I love to sew, mainly quilts and bags. I am 66, married to Fred and have one son, Matthew, who is 27. I enjoy embroidery and applique and prefer to machine piece and quilt my projects. I love my vintage Singer sewing machines especially my Featherweight 222K. I’m enjoying treadling on my 201K Singer and I collect Miniature Sewing Machines and currently have three Essex , one Singer 20, one Singer 40, two Vulcan Miniatures and my latest, a Grain. My love of sewing I believe comes from my Grandmother - I still have the drawings she made for me to embroider on tea towels many many years ago!

Monday 27 December 2021

MY … HOW TIME GOES BY SO QUICKLY………

Hello!

I’m just getting ready to print my blog book for 2021 and as usual I’ve been very slack at doing updates…..so let’s bring you all up to date…….

Once again Covid was with us all of 2021… a couple of lock-downs and then vaccines… soon our boosters….  It just never ends.  Omicron is now the new strain….   We are back to mask wearing and signing in everywhere to prove we have our vaccine certificates.

I last blogged back in June so I’ll start where I left off 😂

I started a new machine appliqué project….a monster quilt for my great nephew Amos.   I have really enjoyed making these blocks… had great fun choosing different stitches on my Brother NV1800Q and also getting ideas from the book “WALK” by Jacquie Gering.   I’m using pre-wound bobbins and have been using both Fabulux and Glow in the Dark threads from Wonderfil.  The Fabulux is a 40wt, the Glow in the dark is also 40wt.  I’ve also used the Konfetti 30wt threads for some of the quilting    The monster appliqué blocks are from Shiny Happy World.  I’m using the Cute Quilt as you go monster pattern plus the scary squares pattern.  This project has taught me so much about using different weight threads  and different stitches.  I purchased the Dynamic Walking Foot from Brother… it’s a real game changer.  It is able to stitch in any direction!  So I have been doing a lot of free form straight line stitching as background quilting on the blocks.  

To get enough blocks to make the quilt (I need at least 70 blocks) I have invented a few Minecraft characters plus I’m also using Minecraft fabric as filler blocks.  Doing this will get me to 70 blocks much faster than trying to get 70 appliqué blocks made.  I want to have this quilt finished and delivered before our Winter 2022.



















   

  

 



  

      

         












Another machine appliqué project ….. tee shirts also using appliqué patterns by Shiny Happy World..
These were fun to sew, although I’m still trying different stabilisers to achieve neat stitching.  

Paxton Penguin 
Carter Chameleon 
     

We enjoyed a couple of trips to our unit at the Gold Coast….. as per usual I took a sewing project🙂


   
   

   

   

   

       




Babe in the woods, free pattern Maywood Studios

  

     


   

 


      



I’ve made another little farm quilt,  just to have on hand or it will go in my ODIBAG stash.  





This is a quilt I made when I was down the Coast.  I used up all the horse themed fabrics in my stash…

My Majestic Mountains quilt on my bed 
This one I made ages ago, using Op Shop,shirts


I used the Elmers glue method to press down the binding to the back of the quilt, I love this method.  


A WIP… making a Wave quilt…up to the part where you add the bias strips…..

A new project….fishy appliqué

Horse quilt 



We did a trip out to Esk and Toogoolawah , taking in the Markets and visiting with my cousin Judith.   We always enjoy our short vacations in the country.   











Delicious morning tea at Moore Soldiers Hall





Scarlett was two in October… I made a selection of tee shirts and a dolly….



My Christmas sewing……..

Pillow slips and books



BOWL COSY FOR BRIDGET


Pillow slips






Cute little puppy bandannas

Market bag


Cute sewing boxes





Bowl cosies

We held our annual Christmas tennis party….







Christmas Day was very pleasant although I had been unwell with vertigo in the days leading up to it.   Fortunately we had a cool day with showers which was very welcome as we had terribly hot and humid days earlier that week.  
My sister sets a beautiful Xmas table
Our Xmas cake from my sister



And that’s a wrap…….  Bring on 2022

I’m thinking this is the final chapter for my Blog. I use Facebook now and find it is so much faster and easier to update.  

I’ve met so many wonderful friends since I started blogging and I’m so glad they are still following along over on Facebook. 

Thanks for  reading my Blog for so many years …  I started this Blog in August 2009.  It’s been so much fun.  I hope my followers will catch up over in Facebook land.  See you there………

Cheers and Happy Sewing,

Helen











The end