Easter

It has been a very quiet Easter weekend here..... time to relax after the last couple of months of rehearsals and shows at the theatre.....

Once the show was over I had a week during which time I had decided to make some little bunnies for both my sisters and mum for Easter - the same as my Florence seen here checking out the Easter eggs..... 

Well, I had quite a production going on each evening after work and at times wondered what had possessed me to even think of making 3 of them in a week (and 1 weekend) before they had to be posted to arrive in time for Easter!

 And all ready.... about to be packed for safe travel to new homes! 

All arrived at their destinations on time and were very well received - am now waiting to see what their names are to be.....something old-fashioned - classic??

I spent some time pottering in the garden which led me to think it was about time I should get back to Anni Downs's "Gossip in the Garden".....started a couple of years ago (?) - note my favourites (hexagons) were made first!....And that was as far as I got! 

Am now planning on starting this again....maybe will try and get one block done each month...let's see if that works! 
A book has been read over the Easter weekend....finished this afternoon over a cup of tea and a piece of Irish Tea Cake....made myself!! Loaded with cranberries, prunes, sultanas and apricots which had to marinade in Irish tea overnight....quite tasty with a good spread of butter added! ....the book ("Belly Dancing for Beginners") was another good read from Liz Byrski. 

No photos but there was some stitching done on "Stitch Therapy 365" ......next time will update on that.....Off to find a DVD to watch for the night and finish off the weekend with a bit of knitting! 

Happy Stitching

Asta

The Last Couple of Months

Now an update - filling in the last couple of months since returning from my English holiday in September....
In October the family gathered together in Sydney to celebrate Dad's 96th birthday..... 

An annual visit to the Gerringong Quilt Exhibition in November....there were some lovely inspirational quilts on display.....pictures of just a few....

Early December & my sisters & I combined our "creations" and had a stall at.....

I spent a couple of very busy months after my holiday"creating".......X-stitch hand towels, patchwork block mug mats, glasses cases & chickens!!

.....setting up in the hall.....and our colourful stall.....

A few books have been read - between travelling & creating! And.... a few more have been added to my reading  list!!

Before the sewing machine was packed away (for a while) I finally made 2 Christmas pillows from 2 fabric panels bought in Chamonix, France 2 years ago!! Very appropriately, the pillows are backed in French General fabric....it was then time to set up the Christmas tree, decorate the house and display my Santas - now around 60 in number!

The embroidery group I belong to gathered at my place to finish off the year with  Christmas drinks & nibbles......

.....and, while I am now finally up to date with my blog, another festive season approaches - time to wish everyone a Merry Christmas & a Happy, Healthy & Creative 2019!

Asta

A bit of this and that.....

Well....this is about "a little bit of this and that" since that's exactly what I have been doing......
Firstly a "1/2" finish - one of a pair of socks.......

 Another book finished.... this one... ummm.... not sure what I thought about it  - I would best describe it as a fantasy - it was interesting but I was pleased when all 465 pages were read and I could say it was finished!

Yesterday I spent time sorting out fabrics for some (small) projects I plan on starting.....

These fabrics have been accumulating for some time for a particular project and once the fabrics were out..... the empty box was a good spot to while away some time!

Some of the fabrics being cut up all ready for a 3rd project to work on......

It always amazes me that I take out fabrics for projects and it makes such a minuscule dent in the fabric stash!!! ... does that say something about what I actually have?? 

I also have a WIP (work in progress) which is sorting out my fabrics and sewing room - there will one day be a photo but only when there is a definite "before" and "after"!! 

Back soon with some progress on the sewing projects!

Happy Stitching

Asta

                          

The Last 2 Weeks

Before we get into what I've been doing the past 2 weeks will just go back to a bit of "secret sewing" I can now show you as it has been gifted in the Fat 1/4 Birthday Swap......

.... a lovely pattern by Gail Pan, fabric by Anni Downes, sewing by me!

The mail man came again.... 

.... a journal of my blog over the last 2 years - this is the second one I've had printed and it gives me real pleasure to look back over the last couple of years and see what I have been up to.... 
A little something for myself was made......

and so here is "Florence"!

I always read a blog by Helen Philips and have loved her bunnies..... well what do you know!....I found her pattern in the September 2017 issue of Homespun! It has been ear-marked for a while but she's finally made! I plan on making some more for family - cardigans have all been knitted - now to find the time! 

Then decided I needed a project while watching TV so another pair of socks was started.......

....these ones being a gift for a friend who has a Winter birthday so have some time before they will be needed! 

And....my favourite season - AUTUMN - has finally arrived!! Love the colours and cooler days with a fresh "crisp" feeling! ....though they're not quite here yet.......

Happy Stitching

Asta

... and 2 weeks later...

Yes....time does fly and here it is just over 2 weeks since I was last here!.... a bit of catching up to do....

Well the needles were clicking away after my purchase of wool and a knitting book....

 to this.....

 then after felting to drying into shape......

 ...still drying as we speak but hoping it does stay in shape as a little bowl! 
Mug mats were finished a couple of weeks ago but had to be "gifted" before I could show them here.....

 ...using one of Anni's patterns from Gossip in the Garden - a mug mat for my friend Dzintra for her birthday and using hexagons (love EPP!) a mug mat for my dear Mum for Mother's Day.....

And talking about Mother's Day - my "travelling overseas" daughter Megan - now in England as her working stint in the French Alps finished mid-April -  sent me her Mother's Day message from a break wall in Kent!...

(Last year it was a big cardboard sign from Sweden!) 

 My secret sewing is still on-going.....

 ...but just today I handed it over to be quilted - and hopefully should have it back early next week to sew on the binding - this is being "gifted" at the end of the month so you could say we are under a little pressure here!!
                                                This.....

is now finished and I can tick off my book challenge list "a book with a number in the title". I did a bit of research about the title following on from a comment on my last blog and discovered that this book was published in England in 1939 under this title, in 1940 in United States under the title of "Ten Little Indians" and over the following years has been published and written as a play under the title of "And Then There Were None".....(thanks to Google) 
Our local theatre's latest production which I'm stage managing has now started so rehearsals are over - they always seem to take up so much more time than the actual show and except for the occasional Sunday matinee most shows are in the evenings so weekends are free again....time once more to catch up with friends over lunch... 

And if the sun hasn't quite got there yet climb to a higher spot!

Happy Stitching.... and thanks for visiting!
Asta

The end of another week and what have I been up to ..... besides nearly having my sewing and laundry area awash when rainwater came through the garage on Friday night during a storm - only a tile height saved the situation!!

Remember these from a couple of weeks ago - deciding on fabrics for a baby quilt?....

......well, we had a very wet Saturday here and the garage cleaning didn't take as long as I thought it was going to so decided to spend the day sewing.....  hour glass blocks sewn and cut to size .... 

......rows progressing....

..... one baby quilt finished! - decision still to be made about the quilting..... and pleased to say that all the fabrics, except the light which is white with pink spots came out of my stash - such a good feeling when you do actually use your stash! 

Also working on a Gail Pan stitchery.....

And am thinking of getting back into some sewing for myself..... used to sew a lot when my daughters were little but haven't made anything for a very long time! If you don't see this again you'll know it didn't work out.... it does look easy though!

Hope you have all had a productive week....

Happy Stitching

Asta