It's been a while... what I've been up to!

Hello all, I'm sorry its been so long since my last post... Oh my, time got away from me!  I'm afraid I've been quite busy, mostly just with life in general and a few little challenges that have come our way, but I've also been working on a few craft related things.  Presently study has become my top priority as I try to finish up assignments before the end of year cut off.

The weather is a bit up and down at the moment in Melbourne, we've had a few really beautiful, sunny days and then we've had a few absolutely horrid days where we wondered if winter had made a return.  Overall though the weather is on the improve which I find helps my mood lift and I seem to have more motivation to get things done.

School went back from holidays on the 6th October and every week I have been teaching the Grade 5's and 6's some basic sewing and crafting skills.  We are all really enjoying it, and to my surprise, we even have a few boys in our class which is brilliant.  We started off with some kids sewing kits, my little bucket o pins pincushions, hanging hearts and last week, a cute little snowman ornament.

Snowman ornament with LED candle nose

I usually prep the items into little kits before I go, which means there is less scrambling for items, no arguing over colours and we can get started quickly.  Some of them found the sewing a little tedious so I have included a few gluing based crafts to keep everyone enjoying the creativity.  They usually follow my instructions and then individualise their project at the end.  I love seeing what they come up with.

Some time back I was asked to make a lap quilt for a friend of mine who was in remission from breast cancer.  She was going to a Breast Cancer Breakfast where each attendee was asked to donate something to be auctioned on the day with the money raised going to breast cancer research.  Well, I ummmed and arrred over this for weeks, trying to think of a design that represented breast cancer but would appeal to a wide audience.  We didn't have a great deal of time, and with study, work and family commitments, neither did I, so I chose a pattern that was fairly easy and repetitive to sew.

I ended up choosing a pinwheel design, using some of the pinks I had in my stash.  I purchased a couple more to complement what I had and off I went!

Considering that the pinks were quite different, because of the white, it came together really well.

Once the middle was done, I found this Baby Pinwheel blanket pattern on Moda Bake Shop and thought the prairie points would complement it perfectly (my first time doing prairie points so I'm very proud !).

I thought a pieced backing would save on costs and I also love how much more interesting they are than a plain backing.

I finished it off with stipple quilting on my domestic machine and machine bound it.  It finished up at 130cm square.

And here is the finished product... ta dahhhh !!!

I'm so happy with the result and so was my friend.  It sold for $220 on the day.

I've also made some progress on my Grandma's Flower Garden WIP.

Rather than cutting the hexagons to add the borders, I've appliquéd the last row of hexagons onto the border strip.  I love the decorative edge it's made.  Of course now I'm left with tackling the corners but thats the way these unplanned quilts go.  I've had some helpful, much needed, advice from the quilters guild group I attend.  I tell you, joining that group has been wonderful for me.  Loads of wonderful advice and inspiration.

Well thats it from me for today

Yours in Stitches

Leanne x