Stitching in the heat

Summer has arrived with a vengeance here, after a couple of months of mild spring weather,suddenly the days  are in the mid 30s (90s) with climbing humidity.  My sewing room has windows facing north and west and it gets very hot.  It's been the last room to have any attention in this house of renovations, so there's no blinds or curtains up yet, only an old sheet tacked up which falls down with annoying regularity, and doesn't really keep the space cool.

So my sewing machine and I have migrated to the dining table.  The sun is away from here by mid morning and there's usually a cooling breeze from the east.  And I can keep an eye on the building progress across the road, as another out-of-character -for -the -neighbourhood house goes up!

Today's the 15th of the month, and that means Kate and Gun are hosting ScrapHappy Day today.  I haven't been here since last month's SHD, but it's been one of those kinds of months!

I'm pleased to say I've accomplished a couple of projects to show you today.  This cot size quilt went off to Tasmania last month to an organisation that supports teen mums.  It had been finished for a while, just the binding needing sewing down, and for some reason I'd put it away and forgotten about it.  So a quick finish and away it went, I bet it already has a little some-one spitting up on it!

Next is a quilt top only at this stage, which is also destined for a Young Parent's Program in SE Queensland.  More scrappy log cabins

Sweet pastels this time

And remember the orange and blue number from here .... it's still being quilted.  I was just getting so bored quilting around those squares, so I put it away and started on the pastel blocks.  Much easier and way more satisfying!  It was a pain too, to have to keep taking the walking foot on and off to work on other projects.....i know, life's hard! I'm thinking I need another sewing machine, this one ready to quilt with all the time and another to do regular sewing on.  

There's no rush for this, if it's ready I'll send it off with the pastel one at the end of the month, if not, there'll be somewhere else to send it.

I'm joining with Kate and Gun who kindly host ScrapHappy Day every month.  They both have a list of Happy Scrappers who join in, so go check out what everyone's doing.  Or if you have your own scrappy project, you might like to join in.  Here's what Kate has to say about it.........

"

ScrapHappy is open to anyone using up scraps – no new fabrics. It can be a random or formal quilt block, a pillow or pincushion, a bag or hat, a collage or rag rug. Anything made of scraps is eligible. If your scrap collection is out of control and you’d like to turn them into something beautiful instead of leaving them to collect dust in the cupboard, why not join us on the 15th of each month? Either email me at the address shown on my Contact Me page, or leave a comment below. You can also contact Gun via her blog to join. You don’t have to worry about a long term commitment or even join in every month, just let either of us know a day or so in advance if you’re new and you’ll have something to show, so we can add your link."

Eastern Water Dragon

Must go,  time to let the chooks out and walk Mirrhi while it's still relatively cool  out there.  I'll leave you with this fellow who spends his day surveying his world from atop Buddha's head.

Till next time...........

More scrappy blues

too hot to do much sewing, but enough to feel I've accomplished something........

Week 3, more wonky log cabins, linking up again with RSC15  (rainbow scrap challenge 2015) with 6 new blocks.Making these is a bit like eating potato chips, it's hard to stop at just one.  I'm running out of ' 'just blue' blue scraps though and have used some pale and dark blues to finish off blocks.  I have a plan for next week to start some blocks in the aqua shades to begin a quilt for a friend's birthday.

All 14 blocks, hey that's quite a start!

And what to do with all the teeny pieces trimmed off the edges and left over threads.....or orts as I've seen them called, which just means scraps......pile them on some wash-away( solvy) and make some more fabric of course!

Scraps on wash-away

            after being stitched in a net or grid pattern

after washing

close-up of 'new' fabric

This forms a pliable but firm 'fabric' that can be used for embellishment, or cut up to make shapes. I'm going to use it to make a gift for a friend's birthday next week, have a few ideas about what to make with it, there'll be stitching and beads for sure.

..........and an update on Walter's quilt......coming along nicely 

 blocks sewn into fours, and one long strip sewn 

I'm going to need to add borders or it won't be wide enough so I followed Kate's example and have been auditioning fabrics.  I think this brick red works well for a first border, but as I don't have very much of it, there'll be a trip to the fabric store very soon.  Not sure about the second border, something blue I think, but I'll wait and see until the red is on.

Molly!  too hot to snuggle close thank-you

'til next time.....

New Years Day

hee hee hee got a bit ahead of myself yesterday, post title should be new year's eve.....now it's new year's day!

Hello there...........

The day's already dawned hot and humid. the temp was 29 C overnight and is now 30C  and is set to climb to the mid/high 30s C.  I've been up since 5am and have done the laundry, walked the dog, tidied the house, cooked ratatouille/pasta sauce, veggies for the dog, pumpkin and seeds for the chooks and started a dish to take out to lunch tomorrow.  Phew!

Brenna eyeing something tasty

Speaking of pumpkins, I have this maurauding beast that's taking over the garden. it's a volunteer and doing really well and it's even growing baby pumpkins but it's smothering everything else.  And it's in my flower bed, not the veggie garden......not that you can tell that there's any flowers there any more!  My dilemma is do I leave it or pull it out? I hate to remove anything that's growing and thriving but it's sending out sticky fingers to grab more of my garden for itself.  It has a lot of flowers, and I'm wondering just how many pumpkins I can eat or give away.  It probably doesn't help that I don't like pumpkin soup, or that could be a good solution. I think it might have to go, what do you think?

pumkins forming

Now these tendrils can climb and spread, I don't mind, they're on my cucumber plants.......with a companion spider.

Hmm, maybe one plant would've been enough?

I've been getting into the garden in the cool early morning, or late evening......good old daylight savings! and doing some tidying and rearranging in the veggie patch.  This messy spot was full of radishes, collards, silver beet and calendulas, a few weeds too.  All gone now, and will be replaced by some trees, not sure what yet apart from a pomegranate and maybe a pawpaw.   I want plants that will grow tall enough to give some privacy from next door, and to shade the side of the house from the vicious afternoon sun.

Looks like this now, I left the parsley there.  still some weeds to be dug up.....sigh!

And I added this raised bed to the other side of the patch,  for beans, capsicums and some lettuce, or bok choy. The beans will grow tall enough to shade the lettuce.  Collards in the background, left there for the chooks, this bed will eventually go too, and be replaced by fruit trees.  Spring onions in a styrofoam box to the left. I planted these 2 years ago, and they just keep producing for me, even when I neglect them.

Just one more game, pleease.

 I was given this sweet potato plant, so popped it in a tub on the side path.  It provides some green and a splash of colour in an otherwise hot and boring area. And....it won't take over the garden!

Molly in a contemplative mood, using the kitchen floor as camouflage 

 I'm off to the Farmer's Market now, want to come too?  Oh good, I'll take my camera with me and you can see the sights tomorrow next post.

I'll leave you with new year wishes.....have fun whatever you do tonight, stay safe and don't worry about making resolutions, just decide to have more of everything.

 til next time..........