H2H Charity Quilt Challenge 2013

It's time to sign up for the Hands2Help Charity Quilt Challenge.  This challenge has been running for the last couple of years and, although I didn't quite get one finished by the end of the challenge in 2011 (it was my first year of quilting and things just all got on top of me), I did finish one off last year which was sent through to one of our military personnel over seas as a part of the Aussie Hero Quilts group.  

This year they'll be quilting for two charities based in America (which is normal, though as International quilters, we also have the option of either sending over the top & backing to be finished off or donating to our own homegrown charity to alleviate costs of postage), Happy Chemo and Quilts Beyond Borders - two great charities.  You could make one (or more) for each (or other groups here) and spread the love if you want.

You can read more about the Challenge here and sign up at the same time.  There will be a giveaway for folks who sign up by this Saturday night (30 March 2013, America time) and lots of giveaways at the end of the Challenge for those who participate!

They don't need to be fancy quilts - a simple design is really all that is necessary! This was the quilt I made last year ...

You can read more about it here.

Last year I was the only Aussie participating - how about add a few more to the mix?!!

Been a while ...

... since I last posted :)

Last time I did, I was having a BLAST of a time at the Let's Get Stitched retreat in Adelaide.  It was officially the BEST weekend I have had in YEARS!!!!  I laughed so hard, I cried so very many times that I needn't have worried about working out if I'd even thought about it - the whole weekend was an ab workout & a half!!! Lol!

Most of us waiting for the bus for our quilt shops (3) and
 Handorf visits, Friday morning.

Finding FQs @ Cotton Stitches, Friday; working on our projects @ Sunday sew-in;
Designs from Sunday ... plus some yummy lollies to snack on!; Joy teaching her appliqué method.

@ Friday games night; Finding our seats @ Sunday sew-in;
Sunday sew-in setup; On the bus on Friday

If you want to know more, Gail, Sue B and Teresa (here, *here* & here) all posted about the weekend so I won't bore you with the details *wink*.  Needless to say, I have every intention to get myself to the retreat next year being run in Melbourne in March (there is also a second one being run in New Zealand in October which I would love to go to, but I don't know that I will be able to make that one ... one day Michelle *wink*).

So, apart from this ... and the super massive load of uni I've been working on ... I have been able to manage getting a fair bit of hand-sewing and stitching done...

Finished putting together the "child's treasure box", designed by Judy.
This was the project I started at the LGS weekend.
I used Woodland fabrics, and gave it to my daughter ... can't half tell I missed her BAD!!

I finished the stitchery for the SKoW pincushion using a variegated pink thread

Stitchery finished for Red Book bag ... now just to needle-turn the hearts in the
top left-hand corner & make it into a bag.

And now I am working on finishing the needle turn on my SKoW shoes block.  I have gotten sucked back into Hart of Dixie, and so have downloaded most of the season 2 episodes available on iTunes (I have season 1 on dvd) and am working my way through those in the evenings while I stitch - that is, when I'm not trying to work on an assignment.  I am trying to get at least one episode worth (40mins) of stitching time in each night.

Before I go, here are some pictures I took while spending a little time with my (maternal) Granddad during my last evening in Adelaide (I had a late flight on Monday, so I spent the afternoon & early evening catching up with him with was lovely).  These are sugar flowers he found, while going through some cupboards, that my Granny (his wife) made many many years ago!  She was a very gifted cake decorator, making wedding and celebration cakes (for all occasions), and she must have made a whole bunch of extras that she tucked away to use .. and never did.  She has unfortunately not been able to do any of her crafts (she also did lots of sewing, quilting, knitting etc) for quite some time now, and it is nice to see her handiwork last all these years later ... even *if* they are sugar flowers that are so old that they are no good to be consumed *wink*!!  Some of these petals are just so delicate I would expect them to fall apart just by being touched - but they still don't!!!

Look what I found!!!

Last week, when I was trying to find an appropriate embellishment for my Let's Get Stitched brooch, I came across some of the cross stitch pieces that I had made many years ago and just hid in my cupboard in anticipation for the day when I had a chance to finish them off.  I thought I might share some here with you ... since I haven't shared anything in over a month ... and don't really have any 'finishes' to show either!! (Assignments and uni work!!!) ...

 A lovely little hedgehog ...

A couple of gorgeous elephants - he has a name, but I can't remember it.  The other is a bean stalk with a little mouse sitting in one of the upper leaves.

A waddle of penguins :)

And a gorgeous hummingbird & lillies  one that I actually made for my mum.  I think I'm going to finish this off as a pillow as we don't seem to ever get around to putting things up on the walls!!

At the moment I am in Adelaide on the Lets' Get Stitched retreat, having a WONDERFUL time with an absolutely gorgeous bunch of ladies!! I don't think I've laughed so hard in my life!!!! ... Looking forward to tomorrow when we get to spend the whole day stitching and sewing!!! SOOOO glad I was able to make it this year!!! xx