Relishing Retirement

After a minor health issue recently,

retirement is starting to agree with me!

 I seem to be busier than ever!

I love the freedom of being able to look after my 

grandchildren when needed!

I've found time to prepare all the octagon square 

blocks for my Bessie Creek Rd quilt,

which I'll finish by hand piecing.

These are the ones I've made so far!

I've finished the embroidery on my 

Daisy Love Purse....

now to make it into a zippy pouch!

I recently purchased this lovely soft laminated cotton 

from Frou Frou, a Parisian company.

I want to make a drawstring bag for travelling.

Finally, on the sewing front, I drafted a couple of 

LeMoyne Stars for a small project I am planning.

Finally, I have been tagged in a couple of Instagram 

posts recently,

with versions of my Scrappy Sandwiches tutorial,

 being made by girls on a quilt retreat in the United 

States!

It is very humbling knowing that my little blogposts 

reach so far!

 Happy days indeed!

SUZ

Processing....

 My Bessie Creek Road quilt is slowly coming along....

I hand pieced the centre star

        

        and it's playing nicely with its neighbours.

      All twenty of the hexie flowers are complete...

I have now also finished the circle squares...

made my way!

I pieced a four patch block and then ironed a freezer 

paper template to the back,

cut it out with a 1/4" seam 

and painted a thin line of Flatter, a spray type starch, 

around the edge, before pressing.

This Flatter spray smell amazing!

This helps the seam to sit down flat for applique!

It was then time to see how the blocks were looking 

altogether.

This arrangement (above) is the square version, but

 not the actual one, but shows most of the blocks 

                            complete so far.

    

    This is how the layout will look, except the hexie         

                  blocks will be in the outer rounds.

      Four more different designed blocks to do.... 

                        mostly hand piecing!

                    So lots of prep still to come!

                                

                                Happy sewing!

                                    SUZ

               Please excuse the horrid formatting. Blogger doesn't behave like it used to!

A change of pace!

 My quiltmaking took a back seat for a while,

while I made some clothes...

a blouse in Kaffe cotton....

and pants in linen for me,

And a dress in vintage cotton plisse ,

and top from an Outback Wife cotton/merino twill for 

my sister, Helen!

We had a bit of fun taking photos 

and trying to give the features a fair showing

such as the splits in the top....

the ruffle on the back of the other top....

the pockets..... 

and matching checks on the pants....

or the spotty binding on the dress!

The joy is definitely in the making and the wearing!

Happy sewing!

SUZ