A Little out of the box....

Well, most people who know me would know that I like subdued almost 'faded' colours for my patchwork and quilting, so it may come as a bit of surprise to find out that I recently purchased these fabrics:

What is it for you ask?  Well...I am going to keep you in suspense until I have a sneak peak finished to share...few bits and pieces in progress....but none finished....so you will just have to wait!!!  :-)

I have been feverishly sewing in the last week and dearly missed my sewing machine when I went away on the weekend to the Taste of Rutherglen visiting many a winery and sampling some very yummy wines (my favourite is St Leonards Muscadello).

What is this I hear you ask?  Well, one project that I have completed is the first batch of Whirly-Gigs that I have just to posted to Wendy of 'hARTylittlepeaces'.  Above is the scraps left over after much cutting of blocks to size.  These are the finished products:

I am so excited by the fabrics I have bought for this swap and look forward to making some more Whirly-Gigs!!!

Another project that I have started is the Pinwheel Quilt-Along over at 'Twiddletails'.  I was a little behind in that I had not completed block one when the instructions for block two were posted on her site, but I made up for it tonight.  I really enjoyed a sewing evening whilst DH was at SES.  I managed to get both blocks A1 and A2 completed!

I have also been working on the easter hunt bags for our niece and nephew.  I have completed the stitching for both bags and also designed a name plate for Z.

Just incase you would like to make a nameplate of your own, here are the designs that I have come up with:

I that you like the nameplate designs and can find a use for them!  Hopefully I will have the bags finished (well at least 2 of them) by the next post!

Until next time....Keep stitching!

Cathy

Quilts, Baby Showers and Easter Fast Approaching!

Another month is nearing an end, and for once I bave finally done a weekly post!  Hopefully it is a sign of things to come!

Well I have been a very busy beaver this week.  I have completed as much as I can of Zach's quilt (that is until I purchase border, binding and backing fabric!).  I love the way it has come together...they are such boyish colours!

This weekend I am going to a Baby Shower for my friend Tracey.  It is the first one that I have ever been to and I am very much looking forward to it!  However, I was not sure what to give as a gift.  They know that they are having another girl, so I surfed the internet and found a gorgeous bootie pattern on the Martha Stewart website...of course they had to be made in pink!

But there was still felt left, so I have also made a cute little kitten softie to go with them using a Burda pattern that I have had for years!  It's just what every little girl needs.

 

I am going to purchase something else to go with it, but felt that for a couple of dollars to have made all of this was quite an achievement! 

Whilst at spotlight, I purchased some fabrics to make some Easter Bags for my niece and nephew.  This is one of the fabrics for our nieces bags:

I have paired it with a plain lemon fabric which I thought needed a little something to bring it to life, so I have come up with this little stitchery based on the crown in the fabric:

I'll put together a computer file just incase anyone would like to make this stitchery for themselves!

Anyway...need to start cutting out the bag...can't wait to get the embroidery done so that I can start sewing!  I want to make one of these bags for myself!!!

Talk soon!

Cathy

What a month.....

Wow! What a month....it seems to have just slipped away!

I recently celebrated my 30th Birthday.

I was very lucky and received this little baby:

I have also spent two Saturdays up at the beautiful Ballarat Patchwork doing a class by Kelly Wulfsohn of ‘Don’t Look Now’.  It was a weird feeling to go out for the day and do something just for myself, but well worth it.  This is the first of two cushions I worked on during the class.  I’ll post pics of the other once it is finished!

I also finished collecting materials for the greater part of Zach’s quilt. Just the borders, binding and backing to go!  I have been working very hard on the stitcheries and now only have 3 left to go....Hopefully I will reach my goal of them all done by the end of the month....cross your fingers for me!

I am also joining in on a ‘Whirly Gig’ Red & Aqua Block swap that Wendy is running over at ‘hARTylittlepieces’. Can’t wait to get going and start purchasing some fabrics! It is awesome how the blogging community helps you make new friends that you may otherwise never come in contact with!

We also have a couple of friends having babies next month, so I am trying to think of something to make for them....will have to keep thinking....I’ll keep you posted! If you have any ideas, please leave a post!!!

I have also purchased this tooooo cute piece of fabric...have yet to decide to do with it...maybe a bag...we'll see!  Just had to share it though....I am really into owls at the moment!

I am also starting my first online Quilt Along - thought I might be able to use up some of my stash! It's the pinwheel party over at 'the twiddletails blog'. Hopefully I will be able to keep up!

Hopefully it will not be so long until my next post.  I am going to endeavour to start posting a little more frequently...we’ll see how that goes!!!

Until next time!

Cathy

Stained Glass Windows

The creative juices have been flowing over the weekend so I decided to create some templates for Stained Glass Windows.  I googled the idea and couldn’t find templates I was happy with for my little man, so I created some to share as well as the following instructions on how to make them!

Before you start, just a note to say 'bare with me' as this is my first tutorial.  I hope you enjoy it!  If you have any feedback or suggestions, please e-mail me at cahutton@tpg.com.au

Please also note that these instructions and templates are for private use only and cannot be reproduced or sold without my consent.

Materials:

Printout of template
Craft Knife
Black craft cardboard
White pencil or piece of chalk
Clear contact
Cellophane in a variety of colours

Instructions:
Print out a template provided on this page or create a unique one of your own.

Using a craft knife cut out all of the internal shapes first (these are the areas that the cellophane will be stuck and are coloured grey).  By cutting the internal lines first, it gives the shape strength and is much easier than doing this after the outside lines.

Once the internal shapes are removed, cut along the outside line to finish your pattern.

Place the pattern on top of the black craft card and trace around using the white pencil or chalk.  This gives you the frame for your Stained Glass Window.

Using the craft knife, cut along all of the internal lines revealing the ‘glass’ areas of your window.  Cut along the outside line to complete your Stained Glass Window frame.

Cut a piece of contact to fit around the Stained Glass window frame.

Trim the contact to fit.

 You are now ready to decorate with pieces of cut up cellophane!

 

Well, I hope that you have enjoyed this tutorial.  If you have any suggestions for other window frames that you would like to see please email me or leave a comment below!

Cheers!

Cathy

A Challenge for Me....

Well.  It has been quite a while since my last post, and I haven't a clue where all the time has gone!  Anyway, I have decided to set myself a challenge....

 

All Creatures Great and Small by Natalie Bird

About this time last year, I bought the "All Creatures Great and Small" pattern by Natalie Bird with the intention of creating a quilt for Z for when he advances to a big boy bed....well....I have completed half of the embroideries with only eight to go.  My challenge....to finish one a week for the next eight weeks!  At the very least, I wish to have the quilt finished to give him for his second birthday which is less than 6 months away.  Having a goal like this has gotten me very motivated and I almost finished a whole embroidery last night...hopefully I can keep this going!!!

Good luck if you have set yourself any challenges or resolutions for the new year!  I would love to hear about them!!!

Cathy

Getting Ready for Christmas and Starting 'Tot School'

Well, it has been quite a while since my last post.  I have been overwhelmed by how much great stuff you can find on Blogs..truely amazing!

Well, I have been keeping very busy....not quite sure what with, but here is a bit:

I have been trying VERY HARD to try and save money!  I joined the 'Cheapskates' website which has heaps of great ideas, tips etc on how to live a less expensive life.  It also has some ideas on being prepared for Christmas so that you can enjoy December rather than rushing around purchasing presents!

In becoming addicted to this website have have decided to create some of our Christmas presents which we plan to give.  I think that they will look great.  All I can say is that there are decorations and something that contains photos....you will have to wait until after Christmas for a peek!

I have also found sooooo many ideas on blogs for activities to do with Z.  He is growing so quickly and I love finding different ways to interact with me.  My favourite site at the moment is '1+1+1=1' which has information on homeschooling and a program or idea called 'Tot School'.  This has encouraged me a lot.  Thank you so much for this information and although Z is too little for a full blown Tot School, I am planning to try and have an interactive or craft activity with him every day....even if it is the same one for a couple of days in a row.

Our first 'theme' is going to be 'On the Farm', so after much surfing of the internet and borrowing some childrens books from the library, I have made a felt board and started making some shapes for use on it. So far, we have a barn and a sheep...

There are a whole range of animals still to come and I thought we could use it as 'Old MacDonald's Farm' to introduce all the noises that animals make....we'll see how it goes!  I will include the templates to make these in my next post.  A print out for the barn can be found at Kiz Club.

After having found Z playing with the Cat food after up-ending the whole box on the Laundry floor, it seemed he was ready for some fine motor skill activities, so I purchased some pom-poms from the Reject Shop (only cost $2.00) and I think that this has kept him more entertained than any of his other toys.  Just goes to show it doesn't have to cost much for a childs toy to be entertaining!  Anyway, he is now constantly following me around the house with the container of Pom-Pom's wanting me to open them!

Following on from my previous post, I have included the artwork for the babushka doll so that you can make one of your own!

Well, I guess that is about it for now.

Look forward to catching up soon!

Cathy

Welcome!

Well it has been a rather creative week in the Hutton household.

The forever growing Zach (my 14 month old) has outgrown his summer sleeping bags which gave me a mission....to make some new ones!  At the same time I was surfing some blogs and found a wonderful pattern for a Rocket Ship Pillow on the 'Don't Look Now!' blog by Kellie Wulfson.  We didn't need anymore cushions, and I had some lovely blue material in my stash so together, I came up with this.....

I have also put together an applique design for little girls of a Babushka doll...I am thinking of naming her 'Belle'.  This is the first pattern I have put together and I think that it has come along quite well!  

 

'Belle' has been Machine stitched to make her hard wearing, apart from her face and her bow which have been sewn by had.  My hope is to make some library bags as part of a collection that I could sell at a market stall around Christmas time...I hope that it will be successful!  I will keep you posted with more designs as they come along!

Well, that's all for now!

Cathy