What a Lovely Surprise

I love getting parcels in the post. It doesn't happen that often, and when you don't expect them they are even better!! I have a birthday coming up, but didn't even think that a gift would be inside, so I opened it early (well Little A did), how cheeky of me. The pressy is from the lovely Brooke, she is responsible for getting me back into crafting, I just now have to get her into blogging, she makes some amazing stuff. The material is from amitie and the card, isn't it just perfect, is from maggiedolly.

On the weekend I started cutting out 20cm squares to make this, the Crazy Nine-Patch Lattice Quilt by Oh, Fransson. I'm making it in red and white with a splash of green, so hopefully it wont look too christmassy. It's going to clash with my couch but oh well!!

I'll have some photos to put up soon so you can see for yourself.

Until next time.

TTFN

Oh dear

I just made my very first online fabric purchase. This may be a good beginning or a very bad expensive one!! I shopped here. At least I shopped in Aus and bought some aussie designed fabric too. Have you discovered Saffron Craig? I just have :-).

Help the hairy bloke please

Shave for a cure, originally uploaded by MandyMade.

The bloke of the house is shaving, yay you might say. But he is shaving for a great course, and not to let me know what he actually looks like underneath!! He's been quite hairy for quite a few years now, the boy wont know him!!

He's taking part in the Leukaemia Foundation World's Greatest Shave this year. Both the hair AND the beard goes. Wow.

Take a look at his Profile Page by clicking this link: here

I'd like you to support him by making a secure online donation using your credit card.

- Every hour of every day, at least one person in Australia is diagnosed with leukaemia, lymphoma or myeloma.
- Every two hours, someone loses their life to blood cancer.

Please help us raise as much as we can for the Leukaemia Foundation. Their vital work provides patients with practical support during their long and tough treatment, as well as funding important research.

Thanks for your support!

Note: stats taken from the WGS website.

Charging Basket

Charging Basket, originally uploaded by MandyMade.

Another project on the wish list done, and it serves as another domestic project too. Unfortunately I've had some time on my hands this week, long story, so I've been able to get  a bit of sewing done. It relaxes me and when I have a finished project, I feel good inside, can't beat that.

This one is another free tutorial from Oh! Fransson, the Charging Basket. It could be very tricky to make but her instructions are fantastic, so clear, and guides you through every step. I had a flat fat from my stash (spotlight splurge) and some matching red and I used calico instead of linen. After cutting the main square for the outside I didn't have the correct size for the centre, so I just adjusted the red outside it to fit. It got to the stippling bit, which I was looking forward to as I've never done it and thought this would be a great project to have a go, only to realise that my machine doesn't have a darning foot, thought it did, oh well. So I just sewed wavy lines instead (see below). Great project to make, highly recommend it.

 

TTFN

Pincushion organiser

Pincushion organiser, originally uploaded by MandyMade.

I finally did it, I made Oh! Fransson's Pincushion organiser (also over at Sew Mama Sew). It's been on the to do list for ages. I had some time this week so, it got made. It was easy to make, mainly due to the excellent tutorial Elizabeth put together. I think I over stuffed the pincushion bit, getting the rice bag in was tough. If I make another I think I would put some interfacing in the pouch to make it a bit more sturdy.

I'm still not sure of the colours I've used but they are growing on me. I used 3 flat fats out of a 5 pack of coordinating fabric from spotlight.

TTFN

Grocery Bag Dispenser

Grocery Bag Dispenser, originally uploaded by MandyMade.

Another domestic project complete. Now all my plastic bags are off the floor of the laundry and neatly tucked away in my new plastic bag dispenser!! I ended up using the tutorial from Rachel Griffith at p.s i quilt. The tutorial is also on the moda blog. I used 2 fabrics instead of multi. It was hard enough deciding on these. I don't know if you can read the text but it's all about saving the planet with recycling etc. The fabric is all from my stash and originally from spotlight. I quilted it with straight lines offset from the seam joins.

The thing about this tutorial is that it taught me why it's good to iron the seems one way. When piecing it together all of the joins lined up perfectly. Definitely sold me on doing this now, I have usually always ironed them flat. I used the basting spray again for making the quilt sandwich. I think I've emptied the can. This was only the second project I used it on, thought it would last much longer than that, it's not like I over did it either. Oh well.

Back later with my another finished project.

TTFN