Sunday Stash #95

The Last Post

Well  it's not quite 100 but close enough. This is my 95th Sunday Stash post but also my last post as the host. from next week you will find the linky party over at Molli Sparkles.

Last week's most visited posts were by Ms Midge

AND Ants to Sugar.

Today's linky party is hosted by Alyce of Blossom Heart Quilts so please make sure that you pop over there to see what folks have been adding to their stash.

Fort Firefly by Birch Fabrics

I first saw this wonderful fabric when Heidi from Fabric Mutt made a gift set back in October. Heidi comes up with such inventive and well executed items. I have been a big fan since meeting her through the first Zakka SAL.

So, on behalf of myself, I ordered a Fat Quarter Bundle from Westwood Acres on Etsy. And then I gave it to myself as a Christmas present (along with two boxes of Hobbit LEGO). Yes, no one knows what I like more than I do. Do you ever do that at Christmas and birthday time?

It has such interesting colourways. Not the usual brights.

It is more subtle.

And I find it alluring.

Well it is farewell from me. I will join the ranks of you all over at Molli Sparkles in 2014 and linkup with Alyce at Blossom Heart Quilts today.

Star Runner for Christmas

Two weeks ago I had a fabric give away in conjunction with Sew Mama Sew Give Away Day and Sunday Stash #92. I had mismatched cheater stars left over ( 2 matching and two not) and decided to make Tristan's teacher a Christmas table runner.

It turns out that she is leaving to study her doctorate in Education and I only found out about a week before school finished. So it was a bit of a rush to get it done.

I did a tiny bit of free motion quilting in the corners but mostly it was straight line quilting.

This gorgeous fabric was perfect for the back.

Sunday Stash #94

This is the second last Sunday Stash here at Finding Fifth before it begins its new home over at Molli Sparkles. And last week the new button (which works) was revealed on his blog.

Last week's most viewed link up was the pile of donation fabric from Secretly Stitching.

A Solid Effort

This past week I spent about four days creating a Secret Santa gift for one of the girls in Wombat Stew.  I overdid it a bit and developed two bad headaches.

CW - Kona  Buttercup, Zuchini, School Bus and Pomegranate

Candy Pink, Tomato, Lupine, Lavender

Berry, Coal, Snow, Charcoal

Jade Green, Ash, Turquoise, Robin Egg, 

Knowing that this wombat loves saturated colour, I pulled only solids from my stash. They are gorgeous and vibrant.

Here's a teeny sneak peak.

Linky party below.

Sunday Stash #93

There were 14 link up last week and by far the most visited was Joanna's huge SALE haul at Riddle and Whimsy. I actually got a bit lost wandering around her fabulous blog and pinning madly.

Christmas Give Away Winner

Thank you to those who entered the 3 part give away last week. There were 57 entries. 50 of these were international entries and only 7 were Australian.

I used 4 of the mismatched cheater panels to make a Christmas runner this week.

Winner 1 - Christmas Fabric pack
Ella - Czech Grandmother now living in Australia's Snowy Mountains.

Winner 2 - Sew Seasonal Pattern bundle
Kathy Davis - Missouri "breakfast in pyjamas on Christmas day" mother

Winner 3 - Christmas Robin paper pieced pattern
Margaret - Arkansas Great Grandmother from Kolorful Scraps

I will be contacting you via email to claim your prizes.


Now to the fabric.

Sweetie Box

A delicious little box of Moda mini charms and a mini jelly roll.

It also came with a couple of suggested patterns.

Now it is your turn her for one of the last times before Sunday Stash transplants over to Molli Sparkles in 2014.

Dedicating Parterre Garden

Mrs Pickup is a remarkable teacher. She has dedicated 43 years of her career to the youngest students of the Primary School.

She taught my son Duncan in 2009 and was the first to suggest that he might have Asperger's Syndrome. 

She taught my daughter Frances this year and suggested that she might be better off to repeat Kindergarten in 2014.

Her name is prophetic because she is very perceptive.

With her level of experience I value her insight and opinions. I often find her working late, in the holidays and on her regular day off. Aside from her extreme dedication, she is very kind hearted and honest. And she has a strong faith in God.

Next year she is taking long service leave to have a knee replacement. She is not sure if she will return to school in 2015.

I wanted to make her something special to throw over her legs in the hospital or at home. 

This quilt has been 18 months in the making if you consider that I made the top at a Mystery Quilt weekend in Coffs Harbour last year. I even finished the back (mostly) last year.

I had it professionally quilted in September at Rainbow Patchwork. I finished the binding two weeks ago. Then I had to free motion quilt the label last weekend.

The school was not giving Mrs Pickup a formal farewell and so a few of the mums got together and had the kids make a special gift for her. Then on Monday we all surprised her with our gifts.

She was already quite fragile that morning but she shed a few open tears in front of the kids, teachers and parents.

We will sure miss our beautiful Mrs Pickup. 

Linking up to TGIFF and I Quilt at Pretty Bobbins.

Sunday Stash #92 - Christmas Give Away

This week Sunday Stash is linking up to the Sew Mama Sew Give Away Day which begins tomorrow December 9th.

Thank you for being so positive about the transfer of Sunday Stash to Molli Sparkles in 2014, announced last week. Josh is probably the biggest fabric lover I know. So I know that Sunday Stash @ Molli Sparkles will be something to look forward to. And as Josh is a graphic artist I am looking forward to learning how to take better photos of my fabric.

Don't worry my retirement from hosting will be chock (or chick) full of other things on the property to keep me very busy. Thank you for all your well wishes and a particular thanks to my Wombat Stew girls, Sunday Stash hosts and faithful linkers since Sunday Stash started in 2012.

Next week Sunday Stash will be hosted by Kelly from Made By Kelly.

The Christmas Give Away Edition

Earlier this year my mum handed me some Christmas fabric. She was clearing out her stash.

I really do have enough handmade Christmas decorations. She should know. She made all of them!

So you are in luck. I am giving some of you a chance to win some of these fabrics.


Australia Only (sorry postage is a killer)

One Winner will get ALL of the following:

The first is an Advent Calendar panel with the instructions.

The second is 4 fat eighths of Christmas fabric. These she used on my Christmas Table cloth.

The third are 4 x 6.5" squares of cheater block fabrics.

Overseas Only

One winner from overseas will get:

TWO fabulous pattern bundles Sew Seasonal and Ornamental released jointly by Quiet Play and Blossom Heart Quilts. 

These will be emailed to you via PDF so please make sure that your current email address is attached to your entry.

Random Anywhere

One winner from anywhere in the world will get:

The latest paper pieced Christmas pattern by Quiet Play featuring a sweet Christmas Robin.

This will be emailed to you via PDF so please make sure that your current email address is attached to your entry.

How to Enter

All you have to do to enter is tell me your country of residence and one Christmas tradition you love.

Followers get a bonus entry. Just leave me a comment of one word that describes Christmas for you.

Remember to check that your email is current in order for me to contact you should your entry win randomly.

Entries close NOON Saturday 14th December  (Australian Eastern Standard time) that is Friday 13th December 5pm (Pacific Standard Time).

This competition is now CLOSED.

I will announce the THREE winners next Sunday Stash. Good Luck.

Don't forget to link up your regular Sunday Stash finds below!

Christmas Star Cushion

Welcome to my day on the Cushion for Christmas blog hop hosted by Ms Midge.

I used Elizabeth Hartman's book 'The Practical Guide to Patchwork' to make a couple of cushions with some delightful Christmas Stars on them. They are from her 'Superstar' quilt on page 104. 

Here is a visual tutorial that you might find helpful.

Assemble the 'Flying Geese' section first.

1. Rule a diagonal line on your 31/2" square 

2. Sew along this line and then cut 1/4" from line to trim off triangle corner

3. Add the next square on the opposite side and repeat

5. Make 4 of these

 Then comes the assembly of Block A.

6. 11/2" strips around a 21/2" square.

7. Add the flying geese elements to 2 of the sides

8. Add a 31/2" square to each end of the remaining flying geese

9. Sew these onto the horizontals, taking care to match the seams by pinning well.

I added 2 extra borders to bump out the measurements for cushions.

This is my red version.

I hope that you are enjoying seeing all the Christmassy Cushion goodness this month. I  love dressing up my place. These are some basic covers I also made in 2011 from similar Michael Miller fabric.

Linking up to...