Peacefully Piecing

 I was tempted to join in with one of the New Year's Mystery quilt-alongs but instead I decided that I really needed to use up some of the many squares I'd cut as there were so many just sitting in boxes. Some of them are 30 years old as they are from dressmaking scraps when I made my children's clothes.
 I started two days ago and have made two tops and almost a third one which I should finish tomorrow. Even if I don't get them quilted before my holiday at least there has been some progress made but the boxes still seem to have plenty of squares to work with so I can see more 2'5" patterns in my future. I really want them out of here and into quilts for the needy.
   I hope you all have a safe and happy New Year celebration and I plan to spend the day in sewing and getting some more tops ready to donate.
Hugs, Jan Mac

This and That

 I was happy to have a few days off paid work and try to catch up on my sleeping. After sleeping in I decided to try to make some progress on using up the containers of cut squares that have been sitting there too long. I wanted to use up some donated 3" sqs which are cream, green, red and yellow. I also had a large number of 2.5" sqs that needed to be moved on so I decided to combine the sqs with some which are 4.5" sq and make star blocks. The green star points will help them to play nicely together. I'm using the lighter squares for the corners of the blocks and a mix of either 9 patch, 4 patch or a plain fabric for the star centres. I haven't made much of an impression on the boxes of sqs yet but I hope to work on them again tomorrow and get some more blocks made.
  I also made 10 more QAYG blocks from some of the lovely donated strip pieces of fabric that Kerry S. (NSW) has very kindly cut and sent to be made up into quilts. All in all it was a fairly productive day although I just worked on this and that as the mood took me. Hopefully that will work again tomorrow.
 Hugs, Jan Mac

Another Welcome Package

We have enjoyed fun times with family over the Christmas break and I'm also enjoying watching the cricket match on TV. As a change from stitching I've been crocheting more squares and almost have enough to put together for a blanket for the needy.
 I also received this lovely large box of many different fabrics and even a lovely jelly roll all donated by Kerry Shelberg (NSW). All of these lovely bits and pieces will help to make some more quilts for comfort. I have a new jelly roll book too so I plan to have fun making a donation quilt and trying out a new pattern at the same time. Thank you very much Kerry for your continued support for the needy.
 I'm off to paid work again tomorrow but hope to get some more QAYG blocks done as well as finishing off the blanket. I'm using up lots of odd bits and pieces of yarn (some was even tapestry wool) and the squares are an ideal project to work on when I don't need to watch what I am doing.
   I hope you are all enjoying some time to spend with family and friends and maybe some time for stitching too.
Hugs, Jan Mac

Merry Christmas

 I want to wish all of you lovely blog readers and very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. This year has had some challenges for many of us and I hope next year is better and brighter for everyone. As you can see from the photo of one of my Christmas wall hangings, this was one of my first pieces as there isn't a lot of quilting on it. I really should do some more now that my skills have improved.
  Today is busy getting ready for my kids to come home for our celebration meal tonight and then we join with both our families for the noon and evening meals. I hope you all enjoy some time with family and friends and take some quiet time for yourself.
  I have finished one of the cross stitch fairies and have also been crocheting more squares for a blanket for the needy. It's hard to just sit and do nothing when I have a bit of time so crocheting is a great way to use up all those small scraps of wool and yarn.
 Thank you all for your continued support with donating quilts to those in need of comfort and I look forward to getting more quilts donated next year, while still making time for finishing some of my UFOs too.
Many blessings to you all.
Love, Jan Mac

A Change of Pace

 Now that our hot summer weather is here it's time to do some more hand work and I've decided to work on another set of UFOs. My oldest DD made 7 of these fairy blocks for me when she was very ill and it's time they were finished and displayed where we can enjoy them. There are a set of 12 and I was thinking of framing them but I think I'll make a wall hanging instead and finish off all 12 blocks. I have also decided to add the outer borders to each fairy and I think it will enhance them. I forgot to take a photo of the first one before I stitched the floral border but you can see my progress on it. I'll show a photo of it finished tomorrow as I have finished the stitching and beading and it's been washed and will be dry and pressed later.
 I've just pulled the threads and beads for the February block and plan to finish that one next. I've also bought another new tin to hold my stitching pieces and keep them clean. I love London so i was very pleased to find this new tin. I also use them to rest my pattern on so they are a very handy tool for my hand work.
I forgot to add too that I use a magnet stuck to the tin lid which holds my pins when I'm hand piecing my patchwork pieces. I love to buy some new tins at Christmas time so I can have new tins for my projects. The Sunflowers will still be worked on but it's good to get another set of UFOs on the way to being finished.
  I've also finished off the last QAYG quilt to donate for the year and the photo will appear on my other blog, Oz Comfort Quilts. It's time to put away the donation sewing and get ready for the family to come home for Christmas. I hope you are all getting ready to enjoy time with family and friends too. A very big welcome to my new followers as well as my regular readers. We are heading off on a 3 week overseas trip in January so there will be more tourist photos than quilts but I hope you enjoy seeing our travels. That is if we can get internet access.
 Bye for now, Jan Mac

The Sun is Shining

I'm still jet-lagged from working nights but I am making more progress on the Sunflower blocks. I probably need to stitch the centres soon so I can see what colours I need to add. I also have one more QAYG quilt to finish and then make the last delivery for the year to the local women's refuge. I posted off a large box with some gifts and 13 more finished quilts for the needy so I am almost finished up for the year.
  Now to tackle some of the household jobs and finish my Christmas shopping. I hope you are all finding some time to stitch as well.
Hugs, Jan Mac

Productive? Much!

 I may seem to be working on lots of things at once (because I am) but I am also very productive. At the moment I seem to be busy  making quilts to donate, on the sewing machine, but not having as much time to work on my projects. I have enjoyed hand piecing so much recently, when I made the Joseph's Coat with Buttons, that I decided to change from machine piecing these Sunflower blocks and do them by hand instead. Believe it or not I can make more time for hand piecing at odd moments than I can machine stitch. Even if I'm not piecing I can take these little moments to draw around templates and cut out pieces so that when time allows I am able to get my hand piecing done.
   I have a liking for metals tins for hand work projects and I bought this one full of Christmas shortbread. The shortbread tasted OK but I really wanted the tin as it has a flat lid with no raised decorative bits other than the name at one end. I like to use a tin as I often use that to rest my hands on when I'm hand piecing and it also makes a great little table to use when marking fabric with the templates. I cut a piece of fine sandpaper to fit the tin and then turned the tin upside down and taped it underneath. Now when I want to draw around templates I only have to flip the tin over and I have a non-skid surface which is ideal when I'm in the car or waiting for appointments etc. I had two visits to Dr's rooms this week- not for me but for other family members, so I took the tin with me and marked quite a few fabric strips while I waited.
  To get started I chose the focus fabric on the far left which has many different colours and shades in an autumn theme. Then I selected fabric in similar shades and with a good mix of different prints, as well as some hand dyes. I make some of the blocks and then look at them together to see what colours I need more of. I have made 9 blocks now and 3 of them just need the centre circle appliqued which I will make when I have to make several rather than just making one at a time. I haven't decided which fabric will be used in the centre for all the fabrics so I won't cut them until I have almost finished the piecing. I cut the fabric I've selected into strips wide enough for the templates as it's an easy way to carry what I need as well as allowing me to see which colours I need to add. These aren't colours that I would normally use but I liked the focus fabric and I thought it would be good for me to try something new, remembering that colour gets the credit but tone does the work!
  Oh and I have used enough scraps to make them into 3 star blocks but that will be a project to work on when I am at the sewing machine again.
 I'm off to work nights again for a few days but I hope to have some more hand stitching progress to share soon.
Hugs Jan Mac