It’s catch up time again…Long time since I’ve posted about what I’ve been up to in the sewing room.

Usually, I don’t spend much time in the sewing room over summer, but, since this has been our summer:I have spent a fair amount of leisure time crafting.

Mostly, I’ve been working on some redwork, namely Bronwyn Hayes’ The Wish Quilt from Homespun magazine (vols 9.7 -9.9). Here are the blocks that I’ve completed so far:And currently working on this block:I am really enjoying these blocks, and I really enjoy the magazine. I am subscribed to both Homespun and Country Threads. It’s always a treat when these mags  publish Bronwyn Hayes’ patterns.

I needed to fill a vacant spot on the kitchen wall, so I whipped up this folk art wall hanging. The pattern was for needle turned applique, but I used the fused method. I compensated by hand quilting it.

Signs of Spring designed by Tonee White in American Patchwork & Quilting April 2002

Finished this trio:

With regards to the TB Lovers2 internet group, I  finished and mailed off my August lottery block:It was oh, so nice and easy, And, I completed block #8 for the Thimbleberries BOM, from Nancy Rink designs:

Block #8 Nancy Rink Designs

I finished these socks:

Sleepwalker socks knit in BMFA Socks That Rock "Rose Quartz"

I started this lacy scarf:

"Alexandria" knit in Estelle Cadenza Merino & Tussah Silk

Outside, well, even with the bummer of a summer things are blooming:

Ollie among the Coneflowers

Here’s Kiwi saying ta-ta for now…Like her haircut??

A couple of years ago I joined a redwork club at my local quilt shop, The Country Quilter. It was a lot of fun. We incorporated baked goodies into our meetings — ymmmm….stitching and goodies (mostly chocolate). In the beginning, we mostly got our patterns off of freebie redwork sites online. Then, I discovered some Australian quilting magazines — one of these is Australian Homespun. A whole new exciting world of projects opened itself up to me, and I discovered stitchery designs from Bronwyn Hayes of Red Brolly. Living in Canada and trying to get my hands on her stitchery books was not an easy feat.  With a lot of web hunting and corresponding with some shop owners in Australia and New Zealand, I managed to get my hands on some Red Brolly books. Now, at this point, I’ve gotten my hands on quite a few — but, not all of them — but close to it.  I am still looking for the elusive “In the Red”.

In the Red (I AM LOOKING TO BUY THIS BOOK - CONTACT ME IF YOU HAVE ONE FOR SALE)

Aside from trying to find these books,  I subscribed to Australian Homespun, and another fav Australian Country Threads, and there, each month, wonderful stitcheries, some from Bronwyn Hayes, others from other fantabulous australian stitchery designers, plus some months are special stitchery issues.

This is the first redwork/stitchery quilt that I completed:

redwork quilt from Bronwyn Hayes' book "Cotton Country"

Red Brolly's Cotton Country

On a cuteness meter, the little chickens, pigs, kitties, sheep etc. go beyond the top of the scale. I just love this stuff!

From Bronwyn’s book “Sunshine Blue”, I made this little wall-hanging:

kitty from Sunshine Blue

closeup of kitty

The book from Red Brolly (Browwyn Hayes):

Sunshine Blue

Today, I have just started “The Wish Quilt” - again, by Bronwyn Hayes — not a book, but rather a series featured in Australian Homespun Magazine, over three issues (number 62, 63 and 64).

Australian Homespun magazine issue No. 62 (vol 9.7)

The first block is Santa

Block # 1 Santa Block

Isn’t he cute??

FYI, the North American distributor of these magazines is Stonehouse Publications, right here in Ontario, Canada. I am in no way affiliated with Stonehouse Pulications, nor the magazines, or Red Brolly, in any way — just a big fan of this style of redwork/stitchery.

Stitch on ladies! Stitch on….