What I am working on.. a low volume quilt

Well having come home from Rarotonga I felt the need to get behind the sewing machine. The only thing was my concentration was not too good.

So I pulled out some of my scraps that I had cut about 6 months ago. I had tried to tidy up my fabric haul so I went through my scraps and cut 6.5 inch strips or 4.5inch squares. It dealt with the scraps really well. At the time I was channeling low volume quilting.

So this is my attempt at a very simple low volume quilt. All the strips are sewn and now just need a few hours to get it all together (without the help of Morris!!!).


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The last of the Feijoa's

Not wanting to waste this glorious fruit we generally scoff all the big fresh ones as soon as they fall from the trees. Two trees only just keeps up with our demand during the season. This year the last lot fell just before we headed off to Rarotonga. I love preserved Feijoa's but felt like something a bit different so used preserved ginger in with my syrup.

Here we have some sumptuous Feijoa and Ginger fruit. Once it was all bottled there was about 1.5 cups of liquid left. So I scooped the flesh out of the tiny fruit that were left, added a cup of sugar and made some Feijoa and Ginger Jam.

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Using Men's Business Shirts

Anyone who knows me knows that I collect fabric. Well a long time ago I realised that a man's business shirt has a lot of fabric in it and so I started collecting 100% cotton or linen ones. I have made many things from french inspired cushion covers to aprons.

This time I made a nightie. This is a pattern that I use a lot as it is simple, comfy and reasonably decent if someone knocks on the door. The bias binding that I posted about the other day was for specifically for this.

the shirts - total cost $3

I needed a new nightie and got inspired when Miriam posted about her dress made from two different men's shirts. So behind the machine I whipped this up just in time to take to Rarotonga. The pink shirt was a bit more see through than I realised at first, so it is completely lined with the pink check shirt.

The labels.

Just for a bit of fun I put all the labels from the shirts onto the back of the skirt.

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The morning after....

Got back from doing this.....

I even managed to do it!!

In wonderful Rarotonga to...... 

Doing this at 5.30am!!! (internal timeclock a bit out of sinc) at home. Brrrrr -3.8 C this morning. Fire pumping as hard to deal with after a week at 26 C!!

Making Bias Binding

I used this pink Gingham shirt from the Op Shop to cut up and make bias binding. It did mean that I needed quite a lot of seams but sewing properly on the diagonal it was all good.

So I unpicked the shirt and darts, ironed and cut 1 3/4 inch strips. Then I put it through my bias binding tool and ended up with the roll above. I am using it to make detail on a nighty. I love love bias binding, be it plain or funky you can use it for so much. It made me want to make heaps as it is quick, satisfying and fun.

The tool did cost me about $14 but I have well and truly got my monies worth. 

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Lucky me - I won again

On Friday, before flying out on Monday, these arrived in the mail. I won. Fantastic!!! For $10 a year I subscribe to an online newsletter run by NZ Gardener called Get Growing.

Over the last two years I have won

• These magazines
• a trug and fertilizer for the garden
• two tickets to the Ellerslie Flower Show
• A magazine (a yearly garden type calendar)

It makes me feel like a really lucky person winning things. No matter how big or small.

My own design - airline cabin bag

Well that is what I meant it to be. But it is HUGE. I followed all the airline guidelines for cabin bags and finished it measures correctly, but what airline will let me use it I don't know. I do have more left over furnishing materials to make a smaller one (what a surprise - more material - me!!!).

One side

But I am thrilled with this and the finish. I get frustrated with box type bags when you undo the zip it is sometimes hard to pack or retrieve items. So I made this with a square bottom but sides that open completely. Then, once the bag is packed, using the clips and D rings - hey voila - it turns into a square shape that is easy to take.

The other side

I straight line quilted this and bound inside seams with bias binding as french seaming them was just too bulky. The straps and the clips are all from belts bought at second hand shops but the most expensive things were the zip and bag feet which are brand new.

Inside

So we are off to Rarotonga but this is just too big so am not taking it. Hmmm. Number two will be happening pretty soon I think.

All clipped and ready for travel

I link to these places though some will be in a couple of weeks when we come back from holiday.

smart bag feet.

Just in time for winter

Well this is a first. The hat is finished just as we are heading into winter!! Normally my knitting gets finished well into spring, as I only seem to knit in the winter.

On our recent trip to Mt Cook Eli used Aaron's Alpaca hat the whole time. So on the way home we stopped at the Alpaca store at Geraldine and bought a kit. For only $16 the kit included all 100% Alpaca wool and the pattern.

I have just been to visit my Dad who is recovering from an Operation and so had time to sit and knit and finish this up. When I got home last night I gave it to Eli who immediate wore it. Great.

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Un Baguette..

et un cafe au lait. (I want to go and sit in a cafe in Paris!!)

But now with our new coffee machine and this recipe I can create it all in our home.

Ahhh, yummy. For Mother's Day the boys gave me a book / magazine on how the tricks to making amazing bread at home. A NZ Life and Leisure publication. So yesterday I started the Baguette recipe and today it finished and baked in time for the kids coming home from school. Oh so yum!!!!!

Now they say as one of the main points that bread may be tempting to eat hot with butter but it is best to leave it for at least 4 hours to let the proteins etc settle. I don't think so!!!!!

The crust was chewing and amazing and it was so easy to make - 2 minutes of kneading otherwise just lots of sitting around. Fabulous. Definitely making this again.

Mum, I want to sew....

5.30pm, dinner was in the oven and I had half an hour to get a bit of my sewing done when Eli came in and said that. Well what could I do but assist.

Although the photo is not too good, on the left is the initial drawing

So I asked him what he wanted. He was very specific.

• I want to have my own pillowcase
• I want my name and a drawing on it
• I only want it to be the stitching (darn - here I was thinking we could just do some iron on applique)

So he drew the picture, we cut a strip of white cotton, he traced the picture on and then.....I taught him how to use the freehand darning foot on my machine to do the black embroidery to create his design.

relaxing with his pillow after dinner.

Once that was done (yes I burnt the carrots to the bottom of the pan because I had forgotten about dinner - thank goodness for frozen veges!!) Eli sewed the structure of the pillowcase, zig zagged all the seams and then ironed it. Viola - One pillowcase.

I am so proud of him. Only 8 and using the freehand sewing feet. But more so that he knew exactly what he wanted and was able to execute it.

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yummmm, Bagels and smoked salmon

yes - with cream cheese and fresh lime to squeeze. That is how my boys do breakfast in bed on Mother's Day.

my breakfast arriving in style.