A Nearly 20 Year Old UFO Finished!

It's the end of March and I only have one finished item. 

I've been pretty busy working on the NOTYQ raffle 

quilt and some other secret sewing.

You may remember this post in February when I found a very old project and then went looking for the fabrics I'd put away for it. Well, I also came across this pin cushion. I think it was a work shop we did at NOTYQ about 20 years ago. I finished my first one and had decided to make another. The cushion was all cut out and I had the hexagon all stitched on. It just needed to be put together. The colour is actually more green like the cotton reel at the front.

So there you have it. 

A 20 year old UFO as my OPAM!

Thanks to Peg and Kris for hosting OPAM.

Leaving On A Jet Plane!

 We had an early start this morning as Austin was heading off to New Zealand on a school trip. This is 5am when it was time to leave. Unfortunately, they didn't need any parent helpers! They'll be away for 12 days having a fantastic time and doing all those extreme activities available over there.

I did write out a list of the quilt shops in Queenstown 

where they have the most free time. 

Just in case he was wanting to buy me a present!

Have a wonderful time, Austin. I'm sure you will!

Athletics Centre Championships

Last weekend were the Diamond Valley Centre Championships for Little Athletics.
It was also Austin's final day competing in Little Athletics. 

Next season he will be in seniors.

Austin came first in his favourite event, High Jump. 

He jumped 165cm (although not a pb)!

He finished up with three medals.

Besides the High Jump, he also came first for Triple Jump and second for Long Jump.

Thought I'd show you a photo of Austin at the
Centre Championships back in 2009/2010.
Yes, that was the year he went blonde!

 Austin and Will with Nick back at the
2009/2010 Centre Championships.

Austin and Will.

They have certainly grown a lot.
Do you want to know something funny?
Those shorts are the same ones in both photos!
Just a lot shorter.
He didn't want a new pair because "they still fit"!

Friday Night Sew-In

 

Thank you to Wendy for hosting us for Friday Night Sew-In.

 

By the time I sat down, I really didn't feel like stitching. 

Instead I  looked through some magazines and books, getting lots of inspiration.

So I joined the ladies in the Northern Hemisphere on Saturday morning while Nelson was doing his umpiring. Nelson was so nervous before the game. 

Watching him you would never have known it was his first time umpiring. He looked like a professional! There were a few people there who were very surprised when he told
them it was his first time umpiring.

I started stitching this cute little elf by Gail Pan.

When I got home, I finally got the backing joined for my FQS BOM. I've just got to give the top and backing a good press and then they're ready to go to be quilted.

Hopefully I'll get some more stitching done this afternoon while Austin is at debut practice.

More Football!!!

As if we don't have football in our house, 

Nelson is now an NFL Boundary Umpire!

That means one or two extra footy matches on a weekend.

Today Nelson umpires his first game.

Good luck Nelson.

And So It Begins!

The 2015 Football Season at MacDonald's Patch!

Two matches today and one tomorrow!

The three boys now play at three different clubs.

Mitchell is playing for Banyule Bears Under 19's 

for the second year.

Austin has moved to Bundoora to play in the Under 19's. Unfortunately, they weren't able to get an 

Under 17's team at Yarrambat.

Nelson is still at Yarrambat and playing in the Under 16's.
His team also folded but luckily the older boys have welcomed Nelson and a couple of the others into their team.

Camping and Sewing!

 Noel, Austin and Nelson headed off to Doctors Creek Reserve near Jamieson for the weekend.

 

 Austin, Nelson and Ian, Noel's brother. 

That's Molly under the table waiting for a tidbit!

What's a camp without a camp fire!

No dishwasher here!

 Molly had a wonderful time.

 It was a beautiful area.

 Nelson is wanting to get into photography, 

so he took charge of the camera.

So with three days home, I sewed and sewed and sewed! 

(I did do all the washing first though!)

I worked on NOTYQ's raffle quilt and finished all the embroidery, including those nearly 400 Colonial knots on Saturday. It was nearly one o'clock by the time I got to bed! It's amazing how time consuming those knots are. 

Sunday I put the top together.

Monday I managed to get a lap quilt quilted. The boys arrived home just as I was finishing it. 

I'll have to put the binding on another day.

It was great being able to spend all that time
working on these two projects.

Muck Up At Little Athletics and FNWF

 It was Muck Up for the Under 15's and 16's at Athletics last night. Austin went in a Morph Suit.
I think it is quite creepy myself!

 They had lots of fun.

 No PB's last night. They were the slowest races 

with some just gently jogging or skipping along.

I didn't manage to do any stitching as it was a bit dark.
But I've been stitching this morning and have finished all the lazy daisy flowers and the first six Colonial knots. 

Only 378 more to go!

Head over to Cheryll's to see what everyone else got up to.

More Thank You's and FNWF!

I've had a little winning streak lately. 

Tracy from Outback Craftaholic took part in the Grow Your Blog Party. I won this pattern and Tracy also sent along a fat quarter of very pretty fabric.

Thank you, Tracy.

I've been following along with the Sew Sweet Simplicty BOM with Jacquelynne Steves. Although I'm not stitching along, I've been enjoying seeing everyone's projects.

I was lucky enough to win an ebook copy of Jacquelynne's Child's Play through Teresa's blog (A Quilt and a Prayer). Yes, the same Teresa that I won the January Sew Sweet Simplicity giveaway! Can you believe that! 

Thank you, Teresa and Jacquelynne.

Tonight is Friday Night With Friends hosted by the lovely Cheryll from Gone Stitchin'. Are you going to join us? 

My plan is to finish the quilt top for NOTYQ's raffle quilt for this year's exhibition. I'm not too sure how much I'll get stitched as Austin has a Twilight Athletics Meet. 

But I'll have the whole long weekend to stitch. Noel, Austin and Nelson are heading off camping (not sure what Mitchell's doing!) so I'll have the place to myself!

February OPAM!

 

It's time for my February OPAM report.

 This month I made twelve lavender sachets.

My hoop for our Mill Rosie Friends Heart Swap.

Thirteen finishes this month. 

I've been working on lots of other projects too.

Thanks to Peg and Kris for organising OPAM.