A new month has arrived

 And I am catching up again!

David has been to see the oncologist, much was explained and advice was given and David has decided to not have chemo. Big sigh of relief from me! The information we were given was that chemo causes Parkinson's like symptoms so could cause David more damage than help and they didn't want to do that to him. So now he has blood tests every 6 months and a CT once a year to keep a check on him. David is away this weekend on a boys weekend, guys he has known since high school and Uni, I haven't heard anything but I am sure they are having a wonderful time!

I had a quiet weekend planned, was even influenced by a squirrel that popped over from Janice's place. Today was to be a day of cutting fabric as I already have the foundation paper sheets

But life had other ideas and I have had a busy day doing other things.

We are getting a lift installed to make it easier for David in the future and so we can stay in this house.

The builder has been here since Thursday, has not long left ( 5pm Saturday) and will be back tomorrow to do a little more so the lift fitters can come Monday as scheduled. I  wonder about the scheduling as their is no time allowed for the unforseen and there was lots of unforseen in this house!

We have a flat roof, no man hole, and it makes it a challenge doing anything electrical.

Yesterday afternoon upstairs floor

Upstairs ceiling ( the ceiling was too low to fit the lift so a bulkhead had to be created, lots more work that expected)

End of work today, floor, the area covered with tools will have the floor vinyl that was cut out, glued on to it, so it looks more floor like  😊

Underneath looking up.

It looks strange at present but will be much better by Tuesday. 🤞

Today I had to drive to Torquay (an hour away) to change the sim card I got for the lift - the lift has an emergency phone inside. The info from the lift company says to get a normal sim card not a pre paid. That was going to cost $50 a month. Mark the builder said NO!! Swap it for a yearly sim card that costs $76 for 12 months, much better. So he rang a contact at the Torquay shop and she said come on over and I will help. So I did and she did and she also sorted issues I was having with my phone, not a problem with my phone just something that was not explained to me ( yes I was the problem 😁)

Well worth the drive over. While there I finished at Adventure Lab in the howling wind and spitting rain

I had to sit the phone on the hand rail to keep it steady in the wind.

I found a lovely bookshop in Torquay and bought two new books, Twice by Mitch Albom ( I have enjoyed other books by him) and Nobody's Girl by Virginia Giuffre.

I also went to he Information centre and found two badges for my Aussie Travel map

Not the best photo but I got the VW Great Ocean Road badge and the 12 Apostles - of which there are only 8 left I think.

During the week I have quilted 3 quilts for Christine and Judy

Peas in a Pod

all scrappy quilts using up peoples scraps

I have started my own Peas in a Pod quilt, using jelly rolls I got on special from Spotlight

I was given a large bag of African themed scraps, so they have been cut up and are being sewn into a kind of post and rail design - I have a few large pieces that will stay large and be fitted in where ever possible. I was also given some Australian themed fabric so that will be worked in too. 

 So much for not starting anything new this year!!! Blinking squirrels!!!

A little more progress has slowly been made on the Temperature Tree, fitting in the October leaves.

I have sewn together the first few rows of the hexie quilt, I am waiting until the lift is finished as there is plaster dust through the house and my design floor is gritty!!

That is me up to date for now, off to sew a few more post and rail bits and Peas in a Pod bits, Tomorrow I will cut the edging fabric for the peas.

Hope I have not put you to sleep with a long post!!

Happy stitching.

 

What's been happening in my corner of the world

 It has been a while and here I am catching up once again, David has pretty much recovered from his surgery and now has to face some chemo, we find out about that on Thursday.  It is not what we were told by the surgeon during our first visit, we will find out more Thursday I guess.

I have been sewing up KOGO blankets, I had 3 to finish and they are all now done and in the box ready to be delivered to the drop off point.

I can see now where I have sewn in squares the wrong way around now...too late to change 😀

some interesting squares here

Maybe a Melbourne AFL supporter knitted these squares?

I have had these two nighties on the end of the bed for a year I am ashamed to say, they had long sleeves which I found too hot and itchy, it took me all of 15 mins and they are now short sleeved and fine to wear! 

One afternoon these quilt tops were sandwiched and pinned, they have now been quilted and bound and have gone to their new homes. We (The Bellarine Quilters) had a visit from the Wombat's Wish creator - and donated 32 quilts to be used on their camp in November. They provide services and camps to children who have lost a parent, they also help the remaining parent.

I went on retreat early in October, our last retreat for the year.

Carleen finished her duck panel quilt top.

I made a quick quilt top with a Thomas panel

Full moon happened one night we were there

Carleen finished off another quilt top

Abby who owns the retreat offered us a basket of shirts, she had made a memory quilt with two of her Dad's shirts plus bits of others from Op Shops. So I made this

Maria encouraged me to add a shirt label and one patch has a pocket. Needless to say not much of a dent was made in the basket!

My next hexie project, sadly I can't find a photo of Maxines work in progress, she was making blocks with batiks and a white edge, which when you put them together created a zig zag pattern. Sorry Marina!!

Judy and Christine made these blocks and Cristine made the quilt top, I keep calling them Jelly bean blocks but they are really Peas In  a Pod. 

Maria made this Peas In A  Pod top - all from material that was at the retreat but no one wanted.

I went to the Kilmore Quilt In two Saturdays ago and bought another Sashiko project ( I haven't finished the other one yet)😊, this is all Mandalas and I loved it so it had to come home with me! The speaker at the Quilt In was Jo Grant from These Clever Hands, by happy chance she spoke at Guild last Saturday too and she will be at the Guild Quilt Show this weekend. She had bright curated packs of fabric - I have quite a lot and have fussy cut large hexies to sew together, that was to do at retreat but the shirt quilt took over....nothing like yet another project to be doing!!

These Clever Hands quilts.

My weeks are filled with gardening, the weeds have grown very happily over spring, taking David to appts, doing grandma duties, an occasional walk and the occasional sit at the machine.

The back yard looks good this time of the year, the leaves are back on the trees and the grass has been mown - we have a ride on mower which some days runs well and others coughs like it is going to die any minute!!

I was very happy to find some fruit on the banana passionfruit down  the yard, I hope they can ripen and I get to try one before the possums find them!

One small grandson is growing, we took him to the soccer field to have a run and a kick of the footie, we didn't know cricket training was due to start not long after we arrived. He wanted to play with the big kids and refused to come home!! 😢 His Dad had to call by on his way home to persuade him to come home. I even sent a photo of dinner that was ready with grilled cheese on the top ( his favourite) and that didn't work.

I think that is enough from me for now, I am off to do a little sewing before it is time to get dinner. That time certainly rolls around quickly these days.

Happy stitching.

FNWF

After a busy day and dinner out with Adam and family I got stuck into my temperature tree

The start

And here is where I finished up last night, I have caught up to June. I am enjoying the changes in temp from being at home and then when we have been away.

I have been trying to catch up with the weeding the last few days, I mowed the back grass, need to do the front, maybe tomorrow. 

Hubby has been in hospital for 2 weeks, he had a cancerous growth removed from his bowel, the anaesthetic and Parkies played havoc with his brain, making him paranoid and frightened. Thankfully he is coming good and is more like his usual self.

I had a walk along the foreshore in Geelong after visiting today.

Off to do some machine sewing i think .

Happy stitching.

Challenge met

 

I have finished this months challenge I am happy to say!!

The Daylesford quilt is finished, amazing what can be done when you just get on with it!!  I am very happy to have this done.

I have also finished the jelly roll quilt I started on retreat at the start of the year, quilted at the last retreat and now bound.

Very happy to have two finishes this month.

Happy stitching.

Catching up

 My efforts at the Chookshed Stitcher's Challenge have fallen by the wayside this last month

I didn't find time to do July's challenge

so it has returned to the shelf, maybe I will get time later in the year??  After doing the Kathy Doughty class I am a little more confident to tackle this one.

This month the challenge is #7 and that means

trying to get the Daylesford quilt finished.....I have fabric for the backing on the back of the couch, that is a start isn't it??

I am off to do some more on the quilt top from the Kathy Doughty class, or I might go back and read some more  😀  I have a good book!

Happy stitching.

Learning weekend

Last weekend was two days spent with a great group of ladies and Kathy Doughty, we learned her applique technique and learned to create our own version.

Kathy working with Jill

Beautiful shirt made with Kathy's fabric

Jill working on her boab tree

Jo working on her Into the Wild quilt

Some of the projects 

Oops will fix those tomorrow

My under the Sea coming along

Bellarine Quilters at the class.

I have lots of homework to be doing!

Happy stitching.