Missing again!

 It was my husband's turn to have a break, 

so I've been missing from this blog and my sewing 

room again!

We stayed at a beautiful B&B in Mansfield

I did manage to finish my Daisy Love Purse from 

Treehouse Textiles between my return from Tassie and 

my getaway in Mansfield!

I also got some more blocks made for my Bessie 

Creek Road quilt.

I'm foundation paper piecing the arcs on these.

While away, I spent many an afternoon stitching more 

of these blocks too.

While away I happened upon a small quilt show in a 

church.

The ones I really liked were all made by the same girl!

And earlier this week, I was lucky enough to be chosen 

to test a new quilt pattern for Freebird Quilting designs...

(based somewhat on the design linked here)

This is the fabric I have chosen to work with....

and the start of what I cut out today.

I managed to get a small part of it pieced... 

before it was time to get outside and enjoy the late 

Autumn sunshine!

I think that's got me caught up!

I promise not to disappear again....

well, I don't have a holiday planned, at least!

Happy days,

SUZ

Missing in Action

 well.....missing in Tassie, actually!

My sister and I have been on a road trip around 

Tasmania.

I took my latest quilt finish with me.

"Worries In My Pocket" had a little holiday too!

I quilted all the lines with my walking foot, even the 

curvy ones!

I love how it looks on the back too!

I am gifting this to a very special person who made my 

retirement a reality!

He has long admired my quilts and my Instagram 

following...

He thinks having 2000+ followers is a big deal! 😄

I hope he likes purple!

While we were away we rummaged through op shops

 (thrift stores to my Northern Hemisphere readers)

for doilies, vintage sheets, and even clothes!

And of course, some patchwork fabrics and wool came 

home with me too!

Now it's time to make some plans for all this lot!

Happy days!

SUZ

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