My Quilting / Sewing Goals for 2008

In no particular order~

1/. Jelly Roll quilt for Cate's bed
2/. Charm square cushion for Cate's room
3/. Jelly Roll quilt for Oliver bed (nautical theme)
4/. Jelly Roll and FQ Christmas Quilt
5/. Dear Jane
6/. AJ Kings Mystery Quilt
7/. Helen's Birthday Quilt
8/. Hugs and Kisses Lap Quilt
9/. Art Quilt
10/. Moda Ragged Edges Quilt

Christmas Day

Christmas Day 2007. Stinking hot 40 degrees! Kids opened there pressies early from Santa and then around 9am from us. Off to Lesmurdie for a family lunch and a swim in the pool. Took Nanny Biscuit home at 2pm then chilled in our aircon.
Some pics of the day~

Oliver, Stuart and Cate under the tree, they had about 5 presents each to unwrap.Oliver helping Stu check out his PS2 game.Cate and a Littlest Pet Shop winter pet set.At Nan and Grandad's house; Stuart, Cate, Milly, Oliver and Grace.Cate chilling (9 Patch quilt in the back ground).Cate and Nanny Biscuit.

Shangri-La Ragged Edges

I love this quilt so much I almost kept it! Made from 3 Shangri-La charm packs, each block was 5 inches square with the wadding 4 inches, finished size 11 x 11 squares, perfect for a lap quilt. I used a burgandy Moda fabric as the backing, giving a red ragged edge.
Made for Miss Bolding, Oliver's Year 2 teacher. He had had Miss Bolding as his teacher for the last two years and I don't think he has thought about her not coming with him to the new school!

Japanese Ragged Edges

For Stuarts Year 1 teacher Miss Freeman, I made a large ragged edges quilt from Japanese type fabrics that had gold in them. Each block was 10 inches square with the wadding 8.5 inches to allow a very ragged 1.5 inch seam, I used the same fabric on the back as the front. It came together quickly, started and completed in 3 days. On the card I wrote "I may not of been the perfect student for you, but you were the perfect teacher for me". Miss Freeman is an excellent teacher, she had a difficult group of kids but managed remarkably well and Stuart loves her to bits.

Softies

Not much time to sew today with cleaning, washing, Cate wanting to use the table for playdoh, a birthday party at HJ...however I managed to squeeze in some sewing purchases to make a start on my first softie. I bought this book called Softies which has 22 patterns to whip up. Oliver wants me to make the red astronaut.

EB Dolls Swap

My recipient for the EB Doll / Ted swap was Ingrid and I made a Ted Quilt for her Mister Monster using Michael Miller retro fabrics.

Happy 5th Birthday Cate

My baby is 5. Cate had a wonderful day, waking up around 9am and saying "4 no more" :-(
Her brothers helped her open up her presents; a board game, DVD, some clothes and lots of Littlest Pet Shop. After lunch a Hungy Jacks Birthday party with her friends and then home to unwrap more pressies and wind down watching a DVD. Hello 5!
One of Cate's many presents was a Blank-let from her Aunty Helen. Just the right size to wrap a pony in. Thanks Aunty Helen, it's so cute and so so gorgeous, love Cate xx

The Humming Cat

How can I possibly sew when everytime I plug my machine in I am interupted by Muffin? Standing on my rotary mat, pushing things of the table, laying in front of the machine, swishing his tail under the foot plate...after a good 5 minutes of attention he lays on whatever I am trying to sew, I give up today, no sewing for me.

Happy 8th Birthday Oliver

Today is Oliver's 8th birthday and his Great Nan's 82nd Birthday. How lucky to be the first Grandchild born on his Great Nan's Birthday! Happy Birthday to you both xx

Vintage clothing magazines

I got a parcel from Ingrid today! She suprised me with 4 French Little Girls vintage sewing books, perfect! So many gorgeous designs, beautiful pics, I simply must go fabric shopping now! Thank you so much Ingrid, your too kind, I can't wait to meet you in Sydney in March xx

Happy 7th Birthday Stuart

Today is Stuart's 7th Birthday! Happy Birthday Stu xx

Hey! Come In and Save Textile Traders!

Today Helen and I decided to go to Textile Traders SUPER STORE in Booragoon. Oh my. All fabrics on the bolts (bar homespun and flanelette) were on sale for $4.99 a metre!!! Breathe. I bought 30 meters, oh my, it was delightful.

Too many fabrics to show close up photos of, (plus blogger pic issues) and it was so hard selecting my must haves. Luckily the sales on for 2 weeks so I will just have to go again!

An OMG Textile Traders find!

Called into Morley Textile Traders this afternoon, they have there buy 2 get 1 free on, this promotion has been on for a month now, so not good for the bank balance. Had quick look around and what did I spy? Heather Bailey Freshcut fabric on the roll for $6.99 a meter, insane. 

So of course I bought the last of the roll, paid for 5 meters and got 2 free, plus there was a line through the last meter so I got that for free, so 8 meters for $34.95. One happy shopper today!

Happy Birthday Dad!

At Tomato Lake, celebrating Dad's birthday. In the parcel is a great lap top bag, just what he asked for! Pictured from left Grace, Cate, Milly, Stuart and Oliver.

Mrs Edwards - Ragged Edges Quilt

Mrs Edwards was Oliver's kindy teacher for one term in 2004, then his Pre-Primary teacher for 2005. She also taught Stuart and did relief work within the school. Sadly she left our school this term so I had to make her a goodbye quilt! Ragged Edges, using Wuthering Heights 5 inch charm packs and a cream moda backing.

Flowers For Thee - With Love From Me

Pattern is from a Homespun Magazine, fabric bought as a fat 8th lot from eBay.com, my first online overseas fabric purchase. I love this quilt, simple to put together with applique flowers with machine embroidery and 2.5 inch squares, the praire point were painful. Large stipple machine quilted all over, profesionally done.

I'm not so!

"I'm not so" says Cate, "I am not so a winger".
Guess who was winging in the car this morning!
Some pics of Cate in my fave outfit ever by Cakewalk, can't wait till the weather cools down, I am over summer.

The Pecking Order

I love this quilt! I bought it as a kit but was not 100% happy with some of the fabrics given so I swapped a few. Of course it turned out bigger than it should, they always do. I had it professionally quilted. Titled The Pecking Order, it hangs in my kitchen above the dining table.

Cate's first day of Kindy

Cates first day of Kindy. Her new teacher Miss Gaudet seems lovely. Cate had a great time, sat down and did some drawing and told me "You can go now mum" and since I picked her up she has been telling me how much she loves me!