I was just popping in to read some of my favorite bloggers, after a six month absence!  Then I saw that there was this draft post, so figured I would do a quick post to say hello to everyone.  I started full time work in June last year which finished up in February - but it involved a two hour round trip commute.  So there has been very very little sewing happening at my place for a long time.  Well, strictly that is not true as I found sitting and hand sewing (english paper piecing six pointed stars) was enjoyable, but struggled to find the enthusiasm to machine piece.&nbs ..read more

Very pleased that this lovely wooden hanger my father made me (at least a year ago) has finally got hung!  Its a small thing, but after spending weeks working at home, staring at this wall, I was determined to re hang some of my quilts and move then around - and the hanger was custom made for this wool applique hanging so it needed to happen ..read more

Billy Buttons - a flower that looks like you can play the drums with it! An Australian native that I have long admired.  My mother had a native ground cover with small yellow flowers that were disc like (eg round but flat) when we were kids - which she called Billy Buttons.  I have been on the look out for the past few years for one, as I think they would grow well in our sandy soils, but this version is a delightful alternative.   ..read more

I finally finished the binding on this quilt and completely forgot to blog about it. The pattern is called Vivid Grid, and was from the Spring edition of 2017 Quilts and More Magazine.  I now have a massive pile of quilts to donate and it ended up in the pile without being photographed first.  I think I have said before that this block is much loved by me a) uses 2.5" strips and squares b) easy pattern to follow c) makes a decent size bloc and c) looks good no matter what colourway you use. This is a variation on the original pattern though, as I added sashing and red cornerstones ..read more

I have been cutting 2.5" squares and making 2.5" HST from my scraps for a long time.  I was tired of making four patches and star blocks so I decided to make Shoo fly blocks.  The project ended up being dominated by sea gull fabric, as that was my last addition into the scrap box - the long skinny scraps after trimming a quilt, the sea gull fabric was the backing.   There was one lonely different sea gull print in the bottom of my scrap box that was begging to join this quilt.  I am delighted with the end result.  A coordinated collection of scrap red, teal, g ..read more

So I caved and started something new!  Its a golden rule, if I have the urge to sew, I go with it! Honestly I have no idea where this is going!  This is a Jacobs Ladder block.  I am using three different fabrics, two for the HST and one for the four patches.  All these fabrics were part of a story pack I got as a prize.  The pretty and floral prints are not my thing, but I have had a fair crack at using them in another project, so just trying to coordinator what I have left.   These are all the blocks together, not in the best light, but it was the end of ..read more

I am not pleased with the new Blogger interface.  I find it just freezes on my screen, no idea why, everything worked fine once I had reverted to the old interface.  Anyway, that aside I havent had a lot to blog about as working full time, home schooling, domestic chores etc all reduced my sewing output.  But here is a snippet of what I have achieved.  And just a heads up if I disappear from blog land you can still find me on Instagram (ahernsue) - a different sort of fun, that is more time friendly. Finally a binding finish!  Its winter and has been cold, but it has ..read more

Carolina Chain quilt finished!  Pattern by Bonnie Hunter in her book Addicted to Scraps.  Made initially as leaders and enders blocks, then pieced specifically to try and get the top to a decent size.   Quilted by me, using straight lines through the block centres and stitch in the ditch.  This is the second version of this pattern I have made and includes all the murky and country toned prints and cream to tan background prints - the first version had white clear based backgrounds and bright fabrics.  Another version is underway!  I find that working ful ..read more

Mild level of panic when hubby announces that DS2 snuggle quilt for the couch is too small and bit young for him.  DS2 is turning 12 in June and I really panic when I realise that I have NEVER made him a bed size quilt.  In fact his snuggle couch quilt was made by his grandmother. Luckily hubby was straight to the point, he likes tennis so can you make him a tennis themed quilt! Phew, now I have a idea for a quick quilt and the not so local quilt shop, I have discovered has great novelty fabric range, so after a little bit of googling and some messaging and a parcel of tennis themed ..read more

Circa 2016 was a series of free quilt blocks to make a entire quilt from Temecula Quilt Co in 2016.  When I go back and look through my blog I did manage to stay fairly on track and was just trying to put it all together in late January 2017.  And from there it stagnated. I do vaguely remember having a try to put it together once before.  The main issue was that the centre medallion was not the measurement in the pattern. And the side panels were different lengths.  Yep nothing was perfect.  But I pinned the heck out of it over the weekend and when my maths failed, I ..read more