of my wedding bouquet so they needed to make it into Springtime Romance.

Springtime Romance Requirements (please note that there has been a change in the amount required for the large borders).  I managed to get it out of 2.4m with some creative joining but I would prefer you didn't struggle.

Free pattern has now expired.  You can purchase block 1 - 3 via the links on the Springtime Romance page.