Learning to Sew (especially when you ask nicely.....)

During the 4th term school holidays my granddaughter Jorja came for a sleepover.  I had a few things planned for us to do but she asked if she could 'learn to sew patchwork please Nanna, and could I sew on one of your machines?'

Naturally I said yes!  But being unprepared for this I wondered what we could do.  I got out my box of 2.5" inch squares and decided that sewing 4-patch units shouldn't be too hard.  Also as there isn't a lot of sewing not too boring either!  I let her choose how many we would make and also what pieces she wanted to sew with.  Surprisingly she came up with some good choices in contrast and colour, with a lot of thought of who she would give them to also.

 She sewed 8 units as you can see above.  The piece of purple is the colour of the felt I ironed on the back with double sided interfacing.  We decided that they were 'drink/mug coasters'. Both of us were very proud with her efforts.

After she saw the houses I have been sewing she asked if she sew one of those.  Again I let her chose the material, I cut it, and then she sewed them on a foundation.  Admitting that this was much 'harder' but she did finish it.  This one is going home to be placed in her 'Barbie' box of tricks.

I think she did extremely well and now it looks like I will have to have a project to work on ready for next time.

When she got home, mummy and daddy had a very long demonstration on how 'you sew patchwork'. She remembered all the little details, like sewing straight; lining up the seams, etc.

I am truly blessed...

I have just spent the last few days in Melbourne with my grandchildren.  DIL went to Gippsland to visit her mother who is in hospital having a rather big operation.

My beautiful granddaughter who is 8, put this basket with its contents on the table next to the bed where I sleep. She has been told over time that when Nanna (me) or Grams (other nanna) comes to stay she must make sure the room is tidy (she often plays in here with her girlfriends to get away from the little brother...) and not to leave anything that we might trip over.  Usually she places a glass with some flowers in it from the garden.  But this time I got the basket with a couple of mags, some shampoo and soap etc; plus some 'treats' - a couple of packets of sultanas and a container of fruit with spoon.  "Just in case Nanna', she said, "I'm sorry but we don't have any flowers".

Isn't that just the best - made my day.  I felt very special.

51 Weeks to go......

that is, to next Christmas! 

It is a tradition is most country towns in Australia for Santa to visit the suburbs via a Country Fire Truck - just to make sure all the kids are home and still being good!!  This one was parked outside my home and he visited the park next door to me.  I didn't know there were this many people who lived in the streets where I live!!!!

 

And, of course we have to put out the lettuce and carrots for the reindeer, with Fraser supervising his older sister Jorja.  Note, this year, one plate, not 7 that she put out last year!!!!

What a year it has been!  Settling in to a new home and getting to know the area where I'm now living.  Plus a myriad of other things that have kept me occupied and not being able to get much sewing completed or blogging as much as I would have liked.

In November we had my niece's wedding on the beach at Point Addis, which is near Anglesea, Vic.

It is nearly time for my 'word' for the next 12 months.  This year I have quite a few that I could choose from - just have to find the appropriate one for MY year. Will follow up in the next few days.

Take care,

Joy

A couple of small things

Now that we have just finished having a record stretch of hot days for March - 10 days in a row over 30 degC with nights not going below 20 degC - it has at long last cooled down, well to 27degC today.

Not a lot of sewing got done in these days - I don't have aircon where I sew.  But I did have time to do a couple of small things - the first was putting together this material book for my little GS who will be a year old in May.

I also finished off this cushion cover - an applique pattern that I bought while over in the US in 2009.  Originally I was going to put this as the centre of a quilt, but decided my lounge needed some updating - the cushions that are there now look a bit worse for wear.  I worked out they are over 15 years old - been washed numerous times and a tad faded.  Will make another one but will reverse the colours - green where the red is and red where the green is.

He wanted squares.......

He got squares, sort of.....

Some time ago when talking to DS3 Warwick, he asked if he could have another quilt.  The first one which was a Marti Michell sampler in strong country colours, unfortunately/fortunately went with his ex wife when the marriage was dissolved.  At first I was a little bit miffed, but on the other hand she always liked the quilt and I know it will be looked after.

This one Waz said could it be just 'plain blue and squares'.  Well, how does a quilter make something plain and just squares without looking dull and 'plain'?  After giving this a lot of thought I searched through my stash and found a variety of blues with a fair amount of white quilters muslin.  I told him it would have to be a variety of blues and to look and choose which ones he would like me to use.  There were some beautiful aqua's and violet, but they got tossed!!!  Just plain blue please Mum and not small itty bitty bits.........or that fancy stitching.....

OK.  Thinking cap on - what if I did 9 patch (3" blocks) using the navy blue as the centre blocks and a medium blue in the middle of the outside blocks with the remaining blues alternating with the white on the corners.  Looked good after a trial couple of blocks.  BUT when I had made all the blocks, they just didn't go together when on my design wall.  I should have alternated the white in the middle blocks, but I wasn't going to unpick.  Then a light went off - as they were quite large blocks 9" square - what if again??? I sliced them and turned them into a disappearing 9 patch?  It worked - he still got his squares and plain blues, but I like the effect of how a disappearing 9-patch turned out with a minimum number of colours and those being plain.

There's movement together with a symmetry of a pattern and not just blocks in a row.

I used a varigated blue/grey/white thread to quilt with and cross-hatched through the blocks.

Outcome - he loves it. 

Moral - don't ask a quilter to make something 'plain', it can't be done.

Why I haven't been here......

is because of this darling little fellow.  My new grandson, Fraser Jeffrey Vale born on 3rd May 2012 at 2.52 am.  I have been in Melbourne looking after big sister Jorja Pearl, who thinks 'he is the cutest baby Nanna'.  Of course I'm not a bit biased!!! 

Mum, Dad, big sister Jorja and Fraser - 1 day old



Fraser on Nanna's quilt - first day home from hospital



I managed to sew some more Candied Hexagons while there - at night after Jorja went to bed and a bit more while she was at school.  I have also finished sewing the binding on my Orca quilt.

Hope all is well with your families - I just looooove being a Nanna.

...Joy

The beauty of nature

Recently we have had some rain here on the coast and this has made our grass turn from brown to green - yes, in the hot summer months we grow brown grass.  After some good rain the new grass is green and very much sort after by the local wildlife.

These beauties here are King Parrots - very similar to the Rosella, but larger and brighter red.  The ones with the green heads are the females.  What you see in the background is from the kangaroos that visit at night!!

Even though they are wild they are also very tame when it comes to humans and as you can see Warwick (DS3) is feeding them some native seeds and they are literally eating out of his hand, in fact one is actually standing on his arm.

(my apologies - these are two photos that were deleted - I still haven't found a copy of them)

I can now show you Travis' quilt

As you can see Travis is a Bombers fan.  It is a wall hanging made with a variety of reds/red & black 9" squares.  There are a couple of 9 patch squares in there to add a bit of interest to a rather bland design.  The 'bomber' emblem I appliqued onto a piece of plain black fabric and did a close satin stitch around each element.  He loves it.

Meeting my favourite princesses...

As you know my family and I went to Disneyland and the US last month.  We had the most fabulous time.  It is a magical place to visit.  I would have enjoyed it even with my granddaughter.

She met all the princesses as well as Mickey and Minnie Mouse and Goofy, and a number of other Disney characters.

Two of her favourites are Aurora (Sleeping Beauty) and of course Snow White.  When she met Aurora, we were having lunch in Ariel's Grotto and she was wearing her 'Aurora' dress.

It was truly a magical happy 3 days.  The rest of the time we went to Chicago, Boston and New York.  I will post some snippets about this part of our trip over the next couple of weeks.

Sign of the times??

DS3 Warwick and DGD Jorja playing with games on iphones........Jorja has her father's, that's his feet you can see.  By the way, she can see through her hair......