Swanky Circles

This is an update of this post. I finished all the blocks and assembled the quilt top. I LOVE IT.

Happy Quilting

Leanne

3 Boys @ School

This week whipped by so quickly. We had a long weekend at the start of the week and then Oscar started school on Thursday and Ethan & Archer started Friday ( yeh, weird, I know). Archer went well on his first day of kindergarten and he is looking forward to a full week ( well, I am anyway : ) )

Cheers

Leanne

Power Out & Lightning Storm

Thursday was a very humid day, so the chance of a storm was high. We could hear and feel the thunder, so we knew it was getting close. It was amazing. Lightning was all around us. Then came the wind and rain. Living in the country the power goes out real easy when there is a storm. When it's out we have no water and can't use the bathroom. We were lucky this time, it was only out for about an hour. So out come the candles and we just waited. I tried to take some photos of the lightning but it's a bit quick.

Cheers

Leanne

Latest Projects

I started this zig zag quilt as a sample for my classes. I really like it and it was quite simple. It is all 3 inch strips. No triangles. It didn't take very long to finish a quilt top.

I was home today with the whole family, Paul has the day off because of the public holiday tomorrow, and I was looking for something to do that was different to what I've been doing. And voila!

 I had a layer cake of Swanky by Chez Moi and had been tossing up what to do with it. I was searching through some of my boxes the other day and came across an 8" template set for Drunkards Path. The inside piece was perfect for the layer cake.  I love curved piecing. It is something I did quite a lot of as a dressmaker on bridal gowns, etc. The blocks are a 9 " finish square. I still don't know how the finished quilt will look. I guess you'll have to stay tuned for that one.

Happy Quilting

Leanne

Little Pig

Archie was so cute. He was eating an apple and all of a sudden he layed on the floor and announced that he was a pig on the dinner table with an apple in it's mouth. Hilarious!!!

Cheers
Leanne

Something Different

My boys wanted me to make their pencil cases for school this year. They looked in my stash for their favourite fabric for me to use.

I had some plastic to cover the outside so they will last the year and I used a ripstop lining on the inside to stop the fabric from being marked by pencils, etc. I had chunky zips that are great for kids stuff.

Last week I cleaned out my stash. I have alot of fabric to give to the ladies in my classes and I sorted the rest into some sort of order. I got these containers from the Reject Shop. They are perfect for fat 1/4's. This is my favourite looking assortment. Yummy, aren't they??

I have started a new sample for my classes. It is a zig zag quilt. I'll have photos soon so stay tuned.

Happy Quilting

Leanne

It's Done!!!

Licorice Fancy, that's what I've called it. It looks like a giant licorice allsort.

It is a large single size. I haven't measured it yet, but it's a great size.

Happy Quilting

Leanne

A Busy Week

The last week has flown by. I have been busy organising projects for my classes that start the first week in Feb. I saw some of my Ladies today and they are excited that we have some projects to do this year.

I got some of them from other blogs, eg. Film in the Fridge & Crazy Mom Quilts.. I am also doing one of the Quilt-a-Long's from Crazy Mom Quilts with my classes. I hope they like it as much as me.

I have finished my Flea Market Fancy Quilt and will post some photos tomorrow when I can get them in the daylight. Yippee!!

Market Bag

String Piecing

Sun Hat

These are the samples so far. I have many more yet to do. Should keep me out of trouble.

Dancewear is also on the agenda. I have uniforms to do for a dance school in Sydney. The orders should start arriving in the next couple of weeks. Not my favorite thing to do but it helps me afford my fabric habit.

On the family front, I have finished school shopping and now I'm just waiting for school to go back. The boys have been good these holidays. I guess it's all the space they have around them. The happier they are the happier the Mumma is!!

Happy Quilting

Leanne

Flea Market Fancy Quilt

I couldn't wait until it is bound. I have to show you a couple of pics before it is finished.
I think it is my favourite quilt so far. It is because of the fabrics. They are 12 fat 1/4s of Flea Market Fancy by Denyse Schmidt. You can't get them anymore. I wanted to make a quilt that was mostly about the fabric rather than the blocks. A few of my ladies in class had done this easy pattern from Better Homes & Gardens magazine and I thought it would be perfect for this fabric. I teamed it with a licorice allsort stripe for the sashings and I think it looks great. I just finish quilting it with an all over large stipple ( my favorite at the moment) and I just have to bind it today.

I love it soooo much !!

Happy Quilting

Leanne

Fun In The Sun.

Today was rather hot. We decided to take the kids for a drive to the beautiful Port Stephens. We had cousin Charlotte with us. We found one of the many lovely spot for a swim. The kids would have stayed all day but Paul and I wanted to check the place out. We would love to come back here to stay for a long weekend. Shoal Bay was were my family stayed a couple of times when I was young. It hasn't changed that much, Just more people.

Cheers

Leanne

Visitors

My sister arrived with her boys to stay for a few days. It is always nice spending time with my sister. The boys all play well together and Oscar always looks after little Remi. He is 20 mths old and is on the go all the time. They had fun riding the skateboard and ripstick. The most fun was on our giant swing. Everyone loves the giant swing.

My sister Monique laughing her head off on the giant swing.

We've all had a great time but we are exhausted.

Cheers

Leanne

Crafting Kids & Flea Market Fancy Quilt

Yesterday I was sorting out my fabric scrap box. I don't think I have ever done it in 10 years. The fabric was squished in there good and propper. As I was sorting I was throwing some bits I didn't want to keep in the bin. It didn't take long for the boys to find the scraps and get "making". I love that my boys like doing the things I like as well. They are all really creative.

Sorting Scraps

Oscar glueing fabric before he stitches it together. He is making an arty cushion cover.

 

Ethan looks right at home at a sewing machine. Lucky their father is open minded.

I have just started quilting this top. The blocks are made from Flea Market Fancy by Denyse Schmidt. I will do a post with more detail about this when it is finished.

Happy Quilting

Leanne

Boys and Their Toys

Paul got a mini bike for free the other day. It is soooo cute. The boys were so excited it was here. Archie thinks his is some great dirt bike superstar. He even dressed the part.

The poor little thing almost disappears under Ethan. I think we had better get him a bigger one.

Cheers Leanne

WIP getting done

This is a quilt I started a while ago. I was following the Quilt-a-long with Amanda Jean of Crazy Mom Quilts. It is a simple nine patch with sashings and a pieced border. I used one Soiree jelly roll and green polka dot yardage from my stash. The top is almost together.

This is my trusty Singer XL1000. It is an embroidery machine as well. I bought it second hand to see if I would use an embroidery machine and as it turns out I only really use it for lables on my quilts. I use it every day as a straight sewer.

Happy Quilting

Leanne

My Sisters Quilt

It must be nearly 2 years ago, my sister finished 2 quilt tops and asked me to quilt them for her. Finally I got one of them done to put under the Christmas tree for her. I quilted it simply, with an all over large stipple.
She was very excited to recieve it. Now I've just got to get the other one done. Hope it's not another 2 years.

It was made using Anna Maria Horners' Chocolate Lollipop

 

Lovely large stipple

Love it forever Sissy

Cheers Leanne

Last Minute Fabric Purchase

A little while ago some gorgeous fabric arrived in the shop at work. I couldn't resist it so I cut some off each bolt and put it under the counter to pay off before I took it home. My last class before Christmas, thanks to a gift from my lovely boss Jody, I was able to bring the fabric home. Along with a layer cake and jelly roll that wanted to come home with me as well.

I just love vibrant colour. I dont know yet what I'm going to make with these fabrics, so I'll just admire them in my fabric cupboard until I get inspired.

This is not normally something I would buy, but being able to buy precuts like this enables me to use fabrics I wouldn't look twice at.  The two of these together will make a good size quilt with a whole story of fabrics in it without having to buy yardage of a whole story.

Cheers Leanne

Happy New Year !!!

We decide after lunch to go for a drive and explore the area we have moved to. We packed the boys wheels just in case and headed off towards the coast.
We ended up at Newcastle foreshore. The remnants were there from the new years festivities the night before.
The boys started riding straight away. They had fun.

Archie

Oz

Ethan

After the park we walked over to the beach for a play in the sand ( not me I hate sand )

Run like the wind boys

sandcasstles in the sand

My gorgeous man

My beachside glamour shot.

Cheers and Happy New Year

Leanne