My "What Knot" is finished.

Hello,

On Saturday while I was out looking at Garage Sales I bought an old issue of Australian Homespun No.11 (Vol 3.3). I paid the sum of 20 cents for the magazine. There was several projects that looked interesting but the "What Knot" designed by Liz Kerr took my eye. There are pockets on the end, a pin cushion in the middle and even a little needle case attached to it.

It all folds up into a nice little square. There is quite a bit of hand sewing involved which I take delight in doing. Another project finished for the month.

Happy stitching

Bev C

How to Marble fabric.

Hello,

Last week Lucy helped me to Marble some white homespun material. To do this you need very little equipment. Most importantly you need Marbling Dye, these are available at a artist's supply shop. A container big enough to hold what you are dyeing. This time I used a baking dish but previously I have used a cat's litter tray(new). You also need a wooden skewer. Firstly put some water into the container. Then add drops of dye. If you wish to make a swirled effect gently move the skewer through the paint.

You then gently place the material onto the top of the water and paint and let the paint adhere to the material.

Place the material outside on a flat surface to dry. These can then be be heat set with an iron.

I then used the squares to embroider my Wonky Houses Block of the Month.

With this dye you can also do the same process but with card or paper. I have had these paints for many years and the dye is still as good as the day I bought it. A little goes a long way. Natural materials such as cotton and homespun are the best to use for dyeing.This is a simple easy project to do and you end up with material that no-one else has. Go on give it a try.

Happy days.

Bev C

What every best cat in Oz is wearing.

Hello,

On Tuesday evening Lucy wanted to make "Clyde "the cat a footy outfit. As Lucy is a mad keen St Kilda fan, out came the red black and white material. Lucy drew up a plan for the outfit then cut out the material then hit the sewing machine.One section is the red black and white big stripes. There is another section that has a black centre with squares around it. There is black homespun for the lining. It is tied up by three ribbons. Don't you think he is a beautiful cat!!!

We stayed up until 11.30pm that night sewing. With Lucy having lots of enthusiasm for sewing I

want to encourage her as much as possible. Yes "Clyde" loves his new outfit and even slept in it the next day.

Happy days.

Bev C

"These are cool Mum"

Hello,

I got my cross stitch that I did last month back from the framers. I am pleased with how this has worked out. It hangs on the wall in the family room with other cross stitches that I have done. Yesterday I started a new patchwork quilt. This is from the Australian Homespun Magazine. Volume 9.10. It is a design by Deidre Field called "All Hallow's Eve Lap Quilt. The pattern called for 4 inch squares. I used 5 inch squares because I had bought a packet of 25 from a lady who was selling them at the markets, as I didn't want to waste the material I changed it to the 5 inch squares. I have to get some more vlisoflex to make up the tree that goes on the quilt next to the crow.

"These are cool Mum" is what Bonnie said when she saw the Oven Mitts and Pot holder that I made on Monday. This is a quick and easy pattern to follow. I was extremely happy with the way they worked out. The pattern is a design by Pam Jansen of Ballarat Patchwork. Pam's website is http://www.ballaratpatchwork.com.au/ I know I will be reusing this pattern over again as I think I will give Bonnie the blue set and make some more for myself.

Now I am off to water the fruit trees as the weather is going to warm up tomorrow.

Happy days.

Bev C

Guess what today is?

Hello.

Today is Ainsley's Birthday. Happy days to you, we all hope you have a special day and best wishes for the coming year.

Love from Mum Dad Bonnie Ryan David and Lucy xoxoxo.

Several finishes.

Hello,

What a beautiful day we are having here. I have been out in the garden dead-heading roses. I also planted a punnet of stocks and some carnations. In a few weeks the flowers should be blooming. I completed my quilt the other day. I was hoping to have some dark brown homespun for the border. Unfortunately the brown in the shop didn't match at all. I ended up choosing a homespun blender which I think works just as well. The embroidery patterns are designed by Jennie Baer and are available from her website www.homeberries.com . The designs are free to download. I love this block. There is a black bird in nearly every design.

I finished putting on the binding and hand sewing the ric-rac on the Christmas stitchery. I love the brightness in the border fabric on the sides.

I picked up this panel for a cushion a few weeks back from the local St John's op-shop. I only paid $1.00 for it. Yesterday I added a blue floral border and button-holed on the pink hearts.

Now I have to decide if I start something new or find something that needs finishing off. Decisions, decisions.

Happy days

Bev C

A Walk in the Garden and Christmas stitchery.

Hello,

I have been doing the hand quilting on my brown stitchery quilt and finished the quilting last night. I am sure glad that it is finished. It was 40 degrees here yesterday. It got very hot especially with the cotton wadding which makes it very heavy. I will buy some brown homespun for the binding today. I found this Christmas stitchery in my "to do pile." I added the red border last night and backing and pinned on the ric-rac. The pattern is from Cinderberry Stitches. A freebie, but I have added more to it. So come Christmas this year I will have another completed project to hang up in my home.

I was lucky enough to win this lovely embroidery pattern from Lyn Briggs of http://www.moorepatchwork.com/ It contains nine little patterns pertaining to the garden including a quilt hanging in the garden, a watering can, bees and butterflies. I love reading Lyn's blog because she can knit. Something I can't do. I enjoy reading how she changes the patterns to suit herself. I love that she can knit socks jumpers and cardigans and finishes them off. I am afraid that if I started knitting I would have a terrible lot of one sort of sock. Thank you Lyn for the lovely pattern. I truly appreciate it.

Happy stitching.

Bev C

Who's got big pockets?

Hello,

Santa has got big pockets. I stitched this on the weekend and finished it off on Tuesday. This design is a Whiskers and Wings Stitchery designed by Philippa Morris. It will make a great table topper/wall hanging to bring out at Christmas time. The garden walk around Kainga and morning tea was a wonderful success and has just finished. I was blessed with a lovely day not hot and humid like the last few days. Off to do some more hand quilting on my brown quilt while the weather is cooler. I also picked up the Homespun magazine from the newsagent yesterday. It is such a lovely read and so inspiring.

Happy days.

Bev C

Lucy's new fabric range.

Hello,

Today I want to show Lucy's tie dying she did at school last week. The colours are just so bright and cheerful. Each sample was tied in a different way for a different effect.

The samples will be included in her workbook for school.

The one above had a bottle cap tied in the middle to create the pattern.

This one that looks like daisies is my favourite. This pattern was formed by using lots of bottle caps tied to the material. The teacher bought the die at a craft show last year. I think I will have to find out the brand and get some. Congratulations Lucy on such lovely bright material and learning a new skill.

Happy days.

Bev C

Matroyshka Dolls,Roses,Apples and Chickens.

Hello,

I bought these lovely Matroyshka Dolls in the Trade Aid shop in Whangarei while I was on holidays. These were made in India. They have found a new home on a set of drawers in my sewing room. The Trade Aid shop had a lovely range of items for sale. Both Lucy and I managed to find several things for ourselves to bring home. I have been doing a fair bit of work in the garden lately, must have something to do with the slightly cooler weather. Next week I am having several ladies around for morning tea and a walk around the garden here at Kainga.

This rose is a David Austin called "Heritage". I have three of these outside the lounge room window. Heritage was introduced in 1984 it has sprays of beautiful, perfectly cupped blooms of soft pink. It has a strong old rose fragrance with traces of honey. Good foliage with very few thorns on a tall and bushy shrub. It is a vigorous bush or can be used as a small climber. I always plant my roses in groups of 3 5 or 7, uneven numbers in the garden look better than two of everything.

Our apple trees have had plenty of fruit this year. Homegrown organic apples that haven't been sprayed have the most flavour,very crisp to eat. You haven't lived until you have eaten a fresh apple straight from the tree. We have five variety's of apples producing fruit. Luckily this year the parrots haven't discovered them. Although we do net the trees.

Meet our egg producing hens, although they all turned there head away when I took the photo this morning. We bought these hens from a poultry farm. The poor things had lived in cages and didn't know how to scratch, there combs were a dull colour but after a week or two of fresh food including lots of silver beet there colour came right back. You can certainly tell the difference with home eggs to some bought in the shop. The colour of the yolk is such a bright yellow.

On the sewing front I have been quilting my brown quilt. I do this in the evening while watching television. Lucy is doing Textiles at school this year and thoroughly enjoying it. Last Friday night we sat and stitched together. She was making a sampler in a heart shape doing different stitches. She told me she knew most of the stitches. I had sent her and a friend to some embroidery classes that were run by the Embroiderer's Guild a few years back and she had remembered how to do them. Yesterday she did tie dying at school and this was going to be made into a cushion.

Happy days.

Bev C

Brown Quilt Top.

Hello,

Well my stitchery is now a quilt top. I worked on it on Thursday then completed the borders on Friday at Sewing. I had enough of the brown ric-rac to add to the outside border as well. On Saturday I got some calico for the backing and hope to start the quilting next week. I think I will hand quilt this one.

This quilt will be used in the spare room and of course it will come out when footy season starts again. There is nothing like cuddling up to a quilt in wintertime. It is a long weekend here so a bit of work is being done in the garden. The gutters have been cleaned and trees that are close to the house have been cut back. There is nothing like a man with a chainsaw!! Nothing is safe.

Happy days.

Bev C