More work in progress

Some of you may already know that one of my other loves (apart from quilting) is Cross Stitch.  I have loved this craft for well over 40 years.

In the early days of my blog I did publish some pictures of my cross stitch work.  Below is one that I started about 2 years, put it away and forgot about it.  Then when rummaging through some boxes that are stored in the garage to find material that I needed to take with me to Winter School (more about this later), I found it! I have started working on it again, in the daytime while watching the midday movie or something that I have taped.

Of course, as you can see, it is a 'patchwork' wall hanging.  Fancy that!!!!!

It is 5 x 8 rows of cross stitch blocks; worked on 14 ct cream aida cloth.  Each block is 30 sts square and the sashing is 3 sts wide. I am half-way through it. I always work in a frame and this piece will be put into my floor frame.  That way I can use both hands and keep the work taught so it doesn't warp.  You can see on the left hand side I pin the block I am working on.  

No, I didn't cut up the pattern!  I photocopied it and cut the copy.....

I plan later today or tomorrow to search through some of my very very older posts and label them with 'cross stitch' so you could do a search and find them (ie if you want to......but please wait for a few days so I can get organised.

Scraps, scraps and more scraps

I have a drawer full of 1.5" scrap strips.  Originally the idea was to make a log cabin quilt using them, but I have enough quilts at present and nowhere to put any more (that is until I decide to give some away....) then......

So, in the meantime, what do I do with these strips?  Aha, the light went on!!!!  While I was sewing some more hexagons in my lounge I noticed the mat at the front door was looking a tad tired.  Recently I bought a box of piping cord because I was going to make some fabric 'piped' bowl/s.  Why not make a mat for the door instead, I said to myself....  A good idea....

To sew them, just take the cord, fold and wrap the material around the cord and sew together with a zig-zag stitch using a neural coloured thread.

You can start with a small circle or as I have a rectangle and just keep sewing until the mat is big enough. When finished you have something lovely at your front door and the bonus that it is washable.

Doesn't time fly by when you are busy...

I've just realised it is the middle of July and I haven't posted in a while.  Life has been busy around here.  To start with I had some problems with my laptop - had that fixed. Had a rush job to finish off the red and white quilt that I have been showing little bits of - the baby was born a tad early, naughty little thing.  But of course she is beautiful.  No photos yet, but I do have one of the quilt.

Then I had to get my stuff together for a full week away at the Fibre Arts Australia Winter School.  Yes, a full week with lots of fun, good food, 100+ other mad artists and not one axe murderer among them!!! Came home with (I think) a beautiful piece of work; tired; then two days to get myself together and off again to Melbourne for some quality baby sitting time while DS1 and DIL took off for a few days together.

AND then the big week just gone - my "0" birthday (pssst quietly 70) last week which was started on Sunday with the grandees and finished yesterday (Saturday) with lunch with the family at a lovely restaurant in Southgate on the Yarra River in Melbourne.

I won't make this a big posting - will try and break everything up in its right category.

So, without further ado here is the finished Red and White quilt - It is made from an alphabet panel in pinks and I added the extra red and white bits to brighten it up