So Much to Tell and so Little Time!

This is the two exhausted elves at the end of the day! They kept us very busy and well fed!

 Tonight was a very busy scene with the eye spy blocks being sewn together to make two quilts for Kindergartens at Broadmeadows and Woodend.  They look amazing with the great variety of fabrics used.

I've lost track of many of the project detail that members have been producing so I will just add some photos for your enjoyment!

Christmas in July

The Elves this year were Joy and Ann and they did an absolutely amazing job of organising the challenge and the Christmas in July event at the Sunbury Football club.  We all had a brilliant day and there was lots of gossip and laughter and delicious food.  Thanks ladies!

The challenge this year was to make something (anything you want!) out of an animal print fat quarter.  We were all given random prints and just look at all the entries!  There were quilts, wall-hangings, cushions, bags, cuddly toys and more!  Well done ladies!  I'm really looking forward to the next challenge...who will the elves be I wonder?

 

The Elf Challenge entries

six: friday favourites

Hej {Swedish for hello}... so here is the six instalment of Friday Favourites. If you're reading this post, I'd like you to do me a BIG favour and please email me one of your favourite things. It can be anything...a recipe, a project, a pattern, an internet freebie, a tutorial you liked or a tip you've heard... this series is about to go fortnightly, but I'd still love to hear from SS&Q members. Remember, there's a link to my email address in this post, if you've got something to share with us all.

I thought I'd take a different tack this week and talk tech... meaning the lovely computers and smart devices you might be reading this blog on, right now. As crafty people, I know you all appreciate beautiful things and like to surround yourself with them {I know some of you have pretty big stashes of fabric for one}. I figured like me, you might like to dress your tech in something pretty too. I've found a scattering of beautiful downloads for you that might appeal to quilters and stitchers. Even if you think you're not savvy enough to put any of these on your own tech, you can still just enjoy the visual feast below...

source: The Desktop Wallpaper Project {Nick Agin}

source: Mr Wallpaper

Sochi Olympics // source: Really Good Wallpapers

each month a new background // source: Quilt Books & Beyond

clouds // source: Stitch This! {Martingale's blog}

source: The Desktop Wallpaper Project {Knoll Textiles}

more from Martingale // source: Stitch This! {Martingale's blog}

gorgeous old singer // source: HQ Desktop

source: To Sew with Love

source: Makezine

source: Fluffyland

Well, I hope you found something that blew your hair back! Happy stitching!


Kylie x

Tuesday Triumphs

It is so inspirational when our members have finished a project and share it with the rest of us.  Enjoy this feast -

Sheila has created this beautiful blue and white dresden for a lucky person overseas.  She has quilted it using the quilt-as-you-go technique.

As usual Barb B. has created a beautiful quilt with exquisite embroidery.

This scrappy hexagon quilt is also Barb's .  She was obviously was inspired by our show theme.

And Esmae has finished a wonderful version of the Farmer's Wife. A few of us are doing this quilt but  progress is a lot slower than Esmae's efforts.

There has also been activity on other levels including Joy's knitted bears and Gill's giraffe  By now this little fellow is enjoying life in Zambia with the Koala Club at Chibobo!

And finally for this moment in time we celebrate small achievements as well as big.  Remember Ann's FW block a few posts ago.  It is now finished!   In  how many years will this quilt be hanging in a quilt show?????

We look forward to the next Show and Tell!

Glo :-)

five: friday favourites

Howdy Stitchers...so here is the fifth instalment of Friday Favourites for you. Thank you to those members who have been sending things my way. Please keep emailing me your favourites, because I'd like to try and represent every taste {not just mine}.

I know July fourth is a US holiday, but thought it might be fun to see what our American friends have been up to with their red, white and blue quilting...

There is this little pennant quilt by Cori from Let's Eat Grandpa {love that name}. In any colour way, pennant quilts make very sweet baby quilts and for those of you who like to make things in miniature, it would be a lovely mug rug!

source: let's eat grandpa

I'm loving this quilt from Allison at Cluck Cluck Sew. A fairly simple star block, but so effective en masse like this. Not just a good for a patriotic look, these stars look fabulous in any colour and are apparently quite simple to re-size {any tips to this end are most welcome ladies}. 

source: Cluck Cluck Sew

source: Cluck Cluck Sew

Allison also has some amazing tutorials on her site which include some beautiful, bright, modern quilts, pillows, table runners and a few interesting {and unusual} things like camera straps and watch bands.

Lastly...some cute little scrap jar stars from Amber at A Little Bit Biased. In the red, white and blue and some scrappy brights, they're awfully sweet. Made from scraps and some white homespun, they're pretty and cost effective!

source: A Little Bit Biased

source: A Little Bit Biased

And not to forget our lovely Canadian friends who celebrated Canada Day this July first...this gorgeous table runner by Michèle-Renée over at Quilt Matters. It's actually a two-sided runner as you'll see in her post.

source: Quilt Matters

Last, but not least, some more beautiful maple leaves in this quilt by Katherine at Sew Me Something Good. In beautiful autumn tones and with lots of movement, you can almost imagine the leaves swirling around in the wind!

source: Sew Me Something Good

Well, thanks again for reading along with me as I uncover some internet gems! Remember, there's a link to my email address in this post, if you've got something to share with us all. Don't be shy!

Happy stitching!

Kylie x

P is for Pinterest...

Hello stitchers!

How many of you are pinners? Do you love to fall down the rabbit hole that is Pinterest and ooh and aah over hundreds of gorgeous quilts and stitchy projects you might one day like to try? I know I do. You can take a look at my pins over here if you like, but be warned... those of you who have yet to succumb to the delights of Pinterest, it's incredibly addictive. Also, while I do pin lots about quilting and in particular embroidery, I also pin other items. It's my personal account, so if anything doesn't suit your taste, just don't keep looking at it. ;)

source: whipup.net

I thought it might be fun to start a Pinterest account for the group that you can access through our blog. We can use it as the wonderful resource it is for ideas and inspiration for us, not to mention a great way to showcase some of the lovely work done by our members.

So there is no bias and everyone's taste is covered off, I suggest we take turns being guest pinners on the group's boards. For those those of us who use Pinterest it's easy peasy, and for those who would like to try it out, let me know by commenting below or catching me at sit and sew and I can give you a demonstration...and for anyone who would like to be the guest pinner of the month, comment below and your wish is my command!

Lastly, I'd like to finish by saying please don't be alarmed anyone...just like our blog, no surnames will be used and if anyone would rather not have their work on our boards, we can remove it - easy as pie.

source: the tiptoe fairy

So...take a look at the sampling I've pinned and remember to comment below to have a go!

Bye for now!

Kylie x

four: friday favourites

Howdy Stitchers...so here is the fourth instalment of Friday Favourites for you. I mentioned last week that I've recently had some fantastic member contributions, so thank you for sending things my way. Please keep it up as I have so much fun looking through these sites.

source: Shiny Happy World - Chirp

This week Lyn is introducing us all to a super cute site called Shiny Happy World. As the tag line mentions, what you'll find there are "simple, fun patterns that anyone can make!" The site comes to us from North Carolina in the US and the wonderfully, shiny Wendi Gratz. Reading about Wendi and her background made me smile like a cheshire cat and that was before I even looked at the amazing array of projects available. She has a lovely little piece on her about page that I wanted to share with you all as it really resonated with me (as a fellow bookworm, hugger, doodler and hairdo chamaeleon) although I would change line nine to red... {wink, wink}.

Shiny Happy Creed, by Wendi Gratz
I believe color and whimsy are not just for little people.
I believe your hair should be any color you want it to be.
I believe in eating dessert every day. No exceptions.
I believe toys made for babies should be machine washable.
I believe in hammocks.
I believe you can make it yourself.
I believe you can never have too many books.
I believe in playing with your food. Also your clothes, your toys. your jewelry, and your friends.
I believe that purple goes with everything.
I believe children’s books aren’t just for children.
I believe we all need hugs. . . lots of hugs.
I believe in doodling.
I believe in a Shiny Happy World.

What a fabulous creed! I love it.

Now... freebie patterns and lessons/tutorials. Oh my giddy aunt! There are so many...where do I start? Embroidery, sewing, felt, quilts. The very original part of Wendi's site is that the how-to's are all videos rather than of the traditional words and picture variety. How clever is that? I know lots of very visual people who use YouTube to self-teach themselves skills, so it seems only natural to extend that idea to stitching and craft.

After reading about hugs, seeing this beautiful heart garland made in felt and all that pink, I couldn't help thinking about my Nanna Val who loved pink and hugs too. It's one of the many free, pretty projects you'll find here.

source: Shiny Happy World

Wendi also has a shop section of her site where you can pick up some lovely crafty projects and kits at very reasonable prices. There are sewing patterns, quilt and applique patterns, felt patterns, embroidery patterns, diy kits, tools and supplies, books and some very sweet softies, including a group collectively known as the dress up bunch. This cheeky, little gal is one of them and is called Poppy! The patterns for Poppy and her play clothes (which are interchangeable with the other dollies in the dress up bunch) are all included when you buy her and for $7.50, she's a bargain any little girl would love!

source: Shiny Happy World - Poppy

Have fun swooning over all the shiny, happy loveliness on Wendi's site and just a quick note that if you subscribe to her email newsletter, you get an exclusive free pattern every month. That's pretty shiny if I do say so! Thank you again to Lyn for sharing this fun site with us this week.

So... That's it from me. Remember, keep sending me your wonderful finds so I can post them here and share with the group. There's a link to my email address in this post, if you don't know it. Don't be shy. Share with us...

Happy stitching!

Kylie x

How cute are these quilts?

Here are two more quilts which were on display at the recent Quilt Show.

Lyn's "Ruby's Dolls house".  This quilt was a part of a Chinese Whispers challenge where thirteen members contributed a block each, based on a rule from the owner of the blocks.... so cute! I'm sure Ruby loves it!

Joy's "Owls in a tree". I love how each of these owls have their own personality. Such talented members in our group.

three: friday favourites

Howdy Stitchers...so here is the next instalment of Friday Favourites for you. I've had a couple of lovely emails this week from our members, which is great to see. Thank you ladies!

Annie has put us on to this lovely blog run by Khristina, Anita and Diana called Freebies for Crafters. This blog is basically a wonderful collection of free patterns and tutorials from around the internet, all in the one place for you to enjoy. There are quilt patterns, softies, bags, blocks, pincushions, pillows, interesting techniques, aprons... gosh, just so much that you really do need to see it to believe it. Down the right-hand side of the blog is a list of subjects you can search through. You can also click on the related items at the end of each post to find more lovely things.

I know some of our members have been swooning over cathedral windows lately and I came across a couple of sweet projects using this technique in no time at all. Here is one for those of you who like very quick projects... the faux cathedral windows pincushion!

source: Diary of a Quilt Maven

Annie also mentioned there were a lot of owls on this site (73 listings) and I have to say she was right! Admittedly, I only looked through three pages of owls, but here is my favourite little guy...

source: Love the Blue Bird

And lastly, although you're all going to think I'm a little obsessed with floss holders, you have to admit these little guys from Wild Olive (also found through Freebies for Crafters) do make you smile! If you like modern, cute stitching designs or just want to smile a whole lot more, take a look around Mollie's blog too. It's one of my favourites!

source: Wild Olive

Infact... I think Mollie appeals to my inner geek as well as my love for all things stitchy, which makes her blog just my cup of tea. I'm not sure how many of you are Star Wars fans (or have males in your life who are) but there is a day every year which sci-fi geeks refer to as Star Wars Day... it's May the fourth (may the force). Hmmm... anyhow, Mollie posted some mini Star Wars stitching patterns just prior to May which I think are super cute. Just look at that little face!

source: Wild Olive

Well, thanks again to Annie for letting us in on this little secret. I've had lots of fun looking through Freebies for Crafters, as I'm sure you all will too! Remember, there's a link to my email address in this post, if you've got something to share with us all. Don't be shy!

Happy stitching!

Kylie x