Pillow Passion

Well it's all in the title, I have a passion for home furnishings really, love to make my home feel loved and cosy, and I think you would all have to agree that a pillow or a stack of them makes a space feel so much cosier?

So I thought I would share just a few of my latest creations - yep I have been making pillows again, and loving the cosy feel around the home, mix in a few quilts, and my home is nice a cosy.

I think one of the reasons I love pillows, is that you don't need much fabric and when I buy a really awesome fabric, you know you all have that item that you love to have but don't and can't use because you love it so much....well make a cushion then you can walk by or sit with it and admire that wonderful fabric all the time instead of when you open our favourite fabric draw ( go on I know you all have that secret stash to use for a special occasion but it never happens)

And Pillows are easy peasy, I love to put zippers in, but having done Home EC at school I find zippers easy, perhaps it was Mrs O'Neil she seemed such a daunting lady, but she showed me how to do a zipper and it's so easy. I did a web search for tutorials...and Prudent Baby has a tutorial , that shows how I do it, well kind of - and yes she goes on about the fear of a zipper, and when the girls on my Sunday Monthly Sewing group do cushions they put Velcro and buttons - a) they like the button look, but b) they have a huge fear of zippers - but really they are easy.

You can still see my threads from my quick un picking (smiles)

But there are many tutorials out there and Sew Mama Sews Blog has an awesome one that I would love to try one day too.

The one above I shared with you a few blog posts ago, when it was in the stitching stage - it was one of our Monthly Sunday Sewing Bee projects - it has some embroidery red work, and a little quilting.

This next one, that appeared in the top image, is my latest and most favourite, it was my choice for last months Monthly Sewing Bee project and I just loved it when I saw the tutorial online, The Sprocket Pillow Tutorial from Cluck Cluck Sews Blog. I have added the stitchery to the project, and each one of us completed them differently, My sisters is awesome - see the red/black and white one below.

I love the sprocket design, and the colours in the tutorial were just so bright and fresh, and having just completed my Gingham Girls Quilt the scraps were perfect and they are now cosied up together by the french doors, just a nice spot to sit, when it's too cold outside.

Well, I hope I have inspired you to be creative and to part with some of your "to precious to use but must have in my stash fabric" and make a cushion, be brave and try a zipper...go on, you know you want too!!!

I {heart} Cushions

Multi-Tasking at its BEST!! Sew-a-thon!!!

Well it's been a while since I shared some sewing, but just let me warn you it's not because I haven't done any, I have been very very busy - well when you have a cold there is nothing better than to snuggle under a quilt with either a book or some stitching....and yep that's what I have done for the past month and a half - and the books well they haven't all been novels, a few have been inspirational to say the least!!!  So here are some pictures of what I have been up to....

Well back in April when I went to Nelson's Bay for a Holiday, I purchased the first 2 copies of these books so that I had some holiday inspiration, well let's just say I got Inspired. With the help of the little craft shop in Anna Bay I purchased my first set of Hexagon Papers and a set of templates and off I have gone....I am thoroughly enjoying the totally hand pieced fun of this project - It will be my first completely hand worked quilt and I am feeling proud all ready.

Above is just the beginnings, I have stitched numerous yes I have lost count of the number of Hexagons I have created so far, but the flowers are coming along nicely and I have managed to piece 4 blocks together so far. I have been using the Bliss Jelly Roll that I purchased months ago and it is working perfectly I think I will be short fabric, but luckily it is similar colours to my Gingham Girls Quilt so I have managed to pop some of the left overs from that into my stash to cut out when next I sit and cut and baste. I have run out of my Sewline Glue Pen - so will be picking up another at the Quilt Show when I go next week to Darling Harbour. Since watching a demonstration of it last year at the fair with Sue Daley I think it is amazing. I also need some more Hexagon Papers. Yes that shopping list has started.

My Gingham girls quilt, is all quilted, I have enjoyed quilting it over the last month, and stitching a lovely little quilt label to match as well. I have spent some time today, readying myself with lots of hand sewing projects to travel with me to my sisters and my monthly sewing bee that is near her tomorrow, so a sleep over with some hand stitching will be going with me. I love this quilt in all it's brightness and quirky patterns

This is the Stitching Bee project for tomorrow, as I am traveling I don't like to bring my Sewing Machine. So have made it ready to do the little bit of hand quilting, so you can see lots of busy embroidery stitching has been happening.

Below you can see that this cushion is quited large with patchworked borders, I have completed my back to there isn't much left to do on this and will be completed. I have worked the zipper into the back panel already. So quilting and then put the back to the front....hopefully this planning will prove lots of finished projects to share next week.

Life is Beautiful BOM quilt progress - yes all stitching ago - Lot's has been done. Total of 18 stitcheries completed - be warned many photos!!!

   Loving the fabric collection coming with this BOM, it's so me!!! can't wait to start putting it together.

 These two little ones I have drawn my own drawings for as I wasn't fussed on the images that came with the quotes, the one on the left inspired by the Vignette Magazine BOM and the one on the right well..it' fits the quote better than the fish that was on there...but still not sure on it, although I love the effect of the variegated thread on the satin stitch.

With 6 More traced and ready to go, another ready to work on project.

Gardeners Journal hasn't been forgotten, I only have 4 more blocks to stitch, so it's coming along but just as a slower pace

Yep and here is some more of those new books, I have been drooling over, yep ear marked a couple of projects already, and one is already traced as a wee birthday project for my MUM....best get to it.....and the one below, just a sneak of another birthday project for my SISTER.

Not to mention the almost finishes below, just need some jute and some more time, these are the last two months - monthly sewing projects that I have not finished, as well there is a bookmark but as to where it is, I have no Idea, I did make it and sew most of it by hand too....oh well that's me for today.!! The sewing room is looking neater I have to say, working my way through the mess, completing and preparing projects as I go!!

Oh and looky new fabric I wonder what I will make with this...

10 more days of Renovations....

Totally over it already, it's certainly a big job.

But the week gone we have achieved little but a lot, if that makes sense, it doesn't look like loads, but each job has taken it's time!!!

Monday

I went to sewing and with the help of the quilting ladies managed to get my 3 layers pinned and ready for quilting....its such a good feeling.

Kitchen front - it was power time, so the day was spent putting in new power points. Sounds small but it's bigger than it sounds. Home in time to find Mr D had forgotten his key to his tool box for Tafe, so it was onto the Mall, to literally throw the keys at him as I drove passed. Then I had an hour to kill before picking up Miss B, so I purchased a book - like I needed a new one to distract me LOL and a coffee and chilled it was nice.

Can recommend it, drew me in totally in that hour Left Neglected by Lisa Genova at it was reduced by 35%

Tuesday

Up early with a load of rubbish for the tip, and supplies to be got at Bunnings, and maybe I could squeeze into spotlight, and the fruit and veg on Mona Vale Road.....hold on put the breaks on the plans, Hubby is in the kitchen waffling to himself, yep that's how he works, measuring for the umpteenth time to be sure his shopping list is sorted - argghhhh, he decides that it is easier to pull down the old ceiling

....just look at the mess, so needless the 8am heading out the door early ended up midday, did the tip, and Bunnings, and the veg...no spotlight trip, too exhausted and not enough hours in the day. Home to tidy and clean up some more dust.

Wednesday

Hubby has to actually attend major training for work, so it's home alone for me and Miss B, so she catches up on some reading, as do I, that book has roped me in!!! Finished  of the washing, ironing and make this little fabric basket for a birthday Gift. This Fabric range is Sweet Broderie and I purchased it on Monday from Corrie, of RetroMummy during her clearance sale - one of the little pleasure stops that I did fit in!! :)

Before Mum and Dad arrived with tools to help out. Dad got in and with Bianca's help chopped down a tree fern that is was in the way of the new deck. Hubby home and he set out the next day's chores for the Grandpa and Granddaughter work duo. And the shopping list for Bunnings for Mum and I.

Thursday

Another day of Training for Hubby. And the Granddaughter/Pa Duo are up and at it, drilling and nailing in the last of the floorboards. Lining the walls. They work well together and it is a pleasure to watch.

Bunnings for Mum and I, oh and a coffee and spotlight treat too. Bunnings is just another story all together, why is it that some of the sales assistants are wonderful but others just couldn't be bothered, managed to run into both on this trip, the good did out way the bad, but boy was he bad!!!

Dinner at the club tonight...got to work our way around this no kitchen thing somehow.

Friday

Surprise visit from My sister, which was lovely, moved some things around making more empty space downstairs....more work was done on the lining of the walls. And another trip to the hardware store.!!!

Saturday

Mum and Dad headed home, leaving us to it, I spent the day painting the timber I purchased on Thursday for the fret work frame over the doorway. Hubby continued with the last of the fiddly bits, one last floorboard, and the last of the lining of the walls.

Sunday

Dropping and picking up of children, another trip to the hardware store, connecting and installation of the new down lights, and the replacement extractor fan. I fought with my timber project but I won...and with Hubby's and Mr D's help it was installed.......oh so pretty!! Just more painting to be done!

Then it was pickup from work for the teens and we headed off to my sisters for the 14th Birthday dinner for my Niece, she loved her fabric basket filled with Nail treats....one happy niece with new nails painted for school. We enjoyed a lovely homemade hamburger, her dinner choice, with some wonderful chocolate cake with vanilla icing and strawberries....well this picture shows a little of the laughter (yes laughing so hard the photo is blurry) of the two eldest grandchildren performing food fights in front of their grandparents the laughter was endless...yes I have a special family and the laughter was good medicine for us all!!

the trip home in the rain, left me playing with the camera and I managed to snap these funky lights.

Monday

The new ceiling went in, and more washing, ironing and dusting, we now have working lights!! I won't mentioned the stuffed up sheets of gyprock from the tiredness we are dealing with that created another trip to Bunnings for more gyprock, in the rain, the ruined sheet that didn't even make it in the house due to it being sodden....but I did say I wouldn't mention it!!!! STRESSED MUCH

Tuesday

That's today, so today, Hubby hopes to achieve the cornice up, and the gyprock joins, we are behind schedule as the flooring company comes tomorrow to sand and apply the polyurethane, to the kitchen....and we had hoped to have painted everything but it's just not going to happen. But we will have 3 days off from the kitchen, so we are hoping that the rain will stay away, so we can work on the deck area...yes I have more washing, and ironing and cleaning to do today too. So RAIN please go away!!! I need to get it all dry and not in the drier would be nice!!!

I also have sewing homework to complete for my monthly sewing group that is this coming weekend.

Hope your week was less stressed than mine!!!