...doing some recreational sewing - basically, sewing is my therapy ;) I've had this 'Charisma' charm pack for a wee while, so I thought it was time to create with it! Katherine was lovely enough to share some of her leftovers from her Charisma quilt to add to it. I sewed up the 1/2 triangle squares on a day sewing with my friend Julie, then added the borders at the '1st Friday Night Sewing Group' with Lisa, Jenny, Vic & Tracy.
There’s a friend’s baby on it’s way very soon and I had the honour of making a quilt. The request was for a Very Hungry Caterpillar Quilt and after a little net surfing we found the perfect one! The pattern is by Jean Ann Wright and sold by The Fat Quarter Shop.
Here it is being basted ready for quilting.
Over a few days I quilted it in a large stipple while the family ate dinner at the kitchen bench!
There was enough fabric left over to make a pillowcase and cushion cover, I now have my quilting mojo back and must get on and finish a few of the quilt tops that are folded away in the sewing cupboard.
I see there is a Grouchy Ladybug quilt…..anyone else having a baby??
I’m off to eat through one ice cream cone….one pickle….one lollypop….
Happy stitchin folks 
Cause it feels so good... The Sewing Sisters are in the same state again, Katherine and Kylie arrived in WA on Wednesday afternoon. Since then there has been much laughter, chatting sewing, shopping, snorting, singing, eating etc... Here's a little of the sewing we have done so far.
I have been lost somewhere between illness, school holidays and 40th birthday parties (not mine!!).
Sorry for the absence, life kinda got me busy…
My oldest child turned 10 last year and I promised him a quilt (as you do). It didn’t get finished by his birthday (as happens). It did get done while he was still 10 and before his 11th birthday!
The colours were chosen by the birthday boy and his obsession with bows/arrows and targets gave me some inspiration for the design. I used the same fabrics in stripes on the back. I needed some help with the quilting as this is a big quilt and was losing inspiration. I also like the sticky bun design. I like the finished result! 
We have recently rearranged the children’s bedrooms and my little two now share a room which is painted blue and red. The pink and purple quilt belonging to my youngest no longer matched. So, of course it was time to buy new red and blue fabric and this is what I came up with:
The picnics and fairgrounds fabric by DS was perfect. It was very well received and became a dance stage on this particular day for my 3 and 5 year olds!
There have been a few other quilts progress and many in the planning, but more for another day. My oldest daughter turns 9 this weekend and we are having a ‘LIttle House on the Prairie’ party tomorrow. I have made pioneer bonnets for all the girls and now it’s time to make cornbread, popcorn balls, and oatmeal cookies. I must say I am enjoying this theme and re-living my childhood days too!
Until next time,
Happy stitching,
Krafty KJ
A few weeks ago now my DD started piano lessons. She’s been so excited and enjoying it so much it’s lovely to see. I’ve been enjoying sitting and listening to her lesson each week, it’s nice to stop and sit quietly for half an hour in the midst of my busy week.
And so the beginning of a new quilt was born. Something that was portable, hand pieced yet not too complex. At the recent AQC I purchased these two fat quarter bundles, a mix of Kaffe Fasset, Phillip Jacobs and Brandon Mably.
So inspired by this piece and my 60 degree ruler I set about cutting and ruling enough pieces to get started. I’m still not exactly sure how it will all come together but I’m enjoying watching it evolve.
I must get online and buy some yardage of a few of these prints to finish it off one day… I can piece 2 or three triangles a lesson, so at this rate she might be a concert pianist by the time it’s finished!
Blessings for your portable projects :)
Happy Birthday to You
Happy Birthday to You
Happy Birthday dearest Kylie
Happy Birthday to You
Much Love & God Bless Always
Your Sewing Sisters - Katherine and Janelle xx
When I first dusted off the sewing machine 10 years ago, after a significant sewing break since Home Ec at High School, I made cloth dolls. Now that I’ve been making some softie samples for work, I have got my softie mojo back (there is more to Janelle than just bags!). Today at craft I made this little cutie.
Little Kitty pattern by Melly and Me
She has already been claimed – for a new baby due in October ;)
With Love
I have just experienced a fantastic weekend away, with some fabulous girlfriends (old & new), sewing, chatting, eating, creating, laughing, staying up too late and having lots of fun. My goal this weekend was to create some new samples for a special craft night we are having at work (Midland Textile Traders) this Thursday night. This is what my Janome and I got up too…
(she still needs her eyes and toes sewn on!)
a cute ‘Sangsang’ softie – pattern also by Melly and Me
& a ‘Sweet Sixteen’ bag – pattern by Rosalie Quinlan Designs
Miss R also asked me to make her a Trefle/Kokka Babushka Bag of her own, with 1 specification - “Please can it be purple”. She was very pleased with the result.
Must go and join my family and watch Masterchef
With Love
I had an interesting day on my birthday. Not exactly the day I would have planned for myself, but I spent it with my family and had a lovely visit from Kylie in the afternoon.
I also started playing with a new range of fabric ‘1974’ by Urban Chicks for Moda. A jelly roll, charm pack as well as yardage made this one easy.
I’ve had this in my stash for a little while now. I had to buy it as 1974 was the year of my birth. This is a photo of where i got to and now I can’t decide if I should sash it or sew as is. I was thinking about sashing in a cream based fabric from the range with red cornerstones… any ideas or suggestions welcome!
As I was undecided and still had a lot of left over fabric (it was on clearance and I couldn’t resist) I started playing with this design:
I am now a big fan of this ‘rich red’ in the kona solids range. I am taken by this design too. It came together so quickly – think I may need to make a scrappy version with all my darker and muted colours. This is also at a stand still as I can’t decide whether the green check, blue or grey/purple dots. Help please!! I must say I am loving having the energy to be back sewing again.
Happy Stitching!
Krafty KJ
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Happy Birthday to you
Happy Birthday to you
Happy Birthday dearest Katherine
Happy Birthday to YOU
Love your Sewing Sisters Kylie and Janelle xx
My youngest daughter is turning 3 soon and is obsessed with the water. She is very aware that we have said she can join her brother at Saturday morning swimming lessons when she is 3. Recently she found this swim set that I bought at the end of season sale and had to try it on…
Children in goggles are so funny – I had to laugh and grab the camera when she came out with these on. It’s the eyes!
If only it were beach weather, but no it’s too cold!! SORRY I was distracted…
My new phone was also feeling the cold as I continued in my scrap use today making a warm and protective cover for it. I just made up the pattern, but the elastic loop makes it quick and easy to slip out to answer/use.
I’m organising my sewing room and needed a container to hold all the pens, scissors etc on my desk. So I made this with the same left over fabric. I just covered an old tissue box with the top folded in:
The scraps are left over from this quilt which I finished on our weekend away…
There has been more scrap action here, but I’m really getting over scrappy strips. Will show you more progress soon. It’s my birthday on Saturday, so I think it’ll be a day of cutting into yardage!! I bought a new rotary cutter blade today to add to the joy…Yay!
Happy stitching!
Krafty KJ
PS. Janelle there are plenty more of these left -overs coming your way!
