Chookshed Challenge

This month's Chookshed Challenge is #8.

My task is to complete the Christmas Gingerbread stitchery I started back in 2023.

The stitching is complete; I need to pop a border on it, quilt and bind it and gift it to wee Odie (in time for Christmas 2025!).

The trouble is, when I made this year's list, I was completely surprised that I hadn't finished it. PLUS I hadn't seen the stitchery floating around at all for a very long time.

My plan for this month is to find the stitchery and complete it.

If I can't find it, I will substitute another Christmas themed project that needs completing. Watch this space!!

This will be the first time I've linked up to Deana's Chookshed Challenge this year. Last year's participation in it was a write-off so I'm trying really hard to do better! 

The number drawn out of the January's Challenge was #6 which was to complete the 2024 Scrub Stitching project/kit.

✔ Done and blogged about *here*

Here is a group of the finished sewing cases at this year's retreat —

February's challenge was #10; to work some more on my Great Scrappy Star Adventure. I located the box and that was about it!!

My Antarctica quilt was March's challenge (#2). This one needs creative time and headspace so also remained untouched.

April's challenge was #4; On Williams Street. A free motion quilting sewalong from 2023. You make the blocks and practice different quilting designs in each one, Quilt As You Go style.

A great idea, but I never got all the blocks made.

But CELEBRATION - one more was made in April so I am counting that as success :-)

This is the block - each block is the same and they will all be quilted differently. (Luckily the instructions are all still up on their blog!)

I found a bunch of Kansas Trouble style fabrics which I am using —

The group so far, I have another seven to go!

So that gets me up-to-date. 

Hopefully I will find May's challenge stitchery soon and report back at the end of the month :-)

Linking up with the Chookshed Challenge on Deanna's Dreamworthy quilts blog *here*

Happy stitches,

Raewyn

Show and Tell at Scrub Stitching

There were plenty of impromptu Show and Tells throughout retreat as tops or blocks were finished.

Lianne —

Stephanie had a big production line happening, making bags, pouches —

Janice with a baby quilt —

More Janice busy-ness —

Sandy —

Harriet —

Lou (Down In The Garden by Leanne's House) —

Jenny (Sunshine and Lollipops) —

We also followed the coat-making for Tilly and Rosie very closely....

.....which culminated in a special dressing ceremony —

(While I am keen to make my own Luna Lapin rabbit, I am very mindful of the point that both Christine and Sharmayne vow and declare that their rabbits will not be getting any more coats!!!)

We all also really look forward to the Official Show and Tell on Saturday afternoon. This was the pile of quilts after the event! —

Sue and I shared our wee Sashiko bears (which we challenged each other to make —

This was a top I finished this year - also a challenge project — 

Stephanie with a sized up Omigosh! —

Sue —

Lou with two versions of the same tablecloth - one her grandmother made, the second her mother started and Lou finished —

Annette —

Mary with Field Journal (Cottage Garden Threads) —

Maureen was working on this last year - all FPP - great to see it finished!!

Jenny and Miranda share notes —

Jo (finally) put this together - it was an internet block swap —

Janice changed the centre wording to suit her surname —

Di with a crochet masterpiece —

Of course I can go on and on with more photos - I sure took plenty. SO much inspiration and creativity from all these special ladies.

See you next time,

Raewyn

Still at Scrub Stitching

Saturday at Scrub Stitching is typically a full and fun day with some 'scheduled' events.

We usually have our annual photoshoot. Helpful and click-happy husbands Mick and Tony were the photographers this year - 

Those who blog — 

Sue and I photo bombed this group of lovely ladies (Chooky, myself, Janice, Sharmayne, Lou, Jenny and Sue) —

Two travel buddies —

(I'll come back and replace these photos if I find some that aren't as glare-y!)

After lunch on Saturday we have Show and Tell, which I will put into a separate photo-heavy post.

And Saturday night is dress up night with some fun, a nice meal, and a gift swap.

We're given a theme early enough that we can organise our costumes but not so early that we all spend weeks making them!

This year's theme was Winter in the Warrumbungles - the Warrumbungles being a mountain range/National Park nearby. It also is a Dark Sky Park (limiting the amount of lights, etc, allowed at night).

Sue and I decided to be the starry starry night sky, with simple black capes which we sewed stars (snowflakes actually - take your pick) onto.

Always fun to see how everyone has interpreted the theme (Kylie, Lou with the snowballs and Lianne )—

Christine and Sharmayne —

Miranda (Elsa), Harriet and Tina —

Sue and Chooky —

Mary, Di and Miranda —

Jenny and Chooky —

Kate and Janice —

Jo —

The above photo shows (Solar System) Jo opening her gift in the Make It OR Fake It swap. All our anonymous gifts were numbered and we each randomly selected a number from a tin, determining whose we ended up with.

Gift dispersal in progress, and Betty showing off hers —

Linda received my wee gift —

This notepad pattern is an Anni Downs one. Next time I will put the stitching for the back of it slightly higher.

I received a gorgeous French General bag/set from Lou. As I am running out of time here and this is already photo heavy, I will keep you in suspense and show it in my next blog post. (Code for, I haven't photographed it yet!!)

All in all it was a fun night. After dinner, gifting and hijinks we all settled back into our sewing (of course!)

See you next time,
Raewyn