So That Was January

The first month of the year has passed in a flash.  It has been rather busy for us, with our holiday at the start of the month, which I still have to blog about, back to work, playing in the garden, as the veges are starting to be quite productive and of course, finding some time to play in the sewing room and joining in with Zoom sessions.

Chooky held another Zoom day on Australia Day.  I did join in for a very short time, and stitched one needle full of thread on my Ruby Cushion applique, but we were a tad busy, so I didn't get to play for long.

I haven't done any other sewing since then.  My Blue quilt is still waiting in the wings, and I only made the few red RSC blocks.  Not to worry, it's not as if they are going anywhere.  I'll get to them, all in good time.

I'm just going to add some rather random photos here.

I was gifted this gorgeous little pincushion for Christmas.  It is Liberty fabric in a silver serviette ring.  So sweet.  A nice addition to my little collection.

The weather has been most unsummerlike.  A few days did not ever reach 20 degrees C.  We've only had the air conditioner on twice, for a short while.  The lawn has not needed the sprinkler on at all.  Mick has only watered the veges a few times.  The river has been up and down like a yo-yo.

Here is some of the first of our produce this year.  We still aren't getting a great deal of tomatoes, but they will be coming thick and fast before too long.  Our one zucchini plant is ginormous and keeping us in a nice supply.  Our beans have the largest leaves I have ever seen and our freezer is filling fast with their output.  I was never a fan of beans as a kid, as Mum froze so many.  I'm worried that my new found enjoyment of them may dwindle with the volume we have.  No photo here, but we picked our first egg plant this week and there are loads coming on.  We've never had much luck with capsicum, but there are some nice sized fruit on the plant, so fingers crossed for this year. No raspberries as yet, but we expect them to be a bit late, given the cool weather this summer.

Mick and my brother took their kayaks out to Oberon Dam one morning.  The water was like glass.  Unlike our visits over the last couple of years, when the water level was way down, it is now 100 percent full.

Mick really enjoys paddling around this dam, as there are lovely rocks.  Not just a boring stretch of water.

He finally caught is first fish since he has had the kayak.  As you can see, it was huge......not.  It is a redfin, which are an introduced species and a pest.  You are not allowed to throw them back into the water after you catch one.  This one was only about six inches long and was going  to go to Joey, but it was really boney, so was chucked out.  Apparently, they are really good eating, and many prefer them to trout.  Mick now wants to go out again and catch a decent sized one and try it out.

It was Mum's 60th wedding anniversary towards the end of the month.  I cannot believe it was ten years since we had the big party for their 50th.  Fortunately, the day before, her nursing home had started to allow visitors, after being locked down since Christmas, and I was able to see her.

Saturday evening last week was really pleasant, so we decided to get some fish and chips and sit by the river to eat them.

After we finished we went for a walk around the park either side.  The light was lovely and the river was flowing nicely, without being in flood.

It was nice to see a family fishing.  Take particular note of the metal hand rail at the left of the photo.  I'll show you why in a moment.

There are a couple of ducks that live near the low level bridge that I always keep an eye out for.  I was happy to see they are still there, after all the flooding there has been during this summer.

We had quite a storm on Friday evening, and another on Saturday evening.  A village about 15kms out of town had 50mm in half an hour, causing havoc after the previous storm and the already saturated countryside.

We were surprised on Sunday to see that the low level bridge was under water once again and where I was standing to take the lovely photos at the end of the hand rail the previous week was under water.  We weren't expecting it to rise that much, but obviously the worst of the storms were further up the catchment.

On other fronts, I did try a new recipe.  We were gifted some home grown mangoes while we were away and I found a delicious recipe.  It was so good I have made it twice.

The recipe is from Taste.  I've borrowed their photo. No photo of mine as we were too busy tucking in and it wasn't as pretty as theirs.  I will definitely be making this one quite often.

I didn't read an actual book in January, but we listened to our first audio book.  I read the book "The Thursday Murder Club" by Richard Osman last year and thoroughly enjoyed it.  

Well, we listened to the sequel "The Man Who Died Twice".  It was really enjoyable listening.  The lady narrator was perfect.  It think Mick would have appreciated it more if he had read the first book, but he still enjoyed it.  I do hope there are more in this series.

Friday Fun Day, as such, didn't happen, but we were away for a couple of Fridays on our holiday, so I think they will count.

I do have some other exciting news for the month, but it deserves its own post.

Zooming Along

Our friend Chooky has hosted three Zoom stitching days this month, which has been fabulous.

The first was while we were on holidays and staying with friends.  I got up early in the morning and toddled off to my friend's sewing room and joined in for a little while.  I didn't take any hand sewing with me, so just chatted and listened.

The second was also while we were away.  This time we were in a caravan park in the little town of Biggenden.  I was just chatting away again, when I realised that I did, in fact, now have some hand stitching to work on.

While staying with our friends, I was given a UFO cross stitch bookmark that had been given to my friend in a destash.  She wasn't going to work on it, so it came to me.  All the cross stitch and the backstitch on the dragonfly body had been completed.  It just needed the remainder of the backstitch and putting together.  While joining in with the girls the back stitch was done. 

There was a stain on fabric, but a soak in napisan soon fixed that.  Then it was ready for the next Zoom Day, which was this morning.

This morning's Zoom only went for four hours, so I made the effort to get out of bed early.  There was such a good roll up of girls, from all over the world.  We seemed to average about 20 on screen at a time.  Several popped in for a short time, so there would have been at least 30 participants, all up. There were a couple of newbys, which was nice to see.  This is such a nice group to be a part of, especially as some are not going out into the community very much at the moment.

Firstly, I worked on my Rainbow Scrap Challenge blocks for January.  The colour is red.  My plan is to have several quilts under way, but so far I have only prepped the blocks for one.  

This quilt will be made from 30s fabrics left over from my Splendid Sampler 2.  

There will be butterfly applique blocks alternated with nine patches, creating an Irish chain........Well, that is the plan at this stage.  All subject to change.

The nine patches were pieced and the butterflies appliqued.  I'll stitch their antennae at a later date.

Once that was done, it was time to work on my little bookmark.

I stitched the felt onto the back to cover the stitching.  After we finished Zooming I made a tassel from embroidery thread, as the one that came in the kit was a bit ordinary, and just added that to the cord that was supplied.  

Ta da!  That is my first finish for 2022.  One to add to the side bar for OPAM.   Only a little finish, but better than nothing.

By the way, the book is one I found in an op shop the other day.  I was quite excited, as I have quite a collection of Abbey Girl books by Elsie J Oxenham, but did not have this one.  You rarely see them now.

Once I had finished the back of the bookmark it was time to find another project to work on.  

Yesterday, in readiness for today's stitching morning, I finally removed the papers from the Ruby Cushion wreath and glue basted it to the background.  I have stitched down the inner ring, but still need to work on the outer ring.  I may just save that for the next Zoom get together. My main aim is to have this completed before we meet again at Scrub Stitchin' in April.

All in all, it was a rather productive few hours.  My main  goals for the month have been achieved.  However, I still have more I wish to work on before February arrives, which will be soon enough.

Thanks Chooky and all the girls for your company.

I'll link up with So Scrappy for the RSC.  Pop over to see what other girls have been up to.

Swooning Along

My One Monthly Goal for January was to work on my Swoon quilt, to have two completed blocks and all the blocks cut out, ready to just pick up and stitch.

This is where I was up to in December.  The HST and flying geese were stitched but not trimmed and the stitch and flip were stitched and flipped.  The various components still needed to be joined together to complete the block.  A nice quick finish for that block in January........... or so it should have been.......

On Friday I trimmed down the HST and flying geese.

On Saturday I got up really early, as I was wide awake, and made a start.  Nothing seemed to fit.  I always struggle with accuracy with stitch and flip points and they really did not want to play this time.  I restitched a couple of seams four times!!! I'm still not really happy with them, but the fabric would have started to disintegrate if I used my quick unpick any more.  Mick reckons I am being too finicky, which I probably am.

I think part of the problem was that I tried to use home made quarter inch tape and not draw a diagonal line with the stitch and flip.  It was good in theory, but not as accurate as if I had drawn the line....... live and learn.  Also, I was in a rush with all that was happening at the end of the year, so not really a good time to work on this.

It turned out relatively well in the end.........about three hours later....... The blocks are 24 inches square.

Move onto the second block......  I took my time and everything went well, as it should have.  I really like this block.

The fabrics are from various ranges of Bonnie and Camille.  They all work rather well together.

The second part of my goal was to cut out all the blocks.

Done, and all in their little baggies, along with my notes on stitching with the directional fabrics, of which there are a lot.

Unfortunately, the baggies don't fit in my pretty box, so they just have to have their own separate tub.  

My plan is to use quilt as you go with this one and I had hoped to piece and quilt a block each month.  I had an idea for a backing, but do you think I can find the fabric......that may be telling me something.  I need to hunt it out or find an alternative.  In the meantime, I will keep working on the piecing and then catch up with the quilting at a later date. I also reckon I will end up getting the blocks pieced relatively quickly.

Anyway, my OMG for January has been achieved and it is time to start working on my other goals for the month.

A Big Surprise

A few days after we returned home, my neighbour from two doors up knocked on the front door.  She said she had a little New Year's gift for us.

You could have knocked me over with a feather when she produced the elusive orange mug.  It looks like it has never been used.

For anyone who has read my blog for a while, this will be something you are familiar with, but I'll tell the story anyway........ 

Years ago, at Girls Day in the Country, the mug I was given was orange with white spots. (I just checked - it was 2012 - I can't believe it was that long ago.)  Mick quickly claimed it as his own, as he likes orange......it is a bit of an ongoing joke.  Anyway, this was part of a popular range of crockery, so we added mugs in green, yellow and purple and matching bread and butter plates to go with them as well.  Nice and cheerful to use for breakfast.

After a couple of years, Mick's mug got a crack and we replaced it with another one, as, like I said, it was a popular range and you could find them anywhere.  Then, a few years later, his mug got a chip.  

By then, the range was not in the shops, so the quest was on to find a replacement somewhere, probably in an op shop, or a gift and homewares shop in a small town.  We were rather surprised at how hard it was to find one.  Friends were recruited, girls who were at the same day at Nundle were seeing if they still had the mug, even Lou in NZ was on the hunt. We looked on ebay, (although that wasn't nearly as much fun as searching for it on our travels), but no luck.  This has been going on for nearly four years!!!!!  Over time we have found duplicates of all the other colours and tucked them away in the back of the cupboard and Lynda from Brisbane has found some red ones, if we really had no luck.

When we visited Forbes in October, there was an antique shop with loads of orange items in the range.....everything except the jolly mug!

Back to my neighbour...... She has been on the lookout in op shops, but was looking on ebay for some splayds.  She found some splayds and the seller also had the mug, so of course she bought it.  I think she was nearly as happy as us.

You know what?  Even though we now have the mug, I think we will always be on the lookout for the range.  Also, I reckon we will find them everywhere now.  That is just Murphy's law.

Some Nice Mail

When we returned from our holiday, there was a parcel waiting for me at the post office.  I knew exactly what it would be, and in the end, the timing was perfect, as the parcel I had sent to the recipient had arrived on the same day.  I sent mine on the 10th December and it arrived at the address in NZ on 7 January.  It didn't leave Australia until 23 December.  Just as well we were both patient.

Of course, it came from my good friend Lou.  So, what was in the parcel?

Firstly, there was her beautiful beaded Christmas Decoration.  A red one this year, to add to the blue one she made last year.  They will both take pride of place on my twiggy Christmas tree next year.  Mick was thrilled with the card, as he loves Far Side cartoons.

The main gift is very handy for the sewing room.  There is a nice block keeper, which will be really useful, a cute little bag, a pincushion, some sweet scissors in a scissor keep and one of those natty little needle cases that look like a lip stick.  Oh, and just to keep up our energy levels, there is some Scottish shortbread in a very cute little tin, which I'm sure will end up holding something in my sewing room.

Thanks so much for such a nice little collection.

The next mail, which I received today wasn't a surprise, as I had ordered it online.  What was a surprise, was how fast it arrived.  I ordered it on Sunday afternoon and it was here today, having come from Queensland.

I want to try new techniques, one of them being making a quilt using triangles.  

This is the Creative Grids Mini 60 degree diamond ruler.

I recently saw the Vintage Windmill pattern, which looks really involved, but when using this ruler, isn't so bad.  I always like the idea of maximum effect for minimum effort. The pattern just happened to jump into my online shopping cart, as did the ruler.  I think the ruler will be rather versatile, not just for this particular quilt.  

I have quite a collection of Denyse Schmidt fabrics and I think this may be the ideal project to use some of them.  

Don't expect me to be starting it anytime soon though, as, if  you read my last post, I already have one or two things I want to work on this year.

Watch this space.......eventually.

2022 - The Year Ahead

We are now back home from our holidays, so it is time to have a think about the year ahead.  At the start of 2021 we hoped that the year would be better than 2020, but were prepared to expect the unexpected.  That was a pretty accurate description, as last year progressed.  So what for 2022?

If I was to choose a word for the year, which I won't, it would be  CHANGE or ADAPT, as I have a pretty big change coming up and will have to adapt accordingly.

At the end of June I will be giving up work.  I will have been with the same employer for twenty years, so I feel that is a good time to move onto the next chapter of my life.  Mick has been working quite a bit this last year as well. So much for retirement.  They are starting to call him "Johnny Farnham" - with so many comebacks. Hopefully, he will really call it quits then too.  We plan on taking a long caravan trip once I finish up, all things being equal, after which we will have to work out our own "new normal".

On the stitching front I have decided on a few goals, keeping in mind we will be on the road for a while.

I intend to continue to take part in One Monthly Goal, hosted by Patty at Elm Street Quilts.  It keeps me on the straight and narrow.  The goal can be lofty, or quite small.  Just set it and achieve it.

After taking a year off, I will once again join in with the Rainbow Scrap Challenge, hosted by Angela from So Scrappy.  I hope to make some blocks to end up in donation quilts.

I started to work on some donation items last year, and wish to continue along these lines in 2022.

Over the last two years I have joined Cheryll in the WOOFA Challenge to work on or finish a project, or work on something that you have been eyeing off, or have a kit sitting patiently for its turn.  I'm not sure if it is running again this year, but I will endeavour to keep on with the idea anyway.

One Project a Month has been run for the last twelve years by Kris of Tag Along Teddies.  I will once again join in.  

I always have great intentions of joining in with Friday Night With Friends, also hosted by Cheryll, but in the end it is only on a sporadic basis.  The first Friday was this week.  I had good intentions, but after unpacking the caravan, I opened the doors to my sewing room, had a look and then did nothing.  Hopefully next time.

I hope to work on something Christmassy, but won't commit to a monthly goal.

So, what projects do I have in mind?

Swoon is a priority.  It will also be my first foray into quilt as you go.

My next priority is to make a start on this quilt.  It has been waiting patiently for a few years now.  I have all my suitable blue fabrics quarantined, which is a bit of a nuisance at times.  I am not a great hand stitcher, and there is lots in this quilt, therefore it will definitely be a long term project.  The applique will be done by machine, but the stitchery and EPP will be obviously done by hand.  If I have this prepped, it will be a good project to work on while travelling.  I actually miss having a long term, involved project on the go.

I have a few different blocks I wish to make for RSC. Once again, if I get some prepped, they would be good to take on the road.  I will take my baby Elna Stella sewing machine away with us.  There is no needle up/needle down, knee lift or buttonhole stitch, but it will be fine for simple piecing.

It would be good to have a lot prepped, so they can be used as leaders and enders.

I've made a good start on my project from last year's Scrub Stitchin'.  I'd like to have in completed for this year's event.

Like each winter, some crochet or knitting would be good, especially as I now have my new stash of yarn.

I'm sure the list will grow, as the year progresses, but that will do for now.

As far as non stitching goals go, they will continue much as in the last couple of years.

I would like to continue to read at least one book a month, try new recipes, have Friday Fun Day, go away in the van as often as possible and maybe, finally, get out on the motorbike a bit more than the last couple of years.

As usual, it will be interesting to look back in twelve months' time and see how things panned out.

One Monthly Goal for January

My goodness, 2022 is already upon us.

We are currently on holidays, but I can't miss out on setting my One Monthly Goal for January.  I am keeping things nice and simple to ease into the new year.

After working out my adaptation of the Swoon Block to suit directional fabric, which I think Joey approves of, I need cut out the whole quilt.

I want to then finish off that first block and have another pieced.

That's it.  Nice and simple.  My plan is to quilt as you go, but I need to decide what backing I will use.

Thanks Patty, as always for hosting this little challenge.  It really helps me keep focused each month.