Where has the time gone?

After my big catch up post earlier this month I decided I should dedicate to posting once a week.  Saturday and Sunday mornings I usually spend on the computer in the quiet before hubby gets up.  It's also a really good time to do photography as the sun is coming in the family room.

The first weekend came and went, so I decided perhaps fortnightly posts would be more suitable.  Alas a fortnight came and went as well.  The excitement of sitting in one spot and not having to do anything is over-riding the excitement of posting about my craft progress.

I am now posting from work so have no photos, but can give a descriptive update.

The elephant quilt has had the borders attached and been pin basted to the wadding and backing.  I'm going to attempt hand quilting, which I haven't done before, so went out and bought a nice quilting hoop.  I have lost interest a little because it was discovered that there is not enough fabric for binding even though I bought fabric as per the pattern.  The pattern leaves a lot to be desired, there are vague instructions and could have been other fabric shortages if I'd only followed the list on the back and not done the maths myself first....but that is a matter for another time.

I started tracing out the applique shapes for the coffee quilt the other day.  I have found that I need more fabric.  Not for lack of yardage, but because I need some more light value fabrics to make it work.  Hoping to pick up some at the Australian Quilt Convention next weekend.  Also should keep an eye out for some additional backing fabric.  We have one selected but I don't have enough of it so I need to find something to add as a border.  It might be difficult as it's sort of a flannel type fabric but I'm not sure if it is actually a flannel.

The knitted poncho moves along, I've done several more pattern repeats since I last posted.  I think when I posted last I was about 1/3 of the way through the second rectangle, so I might be getting close to 1/2 way soon!

And the little cross stitch made some progress on Saturday.  I have now finished all the mane and started working on the body.  Because I have left holes for the eyes etc, it just looks like a wresting mask to me!!  LOL

I've also made one top for wearing to work and am halfway through another.  Now that I need more clothes to cover the slight (and expanding) bump, this needs to take a priority when ever I am up to standing around and doing things (as opposed to just sitting on the couch).  Sewing clothes used to be so much fun, and I still love it, but the amount of pattern manipulation that has to be done to fit my figure takes a lot of the joy out of it.  For one of the tops I made I've chopped up the bodice piece and it appears to have been successful so hopefully now that the pattern works I can make a few tops out of it for my efforts.

What I HAVE been doing

So I haven't done much lately but I have done a few things.  Other than digging out the four year old knitting poncho, and washing/ironing coffee fabrics.

The other weekend I decided to get stuck into my "unfinished projects basket".  This is just the small things which didn't need much work to complete but I just never got around to, as opposed to be box of UFO's in the sewing room.

In 2008 for Christmas I was given the book Amigurumi Animals and all the bits to make one of the toys (although the giver was unable to find mohair at the time so it's just bamboo cotton).  I started crocheting it on the day but then once we returned home from the trip (Christmas was in the 'country' that year) it got put aside for all the other projects that had a specific purpose.  Last month I decided I'd just better get on and finish it, so here it is.

The overlocker real behind him is included for scale as wel as support, so you can see how pathetic it is that he took me over a year to complete!

Years before I'd even learnt to crochet, I was still trying to learn to knit.  My grandmother had taught me how to do the knit and purl stitches but I'd never really done anything great with it other than scarves.  When I was a teenager (and after my grandmother had passed away) I decided it was high time I learnt how to do proper shaping, and sewing things together etc.  I decided to do some dolls clothes, nice small project that wasn't too daunting, but still had all the aspects of a full size garment.  The pattern came from all the books I'd got when my nanna passed away, and the wool was mostly left overs from her stash.  So here is the finished project

It's quite possibly the longest unfinished project I've had since it date back to living in Sydney which makes it at least 10 1/2 years ago I started.  Not will to say it IS the oldest though, because I'm not quite sure what is lurking in the boxes in my sewing room.   It's not designed for the doll who is wearing it but she was the closest size I had.  I think it was originally made to fit a doll back in Sydney, so will be sending them home with my mother next time for my neice to play with.

Then onto a new project, rather than a unfinished project, that I actually finished in early Feb but couldn't post about till I had given it to person I made it for (not that he reads this blog to my knowledge).

When ordering the kit for my NZ Fern Bag I saw the pattern for their Kiwi Bird.  I decided I wanted to  make it for my friend, whom I met shortly after he immigrated about 5 years ago.  He is all goth, and has purple/bluish hair, so I planned to make the bird out of the black Moko fabric, and add a tuft of purple hair to it.  Here is the result

So it's a purple haired kiwi for my purple haired Kiwi ;)  And he loved it, specially the effect given by the purple fabric I chose, which in real life gives it a bit of an effect similar to how his hair actually looks!

I have some other fabrics from Kiwi Quilts as well, so there might be a few projects showing up.... eventually... ;)

A taste of things to come

So here is a run down of what I'm working on at the moment...

Baby Elephant Quilt
I'm using this pattern from Ann Gadsby Designs and here it is so far:

It was a project I started in June last year because my friend wanted to try quilting.  As she had never done one before we decided to both make the same pattern at the same time so I could help her along with it.  So far we've just done all the blocks, next step is the borders.  The main hold up with it is the time for both of us to get together and work on it, but I think we're planning a day in the near future.

Coffee Quilt
I found this pattern by Annalisa of Busy Thimbles in a magazine a while ago and decided to make it for my hubby.  We aren't using all the Moda fabrics, but did get some of them.  Not 100% sure what we're doing with the backing yet but I'll get to that.  We've spent the last 12 months or so collecting the fabrics, and now that we've settled into our house I decided it was time I got started.  So far all I've done is wash and iron the fabrics, but I'm hoping to  make a start on the cutting and applique this weekend.

Knitted Poncho
I started this poncho (by Patons) about four years ago and have been doing it in fits and starts. It's made up of two rectangles sewn together and I'm into the second rectangle now.  I've got it on the couch for when I sit in front of the television and I'm hoping to get it finished for the cooler weather this year when I'll probably be too big in the belly to wear any of my jumpers.

Cross Stitch
I picked up two little cross stitch patterns the other day that I thought would be cute for baby's room and I started working on one at the most recent Stitch 'n' Bitch that I held.  This is it so far:

They've all got a deadline of a few months so I guess I should stop blogging and get on with some sewing...

Stay tuned!

I haven't been doing much crafting of late, and spending even less time in front of the computer, but I have a few little things to update on, and some exciting new projects to preview.

I am determined to do a proper update this weekend.  I've got four days at home and all, there's no excuse.