Bit's and Pieces.

New Header.
I think I have now settled on the new header for the blog for a while at least.
I am not that good changeing things around on here as I have found before !!
I love the water scenes as they are so tranquil and relaxing to view ,letting your cares float away. This spot is not far from us and we have been to this beach often. The first header was a bit dull and then the 2nd header I feel was a bit fussy and in your face, haha  It did have some lovely Australian animals that live here.

Finally I have brought to life 2 more UFO's . Finishing the lace on my Candlewicking pillow case and putting out my table runner now the binding is completed.  Apart from that this weekend I am still working on my Storm at Sea blocks and have  3 -16 1/2" inch blocks (64 pieces)  sewn of 9 blocks.

It is not real clear ,I think it is because it is all cream it doesn't photo well.

 My strippy table runner.

 This is a little beaded skirt I knitted for the little china doll.  I have had this done for a while but was next to the table so I thought I would show it to you. I have done a couple of these.

I also finished this toddler shrug while watching the cricket for Elsie.  It was a test one as I have used some stored Sirdar cotton I had and was trying the needle sizes to see how it would knit up .It is a loose knit so next one I think I will use a size smaller needle.

Hope your weekend was fun. The weather here was beautiful today and we haven't got many more days of summer.
Goodnight '
Jen x

Tell me Why !!

Hello quilting friends,
Why is it when I have a few projects on the way with not much finishing to do, I go and start something else instead of completing what is current. Why is This So!!!
Maybe it is the wonderful feeling of a new project to start . OH well it doesn't matter I guess.
I am having fun discovering Hexagons. I bought a laser etched template set with 9 hexagon pieces of see through fibre optic plastic. I am finding them very helpful to fussy cut. They are different sizes of 1"inch to 5"inch in 1/2" inch increments. So lots of fun times to come with these.

Yesterday I went to my Scrapbooking case and from it I made a box to help keep my Hexie tools and fabrics together.
 I should not have looked in there as a number of  album pages need time designated to  them . The pages are  sorted ready to be put together. But!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have been watching the cricket and  using my new hexagon templates cutting and sewing them while sitting in front of the television .Very enjoyable. (Sorry the photos are blury .I think I need a new camera.)

I also have been preparing my small quilts for the next lot of Quiltie Trades for April.
I was so pleased with my first hexie I am using it on one of my small quilts as the theme this time is flowers.

See Sandra Kaye Quiltie Trades  for more of these little quilts. They are very pleasing to make.

Another small quilt in the making and some spare Hexagons. I don't know yet what to do with them as making them is quite addictive and I intend to sew lots more.

This is the  youngest of my 3 grandaughters, Elsie  and I just love these photos and had to share them.

 Taken while playing outside .   " I love my dog " His name is Sebastion.

Have a happy sewing week.
Jen x

Thunder Storms.

Calling in to say hello!! Shareing what has been happening here the last week.
We have been experiencing severe weather in the form of thunder storms where I live in Newcastle on beautiful Lake Macquarie, New South Wales  Australia.  Heavy rain marked by strong winds,hail, thunder and lighting.
The energy of the storms seem to die out as quick as they pass over  our house leaving rain showers and hail in some areas.
We are fortunate not to be having the devestating floods that the State of Queensland is haveing right now.

 This storm front is coming across our house I took this  from my back fence.

 Our lovely Lake 3 minutes from our house building for a storm to arrive. This photo is taken by someone else.

 Scary!!

This is the suburb of Morpeth about 3/4 hour drive from us. Taken this last week.

And while these thunder storms are happening along our East coast they are having out west in the centre near Uluru dust storms. All that red centre dust. We were caught in a dust storm once and the dust gets everywhere under the car and in the motor.

Here in Australia  we receive nothing like the freeze they are having in  Europe and other overseas countries for their winter .
 In the sewing department not a lot happening .The weekend was taken up with babysitting and cutting for the Storm at Sea quilt . Appropriate at the moment. There is a lot of cutting. I am looking at buying a new rotary blade tomorrow as I feel mine isn't as sharp as it should be. I look foreward to pierceing some blocks for it this week .
As I do this I can hear the thunder in the distance coming. I think I will snuggle up in bed and read my book for a while.
Happy Sewing,
Jen x

My Placement Wall.

Hello Everyone!! Finally this week.  I have a new project started and there is something on my placement wall !!. Also something to share,there hasn't been much sewing lately but back into the swing of things now.
My current project I am rather taken with as I just love the bright colours of my Storm at Sea blocks .
There was some preparation over the weekend and my dear husband helped me with this .He put the square I wanted on graph paper the size I wanted and drafted the block for me enableing me to identify the different shapes in the block. Then using a ruler and a pen marked my template plastic 1/4 " (6mm) beyond the edge of the shapes. Cutting out my shapes on the lines and marking them accordingly. 7 different shapes marked A-G. Storm at Sea is a 4 patch block on a 16 by 16 square grid.

 Templates and graph.

The first block for Storm at Sea .So on the placement wall it went.

It is only the second time I have used templates.
My first time is the quilt below.

After Storm at Sea I would like to make this bed runner.

The bed warmer at the end of the bed. The colours would really match my bedroom.

Just for fun I will add these.

And last of all I made some fishing rod covers for my beach rods.

Notice the sign on my sewing room door. That is to remind everyone that I am a princess but nothing happens so it doesn't work. haha

Goodnight ,Happy Sewing
Jen x