Maple leaves in log cabins

I finished sewing the Maple leaves last weekend, all 56 of them.  

Most importantly I used up lots of non reproduction stash and some scraps.

Then sewed the log cabins on and trimmed the blocks.  My blocks were quarter of an inch smaller then they should be, despite me using finer thread.  I usually adjust the needle setting on my machine, but figured I didn't need because it had been sufficient when making miniatures.  But on a larger scale it didn't work.  Not much I can do, but trim back and keep sewing!

I was pleased to make such good progress, but I also fitted in a bush walk (from top of Mt Zero in Grampians) and a 5 km walk along the river with a friend.  So ticked some boxes (fitness and relaxing) but not others LOL (housework, gardening)!  Besides I gardened the previous weekend!  Trying to get some more physical activity into my week, which is just a matter of making it a priority.

Happy quilting, Sue.

Little bit of orange

Having five weeks off without sewing was unusual for me.  But once I was ready I needed something easy and mindless to piece.  So I made Rainbow scrappy challenge blocks, July was red and there was a nice stash of pieces ready to sew in my box.

.  I love these 8" Ohio star blocks.  The pieces are cut with my Go cutter and really helps to use up my scraps.  I am just about out of neutrals though, so time to cut some more!

When I have no motivation  for sewing I sit around drinking coffee and reading old magazines, looking for a project to fall in love with.  This is Scatted Leaves by Pam Buda, the pattern appeared in issue October 2009 of American Patchwork and Quilting and because it encompases leaves  and log cabins its my kinda quilt!  I love a country, murky palette and I am trying to use up my non reproduction stash.  It is hard to tie the fabric left together now that I have whittled it down. However pulling out a autumn theme of reds, orange, brown and a bit of green was easily achieved. I would like a fat quarter of purple or yellow, but will have to go on a serious hunt to find these colours in another box (brights got added into kids/novelty)...not having a sewing room is a pill when it comes to storing your fabric!

And guess what,  lots of the fabrics I found are leaf prints!  LOL!

Since I started this project we kicked over to August and the RSC colour is orange.  I have made leaves in three different red prints and one in orange.  The cutting instructions from a fat quarter means you get 6-7 blocks, the leaves are 5" in size.  I used my Go cutter as much as possible and I was sewing my first leaf in no time at all.  I now need to do some more cutting for the log cabin part of the block.

Happy quilting Sue.

Ireland n Dubai Holiday 3

Blaney Castle outside of Cork is famous.  But this is the house (still lived in), which is just as beautiful and you can go inside.  We didnt kiss the Blarney stone - I already have the gift of the gab!

View from top of Blarney Castle.  The grounds are large and very beautiful.

Not sure if they were yarn bombing Blarney Castle or just trying experimenting with curtains?

Everywhere in England and Ireland you would see the old stone watering trough's filled with summer annuals.  

My kind of pet!  I guess you could call him a wire haired breed ;)

Dubai, view from Burj Khalifa (tallest building in the world). Dubai was a really good stop over for two days to break the jet lag.  But honestly my opinion is "been there, done that" and never going back. I am a country girl at heart and this joint was a modern city with all the trappings that don't interest me!  

That was my second trip to Ireland (first for hubby) and he got some good information on the family tree, that enabled him to crack some of the mystery when we got home.  I have promised him we will go back one day, because it is such a beautiful place and there was lots we didn't get to see.  

Happy quilting Sue.

Ireland Holiday 2

Ireland was green and quiet after being in the UK.  

The castles were plentiful and fascinating.  We got very used to walking up tight spiral staircases that were very narrow.  You had to be patient and walk up them slowly, because there was always a crowd in front of you - definitely not suitable for those who suffer claustrophobia.

Bunratty Castle, Limerick.

The gardens were spectacular.

I hanker for a pleached walkway in my own garden....one day!

Walled garden at Bunratty Folk Park.

The River Shannon.  It felt very romantic.  I don't think that I have every felt that about a river before, but there was something very special and mystic about walking its banks.  

Intricate wood carving on the walls in a preserved home at Bunratty Folk Park.

Quilt patterns where ever I look.

Happy quilting, Sue.

UK trip 1

There are hundreds of photos of our recent holiday on my phone.  Sorting, editing and getting them onto the blog is time consuming and to be honest, not my first priority in life!

We sent the first ten days in London and at a friends farm in England.  London was great, doing all the tourist hot spots, but I let our boys (10 and 12) set the agenda and No 1 Son wanted to go to the Natural History Museum.  As a quilter, you tend to see the world a little differently LOL!

Honestly I didn't think I would enjoy it as much as I did....these are the mosaic floors.  But the ceilings, walls, exterior....I could go on and on!  It is the most beautiful building and the displays were fantastic.  Possibly my favorite was the moving display (with sound effects) simulating being in a shop building during an earthquake!  It was fun and scary....way better then a carnival ride!

And the afternoon tea was divine.  My oldest son has been a sucker for scones, jam and cream since he was 2 and ate my afternoon tea when I was in hospital having our second son.  So scones, jam and cream was the afternoon or morning tea treat he had, every chance he got!

We cruised the Thames river, walked the streets of London, hopped on and off buses and the train - both above and underground.  Oh and yes we saw it all from the sky in the London Eye!

These are door hinges in a gate at Windsor Castle.  The Queen was home, but she had a cold so missed her official duties.  Honestly, I read this in the paper!

This is a post box, built into the building wall in the grounds of Windsor Castle. It was worth seeing Windsor as the buildings are so beautiful. Hubby hadn't been so keen (as we made the trek once already to go to Legoland) but as you pull into the Windsor station you can see the castle, and he changed his mind, as it is so impressive...and did not involve getting on the local bus - which was unreliable!  Legoland was great - perfect time to take the kids, as any older and they would have been too old to enjoy it I think...however I enjoyed it immensely as well!

I visited Kensington Palace and saw the display for Lady Di's frocks, which was fantastic.  And the sunken gardens next door was beautiful.  We also toured Lords Cricket Club, Wimbledon tennis museum (courts were closed as they were setting up), Science Museum and saw the changing of the guards at Buckingham Palace.  

Then we escaped London to enjoy the rolling hills of Nottinghamshire to stay on my friend Jim's family farm.  I stayed with the family 20 years ago and it was very special to come back,  

The rest of the family live in village, and the farm sheds are there too, but they were in the process of converting barns into houses, so his parents didn't have to deal with stairs.  This is Jim's house up on the hill, the other side of the farm.  In Australia the farm houses are isolated like this also, so its interesting to see the farm buildings in the little villages.  The crops were only weeks off being harvested and it was lovely to see England in the summer time, especially as the weather was so good/warm!  

The only quilt I saw, through the window of a Royal railway carriage at the York Train Museum. This was the queens bed (not the current queen, think her mother or grandmother's) and the beautiful quilting would have been nice to see in its entirety....but it was a train museum!  There was/is a quilt museum in York, so dreadfully frustrating to not be able to go...they only open a couple of weekends a year and I had missed out by weeks.  Next time I will check their schedule before I book our flights!

Happy quilting Sue.