Sock drawer

As promised, here’s how my sock drawer is currently looking.I’m loving how colourful it is and it gives me great comfort and a big thrill knowing that I’ve actually knitted all of these (since May this year, what’s more) and that my toes will be toasty warm for many years to come.

The toe up socks are going well with the first one finished I did just blindly, unthinkingly follow the pattern and have the join of the cuff at the front of the sock – should have thought more about that, but hey, it’s a sock.  Will do better on the second one, now that I understand what I’m doing.

Thinking about the next pair now………

Meredithe x 

“Bush Walk”. FAL2017

Yesterday I realised that September is rapidly disappearing – where has it gone?? – and that Friday would not only be the end of the month, but the end of this quarter’s FAL.  

This quilt, with its prepared binding, has been sitting like this for…….well, quite some time, that’s why it was on the FAL list.So yesterday morning I attached the binding by machine, then hand stitched all afternoon [with very pleasant company, I must say!] and before I knew it…..TaDa!This is “Bush Walk” one of my designs.  I wanted to make sampler of sorts, but not in any of the standard formats so I started with a corner of fabric and “built” blocks on two sides, separating them with strips of fabrics.I chose a wacky backing (a Jane Sasserman fabric) and a spot bindingand had great fun with fabrics and blocks.I’m so pleased to have this quilt finished, and another tick on my FAL Q3 list.

Meredithe x 

Woolly bits class

On Sunday it was off up the highway to Millrose for woolly bits class.   (Check out that Liberty sewing machine!!!)

Jan has her stunning embroidered circles finished; you could look at this for days and find something new every time.Gail is progressing with her Christmas quiltas is Deb with her “Folk Tails” After an hour and a half all I’d achieved was three drizzle stitches!  Too much talking and wandering the shop.  I did get my act together and finished off the block from last time.

By then it was lunchtime 

I did get started on another blockand managed to finish it too!Gail added beads to her circlesDeb did more embroideryand t’others were doing stuff I can’t show you, but I can show you Jacinta’s sewing bags/boxesJan’s sewing bagand a little bit of Lizzie’s block.and just before afternoon teaI may have done some retail therapy.  This rose tin was calling my namewhich I resisted until I opened it!Too cute!

Meredithe x

Saturday sewing

How are you my lovelies?  We’ve had a little, intermittent Spring sunshine over the last few days which has been so good for the soul.  Oops, back in a jiffy, I’ve just noticed it’s started to rain, again!, and I need to rescue the washing.

Back again; we had clear skies this morning so I was keen to get some washing out, including a load of hand knitted socks.  Yes, sock drawer pic coming soon!

All the rain and the occasional ray of sunshine has brought out blossoms and flowers.  This is the tree at Helen’s place; isn’t it lovely?Just three of us on Saturday.  Kaye had a trip to Europe earlier in the year and she bought herself this gorgeous Cath bagand this for me!Helen provided this delicious afternoon teaand on the stitching front, Helen has some hand piecing and some appliqué on the goKaye is appliqueing tooand I made more inroads on the pile of hexies for my MSG.It’s been ages since I’ve seen either Helen or Kaye, so a great chance to catch up on all the goss!  

Oh, I nearly forgot!  On Saturday morning GJ and I went to GJ’s Fabrics (no relation!) for a book signing and trunk show for Emma  Jansen.  The quilts are gorgeous and the book is beautiful, with all the photos taken in Tasmania.  I’m looking forward to reading it at leisure soon.

A delightful day.

Meredithe x 

In Ma Kettle’s garden

Spent the first part  of this week up with Ma; she’s doing very well, thank you.

The plants in the pergola are livening up with the advent of Spring.

A friend and fellow orchid lover repotted Dad’s orchids some months ago and Dad would have been so pleased to see that they have started flowering.

Ma can see these from her kitchen window and they are giving her great delight.

Meredithe x

PS I’ve just noticed an email from Craftsy; they are having a surprise sale this weekend with on-line classes under USD20.00 !  *This promotion ends Sunday, September 25, at 11:59 pm USA MT. Select classes are not eligible, including those from our partner The Great Courses®.

Click here to view temptation!

Class show and tell

It’s school holidays so we just had one class; a combination of morning and afternoon students for those available.

Lyn spent the morning assembling her quilt top……..……borders are next.

Carole spent the morning prepping more tulip blocks

Frances machine pieced these triangular blocks for a quilt she’s resurrected

Carylin appliquéd the last piece onto her first block

then prepped some more hexies for another project

Denise is working on a new section of her block

Tineke started embroidering circles

and I brought in my Dresden Plate pattern for Fernanda to use and she nearly finished a whole block; just needs to be appliquéd into place.

Meredithe x 

S— obsession

Being very careful not to say [socks] out loud as some of you have threatened an intervention………  But I’m having soooo much fun!

Pair 10 of 16 (16 pairs in 2016) is finished.

And look at me!  I’m teaching myself toe-up [socks] from this fab book

Took a deal of concentration, a little help from YouTube and a fair amount of frogging, but I stuck at it and am inordinately pleased to have made this startLoving these carbon fibre needles.

No intervention needed – learning something new, testing my brain and having a BALL!!!

Meredithe x