my blocks so far.

Well I have been working on my fqs blocks and have only got the double borders around each block stitched on so far.  I wasn't exactly sure what I was going to do  but have been looking at the flickr group of these to get some ideas and have used the eyespy fabric to frame each one.  I like how they have turned out so far and I am trying to decide on sashings.  I am going to use some kiwi ana prints for the back to make it all most a reversible quilt so it will be two quilts in one!  I have been busy making velvet jackets so not much time to do quilting at all . And this weekend  i have plenty of more jackets to sew up. They have 2 jet pockets with flaps in the front  openings on the sleeves a roll collar with a riveier . short to just below the waist.  Quite a nice jacket. designed by Andrea Moore.   I saw some of her designs on the 'Goodmorning show ' this week on tv.

I bought a few fat quarters I saw  on sale and a small jellie roll , I quite liked the colours  so took it home with me . I'm  thinking of trying out a jelly roll racer quilt with it . would make a nice crib size i think for a baby....Well I better go do some jackets now  or at least make a start on them.

It is the school holidays  for the next 2 weeks here.  I usually go down to my mums for a week and my sister pam usually comes over from ozzy but I'm not sure if I will go down as I have got  rather  a lot of work to get done and I can do it from home and not actually have to go into work each day so i can have a bit of a lie in , in the mornings!

all the blocks with double borders on.

fat quarters

Hope everyone has a nice easter and don't eat too much chocolate !

''Another one finished."

1 & 2

Pincushion number 2 is also finished. I just had to have another go making these after looking at others on flickr group. Here is my pic of this one.  It is  a little bigger than the last one . I will probably make a few more too.

number 2 pincushion

block 12- the last one

 I have finished my last blocks in the fqsqal . Now to get it finished !  I always find other things to distract me from the main job...like this cute little pincushion ..it only took me about an hour to play around with it...but it's finished! rather easy and you can go to this tutorial it's easy.  I think I will do a couple more .

On saturday I took myself off to the local quilt show. "Quilts across the ranges". The western quilters circle have there annual show at this time of year....Yes, I remembered to take my camera along and took 3 pics and then....beep beep beep ...oh no, flat battrys! " I really hate it when that happens".  When I got home to download pics I realized it wasn't flat battrys but a full memory card!  ...Should have put my glassess on!!  So if you would like to veiw some of the quilts that the guild have on display please go to their blog over here.  There are some really lovely quilts and wall hangings to see..  I liked these 2

a beautiful quilt as you walk into the room

a bargello quilt

block 12-my block

block 12-chey's quilt

close up of the pretty button

the back view

my cathedral pincushion finished!

mozzarella cheese

Mozzarella Cheese in 8 Minutes


Ingredients
2 Litres full cream milk
1 teaspoon citrus acid
2 teaspoons renco
Boiling water

Method
In a deep and microwave-proof dish place the milk and 1 teaspoon citrus acid. Stir well.
Place in the microwave for 6 minutes on high.
Remove from microwave and stir through the renco.
Place back in microwave for a further 1 minute.
Remove once again and drain excess liquid.
Place back in for a further 45 seconds then drain excess liquid off in a colander.
You can then put into a cheese basket to allow it to set. The cheese will seem bland, so you will need to make a Rock Salt broth.

Place one cup of Rock Salt in a large pot of of water and simmer for an hour until all the salt has dissolved.
Cool then place your cheese in this broth for 20 minutes. This will help to flavour the cheese.

You may need a mould to help you to create the right shape for the cheese.
Once you have drained the excess liquid, place boiling water over the top and with a wooden spoon gently press juice out of the cheese.
Remove and place in a cheese mould.

(Broadcast: 23 Feb 2012)

"'I've got lots of these"....

 I have been making these star blocks with Konda.  We are on the last block now but I have not made my one yet I've just finished block 11  x2 . This is for  Chey's quilt. I found this cute fabric on Trademe (nz)  .It's nice and bright .Now I'm just waiting to see what  the finishing directions konda has decided to do.

I have ended up with a lot of half triangles that are waste really but I never throw mine out as they are a decent size to use in other projects .  I save them all up and throw them into a spare shoebox just for these leftovers.  This little pile is just from 2 or 3 blocks!  They do accumulate rather quickly in these quilt-alongs.  I made a quilt with a snowball block and had  heaps of these triangles over but I sew them up straight away after I have done the block . I started joining them up and thought I would turn it into a cushion or it might become a table mat....I'm still deciding ....

scraps of half square triangles from qal

block 11- Chey's quilt

close up of he brown lines

close up of jacket fabric

I haven't done much patchwork except for the blocks. I have been working on some winter coates for work.  They are a dark grey/black plaid with a purple line ...   Where you see the browny stripe, some have a purple stripe ..quite a nice style .They have 2 pocket with flaps on the front a jet pocket at the shoulder and a vent at the back and shaped side panels and the sleeves have a vent also but no buttons so the sleeves can be turned up ....There is heaps of matching up to do!!  There is quite a bit of work in these coats too. Not sure on how long they we are given yet but more work than the other one and that was about 2hrs and 20 mins so these would be abit  more I think. The blue is the lining. I will try and take some pics of pockets when they are done.

"These will make a yummy breakfast:!

the small one is about a size 6.

I got some more huge  eggs this week.  The one on the left-middle,  is a normal everday egg but the other 3 are extra big!  I usually only get one of these big ones every week and a half .....but this week "the girls'  decided to step up the pace a little and have layed 3 this week.  I weigh them when one arrives and the heaviest is 102grams, then 98grams  then 94grams. not bad ah and they are all double yolkers.   They will make a yummy breakfast too.

I haven't  done any sewing of blocks this week but have made about 12 of the blouses I have to get done  some time this week. They are a silk mix and go together really well.  I haven't done a single stitch in the crochet department either but when I finish the blouses I usually get a small break between jobs  so will try and fit some in.

Here is Declan now just over 3 months old...isn;t he a cutie!!  He has a new t-shirt...looks like he is 'Holden ' fan.....not in this house it's "Fords"

"Am I cute or what "  ?

My next fqs block 11.

Well I was fluffing around yesterday arvo but was meant to be working out how to make some blouses for work . There are 17 to do but fairly straight forward. The blouse has a collar on a band but the trickiest bit is a sleeve placket opening..the ones like on mens buisness shirts. I've never done one like that before so i unpicked the sample a little to peck how they did it!...quite simple really..figured it out and sewed it back up..It makes me feel like making some for myself again as usually I just buy them...so I might make something in the future, some type of top.  I did buy some purple  knit  fabric the other day to make a t-shirt style top with hanky hemline but it might turn into a blouse, not sure have to think about it now.  Well anyway I started sorting what fabrics to make my  next block of the fqsqal with and kept going and finished it.  I think it looks okay.  Now I just have to do another of the same block for Chey's quilt.   I have pretty much caught up now with only 1 of  block 8 still  to do for my quilt.  Gosh we are up to block 11 already! ....only 1 more block to do then the finishing.  I find that is what takes me so long to do  but this quilt of chey's is meant to  be finished by june  in time for his 8th birthday  so If I get my  'A into G' I  should get it finished.  I'm not in any hurry to finish my one but by the end of the year would be nice, if I keep plugging away at it who knows !  here is pic

block 11 quilt-2(sorry I haven't cropped this pic)

four naughty 'girls' sitting on the fence....not for long if chippy sees them!

block 9

block 9
Originally uploaded by susanriddell33

One down...one more of this block to do .