My Sewing Machine and its New DIY Extension Table

My sewing machine is an ancient but a goody. My machine was originally my nans but when she passed away my mum was given it but was to intimidated by all the buttons so passed it my way. Which was a blessing in disguise it was the reason I got into quilting and patchwork in the first place. She is older then me but runs better then me for sure. I just love her.



But with that love comes some downfalls, like never having a manual, being EXTREMELY heavy or not being able to buy parts for her anymore which include an extension table which i have wanted for about...ever!!

So thats were my little weekend DIY came in handy. I decided that i really did not want to dish out a heap of money to get a extension table made to fit my machine when i could do it myself!

If they can do it on pinterest then i can totally do it too. Although i have no experience with wood or power tools. This was sure to be a blast.. right?? I kid i kid it was so much fun.

 

Here is the finished table!! I even counter sunk the screws on the top of the table, pretty damn proud of my effort.

A little washi tape round the edges to hide the hideous chip board and I am done. 

I used a laminate chipboard shelf which i pulled out of a cupboard that we didn't need. and a broom handle for the legs. The laminate surface is great because its so smooth the the fabric wont get caught on anything.

Now I just have to try it out. I will report back.  

In other news i finished my scrappy trip around the world quilt top. Although I am calling this one my trip around the jelly roll. More on that later. 

Secret Santa Soiree 2013

This year I am taking part in the Secret Santa Soiree hosted by Suzanne over at the Colorado Lady. I am quite excited because Christmas is my favorite time of year because its also around the same time as my birthday so that makes it even better.

 

 So if you would like to know more and take part in the awsome swap pop on over and read all about it! It is going to be so fun! Sign ups close 31st of Oct or when the sign up reaches 60 secret Santa's so hurry and grab your spot!

Project Life Week 2

Oct 7th - Oct 13th

 

"No you can not sew at the moment"

Cats really do rule the house.

  

Tuesday

 

I only asked for one. But thanks mum.

Wednesday

 

My first attempt at crochet. Think I am doing pretty well. But can someone tell me how to finish!

Thursday

 

 My tomatoes are coming along just great

 

Friday

 

So many parcels but none for me :(

Saturday

My view for the day. Driving the unit for the boys. NO aircon it was 37 degrees!

Sunday

My attempt at cronuts. MMMM so good!

Small blog meet

Hi everybody here joining me from Lily's Quilts.

If your not visiting for the small blog meet and you have less then 50 followers pop on over to her blog and go see the other amazing bloggers.

Today I am working on my new quilt project. But I don't know if I am feeling it or not. Maybe I am just over triangles. 

You will have to pop back soon to see the finished quilt

Organisation

I love organisation although many who know me think I dont. But I really do.

For so long i have been keeping my floss in a large pencil case. This was a nightmare, they all got tangled up and it was a mess. 

Thats where my new found organisation has come from. I bought myself this lovely box from the $2 shop and floss cards from spotlight and I am now on my way to embroidery floss organisational heaven!

It already looks so damn good.

How do you organise your embroidery floss?

Project Life - Week 1

Over the last few months I have discovered this amazing thing called project life. Many people use the idea of project life in their own ways. But the point of project life for me is to document my life with a picture a day. Hopefully this will be a regular thing on my blog. Finding the time to blog is getting harder.

September 30 - October 1

Monday

Fancy family dinner, feels like Christmas.

Tuesday

Spring is just around the corner and so is my vegie garden.

Wednesday

Beautiful white cherry blossoms. I really love these trees

Thursday

My ferocious feline.

Friday

More fabric! start of a new project. More of this to come.

Update

Its been a while since I have posted anything. That being because I have hardly had time to sew. We have had family from Ireland staying with us for the last month so the sewing room was turned into a spare room and my house has been turned upside down!

But that doesnt mean I can't stash!!

Look at this yummy bundle of flannely goodness I gave in to!

I still don't know what i am going to do with it, but it will be cozy for sure.

May have went a little crazy at spotlight.

How can anyone resists these!

Went to the Brisbane Art Gallery and had a look at the Quilts 1700 - 1945 collection currently in its last few days. It was very interesting and amazing to see that things haven't really changed that much.

 

Picked up these books that I have been eyeing off for years.

 

 

And lastly I made this little pouch. I am very addicted to making these now they are so easy. 

But for now thats all i have to share. 

Till next week when i get my house back and i am on holidays for three weeks. Let the sewing begin!!

Small Blog Meet

I am participating in the small blog meet. This little meet is for bloggers who have less then 50 followers and who would like to meet fellow bloggers.

So far I have browsed a few of the other participants blogs and am very excited at what I see.

I love finding a new blog that is full of quilting and sewing goodness. Which I hope mine is! I am pretty slack with the whole blogging thing. But I am getting there.

To anyone who is here visiting my blog from the small blog meet... WELCOME and I hope you enjoy! Leave me a comment if you did enjoy your visit, or even if you didn't I am pretty easy going :)

for now! Happy stitching

My Week That Was

This week I have been busy sewing my little heart out

 

At the start of the week I had a night full of sewing quilt backs together for 3 quilts so I could send them to my quilter the following morning. Thankfully I didn't fall asleep at the sewing machine.

Then on tuesday night I got stuck into finishing my modern scrappy bits swap partners mug rug and sort out some scraps for her. I hope she likes because i sure do!

 

Found some time to sit down and read my new mags that I got! Do not normally buy quilting magazines but these ones caught my eye and I am now glad I bought them. At least its better then buying those trashy gossip magazines that I do enjoy reading!

 

JUST SO MANY QUILTS I WANT TO MAKE!

 

last night I stayed up and started my triple zip pouch. Now I have to say that this was a daughting task I did not think I was prepared for! And thank you to all the lovely ladies on flickr for you beautifully comments. Makes me fell good when I get good feedback on things I have made.

But it worked!! I am so in love and just like my paper piecing addiction am now addicted to anything with a zip.

 

 

Made these 2 cute pouches for my boyfriend and my sisters boyfriend to store all their little tools in! they love them. I will have to get a photo of the boys with them.

 

and lastly I started my first scrappy trip around the world, only its not really scrappy.

   

I am using a jelly roll, Hunky Dory by Chaz Moi. It was given to me by my mum and I never knew what to do with it. So on a whim I cut it up and started my trip around the world. Its looking good so far.

although I now know that this particular line is kinda hard to come by and it might end up being on a half trip around the world. Oh well!

So thats about all from me, what have you been working on lately?

Low Volume Fabric Swap

I am taking in part in my first fabric swap on flickr. We will be swapping low volume fabric so I am on the hunt for two low volume fabrics. I think this is the perfect way to start my weekend. You never know I might just end up with a little more then I need. 

I think these two are my picks for this swap? what do you think?

- Willow Herringbone in White, Riley Blake 

- Rain in Mist, Timeless Treasures

 After all this shopping I am going to get stuck into my triple zip pouch for my partner. Very nervous about this little project because 1. I have never worked with zips before and 2. its just plain frighting! Wish me luck.

What are you doing this weekend? Any sewing happening at your house?

Friday Night Sew In

This is very late I know but the weekend was jammed packed with social events that its the only time I have had to sit down.

Friday night sew in has been and gone but I am a little disappointed to say that I didn't get a chance to sew on friday night instead I did my sewing on saturday at a quilting day we have once a month.

This is the finished pinwheels top that I have been promising to show you. It looks really cute! I have a small red and white spot for the backing. Its going to be adorable. 

 

This is my friend Rachels quilt. Its very pretty. I do love Cuzco.

 

And lucky last my mums quilt. I LOVE this quilt so much. She made it from her fabric sample books she had and it looks awesome! I might try weasel this one off her for my bed.

There were many more lovely quilts and blocks made that day but was hard to get snaps when I was trying to get my own project finished. 

Did you finish any projects over the weekend?

Lone Starbust Paper Pieced Star

My paper piecing addiction has just gone to a new level.

I made this beautiful scrappy lone starburst star using Anna's pattern from Six White Horses. I made it for my sister but it was very hard to let it go. Now onto making two more, one for my modern scrappy bits partner and one for a cushion for our spare room

 

 

I am going to finish those for friday night sew in which is being held this friday. If you want to participate or just see what everyone is working on then jump on over to Wendy's Blog, Sugarlane Quilts. Pop back on saturday to see how my blocks turn out. Hopefully just as pretty as the one above.

Are you participating in FNSI?