Works in progress.

I've been working on/playing with a variety of projects lately. I'm half way through another quilt for the PNG Quilt Collective, but have also been doing some cross stitching on the Peacock Sampler and simple backstitch on the Possum. It depends where I am at the time of stitching - I do the possum in waiting rooms because I don't have to refer to the pattern while stitching over drawn lines on calico.
I cross stitch the Peacock when I'm on duty at the Guild because I'm sitting in one spot for a long time, and can have the pattern spread out in front of me without it being disturbed. The quilt top is sitting on top of the sewing machine patiently waiting...

But all of a sudden I had an urge to make something cute in felt. This generally happens when I see a pattern in a magazine, or if I pick up one of my felt cuteness books to look at. So this is what I made yesterday. I love felt because it is so easy to work with - cut into shapes and sew together!

It is supposed to be a mobile phone case, but as I don't have a smart phone, I'll use it for something else, or I'll give it to my grand-niece for her birthday next week.

My two entries at the EGV Annual exhibition.

Today was the final day of another very successful exhibition of members' work at the Embroiderers Guild of Victoria.  I was on duty again this morning, and took the opportunity to photograph my two items on display.  The Guild doesn't usually allow anyone to take photos, but as I was only photographing my own work, the ladies on duty turned a blind eye...thanks girls!

The next time these appear in public will be at the Lilydale Show in November, along with another two projects being worked on at the moment.

Embroiderers Guild Annual Exhibition.

The Victorian Guild's exhibition is on now, and finishes on Sunday 22nd September, so if you haven't been yet, do try to go, as it is well worth a visit. (I've got two items in the Exhibition too - just mentioning, lol).
I was on duty at the Gift boutique on Sunday, and bought a cute little cross stitch pot holder for $10.  There are hundreds of items to choose from, and all the proceeds go towards running the Guild.

I will be on duty again next Sunday morning, so if you happen to visit, pop into the Gift boutique and say hi! 

Some stitching done today.

It's been a while since I've spent hours stitching in a hospital waiting room, as Ken has been keeping away from hospitals as much as he can!  But today he had cataract surgery, and had to be at the Eye & Ear Hospital at 7 am.  His procedure didn't start until about 11 am, so that meant about 3 hours stitching time for me, allowing for a coffee break and a walk around the block.
I decided to take a simple one colour stitchery project with me, as it is easier to sit and sew without having to change threads and consult a pattern.

I'd seen this in a recent Country Threads magazine and put it aside to do, because possums are regular visitors to our front porch at night!

This is what I achieved today.

Pile of donated fabrics.

Sue, who made 20 quilts and bunny rugs for the PNG Quilt collective, also gave me a huge bag of fabrics to make more quilts. I took two photos because the first one doesn't give the impression of just how much fabric there is, so I piled it all up for the second photo.
In the top right hand corner of both photos is a purple floral piece.  This is actually a pair of flannelette sheets that Sue bought at Savers, to cut up and use as backing for the PNG baby quilts.  What a super idea!!  Opshops often get winter sheets donated, and when they are washed and pressed, they can be cut up to the size required and made perfect backing for quilts, being soft.  So much cheaper than buying flannelette by the metre from one of the fabric shops.
If you are reading this and would like to make up some quilts but don't have the fabric on hand, just email me, as I will never use all this myself (I've got enough of my own stash) and will be very happy to share this around to those who would like to help out with the PNG Quilts.

Patchwork mat for internet forum swap.

I have just posted this little mat to a lady who is swapping hand made goodies with me in a forum I recently joined.  I posted this to her today, so by the time she sees this, hopefully she will have the mat and this won't spoil the surprise!   We had to provide a list of interests, and she listed gardening as one of her hobbies, so I decided to make a mug rug/place mat with vegetables on one side, and flowers on the other, and she can use whichever she prefers as the top side.

More quilts and rugs for the PNG Quilt Collective.

Sue over at "I Purr Furr to Craft" met up with me at Savers in Mill Park yesterday, to spend time and money at one of our favourite opshops.  She also presented me with 20 (yes, TWENTY!) quilts and bunny rugs that she has made for the PNG babies.  You can see them over at the new blog I have set up for the donated quilts.

PNG quilt and peacock shawl.

Another quilt arrived yesterday from NSW - see the Patea PNG Quilt Collective blog for details.
At the Embroiderers' Guild, the committee ladies are busy setting up our annual exhibition.  One of the members approached me and said "I have something for you", and handed me a beautiful beaded peacock shawl.  You can see it on my Peacocks blog.

New blog for the PNG babies quilts.

As I am receiving more information from Yaso about her long term project in PNG, and as the donations keep coming in, I have decided to open up a separate blog for these quilts.  I've copies all the relevant posts from this blog to the new one, but I have left them here as well, as there were a lot of comments that I thought should be left.  But from now on, I won't be posting details of the quilts and donors here, although I will mention them briefly here, and redirect readers to the new blog which is called Patea PNG Quilt Collective.

PNG Quilts.

On Sunday, Jane from Leongatha in rural Victoria, delivered ten bunny rugs to me for the PNG babies.  She'd made them all from flannelette - lovely and cosy for wrapping babies up on cool nights!