Feeling Scrappy

 The split nine patch blocks are fun to work on and a great way to use up 2.5" squares. It's mindless sewing and perfect for when i'm too tired to work on a more intricate piecing project.
  Today was busy with getting my haircut, shopping for clothes etc for my next trip so not a lot of sewing time again. This morning I did get another QAYG quilt put together from donated blocks so the pile of donation quilts is growing. Hopefully tomorrow will see me with more time to sew. I need to sew my sister's quilt but I didn't feel like it today so hopefully I can work on it over the next few days before I work nights again.
Bye for now, Jan Mac

A Slower Day But Progress

 This afternoon was spent on family activities so I didn't get as much sewing done as I had hoped for But I still made some progress. I finished off another quilt from donated QAYG blocks.
 Yesterday I received a set of QAYG blocks and binding from Maria of WA http://maria-lifeontheblock.blogspot.com.au
 Maria very kindly cut, pressed and joined the binding strips and it was so easy to finish off the quilt.

 I finished the quilt today and it went together very quickly. Many thanks for your donation and all your work with the blocks and binding, Maria.

 I also made some more QAYG blocks as the pile is dwindling. I need to work on some of my UFOs and hope to spend the next few days finishing off my sister's quilt for her 60th birthday. It's only 2 years past its due date and I want to get it done before my next big trip.

I love to travel and have another overseas trip planned for 3 weeks time. I'll tell you where very soon. I really wish I was in Houston for the Quilt Festival to see all the fabulous quilts and will definitely be heading over again in the future.
 Thanks for stopping by.
Hugs, Jan Mac

Scrap Play

 One of the reasons I've been busily sorting and cutting scraps is because I've bought some of Bonnie Hunter's books. She has some very intricate quilts pieced from small scraps and i started some of the blocks using 1.5" squares. The quilt uses 400 squares and I have made 8 so far! Hopefully I'll get some more sewn up very soon.

I'm still feeling sleep deprived after working an extra night shift so I didn't push myself too much to get more blocks sewn. I also finished off another QAYG quilt to donate. Linda asked how many I have finished recently and I'll have to count them when I have time. I think I have at least 30 to donate now.
Thanks for stopping by.
Hugs, Jan Mac

Visiting Scrap City Again

 The house seems to have been taken over by scraps and piles of fabrics sorted into their sizes as either squares or half square triangles. I decided that I needed to finish off my current scrappy project so I finished this top and just need to add borders and then quilt.

 I enjoyed making these blocks so much that I've also started on another quilt top from them. It will probably be a baby quilt as I want to practice my free motion quilting on some smaller quilts, using my domestic sewing machine.

 I also started my new leaders/enders blocks- a split nine patch and they are going together quickly.

 Yesterday was spent tidying the scraps but I did find time to quilt and bind two more donation quilts.

I'm off to sleep now as I am working nights again. I can see lots of scrappy or multi-fabric quilts in my future as the scrap bins are overflowing now and I have more scraps to sort. I need to finish off more WIPs but it's fun to use up the scraps and re-visit some fabric I've previously loved and used.
 Hugs, Jan Mac

Another Five Finished

 It's been a big day of quilting but I managed to finish off another 5 quilts. Four of them were donated tops and one was made from donated QAYG blocks.

 This top was made from a cheater panel which had been made larger with extra sashing and borders.

 I used a bright kid's print as the backing so they could choose which side to use.

After so many big days spent quilting I know I'll sleep well tonight.
 Hugs, Jan Mac

A Two Quilt Day

 I'm still working hard on getting more tops quilted before the lovely Lesley meets me to pick up the quilts to distribute. The need is as great as ever and it feels good to get so many quilts finished and donated. They won't warm anyone if they just sit in the cupboard. The first quilt was a donated top and the second one was made from donated QAYG blocks. I hope to have some more finishes to share tomorrow as I have an "at home" day planned. Yesterday and today were my days for family commitments so I hope to get an early start tomorrow.

Thanks for stopping by and for your kind comments.
Hugs, Jan Mac

It's Time To Quilt

  I'm still catching up on sleep but really wanted to get some more quilts finished and ready to be donated to the needy for Christmas. The first two quilts were donated tops and were easy to finish off with the quilting and binding.

 They have lovely kid's fabrics which will delight a young recipient.

I also finished off 3 more QAYG quilts from donated blocks. I need to get busy with some of my current projects as well as I have two quilt shows to supply with my own quilts to hang early next year. I need to get the tops finished and quilted so I don't put myself under too much pressure close to the deadline.

I still have piles of scraps to sort through and need to get more tidied away before we are off on our travels again. If I get busy at nightime as well I should have some more finishes to share very soon. There have been some requests for quilts for people affected by the bush fires in NSW but they won't be able to accept any for some time, until they have somewhere to live. Conditions are expected to be worse tomorrow so keep them in your prayers please.
Hugs, Jan Mac

Time for Some Vitamin Q

 I have put my projects to one side at the moment and I'm busily getting more quilts finished to donate to the needy for Christmas. It's very handy to have a pile of ready-made QAYG blocks to put together and I also have some more tops to quilt.

 I hope you enjoy the photos and I will be getting more Vitamin Q as soon as I have worked the next few nights. It's spring after all and finishing up some quilts is helping me to tidy but there are no visible signs of it yet! lol

Thanks for stopping by. Sending prayers and hugs for those in the bushfire areas of NSW.
Hugs, Jan Mac

The Beautiful Blue Mountains

 We finished our trip with a stop at the beautiful Blue Mountains in NSW. The Three Sisters is a well-known tourist destination and well worth a visit.

 More lovely views across the valley near where the Three Sisters are located. Below you can see Orphan Rock.

 We stayed at the Abercrombie River in another free campsite.

 As payment we pick up rubbish to keep the campsites clean and looked after. We chose to pick up rubbish but it's not a requirement of staying in the free camps.

 We visited Abercrombie Caves which were formed by water flowing over the limestone mountains many, many years ago. They aren't as spectacular as the Jenolan Caves but still worth a look.

 We really enjoyed our time in the Blue Mountains but  were very happy to leave before the terrible bushfires occurred there in the past few days. We could see the smoke from bushfires as we left but it's still hard to believe that there has been so many homes lost there when we haven't even started our summer.

It's good to be home again after our lovely break and now I'm back into working nights again so I plan to sew today while I am still awake.
Hugs, Jan Mac

Active Camping

 We took a trip to Sandy Hollow in NSW (just inland from Newcastle) and met up with other campers who also have an Active Camper. Fifty-nine camper vehicles and mostly there were couples who attended. We met some lovely people with similar interests and the weather was very warm.
 From there we traveled to Newnes in NSW and enjoyed the company of 3 other lovely people we'd met at the camper get together. This is on the road to Newnes.

 Part of the beautiful Blue Mountains.

 Our camp site at Newnes. We were the only campers there and it is just a beautiful place with free camping. There were lots of kangaroos and even wombats.

 We spent a few hours walking around the remnants of an industrial site where they mined shale.

 A view of a coke oven  with the beautiful limestone cliffs behind.

It has been a very fun break and I'll show more very soon. Sorry I've been unable to blog as we had no internet access.
Hugs, Jan Mac

Spring Cleaning

 I'm still spring cleaning and playing with scraps in an attempt to clear out more quilts to donate for Christmas. No sewing was done yesterday as it was a day of getting organized for our next trip to NSW. The night before I did finish off another QAYG quilt to donate and having a pile of the QAYG blocks to work from does make them go together quickly.

Part of my spring cleaning also involves getting some more WIPs finished or at least to the quilting stage so I have also spent more time reverse appliqueing sunflowers to block fabric. I need to make one more if I set them on point but I have some luscious bright pink I want to use for the last block and just one block in that colour will make it stand out too much. I'm also not sure whether or not I want to set them on point as that adds another decision about what fabric to use for the outer triangles. I may make another three blocks and set them 4 by 5 which will allow me to add pink to another couple of blocks so that colours balance.
Decisions, decisions! This quilt is definitely evolving as I work on it. While I was piecing the sunflowers I decided to change the pattern and add a pieced border so I started piecing a border for it and will sash the blocks with a narrow cream sashing and a wider piece for the borders before adding the pieced border on the outside edge. that will leave room for more feather quilting in the border and tone down the bright background fabric of the blocks.

 In between times I also made another paper pieced triangle block. I'm changing that pattern as I go too but this will be a long-term project so no rush on that one. I'm off to see the specialist for my follow-up review following my surgery in March so hopefully all will be well.

I won't be doing any stitching today either but I need to get my bits and pieces of hand stitching ready to take when we are away for a few days. We are keeping an eye out for the first snakes to be emerging from their hibernation and we are enjoying some beautiful spring weather here.
Hugs, Jan Mac