The last two weeks has just flown by! I’ve been busy sewing, doing my volunteering and still dealing with tradies and quotes. We will need to modify our renovation plans as it becomes clear that prices are more than we planned. But thats OK we’ll just go slower and do a lot more DIY around the place. We leave for our cruise on Thursday so I need to start packing today. I am quite excited thinking about getting back on board the Royal Princess and going cruising again. I’m planning to blog our holiday this time so lets hope our internet at sea works OK.

On the sewing front, I bought myself a Stripology ruler. I’ve wanted one for years but they are quite expensive but now that I have it I can really see the value. It just makes cutting fabric so much faster and easier. Great for cutting down the scraps and cutting strips from meterage. Its going to get a lot of use.

Another Blockheads 5 block is finished. This is the 12″ block

and this is the 6″ block

I haven’t made all the blocks but heres what I have so far:

My scrap strip bins are getting pretty full so I made a lot of 1.5″ strips into 4 patches. I want to make some mini-quilts and wall-hangings next year so they will come in handy for those. I enjoy just making simple patches.

Then 3″ and 4″ bins were overflowing so I decided to make HST’s and play around with a few ideas on the design wall. HST’s are so  versatile!

And on the weekend as I was sorting through some flimsies waiting to be quilted I pulled out my Sweet Dreams top. I want to make it bigger and so there was enough leftover fabric to make lots of 3″ squares so I’m going to make a border of those. Thats what is on my sewing table this morning.

Well time for me to get organised and start packing. I’m taking my Owl Hare & Hollow embroidery with me to do on the ship. If all goes well my next post will be from onboard.

Linking up to: Oh Scrap, and NinaMarie

Hello and welcome to my new blog address, mostly about sewing and retired life. My old site at blogger was no longer viable as I was unable to fix the problems with posting and commenting on blogs including my own. So now that I’ve had a few months break I’ve decided to restart my blog on my own domain.

Heres a quick update of what we’ve been up to over the last few months.

We’ve mostly been busy doing lots of work around the house. We knocked down a wall between DD’s room and my old sewing room to make a larger room for her. We’ve installed new wardrobes, almost finished the gyprocking and just need to get some shelving installed and then finish the painting.

DS’s old bedroom was repainted and its now my new sewing room!  I have more room – it’s still stuffed to the gills with fabric! – and will have a lovely view over the garden eventually.  I’ve moved all my fabric in and its also storage for stuff out of DD’s room while we finish it so I’m looking forward to getting it all set up just for sewing soon.

I’ve also spent some time with DS as he had to have surgery and needed some help at home. It was so nice to just spend time together after the few years of covid restrictions and not having to rush home for work after our visits now that we are not working. He’s doing well now and back at work. We have put a new kitchen in his unit which was sorely needed – it looks great – next up is updating the bathroom.

One the sewing front I’ve been making some lap quilts for donation and I’ll post some pics of  those shortly. I also started the Owl and Hare Hollow quilt embroidery squares which I’m enjoying – I’m a bit behind with this along with the other Block of the Months I had planned for this year but its all good. I will get some photos up later once I’ve had time to work out this new blog. 

On the travel front we’ve just got back from a month in the warmer weather of Queensland. Such a beautiful place and I was able to spend time tracking down some of my family history while I was away.. It was nice to get away from the cold and we have both returned feeling rested and ready to get back into the house and yard work. I’m ready to get back to my sewing & blogging and am hoping to start volunteering in the next few weeks helping students with speaking literacy and conversational English.

Well thats all for the moment, its nice to be back!

cheers,

Jan