Retail ...

A bit of retail therapy (with free postage) to help me on the trip to Melbourne this week, and a book from the library for inspiration. Check the size of the 200 gram balls of wool. Whoppers!

I'm rachelmp on Ravelry, but I am just new to it. I think I surprised a few people that I knew how to knit :)

All quiet on the blogging front..

I have been the bad blogger and have not posted since our fantastic time away at Sewjourn. Sniff, sniff but the days are disappearing and coming up to World Environment Day, the "real job" is frantic. Nikki did a great post here if you would like to read what we were up to. And yes, it was great fun, and we even had a bit of sleep this year!

The Farmers Market was on at Lancefield while we were away and I grabbed this little bundle of dolls clothes for Maya's baby doll, Jonah H. $4 - so impressed. At the local op shop I found a knitting stitch counter, old and yellow and exactly the same as the one my grandma used. I couldn't leave that behind.

The poor sewing machine is still packed up with it's cover on but I have been catching up on these stitcheries from Red Brolly for the Catalicious quilt. Back to it while the footy is on tonight, then back to secret sewing.

Tutorial ~ Celebration Tablerunner

It's time to share my most recent tutorial for Quilt Fabric Delights. It's the Celebration tablerunner, made with lots of half square triangles, with added stitchery detail in the centre.

I made my version with a mixture of beautiful Lecien fabrics and cottage garden threads. The tutorial can be downloaded here at Quilt Fabric Delights.

If you would like a kit to make this pretty tablerunner, Sarah has them available here. Thanks again Sarah!

Now there is only one of those bunnys left...

New Make it Perfect Pattern ~ Sprout

See what is new from Toni at Make it Perfect. Sprout, is as Toni says, " A dress is a girl's best friend and shouldn't have to miss out on being worn when it is cold outside. Sprout is designed to be worn when the weather cools down. Fully lined with warm flannelette, Sprout is set off by it's pretty gathered sleeves, long flared skirt, convenient side pockets and warm hood."

This dress comes together so well, and is fully lined with flannelette. Maya just loves it, and I have made it a bit big so it lasts through the long Ballarat winter. Of course, Toni has a giveway and the most beautiful photo's here. Good luck everyone!

I am so unwell, sniff, so no brilliant photo's from me. Maya was taken out in the near dusk for the pics (not that she minded - she got to wear her new tights) as I dragged myself off the couch. Now, to get better before work, Matt's birthday tomorrow and craft camp at Sewjourn next weekend....

Win a $50 Voucher at QFD's

Have you been to see all the great posts and tutorials at Quilt Fabric Delights? Have you seen what the Creative Team have been up to?

Sarah is running a giveaway that will be randomly drawn on 1 June 2010. All you need to do is: -

• link to QFD Creative on your blog - please leave a comment on at QFD to let Sarah know that you have done so, and/or;
• post an photograph of a project you have made using a QFD Creative Team Tutorial on our flickr group - please leave a comment on this post to let Sarah know that you have done so, and/or;
• shop at Quilt Fabric Delights and when going through checkout mention the QFD Creative Team in the comments box- please leave a comment on this post to let Sarah know that you have done so.

Good luck!

My Mothers Day .. without kids ..

On Saturday it was Ayden's year 11 Presentation Ball. Huge! 500 guests, expensive tickets for 2 people only, fancy dress and a partner picked out depending on the students height. (Matt is cropped out because he is blog-shy)

That's Ayden and me. Yep, he is 6'3 and 16 years old. Matt and I were so proud of him, with the ballroom dancing, this partnering, and for dragging me through the Pride of Erin on the parents dance.

So with all this happening, Callum, Kane and Maya were off to their grandma's for the night and didn't get home until nearly 4 today. Ayden didn't get home after the Ball afterparty until nearly 3 am, then off to the casual job this morning for the breakfast shift. I had a quiet Mothers Day. It's very noisy now though :)

The colour is a bit bright on these pics, but just to show you I have finished something. I've been averaging a day a week in Melbourne for work so I've been knitting on the train. Two cute tops for Maya to wear at creche.

Back to Melbourne tomorrow, so I'll be using my first Noro wool bought at Stitches and Craft show last Thursday. I snuck in quickly before a work conference - yay!

Happy Mothers Day x

Around the Block ~ for Susie and Rita

On Friday night I realised that it had been nearly a week since I had turned on the sewing machine, for an urgent-fix-my-only-uniform for Ayden's casual job. Then a quick pattern test for Nikki.

Not great when Matt and the three youngest kids were off for the weekend for his mum's 70th birthday and Ayden and I were off in the other direction for family christenings too. Big sigh..

So I was sooo happy to start on my packages from Around the Block. Susie had requested Space Themed blocks for her little boy Gryff in primary colours. Susie even had Spoonflower print up a fabric with Gryff's name to incorporate into the blocks. I just love this idea.

I took a big breath and started on Rita's. Rita from Red Pepper Quilts is pretty famous, especially for her half square triangles and this was part of her theme. We were to make blocks using green, blue and yellow fabrics, that were fresh, modern, traditional, crisp and simple in a range of sizes from 3.5" to 10.5". I hope my blocks are pointy enough?