Beanbags for Playgroup!

Remember how I had weight issues with Sasha the Travelling Stash and how I felt so bad for taking more than I put in?????  Anyway it was suggested that maybe some of the extras that I took out could be given/donated to a local charity etc.

Well - I did just that. Our local playgroup which only consists of 4 Mums and 5 kids was only just talking the other day about some games that we could play with the kids that would help teach them some fine motor skills. It got me thinking and I decided to make some small bean bags for them to use balancing on their heads or throwing into small buckets etc.

So I put these two ideas together and used 2 of the FQ's that I took from Sasha and turned them into 8 very bright and colorful bean bags for Playgroup!  I used Split peas as the filler and they have such an awesome feel to them in your hand - or on your head (Yes I had to make sure that they would work) LOL!

I am sure the kids are going to love playing with these, as my two, Miss 8 and Mr 3 have already been playing with them!  So a big thankyou to Sasha and all her contributors who have in turn helped me donate something useful and needy to our local playgroup.

May Queen Bee #2 Block!

Boy O Boy am I really behind on my Queen Bee blocks. I am so lucky that the group I am in have been very patient and understanding of my tardiness.  Anyway, so it was a goal of mine to have the three (May, June & July) blocks done by the end of the weekend.

May's block belongs to the lovely Phillipa Clarke from Needles in the Haystack and she chose a Mock Needle Turned applique block.  EEK! I have done both hand and machine applique in the past but not Mock needle turned.  I don't know what I was worried for though, cause Phillipa had a great instruction post here and also provided a link here from Sew Cal Gal on how to do the Mock needle turn part.

Phillipa even provided all the Queen Bee #2 participants with the precut green hearts and iron on pellon as well as the stem piece - so all we had to do was add the white backing square. I choose a lovely bright white with a small white floral print to it.

I really did surprise myself on how easy this block really was - actually I am rather ashamed with myself for not getting around to it sooner.  As for the Mock Needle Turned Applique technique - I think it is something that I may use later on down the track in my quilting projects.

Sascha - The Original Travelling Stash!

I know some of you have been patiently waiting for me to blog about Sascha - so here she is......

This is how I collected Sascha from the lovely Miss Jane Kelly. Who at the time was finishing off her three course sand meal that some of the kiddies had made her.

Lots of yummy goodness awaited me! LOL

This is what the contents looked like once I had taken everything out and oooohed and aaahed over everything!

These are the things that really caught me eye! 

I really loved the brown little notebook cover - I plan to make some of these for the school's Mother's Day stall next year - so having a copy to work from will be so helpful.

This is what I was putting back into Sascha. I had been collecting bits and pieces for a while now.

HOWEVER!!!!!!!!!!!

When it came time to bag everything up and weigh her - I discovered that she was very over her required 3kg limit.

OK- so I knew that the Homespun mag weighed about 400grams by itself - so I decided  to seperate everything and start again.  Just as well as I did - cause I found that she was already 150grams over before I added my items.  So I had to put my thinking cap back on and have another go.

This time I took out these items. With the stars and the zigzag fabrics, I simply cut them in half - keeping a FQ and putting a FQ back in the bag.  

And this is what I put back into the bag (plus the Chook Shed pattern which I forgot to take a photo of). Basically I just removed the magazine and replaced it with a set of bag handles and a Charm friendly patchwork quilt pattern. 

I still feel a little at unease of the fact that I have taken out more then I have put it - but trying to keep it all under the 3kg limit made it so much harder.  I am hoping that I will be forgiven by the other members that got a visit from Sascha too though.

Back on the scales for a final time - 1 notch under the 3kg mark! Whoooo - I did it.

Now she is off to the Post Office to be sent on to another 8 recipents before heading back to the lovely Cassie  from Cass the Coolest who organised her.

Despite being really sick whilst doing all of this - I still had so much fun. 

My very first time - but I am also linking up to the Sunday Stash over at Finding Fifth!

Being Thrifty!

Does everybody have one of those pieces of clothing that you just live in and would be so lost if you know had it to wear????? Well for me - that essential piece is my long denim skirt! I try to wear it all year round! Anyhow I was devestated to learn that I had a rip in the back just above the back split. Hmmmm, what was I going to wear now.

Well instead of throwing it out - or even upcycling it somehow, I managed to patch it with an iron on embroidered patch. Sheesh I am feeling pretty clever with myself.

The ladybird patch! Once ironed on - I did sew it on as well for extra strength and protection!

The underside showing what the patch is hiding.

I couldn't help myself, I added a trail with some embroidery thread.

My skirt all ready to go - now just to shave the overgrown forest that has appeared on my jean cladded legs and I will be ready to wear my most loved piece of clothing again!

Farrah - The Travelling Fat Quarter Stash

On my way into town yesterday to pick up Sasha - The Travelling Stash from a friend in town, I decided to stop and buy my 3kg satchel so I could get ready to send her on to the next recipient when I was given a jammed packed 3kg satchel by my lovely Australia Post lady! It was Farrah - The Travelling Fat Quarter stash that I had also signed up for on Facebook. I just laughed, cause when I signed up for them both, I thought to myself, knowing my luck I would end up with them both at the same time. Looks like I jinxed myself.

For those that do not know what a travelling stash is - it is a collection of bits and pieces that is passed from person to person. When each person receives the stash, they take what they would like out of it and replaces it with the same amount of items before sending it to the next person.The idea is that the person that originally sent/organised the stash ends up with goodies different to what they originally sent out.

Anyway, enough talking, I am sure you are all hanging out to see photos of Farrah!

This is how she arrived. I must admit though I was so excited that I did rip into her and have a little look before stuffing them back in the bag to take a photo. LOL.  I was just soo excited.

A much nicer photo of all the lovely FQ goodness that was hidden inside that 3kg satchel.

After much drooling and oogling, I decided to take the below 10 FQ's. I tried to stick with taking only what I could use in upcoming projects.

It wasn't easy! But I have decided on these 10 with the following purposes in mind....

The Frogs - are a project I am making for my sister's birthday

The Blue leaves - are for a mug rug where I already have the same print but in pink

The green - for a Christmas Handmade swap that I am in

The Blue dots - for a dress for a doll that I have my eye on to make

The blue one at the front - will probably be for a handbag that I have been dreaming off

The two browns - are always handy for animal appliques.

Now taking a whopping 10 FQ's meant that I had to replace them with 10 or more. I started to get a little worried as although I have been a sewer for as long as I can remember, I have only starting collecting patchwork fabric for just under a year now. But I was surprised at how quickly the 10 came together.

Not a great photo (should have looked at this before I had sealed the bag)! I had noticed that Farrah was appearing to be more of a pastel floral kind of palette, so I was looking for brights, reds, navys and something cute and funky amongst my stash.

A much nicer and more accurate colour view of the FQ's that I put back into the stash.

OK, now it was time to bundle Farrah up and put her into a new satchel ready to head to the next person - who I know is just going to squeal with delight when she finds out that she is next. LOL

Onto my trusty scales to see if were in the allocated 3 kilo range.

I also bundled all the FQ's up into a plastic bag, before placing her into the satchel. Just a bit more protection should the outer bag get ripped etc.

Oh and I just couldn't help myself - since I had plenty of room kilo wise, I added another two country style FQ's to the bag as well!

Now Farrah is patiently waiting for her trek into town tomorrow to be posted.

I also want to thank the lovely Bronwyn for organising Farrah - she has brought me so much joy and fun.

April Queen Bee block!

Thought I would share with you all what I have been up to the last couple of days! Amongst the mammoth task of house cleaning so everything is spick and span for when my Mum arrives for her visit this Sunday, I have been trying to catch up on some of my outstanding swaps (yep still)!  I must learn to limit myself somewhat! LOL

Anyhow, I have gotten a bit behind on my Queen Bee Blocks - with both April, May and June outstanding! This is a brilliant group that I belong to on FaceBook and it is what they call in the Quilting world as a hive!  Each month is allocated to a member and we all make a block that she has chosen, then we send the completed block to that member who in turn puts them all together to make a quilt. Have I lost anyone yet?

So I thought I had better start catching up and make the April blocks for a very patient Sue who was starting to put her quilt together. Sue had chosen a gorgeous bright Rainbow coloured Starflower block. We followed the tutorial over at Ellison Lane Quilts, which provided easy photo step by step instructions. 

It took me two days to finally get these two blocks matching almost perfectly.  I had to do a fair bit of reverse sewing as well as even cut out some more pieces.  All in all, I am chuffed with the end result and have decided that this is not a block that I am planning on making soon! Not to bad for a beginner quilter though!

Before I sign off, remember the mug rug from my last post???? Well it has finally reached Bev - who is estatic and just loves it.  It makes me feel all warm and fuzzy knowing this! 

I also added a nice tea cup filled with a Choccie assortment and some Twinings Individual tea sachets in the parcel as well!

Now off to do more housework, washing and if I am good, I may even be able to attempt the May Queen Bee block today as well.

Cheers Kel

Mug Rug Swap - Sneak Peek

Hi All!

I had an interesting day at home today with the little fellow and Miss Snow! Not much of anything going on in particular - a lot of ABC Kids watching though and some time outside to let Miss Snow have a green feed pick whilst we collected some kindling for the fire.

I did however manage to finish a rug mug that I was making for a swap on the FB group page - Quilting Club Australia, that was due (shhhhh - Mid May).  I have been partnered up with a lovely lady and now friend Bev. It was really fun to find out what Bev likes/dislikes etc in order to make her a rug that she will hopefully use for years to come.

Because I haven't posted this little parcel yet - I can only show you all a sneak peak.

I can tell you that it feels fantastic to finally have finished one of the many WIPs (Work in Progress) that I have piling up on my cutting table. I kept putting each step off as I was unsure whether it was right or not - silly me!  Hopefully Bev will adore her little Mug Rug and the few other surprises that I have put in with it. I will post a picture of the completed rug once I get confirmation that it has arrived. Now that it is finished I can sit back and enjoy the thrill for mine to arrive - hmmm, I wonder what she has made me?????

Mind you my delima now is whether or not this little mug rug is big enough or even technical enough to enter into the UFO Challenge - June 2012. Decisions decisions! LOL

Cheers Kel