Non quilting sewing

Over the years I have made lots of different things. Since I haven't got anything quilty to show for the moment I thought I would post photos of thing I have made in the past.

About 5 years ago I did some millinery classes. The lady who ran the classes was very talented and had been making hats for many years. The hat above was the first one I made. The flower I made from silk ribbon.
My daughter has worn this fascinator several times.



This pillow was made during another class on ribbon embriodery.


A close up of some of the embroidery.



I didn't learn smocking when I was as school and it was something I always wanted to learn. My first 2 children were sons, so it was a wasn't till after I had my daughter I had someone to make smocked dresses for. I kind of got addicted to smocking. lol My daughter had smocked dresses for every occasion! I only stopped making them when she declared she was getting too old for smocking!!

Here are a few of my daughter's dresses from when she was young.


This photo shows the back of a dress with pearl buttons and loops for a closure. The collar is from wide broderie anglais.

This is one of my favourite dresses. It is from Liberty fabric. I just love sewing on liberty!

This dress is from pique with trim from the Liberty fabric left from the previous dress.


A drop waist dress from blue batiste with insertion lace, ribbon beading and embroidery.


This dress is from a wool fabric.


This dress was one of my daughter's favourites. White batiste with silk thread smocking and embroidery. The sleeves have pintucks and a lace trim. The square collar has insertion lace.

The only smocking I do now is the occasional night gown for a new born baby. I hope, one day, I have a grand daughter to make smocked dresses for!



By far the most difficult thing I have every tried to make is a tutu! My daughter took dancing classes for many years and I made many costumes for her. Leotards were pretty simple to make. After years of gymnastics classes for all my children I could almost make a leotard with my eyes closed! lol I tried to make tutus several times. It was like wrestling a rhinoceros!!!!! I did manage a half tutu, with not many layers of netting, once. We ended up buying her tutus and I decorated them. I love sewing on lace, sequins and beads.



A park near were we live, yesterday afternoon.

Another parcel.

I have entered some of the giveaways I have seen since I started blogging, and a couple of weeks ago I had my first win. :) Here is the little purse I won from Lena. Lena sent this parcel from Norway all the way to Australia. Thank you so much Lena. The sewing on this purse is exquisite and I love the butterfly fabric. Beautiful, Lena!!! :)


When I opened the purse, this is what I found inside! Lots of yummy goodies (have I mentioned before I love chocolate???) Those heart buttons are so gorgeous and they will be going on something special.
The Le Moyne stars for the AQ are coming along. I finished another one this morning, so there are 16 now; 12 more to go.
I finished this MQ block last night. I have finished 24 blocks now and have 4 more prepared ready to sew.


These azaleas are by my front door and this photo was taken early this morning. The plant in the foreground is called "Gretel" and it is my favourite azalea. There are several more plants that have darker red flowers in bud at the moment.

Friends.....

.......are like rainbows after dark clouds.




Since I started blogging a few months ago I have been privileged to meet online lots of friendly and talented people. One lady in particular has become a great friend. She has shared her knowledge and has been very generously helping me make the Antique Quilt. Thank you Ranette. I found a package at my door this morning from Ranette! All the way from the otherside of the world!!! Here is what I found inside.



An envelope and several wrapped parcels.




Goodness me!!!! As soon I have finished posting I am going to try that thread with those needles. I have never seen Presencia thread here in Australia before. The fabric is very me; all flowers, paisley, pink, green and cream! Aren't I lucky???? Isn't that tape measure cute? Lovely roses on the box and notepaper and a beautiful card! Thank you Ranette!



Some sewing has been happening here, but nothing is finished.

I have more ideas for using that Kaffe Fassett fabric in my previous post. I am trying to be very good and finish something before I start yet another project!!! However, the temptation to cut and sew that fabric is very difficult to resist!!!






A view from the Mornington Peninsula, not far from here.



Lastly, a thank you to Chookyblue for the tutorial on how to include links in posts.

New fabric, weird weather and a special flower.

I have just discovered Kaffe Fasset fabrics! During last week I went to a quilting shop to buy some background fabric and decided to come home a different way. I was aware of another shop because it had been open for years, but I had no idea where it was exactly. Imagine my surprise when I found it, just around the corner from where I had been going for years!!! Inside is a treasure trove of Kaffe Fasset fabrics and more knitting yarn than you could ever use! (This is their website www.sunspun.com.au)
I just had to buy some of that fabric. It is far brighter than anything I have ever used before, but it is growing on me! I can see where I will be doing lots of fussy cutting. Below is a pattern I bought last week that I intend to use this fabric for. I love the butterflies and ladybirds! I don't think I will follow the patterns exactly; I want to use them as inspiration for something of my own. The pattern is by Kellie Wulfsohn. Her blog is here www.dontlooknow.typepad.com.
I have finished a few Le Moyne stars for the next border on the AQ. I have only about 1/4 of them done, but I have decided to try to make one a day.
We have had some weather extremes here (again!) recently. Yesterday was the hottest ever day for the first half of September. It got to 29.9 C (that is 85.8 F) ........I certainly hope that doesn't mean we are headed for another extremely hot summer.
It has been very windy here too. Yesterday a huge branch blew off one of our trees. The tree now looks very unbalanced because 1/3 of it is gone! The branch was covered in flower buds. If the tree lasts until after it has flowered I think we will have to remove it.

The photo below is of a fuschia that my Mum grew. Several years ago my parents had a wholesale/retail plant nursery specialising in fuschias and pelargoniums. Mum used to cross pollinate the fuschias to create new plants. Some were not very successful, but some made great plants with beautiful flowers. Mum named these new plants after members of the family. The flower below is "Lillian Mary" after Mum's Mother. The colours in this flower remind me of the colours my Grandmother used to wear. After the plant has finished flowering I am going to take cuttings and hopefully grow some more plants.

SSHHH Secret!!!

There has been a little bit of stitching going on here, but its all for my partner in the SSCS, so sorry, no photos today!!!.......not even a hint!

After I have made some progess with my SSCS project I will get back to Morrell quilt. I have finished almost enough blocks to join together the first 3 rows!

The AQ is coming along slowly. I am making little Le Moyne star blocks for the next border. I have one side done, so far.