Nice People, Nice Things (NPNT) # 8

Welcome to the next instalment of Nice People, Nice Things (NPNT) designed by Helen Stubbings of Hugs n Kisses.

Silently, one by one, in the infinite meadows of heaven,

Blossomed the lovely stars, the forget-me-nots of the angels.

- Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Evangeline: A Tale of Acadie

I love the view of the Milky Way from here in Australia. I don't know what it is like in other parts of the world but if you can get away from the city lights it is spectacular.

Much of my reading time over the last decade and a half has been spent reading aloud to my children. Those children's bedtime rituals of supper, bath, stories, and sleep have been a staple of my life and some of the best, most special times I can remember.

            - Louise Brown 

This quote from Louise Brown is very true. Since having children I have really enjoyed the bedtime ritual of reading a story. They have now gotten too old for me to read to them but this is still one of my favourite times of the day. I also love my bed in the winter time, with its woollen underlay, flannelette sheets and feather doona. When I get my Nice People, Nice Things quilt done I am really looking forward to spending my first night with it on my bed.

Talk again soon

Jeanette

Garden Chic # 4

Today's block for the Garden Chic quilt is called Father's Choice. Here you can see that all of the pieces are pre-cut which does save some time. Unfortunately, the fabric isn't the best quality and the cutting isn't always square so I do have to spend some time trimming before I start.

Here I have laid out the pieces to give me a better idea of the layout and also to check that they are all there. Wouldn't it be awful if something was missing?

The completed block below. As you can see the lemon fabric is quite thin, the seams are visible and even my grey carpet is showing through. Hopefully this won't be a problem when it comes time to put it all together.

And here are the four blocks I have completed so far. I think they look rather nice altogether and it is certainly giving me a better idea of exactly how big this quilt will be. To give you a better idea the Father's Choice block is 15 1/2 inches square.

Talk again soon

Jeanette

Garden Chic # 3

This week I worked on the next block of the Garden Chic quilt. This block is called "Four Square". 

That reminds me of a shop around the corner from where I grew up. This was before the invention of supermarkets. This shop was bigger than a milk bar (what a corner store is called store in Australia) but smaller than a supermarket. I think it might be called a mini-mart in America but I could be wrong. The store closed down a long time ago and is now a fish and chip shop but the memories remain. I remember Mum sending us around with some money to pick up a dozen eggs, a pound of butter or a bottle of milk.

As you can see, in this kit all of the pieces come pre-cut which makes for very quick assembly.

Here I have laid the pieces out so that I can get a better idea of the layout.

After sewing, the finished block.

And here we have the first three blocks for the quilt. They are such fun to stitch because they come together so quickly and I am beginning to enjoy the colours more, although they are still not really me.

How are you doing Chris? Are you keeping up? (my friend Chris is stitching this at the same time)

Talk again soon

Jeanette

Miscellaneous Monday

Who in the world am I? Ah, that's the great puzzle.

Lewis Carroll

Well, because I finished my crochet rug last week I was rummaging around for something else to do. What I found was another thing that always takes me back to my childhood......a jigsaw puzzle. I bought this last year with the idea that I would make it up and glue it to a canvas to hang on the wall. This idea comes from when we visited relatives in Germany in 1980. They quite often had finished jigsaw puzzles decorating their homes. It is a great way to have some of the greatest artwork in the world in your home without the expense and with being able to look at it and say "I had a part in creating that piece", even if it was just to put it back together. This artwork is created by Australian artist Gordon Hanley and is called "An Appetite for Books".

Children today don't know what they are missing with all of their electronic gadgetry. There is nothing like starting with puzzle pieces and watching a picture appear before your eyes. I remember sitting on the bedroom floor with my sister on rainy days, spending hours putting puzzles together. I had four wooden style puzzles that had different dogs on them - I remember some Corgis and an Alsatian. She had puzzles with smaller pieces, I vaguely remember something fanciful, characters from nursery rhymes.

I think this is why I love cross stitch so much, a picture is created with thread one stitch at a time in the same way that a jigsaw puzzle is put together. 

Except with cross stitch you start from the centre working outwards and with a jigsaw I start with the outside edge and work inwards. How do you do a jigsaw puzzle?

I find a few minutes every morning now to put some pieces in and it is slowly coming together. It is wonderful at this time of the day. My children are still asleep, the sun is just coming up, the birds are twittering and I can hear the sounds of Bendigo coming to life.

This reminded me of a movie starring my favourite Aussie actor, William McInnes, called "Unfinished Sky". If you haven't seen it yet, take the time. It is a bit of a puzzle and the title comes from the fact that the main character is working on a jigsaw puzzle with a lot of sky in it. If you have ever done one like this you know how frustrating it can be to distinguish one piece of sky from the other.

That also got me thinking about recently buying the latest edition of Empire magazine which lists the "500 greatest movies of all time". I thought I would compile a list of my favourite movies, one from each year, or two if I really can't decide, and put them on my profile. I have started and it is interesting to see how many Alfred Hitchcock movies have cropped up. I really do love a puzzle!

Talk again soon

Jeanette

Garden Chic # 2

I  have been working on the second block from my Garden Chic quilt that I shared with you last Saturday. When I was visiting my friend Chris recently she purchased the same kits and now we will be able to work them together. This should be fun. A quilt-along with someone who is two hours away.

Here are the contents of the kit and as you can see block # 2 is an applique block. It has been a long time since I have done some applique. I even had to get a book out to remind me how to do blanket stitch.

 The completed block called "Tulip". I think it turned out quite well. It is quite large at 16 1/2 inches x 22 1/2 inches.

Two blocks down, ten to go. I forgot to mention that the first block is called "Checkerboard".

How are you coming along Chris? Are you having fun?

Talk again soon

Jeanette

New project

I was shopping at the local Spotlight store recently and they were clearing out some things. They offer a Queen size quilt in twelve quilt block instalments with an additional instalment for the sashings and border. These normally retail at about $15 for each quilt block and I'm not sure about the finishing kit. I was lucky enough to get the quilt blocks at $6 each and the finishing kit for $30. So for a total cost of $102 I get to make a Queen size quilt top. Yay!!

The quilt is called "Garden Chic" and is in colours that I would not normally work with. I think it will make a nice gift for someone in the family though and will give me practice at piecing and applique. Here is block # 1.

The pieced blocks come ready cut so they go together quite quickly. The applique blocks require a bit more work because I will have to trace off the design onto Vliesofix before ironing, cutting, applying to the block and buttonholing in place.

I am looking forward to this coming together and I will keep you updated on my progress.

Talk again soon

Jeanette

Nice People, Nice Things # 4

Hello and welcome back to Nice People, Nice Things (NPNT) Wednesday. The last time I posted something on this theme was in November 2011. Time has certainly flown or perhaps I am just slack. The truth is I did continue to stitch this project but because my camera broke I didn't get around to doing any posts. I stopped stitching in January 2012 and, to be honest, I didn't do much in the way of craft for the rest of 2012. I started stitching on NPNT again about 4 weeks ago and that is what has inspired me to commence my blog posts again.

I went searching the web to find out what the other ladies I was stitching this project with back in 2011 have been up to. I am sorry to say that nobody appears to have done much on this project either. Kelly last posted for this project in January 2012; Vickie was also January 2012; and Carol in November 2011. That's not to say that they have stopped stitching. I am sure that, like me, they have done more but just not posted about it.

If there is anyone out there who would like to join me in stitching the Nice People, Nice Things quilt by Helen Stubbings of Hugs 'n' Kisses then feel free to join me. I will be posting every Wednesday as long as I have access to a computer.

The first stitchery I will share is Pink Lemonade.

The stitchery quote that will be on the back of the quilt to match this is:

If life deals you a lemon - make lemonade.

The second stitchery is Peace.

And the stitchery quote on the back will read:

Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me.

Thank you again to Helen Stubbings for designing these lovely stitcheries. I hope you all enjoy viewing them as much as I do stitching them.

Talk again soon

Jeanette

By hook or by crook

I was shopping recently in one of my favourite shops. You know the sort, they stock a bit of everything, something for everyone. Well, I was wandering down an aisle looking for something when, out of the corner of my eye, I spotted something else. You know me, I love autumn tones and when I saw this I just had to have it.

When I got it home I thought, well what do I do with it now. It is a 12 ply wool so it will obviously need a large needle. So, I got the largest crochet hook I could find and started experimenting and this is what I ended up with. The finished size is 26 cm (10 inches) square.

Now when it comes to crochet there is something you should know. I have never finished a crochet project that I have started in my life. Every 10 years or so I will see some wool, buy it, and start crocheting until I get sick of it and toss it aside. Why then did I buy this? Because it looked pretty and I was in the mood. Well now I had one square of crochet done but what could I do with it. An idea formed and I went back to the shop and bought all they had left.

As you can see, because of the nature of the wool, each square has turned out slightly differently and I am loving it. 12 ply wool and a size 10 hook makes the work very easy and it is something I can do while watching TV (time vanisher in my book). At least this way I feel as though I am accomplishing something while watching Ripper, Mr Selfridge or comedy shows with my daughter.

What are my plans for these squares you may wonder. Keep watching this space to find out.

On a final note: Thank you Nana Barton for teaching me how to crochet. I will always treasure the time we had together: you teaching my sister and I to crochet, you letting me practice on your piano because we didn't have one at home and you playing some wonderful pieces for me even though you fingers were twisted with arthritis. I will always remember that a lady, who was not related to me in any way, allowed me into her home and showed me kindness and love.

(Sorry about the quality of the photo but it is the only one we have of Nana Knuckey (left) and Nana Barton (right) )

I'm back!!!

Hello anyone and everyone who might be reading this. Sorry I have been gone so long but life just gets in the way sometimes.

Since I last posted I have still been working on my Nice People, Nice Things project and I will do some separate posts about that later.

I have also started some new projects and finished others, all of which I will post about.

With regards to family: I have also got a new niece, born July 24; I am expecting another niece to be born in November; my nephew has recently taken part in a débutante ball; my other nephew is now a qualified bricklayer; my daughter is 18 and finishing her last year of high school; and my son is finishing his last year of primary school.

Well that is all I will post for now because I thought I would just see if I could remember how.

But before I go.....

I thought I would start doing some posts about where I live so that all of you can see what Bendigo is like.

Stay tuned for more posts and pics

NPNT # 3

Well better late than never. Another busy week which means everything piles up at home but it also means that I get to stitch during my lunch breaks. Here is what I have finished this week.

"Tea Party" and the saying on the back of this reads "You're my cup of tea. May your days be steeped with joy and warmed with love."

Don't all the little cakes, slices and sandwiches look just good enough to eat?

The other design I stitched was "Roses" and the saying for this one is "May your life be full and complete like the blooming of a rose".

This is about as close as I will get to a bunch of roses unless I buy them for myself. Thankfully the house we have moved into has at least 20 rose bushes in the garden all different colours. I will have to borrow my daughter's camera again so that I can show you some pictures.

Talk again soon,

Jeanette.

A finish for Jonathan

When I was rummaging through my stash this week I found a Charles Craft baby bib and decided to make a little gift for my new nephew Jonathan.

I got the patterns for the alphabet and hearts here. I started stitching it on Friday at work during my lunch break and finished it yesterday. I put some red and white star print on the back to cover my stitching and gave it to him last night to welcome him home.

I also gave him this card which I made in a class a while ago. It is also in a bib shape so I thought that was appropriate. It is hard to see in this photo but there is white ric rac around the edge of the card and across the top of the "pocket".

And here is a picture of my son William holding his little cousin. He is so happy to have a new friend to play with in the future.

Well I better get back to my NPNT stitching, a birthday present for my other nephew, a birthday present for my ex-Mother-in-law, a year 10 graduation dress for my daughter, and Christmas presents for everyone......fa la la la la.

Talk again soon

Jeanette

NPNT # 2

Hello all

I am sorry I have been a bit remiss in my posting. Another week has flown by. I have been busy stitching though and here is what I have done for my "Nice People, Nice Things" stitch-a-long.

The first is "Shoes" and the stitchery saying to go on the back reads "If the shoe fits....buy it in every colour". I usually stitch at work during my lunch break and one of the ladies said that she would love to put this saying into action.

The second block I worked on was "Ladybugs". I found this one a bit trickier and you can see that I incorporated some satin stitch as well. The saying for the back of this one reads "With a butterfly kiss and a lady bug hug sleep tight little ones like a bug in a rug'. Isn't it just too cute.

Sorry about the shadow over the photos. I just couldn't stop my arm or camera from casting one.

I need to get a bit more stitching done before bed so I better go.

Talk again soon

Jeanette.

Nice People, Nice Things

I bought a kit of Helen Stubbings' "Nice People Nice Things" quilt, nearly 2 years ago in Adelaide at Patchwork By Sea. I love all the little stitcheries and I especially love that it is a quilt as you go project. I enjoy being able to quilt an item myself and not have to pay someone to do it or have to try to manoeuvre a huge quilt underneath my domestic machine.

As I was reading Kelly's blog recently she said that she and some other ladies, Vickie, Gabriella, Carol and Claudia would all be joining in a "stich a long" of this quilt. I decided to join too. Isn't it amazing that people in America, Italy and Australia can be working on a project together. I love the internet.

So, once a week, usually a Wednesday we will each post about one block that we have stitched that week. This is supposed to be a Block of the Week quilt but as there are 63 blocks on the front and 63 blocks on the back (mostly stitcheries) I will try to do more than one a week.

Here is what I have been working on this week. The stitched saying to go on the back is "Always face the sunshine and the shadows will fall behind."

And I cheated a bit by doing this one because there wasn't much work. It is hard to believe the difference in the colours of these photos because the backgrounds are exactly the same fabric.

I would have liked to have gotten more done but I was busy with the storm damage on the weekend and I had a little surprise: my newest nephew was born nearly 3 weeks early on Tuesday. His name is Jonathan and he was 6 lbs, 2 oz. He is the first child for my brother Christopher and his wife Danka. Isn't he gawjus. Makes me clucky....lol.

Talk again soon,

Jeanette