Show and Tell Tuesday .. My Favorite Quilt

It's just a quick pic for show and tell, because it is another work deadline day (week..) and there is just so much on. This is my favorite quilt, a Rosalie Quinlan Designs called "Love is". I had seen Rosalie's finished quilt before it was released when Rosalie taught a class at Ballarat Patchwork When my sewing machine broke down 2 years ago I bought the block of the month as a pattern back and made a start with the stitching.

I love it because it says so much. It has family and home themes, and lots of tiny scraps of my favorite and sentimental fabric are in the little block borders. I changed the sampler block to have the kids names instead of mine. Maya was only a few months old when I started, so all of their names are stitched there, it's complete.

Go on, post your favorite creative thing and blog about it! x Rachel

And the winner is....

The winner of the book and pattern, and a little something from me is .... comment No 19 ..

Carol Van Rooy said...
Lissa sent me. Thanx for the great blog giveaway. Count me in.Feel free to pop by and say hello.

Carol was picked randomly by me yelling across the dinner table "Callum, pick a number between 1 and 70" and he picked 19 - Carol.

And since Lissa sent Carol, we can work out a gift from the patterns I stock. Lissa you can pick something from selected Red Brolly, Melly and Me, Rosalie Quinlan, Leannes House, Janelle Wind Collection or Lynette Anderson Designs and I will order it in for you. I'll email you both.

It will soon be my 50th post... another giveaway - yay!

A silly question too. I can't seem to reply to my commenters although I would like to. I just have no reply blogger. Can someone leave me a comment on how to fix this - I would like to reply to you!

Meet Bambino

Meet Bambino, a new pattern by Melly & Me. Leah asked me to make one up for her sisters new baby so here it is! Such a sweety. I made my version with a polar feece blanket lined with cotton that I used on the muzzle instead of the binding.

I've been unwell with a horrible headcold, so I am sorry about the little posts. I know I must have been very pitiful since - Matt got up and took the kids to the 9 am swimming lessons, when he is not an early riser on the weekends and has been working long and hard - I didn't ring my sister for her birthday (sorry Liz) and I had 3 kids off to bed by 7 pm.

So, with the cold medication working, I've got Bambino made and even made a start on my mini quilt swap quilt for Dottycookie.

I am still looking forward to reading the blogs of all those who have left a comment for the competition. A reminder that today is the last day for comments for the draw! I am coming to visit in the next couple of day to say hello to you all. x Rachel

Friday Mayhem..

It's a public holiday today and I haven't managed to get much done.. luckily there was this Hooty to make from Careys scrap bag :)

Show and Tell Tuesday ~ Scrap Happy!

In my lovely scrap parcel from Carey I discovered a heap of Poetry Collection Scraps and it reminded me of this scrap quilt I made a year or so ago. Perfect to drag out for Show and Tell.

This pattern was published in an old Australian Better Homes and Gardens magazine from the 90's that I had been saving for the quilt patterns. This one was designed by Jan Mullens and it is one of those sew and slash sort of blocks so every butterfly is slightly different. Cute!

And look what arrived in the post! I couldn't resist this scrap bag from Aunty Cookie I saw on Etsy and got in quick.

And the postie bought me this from the lovely Carey at Blueberry Lane. I feel so lucky to have recieved a scrap bag from Carey for the Melly & Me Scrap Challenge and its just packed full of wonderful fabric. Some favorites in there and some I have seen around. It's perfect - thanks Carey for the fabric, the squares, the little bag and the AMOUNT of fabric you squeezed into your parcel.

Today is World Earth Day, so happy Earth Day to you! A very busy day for me at work with corporate volunteering events being held around the country.

EDIT: Maree has just started her own new blog, so please go an visit her and say hello. Maree would like a fabric swap if anyone is interested! Make a new blogger feel really welcome.

Thanks too for all the new visitors who have left comments on my blog! I will be visiting you all over the weekend or sooner, and the regulars of course! x Rachel

Giveaway ~ Bearly Stitched Book & Simple Stitches Needlecase Pattern

I thought it was time for a bit of a giveaway, to celebrate my first pattern and samples being close to completed and ideas for my next one all ready to draw up and make. And since my first design features bears and the second is a needle book, and I want to say a big thanks to Lynette Anderson Designs for the Noah's Ark block of the month... Book and Pattern are new, straight from the distributers.

So all you need to do is leave a comment between now and Sunday 27 April on this blog. I'll accept more than one entry if you comment more than once during the week, and if someone comments that you sent them, I'll give you another chance too!

Bearly Stitched is a collection of 11 stitchery and applique projects by Lynette Anderson containing the Sisters Cushion, Bearly Stitched Alphabet Quilt, Name Cushions, Coathanger with Lavendar Heart, Photo Album Cover, Angel Bear Book Cover, An Angel's Needlecase and Angelic Sewing Trio.

Also is the Simple Stitches Needlecase pattern, also by Lynette Anderson, and you will also get a something from me!

Now its time for the football to start and ummm, a bit more to get done before the weekend ends. I hope your weekends have been fun!

Frivolous Friday

Just to take my mind off all that really needs to be done, and to encourage you all to have a go, here is the meme from Kitty's blog. Go on, have a go!

Your answers must be real places, things, names... nothing made up. If you can't think of anything, skip the question. You can't use your own name for the boy's/girl's name question.

FAMOUS SINGER: Right Said Fred

FOUR LETTER WORD: Ruby

STREET: Ring Road

COLOR: Red

GIFTS/PRESENTS: Rex the Runt, Red Dwarf, Ric Rac and Red Brolly stitcheries, rubies!

THINGS IN A SOUVENIR SHOP: Rip offs! Roo's (tourist toy Kangaroo's?)

BOY'S NAME: Rory

GIRL'S NAME: Roxy

MOVIE TITLE: Robots

DRINK: Red cordial

OCCUPATION: Racing Car Driver

CELEBRITY: Renee Zellweger

MAGAZINE: Rolling Stone

U.S. CITY: Rock Valley

PRO SPORTS: Rugby

FRUIT: Raspberry

REASONS FOR BEING LATE FOR WORK: Rabbits on the road

SOMETHING YOU THROW AWAY: Rubbish

THINGS YOU SHOUT: Right … kids….

CARTOON CHARACTER: Roger Ramjet

I'll be back on Sunday for my very first giveaway! Have a great weekend

Show and Tell Tuesday ~ Bright Hearts and Gappy Smiles

I've been a bit slack on my Show and Tell Tuesdays.. My good intentions were to get out some of the quilts that were actually finished and show them off. Maybe to inspire, but also to remind myself that I do get things done! So here we are. This quilt was made from a pattern called Hugs and Kisses by Stargazey Quilts. I'm not much of a brights sewer, but made one in brights for the boys a few years earlier from a pattern called Slender Stars I think, and it is used all of the time. (I think you can see it in some of my posts)

When I found I was having a baby girl, I made this one in girlier colours. See the "baby" pictured. You can't drag Maya away from a photo opportunity..

And look at this smiley boy! Callum lost his first front tooth. He is so pleased with himself!

I did pop into Ballarat Patchwork at lunch time today. It's getting into a bad habit. I've got a few things, but it's a secret.... sneak peek to come...

Peaceful Dove and a sleeping baby..

See, I've done it, already stitched the next pattern in Lynette Andersons wonderful little Noah's Ark free block of the month. This little one only took me around an hour. It's so sweet!

I am trying really hard not to start anything until I have got my package for Homespun all compete, with the bag remade to perfection, pattern written and tested and the samples all done. I have a new respect for all those designers out there. With what started as a rummage through my scrap pile and has ended up a project for a magazine, I am struggling to work out how much fabric to list as needed.... will it scare people off making the bag if it looks like needing several fat 8ths that might make it expensive?

And here he is, my tiny new nephew Nate. Whoops, took a pic of him in the kitchen so it doesn't look that glamorous, but where else do you go to have a chat with your sisters! I thought we were just popping down to Geelong for a quick visit, but my mum and Paul turned up were there from Adelaide, and my other sister Chris and her family dropped in too. Poor tired Liz had a houseful.

He is just tiny, so tiny and what a blessing for Liz, Kevin and Tiahni.

I hope your weekend was full of wonderful new things x

Show and Tell Tuesday - More Gifts!

Look what is finished! A little sampler cushion for baby Nate. I've made sampler cushions for my nieces using the same pattern and its really sweet and nice to make it in blue. It is "Baby Love" by Hatched and Patched.

And here is the Pussycat bag for Tiahni. I just love it!

Today has been a work-horror day. Even a big Cherry Ripe only made it a bit better. But, I have made the deadlines :)

Take a look at Lucy's new swap that I have signed up for too!

Gifts

On Friday night Matt and I were just so worn out. It's been a very busy week with work and the boys all on holidays. We didn't go to our works social drink nights and sat down in front of the TV and watched our team win. Hoooray! It gave me a chance to spend a few hours stitching a sampler cushion for Nate that I will hopefully finish off tonight. Nate has not been very well. He spent 3 days in intensive care with an infection but should be out tomorrow. xxxxx We will go and see him next weekend.

I did get the Owl bag done though to package his gifts in and a Pussycat is on its way for his 2 year old sister Tiahni. I have been waiting to make these up - great pattern Melly & Me! A quick trip to the shops on Saturday and I have enough to fill the bags. Ahhh baby shopping.

Today we all managed to go to the movies together - all 6 of us at once! How nice! Its going to be a mad start to the week with the boys not going back to school until Tuesday and somehow I have promised the world to work on so many deadlines. I just kept saying yes on Friday when the phone rang with others under pressure... keep your fingers crossed for me...

Welcome Little One ..

My sister Liz and her husband Kevin had their baby last night xxxxx. A little boy called Nate who is just over 6 pounds and just over a week late. Liz had a bit of a hard time, poor thing. I can't wait to meet my newest nephew xxxxxx

Somehow I have managed to finish off a few things too! Yay. This is the third stitchery I have done from Bronwyn Hayes book "Sunshine in your pocket". I just keep them near the couch and pick them up when I am between other projects. Nice to have a project with no deadlines.

And here is my mum's bag. All done! I used a pattern from Crabapple Cottage for this one, with a few modifications.

I'll be making a few baby gifts this weekend, now we know its a boy!

And Maya made playdough soup! Have a great weekend all x

Show and Tell Tuesday ~ The Dilberts

Just a little post today. The Dilberts for Leah have been finished and dropped off to her yesterday lunchtime. This was a very quick pic of the dinosaurs before I rushed out the door. I think I have made 21 dilberts now and the pattern should be worn out. Lots of presents and raffle donations and fundraiser items for Maya's creche.

Lots of deadlines for work and the kids home on holidays. I work fulltime and it's hard some weeks - half time from the office and the rest of the time from home. I have "helpers" today.

A bit of unexpected time last night and look what I did! I've managed to cut out my mum's bag and make the external pockets. Now it is cut out it suddenly feels achievable. Hooray

I hope you are having a lovely Tuesday. I'm hoping for a bit of happy time tonight sorting out scraps to send to Carey my swap partner for the Melly and Me Scrap Challenge.