A pinch and a punch

For the first of the month...

I haven't been doing much that I can show you the last couple of days.  First I was working on my part of the current Round Robin quilt from my quilt group.  I have Andrea's to work on - this is how it started out and I am the second one to add to it and I can't show you how it is going coz Andrea reads my blog - I can't even show you a sneak peak - but I have to say I have worked out my plan and I am really pleased with it......you will just have to wait.  I promise to take photos of all the finished quilts when they are done.

This has also consumed some of my time - the colour for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge is purple for this month so I have been planning my attack on my purple scraps.  I will be sewing a few kaleidoscope blocks to go with the red and blue ones I have made in January and February.  A couple of purple flower blocks also, a couple of disappearing nine patch blocks and then a whole lot of string blocks - that is why the red strips are there.  I need a contrasting colour for the centre of the string blocks and the red was left over from February  and red and purple just speak to me!

 I have also been cutting these out but I can't show you any more till the recipient gets them!

 And finally I have been working on this!  I started this in 2001 when we still lived in Connecticut.  I took the boys, then about five years old to stay in an on-site van on the shores of a lake in a caravan park for a month's holiday while my husband worked.  During the day we swam and played but at night time when they went to sleep I cut and appliqued.  Would you believe that as we drove around the town familiarising ourselves with where I was going to be for the next month - a tiny little town - we came across a QUILT SHOP!!!!!  Yep!  I was happy.  I took along in my suitcase a cutting board, tools, fabric, iron and patterns and in that caravan each night I worked on cutting out and fusing the pieces for two quilts and a wall hanging! 

 This wall hanging is still waiting to be finished but this week I have almost finished the satin stitch machining.  Borders next week I hope!  I have to admit I still like the little heart shaped tags on the dogs and cat. 

 The pattern comes from this book by Lynda Milligan and Nancy Smith.

You can see it here and you can also see the other quilt I made

This quilt hangs on my kitchen family room wall and I have to say it is still my favourite quilt.  Just makes me smile every time I look at it.  I had great fun sewing buttons on it and embroidering flowers etc and I am no embroiderer let me tell you. 

The second quilt I haven't pictured but it is also not finished - BUT WILL BE BY THE END OF THIS YEAR I HOPE.  Not long after this holiday we found out we were moving back to Australia and so I started to pack up my sewing room and sort the house hold full of stuff out ready for the move.  Projects like these were forgotten for a while till we got into our new house.  The quilt was finished quick smart coz i loved it so much and wanted it on my wall.  I ran out of steam for the others.  But now is there time........wish me luck!  I know exactly where the wall hanging is going to hang but the other quilt?  Well, it is 6ft x 8ft and is of different sized blocks each featuring a different chicken!  I don't have room to hang it and am not sure yet if I will keep it or give it away for charity.  I will decide once it is finished!  All I know is I am going to finish it this year!!!

Till next  time

Happy Stitching!