Matching colours........

Wow what a difference today....... This year we have not had a day under 34........today it is only just 27......feels like heaven......

The Bird on the Border has flown in and we are sewing away...... Actually not a lot of sewing for me yet but lots of prep work to keep sewing my 10 mins each day.......

 A quick trip to the Home Patch and a sale saw me getting the setting triangle fabric for the churn dash quilt..(plus some other treasures)... So that is cut along with the corner stones.... Also cutting some bindings.......

But colour coordinated drinks is the go...... 

Catch you later..... 

Chookyblue...... 

Another one bites the dust.......

Forcing my 10mins on each day has results..........as I have stayed inspired to get my top together............especially when you can see it coming together.......most days the 10mins turned into more...........

Started this one on the 1st.....finished the top this morning.......and it's only the 7th.......woohoo............

The blocks came from Googy Girls Traditional Nine Patch Swap..........

I posted about it here and here and here............that I could find..........

You can see Kerry's finished quilt from this swap at the bottom of this post.......

colour runs in the nine patches on the diagonal.........

I had a bundle of 1metre pieces that I cut into to make the filling blocks..........

gradually over the week it all came together..........

Its so exciting when you see this happening.........

And suddenly it was done...........

"Googy's Nine Patch Quilt"...........

Ok onto another project.............that list is being smashed.............
maybe I can start a real new quilt..........

Catch you later......

Chookyblue......

Friends.....

I always wonder what happens to blog friends that just drop offline......sometimes I leave a comment on their last post and sometimes they reply...........just busy with other stuff or stopped blogging...........sometimes I hear nothing........

Once one of the overseas ladies in my SSCS swap was seriously ill in hospital and got one of her friends to contact me................

the friend also let me know how seriously ill she was and sadly so very sadly she passed on a few months later.....thankfully her friend let me know..........

occassionally a blogger has said on there blog they are stopping...........sad but nice to know whats happened............

this week I was sad to read that Tania @ Ollie and T passed away

I've never met Tania.........but I felt like I knew her............she was one of the Gisborne Girls.......always fun gatherings with the Gisborne Girls.........Sue @ Kiwikids Page one of the Gisborne Girls posted about Tania here..........way to young to die.......

hugs to the Gisborne Girls and their friends...........

While I was sad to read this it was nice/odd to know what happened.............I do wonder what would happen if we died.........would our online friends know........

it's not like we have the same connections online that we have in real life........in our local community or extended family.........

A few more of Shiralee Stitches Lucy Boston BOM blocks finished.....this is 15, 17 and the most recent 18 (14 and 16 cut but not sewn yet)..........i've had some time in the car so got some stitching done............seriously addicted  to Lucy..............I am planning Lucy 2........

this is a BOM you can join any time...........i've been there from the start...............some are only joining for 12 or 16 blocks........some for piles as they want to make a queen size quilt........it's a long slow process but I am loving "My Friend Lucy"....

more Nundle coming soon..........I felt sad thinking of the fun times we have with our blog friends and just couldn't post cheeriness when I have been thinking about Tania and how sad her friends would be right now........thinking of the fun/sad times they had with their friend.......

Catch you later..... 

Chookyblue....

Lucy fillers..............

I am absolutely stoked some of you felt like you were standing on the dam bank with me listening to the frogs and the crickets in my last post........

that is how I wanted you to feel...........

OMG how amazing is nature coming to life so quickly.........

my first video on my blog worked.......sorry it didn't  work for Maria......

&&&&&

Moving onto Lucy..........

unless anyone has a better suggestion this is how I put my Lucy fillers together.........there isn't a pattern I am just working this out...........now everyone will put this together as they wish but this is how I have worked it out............and to make it easier I call them fillers......

If anyone has a better suggestion fire away..........tell me.......

I use my Westalee Ruler as I just leave it set and I don't have to think......love it........

I cut my strips 3.5inchs.......my little Lucy (honeycomb) template has 3/8inch seam allowance...........some of you will have them with a 1/4 inch seam allowance so your strips might be a smidgen narrower..........

line up 2 strips so you can cut 2 at once............

I free hand cut the fabric just holding the template and starting in the middle and going forward and back..............that's why the strips are a little crooked at the top and bottom.....

sometimes I cut the tops........

sometimes I cut the side and then I turn them around and cut the other 2...........

then you end up with a pile of cut fabric........

4 strips per 3 Lucy blocks......

then I pile them onto my new design board for storage until I get them onto the papers

Missed a photo here but I attach the papers with my glue pen............

my other design board is fantastic to work with too............
it's easy just to pick up the board from my lap when working on Lucy...........
Susan it has been a life saver it used to drive me nuts before picking everything up off my lap if I wanted to get up.....and it is brilliant in the car too...........I got lots done on the weekend while driving.............well Mr Chooky was driving..........all was well til it got dark..........
Don't ask me but I don't feel so well if texting too much and I can't read a book but I can sew for hours..............

now I sew the creams into banks of 3.............it works for how I join the fillers and how I attach to the Lucy block..............

Mini snaplock bags store the pieces before and after I join them...........

then I add the 1 inch squares to the creams like above............not all of them but probably 3/4 of the cream units............I am using a blue/grey print for the 1in squares but Sandy @ Shiralee Stitches is kitting up a lovely grey but I had this fabric and the bolt of cream............so using from my stash.......

So to make a filler I am using 1 x 2in square (or you can use 4 x 1in squares)..........then add 4 x cream units as above..............then 4 x 1in squares
I had tried a couple of ways to put these blocks together and found this is the easiest way for me..........
If you're doing the Lucy Boston BOM from Sandy @ Shiralee Stitches just email or ring her as she will just sort you out with what you need.............

then you have a filler block.........
I'll do a post next showing how I put Lucy and Lucy fillers together.......

Catch you later.......

Chookyblue.........

Killing time.....

Thank goodness for my portable cutting mat.....I got it when I was in Cobar last school holidays.....I have used it so much...... Cutting some hexies for Miss Elizabeth......should be able to cut 175 from this bundle of fabric.... Hope I get them done this arvo..... Thank goodness I have something to do to kill the time...... You can only shop so much....... Chookyblue.....

squishy mail...........

Wow after a tiring few days and being told off by a collegue at work for no reason I was had it when I got home and pulled in to get the mail from the box and there were two parcels in the mail.............

not expecting anything I headed in and opened them up............two of my best buddies had sent me things..........it brought a smile back to my face for sure and quick phone calls to them to say thanks...........

Peg sent me a diary............Mr Chooky gave her some cheek telling her it was a little light to put in the work ute with him.............lol...........thanks so much Peg...........it will be put to work very soon..........

the next parcel was from Kerry...............look at all these gorgeous reproduction fabrics............

all from a collection she just got in  the shop - Paula Barnes Marcus fabrics...............

Kerry just knew I would love them...........and she is so right..........

some of these will be going into my foundation paper piecing quilt..............

thanks everyone for all your comment - they are very much appreciated..........

things have settled for a bit on some sides of the fire and causing trouble on other fronts..........

the next couple of days will be of major concern with the heat hitting 40+again.............

I have taken lots of photos while I have been on my heat break...........no real sewing but random farm things and quite a few sunsets/sunrises..............just doing some cleaning from the dust storm we got Sunday afternoon when the fire took off.............Mon and Tues we had a bit of a reprieve from the heat on 34 and 35degC........much better then 46.7 which I think is a record for us.............

i'll try and get some photos organised soon.............

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

Chookyblue

SSCS from Carole.........

Hi Girls

Hope you have all enjoyed your SSCS parcels...........sadly we still have a couple to arrive..........

You can see the ornament and other goodies Carole sent me here but below is a gorgeous mini quilt............

Carole knows how much I love civil war fabrics and now I have to find a spot to hang this little beauty..........

Carole I just love this it is a perfect present for me.............thanks for being my partner........

Another great swap.......

Hopefully soon I will start to share what everyone received but I have visitors coming for the night and I need to make 3 little skirts before they get here and finish a dress Fairy Girl and I started yesterday.........off to the sweat shop Chookshed..........might have to go via to pool to cool down..........

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

Chookyblue

2nd class..........

Back to the second class with Chris Jurd at The Home Patch

This was the mess the night before class.............trimming back some blocks and sorting things out.........

stitched the last scallop on the inner section............

joining the outer and inner rings...............

the 2 inner sections are not joined together or joined to the other 2 sections yet...........

I had them pinned on to see what it all looked like.............

thinking this is going to be the background..............

another version of Mariners Madness............someone who was worrying about their "points"........OMG I couldn't see what was wrong with the ones I looked at.......

We're both pretty much at the same stage.............

Debating if we will go back for another class or can we work it out.......

The decision would be easy if it was just around the corner.........but it's a big trip......one of the many disadvantage of having no shops close by............

&&&
gotta run in a few hours I have a friend Janice coming to sew with me for the weekend and another coming tonight............sadly Deb got interrupted by life and can't come...........
hope you get some sewing in this weekend..............
Catch you later..............

Chookyblue
PS Peg and Dales adventures have continued............after returning to the eastern states of Australia they have packed up and gone on a road trip........I think you may find some regular posts here
It's amazing what you find if you google "Peg and Dale" there are lots of hits...........LOL.........and images..........

more madness..........

A bit more progress...........one more scallop to go on this............

Got to run I should be in the cattle yards............

Catch you later

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

more homework..........

There are a few flowers around the garden..........you can find some more spring glimpses here..........

working on the Foundation Paper Piecing.............slowly it is happening..........

not completely sure about the lighter background will see when I can sit more together better.......

this goes in the centre of the above..........need the teacher to tell me how to join these 4 sections........

testing a background.........

not sure.........need more together..........

I have the rest of the sections below that aren't joined ready to cut for joining.........I joined one set but ran out of time and not 100% sure on what I was doing...........

Hopefully I can get some more done tomorrow...........

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

Chookyblue

Presents...........

All those parcels in the last post got opened 1/2 in the morning and the other 1/2 that night......

This is my present from my Friends in Stitching birthday swap............

the lovely Jen sent to me.........

look at the wonderful bag she sent me..........it's a nice big size............
I was a little delayed in taking the pics as I have been using since the day I got it..........and with a few busy days finally with everyone gone for an hour or two I got the chance to grab some pics........... 

And some close up detail............the flowers, special saying and it's got pockets all around the inside...........

just perfect............

Also included are these goodies - tea towel, patty cake oven mitt and patty cake pincushion............
Jen thanks heaps I love all the goodies you sent me...........

I was also spoilt by my secret sewing sisters........we have a fat 1/4 swap happening..........

don't they look great all lined up................some of these will go into my mariners quilt and the blues will be used in my EPP quilt too.............Thanks Secret Sewing Sisters - you know who you are........

I am so lucky to receive all these goodies...............the family gave me some great presents too.......

Hope your having a great weekend..........

we had a little working bee in the "chook shed" yesterday putting in some storage cupboards..........didn't get the job finished as I had a couple of extra friends come and we had campoven lunch and nibbles and drinks belated for my birthday...........I didn't snap any pics but I will do that for you next time...........I do a beef  casserole campoven that i put a bread in on top of and it's great..........

ok better go the family will be back soon.........jobs to do............

Catch you later..............

Chookyblue

Nine patch swap...........

This quilt was finished in May but I have only just got around to posting it.....too much happening here........
......Last year woops the year before 2009 Christine from Once Upon a Quilt held a nine patch swap.......civil war prints........this was what started my love of the fabrics............I didn't really know what they were before this swap............Lurline and another lovely person I can't think of helped me out with the first month of blocks we had to do as I didn't have any fabrics or access to them so she sent me some to get started..................

Christine thanks once again for organising this great swap.............

this is my version once I got the swapped blocks back.............

love it on point..........and the dark chocolate fabric..............

This is a big quilt..........approx 2mx2.2m

Vicki did a great job on the quilting for this one..............

Thanks girls I love it.......

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

Chookyblue

Nine patch swap............

The wonderful Julie organised the Great Nine Patch Celebration Exchange

I received them in the mail last week.............it was SOOO exciting opening the parcel to see what fabrics everyone had used.........

Now the good problem is what to do with them..........they will have to wait for a few weeks...........maybe even until the Chrismas school holidays and I will work out a plan for them......

....heaps of different girls made blocks and sent them all to Julie and she swapped them around so we all got 2 blocks from all the participants and then Julie sent them back to us..........

30+ girls in the swap - thanks everyone for your blocks 

Thanks heaps Julie for all your swap work...........much appreciated.

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

Chookyblue

The great nine patch swap.........

JulieQ orgainsed a nine patch reproduction swap....

.......these are what I sent.......

78 blue and gold blocks..........

BLUE - Chookyblue and GOLD - green and gold are Aussie colours 

What do you think???

I used Judie Rothermel's range "Indigo Pewter and Honey"

I sent them off last week so they should be arriving on Julie's door step very soon..........

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

Chookyblue

Jacobs Ladder..............

another block done for my online groups BOM..........Jacob's Ladder..........

And the nine patch has gone to the quilter.........should have it back in a few weeks.............

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

Chookyblue

Mystery Block..........

This month I got to pick the BOM block in my online group..........

I choose Mystery Block

pretty quick and fun to make.............(12') finished

using more of those fabulous reproductions I got from Carole's shop

pretty pleased with my points too...........

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

Chookyblue

Colorado Beauty.........

This block is part of a BOM for an online group........
....each month someone picks a new block.........

The blocks are 12 1/2 inch unfinished........

I love the prints............more burgundy then brown

This bundle of fabrics is a swap with my friend Carole.

She wanted a cookbook I showed on my blog so we traded for fabric.........she

has a patchwork shop in the USA Fibre Junction Quilt Shoppe and specialises in

reproductions..........this is what she sent in return for the

cookbook.................I am very happy.........

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

Chookyblue