Siggies.....

Thanks Chiara and Kitty ....  another two Siggy blocks to add to my collection.    I’ve been swapping Siggy blocks for many years.

I’m keeping up with the Stashbuster quilt along ... here’s what I have so far.  

A new project so I could play on my new Brother NV1800Q ....  I’m loving the auto pivot!  This monster is from Shiny Happy World ...  here.   I’ll turn him into a door hanger.  





I purchased this gorgeous little oil can last week.... I’ll polish it soon and add it to my little collection.  


A girl emu! For my land down under quilt.  

^{Happy sewing!}

Cheers from Helen

PRETTY MAIL

SIGGY BLOCK FROM DOLORES

Thank you Dolores for your beautiful Siggy Block.  Another nice addition to my collection.

Today I've been getting ready to quilt my Elephant Quilt.  I have cleaned and oiled my Brother PQ1500 and put in a new needle.  I like to stitch in the ditch prior to any FMQ I might do.  I'm not sure how I will quilt this one, I would like to have a play on my new Sweet Sixteen.    I can't really use it just yet as my left hand is still in the splint but hopefully by next week that will be off and I can get going learning all about my lovely new toy.

Elephant Quilt

Cheers from Helen

A NEW SIGGY BLOCK FOR MY COLLECTION

THANK YOU RIEK HENDRIKS

Hello !

I had a lovely surprise envelope in my letterbox this week.... a lovely Siggy Block from Riek Hendriks from the Netherlands.  Thank you Riek, your block is a lovely addition to my collection.

So what is new in Aunty Henny's world?    I guess the most exciting thing is my new HQ Sweet Sixteen quilting machine and table.  I purchased it at the recent Craft Show and just had it delivered this past week.

Unfortunately I am unable to have a play with my new machine as I have a slight fracture in my left wrist and I'm wearing a splint but maybe one more week will see the splint off and then I can sew!

I had finished most of my Christmas sewing prior to hurting the wrist.  Our local Spotlight had a new range of Aussie Xmas fabrics in stock so I did up a few items....

Yes, sewing with a splint!! 

I have been working away on the hand sewing for a Car Quilt to add to my ODIBAG stash (One day I'll be a grandmother) :-)   The fractured wrist did hold me back for a week or two but I'm back at it now.  

ODIBAG Car Quilt

I spent a few days in September school holidays with my Nieces, Sister, Great Nieces and Nephews.  We booked two units at Bribie Island so we could also visit with my Sister Sue.  We had a fantastic week.  I made a treasure collecting bag for the little ones to take to the beach ...

NOTHING FANCY BUT THE KIDS LOVED IT

Our little Maisy found a bag she desperately wanted in a toy shop but I told her I would make her a special bag.  I asked what fabric should I use and the answer was..... Unicorns, princesses and rainbows.... we promptly went online and found the fabric, ordered it there and then and it arrived the day I returned home from the little holiday.  I made a Ballerina Bag which was very well received.

Front of Ballerina Bag for Maisy

and the back.

Two of my Nieces were in Melbourne recently and found a little gift for me.....  thanks girls, I love it!

I already had the little tricket box on the left... now I have a cute little treadle!

Many moons ago I did the embroidery on these Elephant blocks.  They've been sitting in a box just waiting for the day to be made into a quilt.  Well, that day finally came and I'm really happy with how it turned out.  I have it all ready to quilt on my new machine :-)

ELEPHANT QUILT

FOUND THE PERFECT BACKING IN MY STASH

MY CIVIL WAR QUILT ALSO HAS ITS BORDERS, ANOTHER ONE READY TO QUILT!

Our neighbour's daughter had a new baby girl, so of course....  a little Pram quilt!  basically two fat quarters with cotton wadding in between and quilted on my Featherweight 222K.

A QUICK LITTLE PRAM QUILT FOR A NEW BABY

So as you can see, I have been sewing and keeping busy.  If only this wrist would heal quickly I would be sewing on my new Sweet Sixteen !   Oh well, not too long now!

Happy Sewing!!

Cheers from Helen

BEAUTIFUL SIGGY BLOCKS

A beautiful siggy from Konstanze in Germany 

and here is the beautiful siggy from Leonore also in Germany
I think this one will become a Pin Cushion as Leonore
has put my initial on it.

I still enjoy being in the International Siggy Swap and recently received these two lovely blocks.  Thank you Konstanze and Leonore, I love your siggies!  I think I will make some sewing machine covers with some of the siggy blocks I have received.  I have already made a wall hanging so now that I have so many sewing machines, I will make them some pretty dust covers.  I think that will be a lovely way to view the siggy blocks and will certainly be a talking point for visitors to my home.

Sewing time has been a bit hit and miss lately with our Summer hanging in so much longer than it usually does and the days just have not been conducive to sewing at all although a lovely cold change has arrived today!  I am continuing to work on the machine appliqué project - By Air, By Rail, By Sea.  I am using my Brother Innov-is 200 Quilters Edition for this project.  It does a very nice blanket stitch.

My newest addition to my Vintage Sewing Machine collection is the Singer 99K Hand Crank and I am making my Siggy Blocks on this machine so it gets some regular use.  I am really enjoying sewing on this machine - love being able to sew very slowly with the Hand Crank!  I think this machine will be great for fiddly top stitching and bag making.

Just yesterday I started a new project (click to go to Quilt-Along site)  on my Singer 201K Knee-Shift.  I gave it an Oil and clean and started making some Half Square Triangles on it yesterday afternoon.  I will be making a Table Topper - the Quilt-Along is called Scrap Dance Mystery Quilt Along and it's by "From My Carolina Home" - I have linked to the website above.  I found lots of suitable scraps in my scrap bag - all sewing related!  so this will be a Table Topper for one of my sewing tables.   I love sewing on this machine, it is so quiet and I can really control my speed with the knee-shift lever.  Note the new LED lightbulb!  Love it !  it is from April 1930s Sewing Shoppe.  If you have a Vintage Machine with the old incandescent light bulbs (ouch.... very hot!) you will love the new LED bulbs as they are so much brighter and stay cool.  April has them in both Warm and Bright White.  By giving this machine a project it keeps it oiled and cleaned and ensures some regular sewing time.  These old machines need to be used.

My Singer 201K Knee-Shift machine - a great little workhorse!
You will see I still have the manual pages beside me when I work
on my machines!

Here you can see how I am using the wide side of the normal Singer
sewing foot to sew my 1/4" seams down each side of the
drawn line.  Yes it's back to front sewing but it works like a charm!
I am chain stitching the HST's

My Hand Sewing project is coming along nicely.  I'm now up to the third border of boats.  As many of you know, I MUST have a hand sewing project at ALL times :-)   ...  need something to do when we go out for our daily coffee!

Today is a lovely cold and windy day - just finished some housework (boring but necessary) and about to head in to the sewing room to work on those Half Square Triangles.

Happy Sewing!

Cheers from Helen