Rainbow Layer Cake

The theme for our Stitching Across the Ditch challenge this time was Layers. I was very taken with the photos of layer cakes when I Googled the word. I've never made one but would like to give it a try one day. They look so impressive. I can just imagine the oohs and aahs when the cake is cut. I had fun making this little quilt, but those sprinkles were a bit of a challenge. Tweezers and some good magnifying glasses were needed! (I cut tiny pieces of fabric with Vliesofix on the back and then had to position them right side up on the cake!)

 Some interesting finds on the beach lately.

And I woke up yesterday to find this little fellow asleep in the garden! A very small, thin fox. It may have been just a pup. I felt quite sorry for it but they are a big menace here in Australia, killing wildlife and everybody's chooks. He ran off when I went outside.

Finished

I have finished my heavily stitched piece of linen. I have attached it to a piece of blue/green shot cotton and am trying to work out a way of framing it. It may come off the cotton if I find a better way to display it. I started from the middle point of the square and just kept adding stitches in a way that felt right to me. It is all straight stitches and a few thread 'beads' a la Jude. I did mark a few of the squares and circles as I went just to keep it neat. Probably too neat!! I used six different colours because that's what I had!

We have been having some very hot weather and these horses were enjoying a swim the other morning. If you click to enlarge the photo you may just be able to see a dolphin out to sea to the left of the man on the left.

And some trees on the beach!!

Yarn bombing

A few months ago there was some yarn bombing in our area with lots of posts and rails covered in knitting and crochet. Most of it has now disappeared or disintegrated with the weather and the salt air. This morning I noticed how the rusty cables have dyed the faded wool.

 I have nearly finished my Kantha piece (at long last!)  I trimmed the backing fabric, folded the front fabric to the back and am now stitching the last few rounds of stitches.

More Breast Pockets

I have made some more breast pockets for Melanie. Read about her project here.
She needs a lot more pockets to reach her goal of 1000 and she has extended the deadline.
Mine are made from two coordinating pieces of fabric with a button and some hand stitching added. Two of them are made from old appliqued napkins. They are quick and easy to do. And fun!

The weather has warmed up and there is wildlife to be seen on the beach and in the back yard! This lizard sat on the fence post catching the sun and watching me weed. He wasn't put off when I brought out the camera. Perhaps he knew he was going to star on my blog!

This cockatoo has spent several days in the pine tree at the back being very vocal and chewing away at the new pine cones.

Seagulls enjoying the lovely weather and calm seas.

Four baby magpies having a ball playing in the bird baths and sprinkler.

And a tiny Red-capped Plover whizzing around on the beach with it's partner.
 

Breast pockets

I have made some 'breast pockets' for Melanie Testa. She is aiming to collect 1000 breast pockets in support of woman with breast cancer who choose not to have reconstructive surgery after a mastectomy. You can read more about it here.
I don't know any 'flatties' but have a friend who has had a lot of problems with her reconstructive surgery. I have always thought that if I was in the same situation I would go 'flat'.
These were fun to make - playing with commercial and dyed fabrics and adding a little bit of hand stitching.

Red and blue

Red and blue on my walk this morning. The red flowers are Australian bottlebrush. Not sure what the blue ones are but the bees were enjoying themselves!

Still stitching my Kantha style piece. I can't stop! I am nearing the edge of the linen now so I have to start thinking of how I am going to finish this. It feels lovely, very floppy and heavy with all the stitches.

September challenges

The end of September, so my additions to the A Letter a Week challenge, and a small finished quilt for our Stitching Across the Ditch challenge as well.
This time the theme was Tracks so I took the theme literally and did some railway tracks! I really liked the graphic image of the tracks and used some purple and limey green shot cottons. I then quilted with big seed stitches all over the background using some hand dyed thread.

Spring has sprung .....

There is YELLOW everywhere!  It certainly makes you feel cheerful.

Welcome home!

A long road trip back to cool weather, an overflowing hot water system that had to be replaced, a sick daughter and two sick granddaughters who needed some care, a million loads of washing, dirty windows from the wintery weather, and a garden full of weeds!!

In between I keep quietly stitching ........

Progress

Slowly adding more stitches.....

A Letter a Week

I have posted new letters over on the A Letter a Week blog. For this second alphabet I am working with paper, something I'm not very familiar with, so it will be a challenge and a change for me. I am using water colour paper for the background and an old Ikea catalogue for the cut out letters. I did these at home and photographed them before we came away on holidays. Do go and see what everyone else is doing - so many clever people!

Holiday Stitching

All those projects I brought to work on while I am on holiday are still in the cupboard!

I did buy a linen tablecloth from the opshop for 50 cents that was stiff with starch and pulling apart at the seams. I washed it and tore it into squares, blind basted two pieces together a la Jude, and it is now lovely and soft to work with. I am doing some Kantha style stitching on it with a selection of Finca No16 threads. They are lovely to work with.

 

Not a lot to show for my holiday stitching but there are so many other things to do here like walking, bike riding, reading, eating, drinking, socializing, sightseeing and snoozing! Plenty of time for stitching when we get back to our regular routine and the cold weather again. 

Tully Show

The other day we went to the Tully Show. An old fashioned country show, beautiful weather and lots of interesting things to see. They judge the bananas and the sugar cane and all sorts of exotic fruits, vegetables and flowers.

 Our favourite exhibits were definitely the chickens! Beautiful feathers and cheeky expressions.

This one must have had a busy morning and was asleep on his feet!

Then of course there were the usual sideshows and rides.

You definitely won't find me on this one ....

A lovely days entertainment!


Our latest challenge for Stitching Across the Ditch was 'Red'. I came up with lots of ideas such as Redhead matches, Red Dog, red wine, redwork, etc. but went with The Red Carpet. I have never been in a limousine or walked on a red carpet but we all deserve a bit of 'red carpet' treatment occasionally don't you think? The limousine is worked in red embroidery thread so I did do a bit of redwork.

We have now completed a two year round of challenges and are about to embark on a new round. All this was started when Brenda Gail Smith (one of the members of TwelvebyTwelve) came and taught at our quilt camp and inspired a group of teachers and committee members to have a go! We've certainly had a lot of fun!