Nine Patch Quilt-A-Long

I've just signed up for Crazy Mom's Nine Patch Quilt A Long. I've been really slack lately and haven't done any sewing at all in weeks. But I figure even I can manage a 6" nine patch every day, even though I'm starting a few days late. I might even start tonight.

I'm working from home today (apart from this bloggy interlude) and a bird appeared in my study this morning! It was really strange, I just don't know where he came from. I would have seen him if he came in the door. He flew around for a while, and I opened the window and spent a long time trying to coax him out, which he eventually did. I took a photo of him but then my camera died, so I can't post a pic. But I promise you it is true.

Amendment: Got my camera sorted and here is my little visitor.

Chunky Scarf

I'm trying to use up some wool at the moment (to make room for more of course!) so have been looking for quick projects to use up odd balls.

I whipped up this quick crochet scarf on the weekend, in a big chunky variegated yarn and a big hook so it was very quick and is very thick and warm. I made a fringe of chain loops at each end for something different.

Long Time Between Posts

It's been a long time between posts. I just haven't been doing anything post worthy lately.

The only project I have finished in the last month or so is this crocheted cardigan:

The cotton is a lovel mercerised yarn from Drops design. I've long been an admirer of their website with lots of free patterns and bought the Muskat yarn intending to make one, but then ended up using another pattern altogether.

I now am making one of their patterns, but using some 8ply cotton from Bendigo Woollen Mills. Here is the progress so far:

They sent me lots of swatch cards with the cotton yarn I ordered and there are some lovely wools so I'll definitely be back for more. Their yarns come in 200g balls which I just love, as it saves constantly joining balls.

And now for some eye candy. Toni from The Red Boot Quilt Company was selling some samples and as usual I couldn't resist.

I'm planning on sending this Alphabet Soup to my niece for a play rug:

I just love the cute bubble quilting pattern:

And this one is for me!

The backing on this one is just as pretty as the front:


You can probably find much better photos of these quilts by visiting Toni's blog.

Floor Rug

There hasn't been much crafting going on here for a while. Work has been pretty busy so weeknights I'm just exhausted and on weekends, after the housework and gardening, there doesn't seem to be much time or energy left to do much else.

But I have started this floor rug. I am making it from some coarse woollen fabric I bought for no particular reason on eBay a few years ago. I've cut it into 1 inch strips, crocheted it into a chain with a chunky hook and am sewing it together in an oval shape. I'm not sure how big it is going to get but if I don't have enough, I also have some beige/green woollen fabric I bought at the same time so it may need to be two coloured.

Window Frostings

My bedroom is at the dark side of the house, but I can't leave the blinds open to let in what meagre light it could receive as it is at the front of the house on a street with a lot of pedestrian traffic. I like to lie in bed and read when I'm tired, and in winter when its cold, like to watch TV and sew there too, under the blankets, so I have always craved natural light.

Last weekend I experimented with this idea - creating the look of window frosting using Epsom Salts and water! I have also found a few on the net involving Epsom Salts and beer but I didn't have any beer at the time, and if I had, I would have found a better use for it than smearing it on my windows.


And gee, it actually kind of worked! At first nothing happened, and I thought nothing would, but eventually, over the course of a couple of hours, patterns like feathers and ice crystals emerged. It was amazing to watch it gradually appear. And I recommend this to all as a wonderful experiment, or performance art on a boring day or something. You can just wash it off with water when you're done.


But it didn't really have the depth and opacity I needed - I think it would look better in small windows - over almost 2 square metres of windows it didn't look quite right. So I found this great product online and ordered some from New Zealand on Sunday and had it arrive today, Thursday. It is an adhesive plastic like school book covering, and is about as easy to apply and was really a bargain.

Here is the view, or lack of, from my bedroom window now! So I can have some privacy but get some light as well. I have only just put this on, so can't vouch for its longevity, but right now I am thrilled with this product!

March Project Finished

I finally finished hand quilting and binding my Forget Me Not quilt. I am pretty sure Sugar thinks it is hers though and she wouldn't let me take it to photograph properly. Oh, well, we can share.




For the backing, I used some pink homsepun and some left over blocks, which I can't show too well here:

Pretty flowers

How gorgeous are these flowers, and would you believe they are artifical so they'll last forever. I need to work on arranging them more nicely, though. My friend Lyle picked them up at the markets amongst some other bamboo and twiggy type stuff he wanted for a tall display. I didn't have a vase big enough so I put them in this copper basket-y thing (don't know what it is called) I bought years ago at the markets too for $1!

I've been doing a bit of hand quilting on my Forget Me Not quilt this week. I am using candlewicking thread and biggish stitches so it is going along quite quickly, and am about halfway done.