The Finished Quilt

It was particularly cold last night and Miss M and Miss S still insist on sleeping with their ceiling fans on! I think they need the sound of gale force winds to get themselves to sleep and haven't yet realized it is no longer summer.  Although Miss S did say she was cold last night and asked "what happened to the quilt you are supposed to be making for me, why isn't it finished?"  Why indeed, how cheeky is that?  Well I had a few moments today so it is finished now.

A - side (I may have made a quilt but I still haven't
got any further on curtains for this room.)

B- Side  I used a spray adhesive between each layer for the first time
and it is great.  I still have all the ripples on the underside,
 I am not sure how to avoid that?

I am getting much better at binding

Well that should have me out of trouble when Miss S asks "What did you do today Mummy?"

The Cake Stall and our Customers

On the weekend the children decided they would like to hold a fundraising Cake Stall on our driveway (I wonder where they are picking these ideas up from...)  Now we live in a street with only three houses and one of them is ours, needless to say we were low on customers.  So Mr Daddy jumped in and drummed up some business.

There was a fancy looking Business Man.

A Sporty Type

A Military Man 

And a rather unsavory type.  

 Needless to say much fun was had, all the cup cakes were eaten and $4.50 was raised.

Tova Dress in Lisette Fabric

I am so excited about this dress.  It is the Tova pattern in Lisette fabric - the perfect garment!  I bought the fabric in summer to make a Lisette Passport dress but as we drifted into cooler months a sun dress didn't have as much appeal.  Then I began seeing this Tova dress by Wiksten popping up in blogs all over the place... I had found my fabrics calling.

It is an uncomplicated pattern and agree with other bloggers
it was easier to sew the arms and side seams in one than to insert the sleeve.
 I was a bit worried about the sizing and fit (as it can be such an unknown) but its great.

I was really silly and cut the front panel on the wrong fold!
 I have no idea how I managed to do that.  So I had two pieces
or my front panel instead of one and a seam down the front middle!

It goes very well with my new shoes

I love the sleeve detail

Happy Days in The Garden

With all the lashings of rain we had earlier this year, coupled with the many germs going around in our house, my garden has been going to rack and ruin.  In the last week and a bit I have been having a fantastic time taming it again.  That blasted lemon tree has met with Mr Daddys' chain saw and I wasn't sad at all.

Before, see the skanky sick old lemon?
The poor thing it has been in ICU for so long now,
the real problem is the lack of sun.
 The gum trees that were seedlings ten years ago have taken over. 

After - I have planted potatoes and garlic in one bed.
Peas and herbs in another and a mixed bed of  lettuce,
silver beet, beetroot and tomatoes.  The forth bed is having a rest.

After

Front after, I don't have any before pics of this area, lets just say Man Eating Weeds!

More Crazy Quilting

Last week I started to sew together all my little scraps from many past projects.  Some of the scraps are so tiny but I have still been unable to part with them.   I am grouping together by colour but otherwise its pretty random.  It has got bigger and bigger and is now single quilt size.  With hindsight I would have done things with a bit more planning, as some areas I think look great and other areas not so great.  Having said all that if I had started off with lots of planning I would never have started, does that make sense?

The quilt face, I love the top navy blue area the most.

It's special to us that each fabric has it's own story.

This will be the quilt back, a bit of girly simplicity to balance the top side.
Oh and it has been decided (by the girls) that this will be for Miss S.

5 Minute Infinity Scarf

The one benefit of sick kids (but not too sick) is they are really only good for watching TV which means I can sew.  I have been catching up  on all the little jobs that I have been meaning to do for ages.  I had this left over scrap of fabric, perfect for making an infinity scarf.  It was 1.5 m length and 40 cm wide.  First fold the material in half length ways, wrong side facing out.

Wizz through the overlocker to form a long tube.  Hem one of the ends.  

Turn the right way out and tuck the unhemmed end into
the sleeve of the hemmed end.  Sew a straight seam and job done.  

Loop over your head twice, for a new cosy scarf.

House of Germs

We are officially the Germ House, the kids and I are all down for the count.  For the first time anyone can remember Mr Daddy does not have a man flu and is able to look after us.  I am kicking myself for not having a flu shot a couple of weeks ago when I was offered one.  In the mean time I will make soup.

This is the best chicken soup recipe just add what ever you have at hand.   Some left over supermarket roast chicken, veggies - any and all, stock and red lentils.   This time I didn't have any lentils so I added a can of chick peas instead.    The only secret ingredient is leek, it just adds the most subtle flavor.   The soup freeze really well too.

I love having a big vat bubbling away

Liquid flu shot.

1 large onion, 2 large carrots diced, 1 head of broccoli, 1 red capsicum, 1 large leek, 2 handfuls of left over chicken,  1 litre chicken stock, 1 litre vegetable stock, 1 cup of dried red lentils.
Saute onions in a table spoon of olive oil, add carrots and capsicum and cook for a few mins.  Add all other veggies, stock and meat put the lid on and bring to the boil.  Reduce to a simmer and walk away for about 15 mins.  Add the lentils and cook for another 10 mins or until the lentils have disappeared.  They act like a thickener, dissolve away but add a richness to the soup.
Serve with yummy bread or toast.

Using up The Bits

I am feeling overwhelmed by all the lovely fabrics I have and all the new ones I want to buy.  Which means it is time to get stuck into the stash and use what I have got.  All those odd bits of scrap that I can't bring myself to part with but know I will never use.  That means its crazy quilt time.  This time I am grouping the fabrics by colour, making random blocks to then join.  I think it will be for one for the girls but not sure who is most worthy yet.

Greens and Blues

Reds and Pinks

Yellows

It is actually really surprising to see that these are the
main colour groups I use.  I would never have picked it.

Thats Not What a Tea Cosy is For!

I had a lucky find at the local op shop last week with two fantastic Tea Pot Cosies, for just  $2 each what a deal.   Thank-you talented person who ever you are for such great craftiness.

The children thought they were for them,
I found Master B running around the house looking like this.

A much better fit on the tea pot.

Miss M that is not a hat.

What a super dooper cosy.

Another Bag

Time for a new bag for me,  I seem to be carrying all sorts of things around again and always appear to have my hands full.   I thought I was past needing a to carry a Mummy bag and could go back to a more civilized small, pretty handbag.   It turns out my downsizing was premature, so this is what I made... A really simple messenger style sack using up some fabrics from the stash. 

A - side, huge pocket on the front under the flap for keys,
sunglasses and purse.

B- Side perfect big deep pocket for my Phone

I love these fabrics together, feels quite Autumnal!

A - Side obligatory  outdoor shot

B- side 

Heaps of room inside for everything else,
 which today included Ben 10 figurines I intercepted trying to sneak into kindy with Master B.