Another Block Bites the Dust

Despite Callie making it difficult for me to stitch, I eventually finished block 5 of A Country Tea Party last night.

 I was a bit daunted when I first started this one....the lines all seemed to merge into each other but once I got one teddy stitched it made it easier to separate them and then it was full steam ahead.

I know I have said it before.....but, isn't it just the cutest BOM? The bears look so soft and the colours are so pretty!

Talking about pretty! I look my readers for a walk around my garden on Cath@Home yesterday....featuring these pretties....do you know what they are called? I found 3 different names other than the scientific name and my readers had a few more to add.....if you haven't visited me at home yet, come on over and take a look.

Now that block 5 of ACTP is done, it is time to get back on track with Flowerville....I am 3 blocks behind....how did that happen? ....

 

she naps...I stitch

I am a little behind with my BOM stitching and 'someone'....aka Callie.... is not making it very easy!

Here I am sitting in 'our' chair with my feet up for some stitching R&R...when Callie decides she would like to take her afternoon nap.....on my lap!

 She is very polite about it and initially rests her chin on the chair and looks up at me with big puppy eyes as if to ask permission to get up...I can't refuse her...she is 10yo now and who knows how much time I have left to cuddle with her...lots, I hope, but still I cannot refuse!

I inch my legs over to one side to make room for her but she still likes to half lie on me...

She is quite a heavy lump but I don't mind and she doesn't hassle me by insisting that I keep patting her (like Lila does) so I left her there and continued with my stitching....although it was a little cramped.

What am I stitching?
I am still on Block 5 of A Country Tea Party. It is the central block so it is larger than the others....by now I just have the flowers and grass to do.

Do you have a friend to keep you company while you stitch?


 

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Design Board Monday #20 - Challenge Update

Believe it or not, I have already gone 30 days on my 100 Day Challenge and it is time to check in! Didn't that go quick? Way too quick! Just to recap, here is what I pledged to do.

And here is where I sit after 30 days:

1.  Baby Quilt

I have to finish this one this week ... the good news is that I only have the borders to add and then I get to do the snipping. Oh, I mustn't forget the label!

2. Blog 3x a week

Well so far this hasn't worked out...January was just so full on with other happenings...February won't be much different....here's looking at you March!

3. Mystery Quilt

Ok, I didn't expect to start on this just yet.....Baby Quilt was priority.....but I did unpack and have a look to remind myself what needs to be done.  It actually looks nicer than I remember...

There you have it....why not head over and take a look at Jen's Quilter in the Closet Blog to see how everyone else is faring...you may want to have a look at what you could do in a 100 Day Challenge.....I am sure there will be a stage 2! Jen gave my blog such a great plug mentioning the Design Board Linky so I guess I should get on with that now.......THANKS for keeping me on track for at least one post a week....and just so you know, I am still going through last weeks link ups...like I said, it's been busy elsewhere!

• Link will be open until Sunday 14.2.2016.
• link anything that you are working on this week or over the past week....needle and thread is all it takes.
• Please add a link back to Bits 'n Bobs as part of your post (why not get the button code from the side bar to paste into your post)
• Please make the effort to visit other link users and leave them a comment to make their day! Don't forget me! I like comments too!

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Design Board Monday #19 - So Much Happening

There is so much happening around here at the moment but non of it involves my sewing space.

1. We are still talking about the fire we had here last week and we are still in awe of our good fortune in averting a much greater emergency!
2. We also enjoyed a visit to our home by one of my farmer's sisters and her husband...the weather was glorious for that event and they got the full sweep of all the views that we enjoy everyday
3. Over the weekend we attended the wedding of the farmers niece in the North of the State and even though the event was threatened by floods....it all turned out well and a day to catch up with family. 
4. This morning we have noticed a definite change in demeanour of one of our cows and we are certain she is starting the first stage of calving. 

So you can see why I am a bit distracted again this week and unfortunately I have nothing to show...sewing wise!

 But Wedding-wise, on the other hand....here are a few pics. The wedding was held at historical Brickendon Farm which was established in 1824 and is still owned by the same family, 7 generations on. The barns which were built by convicts are stunning and a gorgeous back drop for the ceremony. Due to recent rain and flash flooding, the wedding was moved inside at the last minute but that did not a matter at all as far as the ceremony went.

 The adjacent barn was decorated beautifully from the table settings right down (or up) to the floral 'chandalier' hanging from the central beam (lower right photo). For me, I enjoyed the specially choreographed Bridal Waltz the best and the Groom's speech brought a lump to my throat. And then we all danced the night away....I just love weddings!

One of my facebook friends posted this photo on her page and it really did hit home but I may well be saying the same thing when March swings around too.

Now, I do hope you have been more diligent than I have with your sewing.....I can't wait to see!

• Link will be open until Sunday 7.2.2016.
• link anything that you are working on this week or over the past week....needle and thread is all it takes.
• Please add a link back to Bits 'n Bobs as part of your post (why not get the button code from the side bar to paste into your post)
• Please make the effort to visit other link users and leave them a comment to make their day! Don't forget me! I like comments too!

Design Board Monday #18 - On Wednesday

I am a 'tad' late with Design Board Monday...or should that be Design Board Wednesday? Unfortunately, the beginning of the week was a tough one for me and I was plagued by migraines. I am not feeling so nasty today so I think I have turned the corner.

I will add a link below so if you still want to join the party...you are most welcome to.

I haven't done any sewing since the weekend when I added some more stitches to 'A Country Tea Party'...and I also created two new pages for my BOM progress for ACTP and Flowerville.

 The banner is done and I have also started on a plate of cupcakes....don't they look yum?

Have you any "needle and thread" projects to share?

• Link will be open until Sunday 31.1.2016.
• link anything that you are working on this week or over the past week....needle and thread is all it takes.
• Please add a link back to Bits 'n Bobs as part of your post (why not get the button code from the side bar to paste into your post)
• Please make the effort to visit other link users and leave them a comment to make their day! Don't forget me! I like comments too!

Stitching!

I just wanted to show the stitching I did for FNSI.....I finished off this little poppet and her very own 'lil teddy.

I just loved stitching the lovely flower in her 'hair'. My satin stitch is really going well on this block.

Here is the progress I have made on a whole.

Thanks for your words of support both about my brief hospital visit and also the fire situation.  I did take my stitching with me to hospital but because I was wired up to all sorts of sensors for a sleep study, it just wasn't going to happen.
As for the fire situation...some parts of the state had a bit of rain overnight but not enough and the Fire Alerts Map still shows an awful lot of fire zones. I think the rain helped with the smoke haze though as it is looking much better....here's the proof.

Taken at sunset last yesterday.

 If you don't  already know, Design Board Monday is live tomorrow....please come and take a look....you may want to join...or you can visit the participants and see what they are up to for the week.

 

Friday Report - My Needle is Threaded

*Please Note - FNSI Results will be posted on Sunday....I do hope you will come back and visit then*

The BOMs are coming in really fast at the moment....just when I thought I had caught up, I suddenly realise that I am a couple of months behind with all three of them. Blocks 4 & 5 of Flowerville are waiting for my attention as well as months 5 & 6 of Brookfield.

Right now I am concentrating on catching up with A Country Tea Party by Libby Richardson. Block 6 arrived in the mail earlier this week and I had only just started stitching block 4....Oh My!

When I last blogged about this stitchery, I had mixed up my thread boxes and so only had one thread that was compatible and didn't get very much done...just the little blue bird. When I got home, the stitching really got underway and a week later, I finished this block, when I  joined a new sewing group at Timeless Designs.

I have to say, some nights, I just couldn't put it down and stayed up until 2am....stitching.

It really is the cutest little block....well they all are... and so now I am onto Block 5.

Block 5 is the central block of the quilt and is twice as big as the other blocks so far which means I am reaching the half way mark of the stitching.

I started stitching the teddies in this block just a couple of nights ago and they are really taking shape now.

I was so thrilled with how the satin stitch features turned out...although it is a bit easier when the fill in shapes are bigger.  I am going to continue working on this for FNSI*

I say Friday NIGHT Stitch in...but...I have an overnight observation in hospital tonight so I am stitching this afternoon to take my mind off the event...and the fact that our air outside is full of smoke from the bushfires up north.

I have posted about this today on Cath@Home

 *I hope you will be joining up with FNSI tonight. Head on over to join up or visit some of the blogs there...starting tomorrow. I will put up my FNSI Results on Sunday 24/1/16

Design Board Monday #17 - Secret Stuff?

Good Monday Morning to you! Do I sound particularly cheery today.....maybe because I have made some progress on that baby quilt which also means I am on my way to completing my 100 Day Challenge

But for now, lets get to Design Board Monday...

Now I wasn't going to show off this quilt until it had a bub laying on it but.......yea, what the heck, here it is and if 'Granny G' is reading this, I hope she can keep a secret!

  
I was going to sew all the squares together first but I just couldn't wait to see how it was going to look when joined so two rows were joined.

Then I got on to finishing all the centre blocks and started sewing those together....before too long, I had all five centre rows.....so time to start sewing the rows together.

It is interesting to note that I read a blog tutorial titled...."Make a Quilt in 30 minutes" which was also a raggy quilt and wondered what they are on!.....it took me 30 minutes alone to make the 3 squares for each row! Are they over achievers? I don't think I am an under achiever....maybe I am just the tortoise....slow and steady wins the race!  I still have a 3 rows to attach to complete the centre and then I will create a border of half squares.

In this photo, I flipped the completed section over so you can see the cuddly minky on the back....it looks a bit yellow in this picture but it is actually an off white colour.

I have also done a fair amount of stitching on my 'A Country Tea Party' block 4 and as usual, now that the tracing is done and the stitching is underway.....I am loving the process....which is of course why I do stitcheries! Block 6 arrived this week......I think I am falling behind! I also received the 6th package of 'Brookfield' so I will have to pay a little extra attention to that as well.

That is what my Design Board looks like this week......now, how about you?

• Link will be open until Sunday 24.1.2016.
• link anything that you are working on this week or over the past week....needle and thread is all it takes.
• Please add a link back to Bits 'n Bobs as part of your post (why not get the button code from the side bar to paste into your post)
• Please make the effort to visit other link users and leave them a comment to make their day! Don't forget me! I like comments too!

Happy Stitching!

This week I am also linking up with: