Count Your Blessings

and other random ramblings....

I am usually one of few words, here in blog land.  

And I'm not sure I can say anything that hasn't already been said about this 

 predicament we all living?

I could rant and rave about incompetent administrations, in the government 

and 

employment but negativity will not help....

So here's my little list of positivity:

Adventure Bear is waiting for this to be over too!

1. Read this: Crafting in the Time of Coronavirus

  

2. Listen to this: Pub Choir

3. Take a class here: Bluprint classes are free until 9th April- knitting, drawing, 

quilting, sewing classes. Plenty to inspire you!

I even bought backing (in the centre) before I started this quilt!

4. Watch an uplifting movie.  "The Way", "My Summer In Provence" and 

"Roman Holiday"  are all on my list. 

SBS here in Australia has them all 'on-demand'.

5. If the weather allows, get out and walk. I'm guessing, when we are on the 

other side of this, everyone will need new clothes.

There will be one group who have lost a couple of kilos because they got out for 

a dose of vitamin D every day and their 10,000 steps. 

The second group will have gained a few because they've binged, boozed and 

snacked the days away! 

I know which one I'd rather be! 

This morning's sunrise

6. Look for opportunities to help one another. If you want to feel good, do good!

7. And of course, it's ok to do nothing. There will be days like that, so be gentle 

with yourself, stay connected and rest.

If you're looking for me, I'll be right here working on two new quilts,

This is for a mystery quilt-along on Facebook

and counting my blessings!

SUZ

Sentiero

is Italian for 'pathway',

and the name of my latest quilt finish!

I began this one back in September.

It is a paper pieced pattern called Boston Pavement.

Three rounds of straight line quilting

I don't think it is any longer available,

but there are other versions around.

There are more details on this blogpost.

Anyway, I was supposed to be holidaying 

in Italy in May....

Enough said?

Quilting it helped take my mind off the gloom and 

doom we are all experiencing, 

to varying degrees.

It was pleasantly quiet, wandering around taking 

these photos too.

As I noted on Facebook, quilters have been in 

training for this social isolation for years!

Here in Australia, we have not been officially 

quarantined but many are choosing to stay at home.

We are teaching online, and mostly from home,

 for another week, 

then some serious crafting can begin.

Plans are being hatched!

Details:

Quilt No.3 for 2020

Lifetime Quilt No. 122

 53" X 67"

Boston Pavement pattern

Foundation

Stay well friends!

SUZ

"Snuggle Bunny"

is the name of my latest finish.

I again followed the Art Gallery "Snuggle" pattern for 

this Dashwood Studios panel

 I quilted straight diagonal lines in the outer pattern

but was eager to test my Free Motion quilting skills,

now that I have my Juki back!

 To say I was chuffed with the effect was an 

understatement!

The quilt finishes at about 36" square,

a good size for a baby play mat.

 Both the backing and binding came from my stash!

The label will have to wait until I return from school camp!

But quilt #2 for 2020 is finished!

#121 all-time quilt

Art Gallery "Snuggle" pattern

Happy sewing!

SUZ

"Charcoal Lane"....

is the name of my first quilt finish of 2020!

My Juki has been in for a service and repair.

 Events transpired to eke it out to three months! 

My service centre was down a man, the part it 

needed took some time to source and everything 

closes down over Christmas too!

So yesterday I couldn't wait to get sewing!

I chose a square spiral following the log cabin block 

layout- simple but effective.

I want to use as much of my stash as possible this 

year, but often don't have WOF for binding.

So I used Linda @flourishpalms tutorial for 

a 'no tails' method. 

Two different stripes for the binding.

I still need to master the technique, but I am 

pleased with the overall effect.

And the name- a Paul Kelly song I heard for the first 

time today!

Three months between quilt finishes was WAY too 

long!

Dimensions" 45" square

Quilt finish #1 for 2020

#120 all-time quilt

Improvised log cabin

Happy sewing!

SUZ

Two weeks...

is a long time between posts! 

For no particular reason, I have not been very 

productive in the sewing department this year.

But I'm still here, doing what I can when I can!

I enjoyed some mindless piecing, making these 

'quilt-as-you-go' panels,

turning them into zippy pouches.

They are now waiting for some worthy recipients.

I have owned four "Merrily" panels for a long time,

and recently came across a free pattern online that I 

thought I could use with them.

And I'm thrilled with how it turned out!

It is now 37" square.

I really wish I had more of that gorgeous red and 

green 'stars' fabric.

I think it would be awesome as a large 74" bed quilt, 

using the other three panels!

If you'd like to make your own, the pattern is on the 

Art Gallery Fabric website here

Its name is "Snuggle"- pretty perfect, hey?

Peg Bags

or clothes pins....

That's what my North American friends call pegs!

I needed a new one and had 'pinned' Carla's version 

(here) on Pinterest ages ago. 

And before too long a friend ordered two more!

I was able to enclose all the seams by altering the 

final assembly step!

They are a surprisingly quick make!

It's great to have another gift idea in the vault!

I think they'd be a good item for fairs and fetes too.

Happy sewing!

SUZ

The quickest...

I've ever knitted a garment, albeit a short-sleeved 

one!

It took me less than a month to knit my Soldotna 

top...

And I enjoyed every part of it!

I didn't think I could knit a whole garment in the 

round....

All knit stitches except for the bands, short rows, 

loose bind off!

I love how it works with my skirt...

I'm thinking of making one with long sleeves!

Happy days!

SUZ

Drifting along...

My sew-jo seemed to have taken a little holiday recently....

Although since Christmas, I've made a skirt,

which is a little crushed because I have worn it 

a couple of times already!

And a blouse.....

I love gingham!

We have been experiencing terrible bush fires here 

in Australia.

They have not affected me directly, apart from some 

dreadfully smoky haze.

I do have friends in the north-east who have evacuated once and are now back on a 'watch and act' alert.

So I decided to join the call for 'cool ties' for the amazing firefighters, many of whom are volunteers!

These are so easy to make, using the free tutorial 

found here.

I'd hoped to find my sewjo amongst my Cotton and Steele scraps...

and before I knew it I was pressing, cutting and piecing log cabin blocks!

Happy days!

SUZ