the saga continues......

Terrible photos of this quilt..... The colours are so wrong but besides that in my clean up while on leave I dug this quilt out...... Pops it on the board....... It's looking very scrappy i know when it got out away something was going wrong when I was joining the rows so I needed to unpick some blocks but but but I can't remember what was wrong so I will need to put the pattern out and see that the blocks were right to start with.........

But........ 

There was a corner missing.......I searched high and low.... Pulled all the fabric together that I knew were part of this quilt........I could not find the corner.......I had even taken the scraps near these fabrics inside to sort thru and iron in the hope I found the missing pieces......But nothing......

Fast forward a month and a memory came up in my photos.......

hhhmmmmmm 2013 or 2009 I can't remember.....

I was so excited to see this...... The colours are a little better....... Maybe not as creamy in the background.......

Look at the photo.......

Yep a corner is missing...... Yes just flip the photo but mystery solved.......

The corner was missing way back when.......

So I have stopped looking.......

I will need to make sure I can find enough of the background but I can find other fabrics to make two corners.......

Separately

I had also lost some work clothes...... 

Turns out I put them away in a new spot.......

Not coping with being organised..... Lol

I did get a binding finished last night so Rose Marie will be happy I met the challenge.......That's great...... I'll try finish the last two today to meet the goal for July........ As I can hand stitch while I'm chatting to the old folks.........

I've done something I haven't done for ages...... connected the TV up so I can watch some of the Commonwealth Games...... Anyone else watching?????

Trying to get some more churn dash blocks finished..... While I'm making progress I may not make July by my time....... Might by the time the last  USA time zone comes around......

Rain is forecast this week so that will be nice but I need to get lots of other stuff done before I head away for the night........

Have a great Sunday......

Chookyblue......

Too tidy to find stuff........

 so while I was on my long service leave I had a big tidy up.............somethings found homes..........others made it to homes that they rarely lived in.........
I found my sewing pouch after searching high and low.......in so many spots........under fabric, in bags, under quilts in boxes.........everywhere.......even looked in the house as Sue @ Kiwikid suggested knowing I had been sewing inside a bit lately.........thanks for looking girls but I found it in the draw that it is supposed to live in.........I had forgotten I was so organised.........
being organised caused so much frustration.......just where Lou @ Manxgirl said it would be in the last place I looked.......hhhmmmmm

Now if only I could find my yellow measuring tape that should live in this pouch........I think Fairy Girl may have been using that sewing her quilt last.........

&&&&&&

Now onto the progress of the weekend........lovely to see those who popped into the impromptu zoom......sorry if you missed it.......I made great progress on more churn dash prep but prior to that I had actually made more of the repro style blocks...........

Maybe I have June blocks up to date now..........

Its a bit like worlds collide with the brights beside them............but that's what happens when people send you different quilt ideas they found while deciding what to make for the Churn Dash Sew-a-long....

Its great seeing everyone's block popping up around blogland..........and I know many of you are also enjoying this too.......

Here they are on there own......most of the pink burgundies........i'll mix it up a bit with the next lot....I'll be travelling to a retreat this month so have a chance to choose some sashing and setting triangle fabrics...so really need more variety....I will look what I have first but not sure if I have something to suit..........could have a backing here though so that would help..........

And I also made another one of the doubles.........20in finished.....they are big.....

Weatherwise the weekend was glorious..........20-21 degC calm and peaceful......today a change came thru this morning and it's pretty windy and currently 13 deg that feels like 6......

shove more wood in the fire I say.........

This pic is most of the prep from the weekend at the front and I cut more grey strips today for the bright quilt...........I started making some of the 1/2 sq triangles for both and have brought them inside to press and trim up....(not in the pic)....a few here and there will get them done..........then I can start constructing more blocks.........

hoping to get caught up for July.........

How is everyone else going?????

I know some are well ahead and some I have seen nothing so lets get posting and share the Churn Dash love........💙💙💙💙💙

Catch you later.........

Chookyblue........

the week that wasn't......

Mr Chooky was away this week and I had grand plans........its like freedom week.......eat what I want when for dinner......all the things he doesn't like.......no one complaining if I am reading something on my phone in the wee hours of the night........but I am not so brave and the first night I spooked myself......which I can do easy......first nights sleep is never good but after that it should settle down.........BUT..........no a couple of neighbours had some visitors in the middle of the night.........not the ones you invite.....not going into the whole story but that stuffed the rest of the nights sleeping while Mr Chooky was away..........

I had plans to work on the churn dash blocks.......I got these blocks ironed........not trimmed also.........the fabric in the background I didn't draw a line on for 1/2 sq triangles.........seriously.......lack of sleep buggered everything.......I had some churn dash blocks almost done that I didn't even finish piecing.........

sunrise this morning had a gorgeous glow.........

Enjoy your weekend..........

Chookyblue...........

PS does anyone know where my sewing pouch is with all the wot nots?????

progress and one friend.......

I did work on the churn dash blocks yesterday........I got a friend to go with my one lonely block........

I was working on piecing more but they are not quiet block stage.......

Need a press then get the 3 rows joined......

This pic was along the way.......

The succulents caught my eye when I was filling up the water bottle for the Chookshed......... Looking very healthy.....

I was really more in a cutting mood then sewing so I made use of that and cut heaps of fabric for my Churn dash blocks........ All the pink/burgundies have already been cut...... Still need to cut a lot more background but that will happen.....I have more then enough cut for June/July......

I did start another double churn dash.......

How are your churn dash blocks coming along?

We might have a Churn Dash zoom catch up soon........

Catch you later.......

Chookyblue......

PS there was no binding progress.... 

Still need to fix the corners to finish them..... 

See what the week brings......

everyone needs a friend.......

The only useful sewing to show for the day.....

A sewing day with friends.......... It's been forever since I've had a sewing buddy in the Chookshed..... Besides the Chookshed Stitchers......

 Yummy chicken and sweet corn soup for lunch.......

Nibbles and bubbles mid afternoon.......

Making the first and only block so far...... Miss Jules Twister quilt getting the first border on in the background........

Now I'm forcing her to cut it so she doesn't put it off forever....... Lol......

Catch you later......

Chookyblue......

forgetful miracles.........

Got some more binding completed on another quilt last night..........think I got 1/2 way around........I was chatting on zoom to the Scrub Stitchin' girls........Tina even got to pop in while on her dinner break........

I'll fix those couple of dodgy corners today on the machine on the quilts I have been binding and I should have 3 finished this weekend........I'll be on fire for July Rose Marie...........

%%%%%

I "forgot" to share this new book of Anni's that I got..........I keep forgetting to take a pic........but it's the new one from Quiltmania.......they do make beautiful books and Anni always has gorgeous projects........

I got these fabrics added into the parcel.........not sure if they will go into my big churn dash blocks but they were nice additions to the brights..........

Speaking of churn dash blocks I am going sewing today.......in the Chookshed.........

And the "miracle" of today is that I have friends really coming to sew with me in the Chookshed..........

I was going to have some sewing days when I was on leave but it kept raining then we were busy chasing sheep..........

OK better go get ready.......turn the heaters on....big frost here this morning.......

its exciting........have a great weekend......

Catch you later.........

Chookyblue.......

starlink......

So I read I could see the Starlink satellites this morning  so I hopped out of bed in the time recommended...... Layed up..... Felt/heard the crunch of the frosty grass under my shoes and went out the back of the yard where I could see the sky better...... Looking around wondering if I would see anything given we have such a bright moon setting........(just looked up it is a full moon)....... Anyway I looked up again and there they were.... Right in the suggested time (5.36-5.44AM)...... No way you could miss seeing them.......I wonder what they would look like on a dark night.........I think I counted 46.........While they are no good for astronomy and more junk eventually in the sky I did think they were extremely cool to see.......

Even better they turned out in the pic..... Have you seen them?

Friday 5.55am they suggested I might just go out again to see them again........

Catch you later.....

Chookyblue......

weekend wrap......

Saturday I spent in a first aid course....... I've been doing them for years...... It's good to stay current..... Have you done a first aid course? It's so important to know how to provide some help as opposed to standing there feeling helpless........ 

Sunday a pretty big frost started the day off.........So pleased I was in the house as it was toooo cold for the Chookshed for an early start.............

Chookshed Stitchers achieved lots of sewing once again......you need to keep sewing as you keep wanting to make more and more.....when you get show and tell and ideas thrown around it can be dangerous........Anorina just said maybe Chookshed Chatters would suit better...........well we did chat HEAPS and were quite loud at times.........LOL........anyway I was then thinking why I had no comments..........checked the blog and I had not actually hit publish on this post............woops that would be why........

"Anna's Flowers"

the exciting news of zooming sewing this week was that Gail is also coming out to Scrub Stitching also.............I just do not know how I am going to contain myself with excitement.......all my regular buddies and and in international twist of 4 now.......

In between zoom sessions Mr Chooky and I had to go cut some wood...........

I watch while he cuts and I pic up majority of the wood............

Lots of girls popped into both sessions got lots of sewing done...........a couple just chatted but sometimes that is what you need also.....

I would have finished the binding on Anna's Flowers bar for a crappy corner I need to work on in the Chookshed with a machine to re sew what I need to unpick.............

This afternoon I brought another quilt in to bind........I had hope to squish in a tiny bit of sewing on the machine in the Chookshed but I was busy with a course and other things.......I did fix the seam on my work shirt.........so I know my machine still works......lol

Have a great week........

Catch you later........

Chookyblue........

Chookshed Stitchers.....

Chookshed Stitchers meeting......

7am Sunday 10th July my time.......

Just a few hours..... Possible second one Sunday evening my time.....

Let me know if you're keen........

Catch you later....

Chookyblue......

Wood chopping......

Who knew wood collecting would create so many questions...........I did this post as the girls on zoom wanted me to show them my crazy load of wood on the bike......... when its too wet to take the ute out into the paddocks we take the bikes.......

then some of you were asking what type of wood etc............

This is the trunk of a big old box tree.............ignore the leaves as that is from a wilga tree that is growing under the box tree..........common occurence also........

This is the same tree from a distance............this box tree is a broad leaf box as opposed to the narrow leaf one and the shape of the leaves help sort those out.......that's what we call them anyway......

these trees are very old............I would love to know how old..............

We never cut trees down as the wood is not so good to burn at that time.......

We have timber that had been down on the ground for way to many years............

the older the better..........

Its from branches broken off in storms etc..........

Where my family live they mostly use ironbark......we don't have any of those trees........

Occasionally we cut some buddah which is nice and hot but not good over all as it's too sooty.........Pine tree are good too but I only use that to start the fire..........cut up fine pieces to get the fire going..........once again burns pretty hot.........

few chops with the chainsaw and its all cut up............

we had a helper learner this day.......

Chainsaws are never used alone...........just to dangerous.........

I have no desire to use one at this time.........I am a safety observer.........I pick up most of the wood

This timber is hollow as it gets eaten out with termites.......while standing.....so you get some bits thicker and some thinner...........sometimes I can tell by the colour of the wood if it's going to burn better or not......its also funny that some is more ashy then others too.........

We cut most of the way thru until you get near the dirt and you roll the pieces over and drop the dirt and cut the rest of the way thru................sometimes these pieces will naturally split in some of those cracks..........we don't take an axe with us I can pick some pieces up and drop on another piece and split them.........for the odd big ones that won't split Mr Chooky gets to pick them up..........

This time we found a surprise........lucky the chainsaw only just touched it..............Mr Chooky had no idea but it fitted perfectly in the width of the wood cut.........

Its an old rabbit trap.............no sign of anything in it.........goodness knows if its from when boy wonder used to rabbit trap 15 years ago or from many years prior............

you push down and the jaws open and stay set open until a rabbit or fox puts there foot onto the plate and it snapped shut...........the long peg gets pushed into the ground so they don't drag the trap away but obviously this one went for a trip back up a log so maybe it caught a fox.........they love to live in logs..........anyway back to the story........

We keep some of the thicker good pieces for night time so the fire burns all night.......

It doesn't cost to much for us to cut enough food for a week or 10 days.......

1/2 this log went to another home also.........

Anyway hope that answers some questions........ask away if I missed something.......

Catch you later............

Chookyblue.......

thanks....

Thanks so whoever blogged about this book in the last month....... Enjoyed listening to it......I only do audio books now days..... 

I use Borrow Box and it's free thru my local library.......

Catch you later....

Chookyblue......

zoom aka Chookshed Stitchers, binding, epp.....

wow.........where do I start..............what a weekend.........

Since getting home it's been a bit busy with lots of things so I wasn't even sure what I was going to be up to over the weekend but I knew I could not do a big zoom day...........

Being harassed by Lou and someone else pleased Lou harassed me (no names mentioned J*%@&) I had emailed the zoom list late in the week to say keep an eye on the emails if I decide to zoom........

We started off late (for me) on Sat morning and went thru til lunch...........

I worked on the EPP above.....part of Miss Elizabeth......I had worked on it a bit while away.........

Zoom Sat night above..........I missed taking a pic from Sat morning.......bugger........very slack of me........

Sat night I also remembered to tell the girls before we signed off about our new name and logo.........thanks to Lou's daughter for the logo..........its on the sidebar above the names and now we are "Chookshed Stitchers" thanks to Gail for the name........

Its not an exclusive group but it very special.........

So as the conversation developed Sat night we were trying to talk Sylvia into coming to Scrub Stitchin'............

Well guess what.............

Sunday night we had a special inpromtu session as Sylvia is coming...flights are booked.......some of the girls who go to SS were also online........so that was fun............and of course Lou and Raewyn are also joining us again from NZ.........OMG how am I going to keep my excitement down.......its my special time with so many friends.........

Sandy popped in also on Sunday night and the exciting news with Sandy is we got to meet on my trip...........I was stalking her shop sending her messages and she came down and opened up.....lucky me.....

I found a few treasures below and also the binding for a quilt Fairy Girl made....(not in the pic)

We then went out and enjoyed dinner together (that was planned prior)

Was so nice to finally meet we have been friends online for a long time......many many years.........

Sunday night I ran out of sewing and I remember this quilt was on the lounge waiting patiently to have the binding sewn down........I worked on binding a babies quilt Saturday and then frustrated with a couple of corner issues on that I started sewing this one down..........its a big quilt and nearly one side is done...............

This pic is from hols - one of my favourite locations........

And finally to summarise I ended up with lots more zoom then what I thought as the weather wasn't so nice and I jammed a couple of jobs in and even lazed on the lounge both afternoons and Sunday I managed a good sleep.............

to all you girls who I know were sick on the weekend I do hope your better very soon.....there was lots.....lucky it's virtual......

Hope you had a great weekend....

Catch you later........

Chookyblue.....