Tuesday, February 26, 2013

The winner is....



Thank you to everyone who entered and helped me celebrate more than 200 posts and 200 followers! Thank you for all the wonderful and encouraging comments. Its great to hear from my regular readers/commenters and especially great to hear from those who have never left a comment on my blog before. It has been fun to "meet" some new-to-me bloggers and visit some new-to-me blogs.

I numbered all the comments and asked my random number generator (my DS) to pick a number.

He chose Barb from Fun with Barb who said...

congrats on finishing your shnibble top, it is wonderful. I like you plan for the next one and look forward to seeing what you choose.
The DM blocks are so tiny and sooo awesome.
You've got a lot of fun projects going on.
Lovely giveaway - count me IN IN IN


I have emailed Barb and I will get the book into the post for you Barb when I get your mailing details.


Not much has been happening on the sewing front because we have had an overseas visitor staying with us for a few days.

I have completed a few more delelctable mountain blocks and I am happy to say I am still well ahead of my one-a-week goal. :)

I was inspired by this quilt on Jackie's blog (didn't she do a wondeful job!!) to start making a whole pile of flying geese myself...







I don't usually sew with sparkly fabric (except maybe for Christmas time), but I wanted a fabric that said Australia and this is what I found deep down in my stash!  Some Geese have been stitch together, but the rotary cutter and sewing machine are going to be busy for a few more days yet!









Remembering Duncan.










Wednesday, February 20, 2013

How to share your email address when leaving comments.

...or ever wondered why you don't get replies to your comments?



Here's how to make sure your email address is left every time you leave a comment.

To change your Blogger profile so your email address is shared every time you leave a comment follow these steps..

Sign into Blogger (or click on design if you are already signed in) and in the top right corner of your screen will be your name. If you hover your mouse over that icon it will say "profile". Click on your name icon.

In the box that appears click on "Blogger Profile".

Click on "Edit Profile" in the orange box at the top right.

The second line down says "Show my email address" click to tick the box.

Scroll down to the bottom of the page and click on the orange box "save profile".


If you wish to remain anonymous could you please email me on mjnorindr@gmail.com with your email address.

Thank you. :)


There is still time to enter the giveaway. Go here.

Giveaway now closed.




Friday, February 15, 2013

Oso top finished, BOMs and a giveaway....




Giveaway now closed.

I finished my Oso top this week. It was my first Schnibbles quilt and I am quite happy with how it turned out.
In the instructions there is quite a bit of trimming to size during the construction of each block. For my next Schnibbles I am going to try to constuct the blocks to size removing the trimming steps which I found became quite time consuming. I have a pattern and fabric chosen already. :)






This is my second block for Blogger Girl's Block of the Month.  My variation!!!  I didn't get the fabrics in quite the right places! Ooopps!!! There may be a bit of operating on this block in the near future!





Block seven, William and Harry Clendenen's block for the Chester Criswell Quilt is completed.

Lastly, some hand piecing with my delectable mountain blocks.  Eight completed, so I am a week ahead! :)


I will be making more today.



It has been a little while since I had  a giveaway, so, in celebration of having 200 followers, making over 200 posts and, just because it is a lovely, sunny day here I have a book to give away.






Thank you to everyone who has become a follower, everyone who leaves a comment, or even if you just "lurk". :)
No hoops to jump through, just leave a comment and I will choose a winner randomly in a few days. Please make sure I have a way to contact you by adding an email address if you are an anonymous commenter.

Giveaway now closed.


Have a great stitching week everyone. :)


Friday, February 8, 2013

Hari-kuyo - Festival of Broken Needles.

You may remember that early last year I participated in an online course to make a needlebook with Susan of Plays With Needles.  Click here for my post when I finished my first needlebook. It explains a little about the construction of the needlebook and a short explanation of the Hari-Kuyo tradition. For an even better description and more detail on the Festival of Broken Needles look here on Susan's blog.

Since then I have made several more needlebooks and given them as gifts to fellow stitchers in my family.

Here is my needlebook after a year of use.



Today, February 8th, is the day of the Hari-Kuyo festival in Japan. It is the day to honour our broken needles. The ceremony is to show respect to the tools' faithful service and to honour their value.

I have collected my broken and worn needles over the past 12 months and kept them in the back of my needlebook ready for today.










Traditionally the broken needles are placed in tofu because it is soft and soothing for the needles. I don't have any tofu, so I placed my needles in some wool batting and wrapped them in tissue paper.





I then buried my broken needles in the backyard garden and marked the place with a small stone.



I will be back tomorrow with a link to Susan's blog post about her Hari-Kuyo ceremony and lots of links to others who have made the needlebooks and saved their broken needles for February 8th, the Festival of Broken Needles.

Click here to see Susan's post. There are quite a few links to other's posts about their needlebooks and Hari-Kuyo ceremony.


Wednesday, February 6, 2013

Abundance finished.

Here is my version of Lori's quiltalong, Abundance.






I hand quilted it and for the binding I brought the backing fabric around to the front. I haven't done that before.



Lori has a Linky Party so you can see the original quilt, Lori's version and lots and lots more little Abundance quilts. Its great to see so many different versions of the quilt :)

I am working on 2 BOMs and I have all the blocks made and sewn together for Oso.





More soon......