Welcome to Shiralee Stitches. I live on a cattle farm in Australia with my family.
I am passionate about all things fabric so much so I started my own online and mobile store. Link is on the sidebar to my store. I teach patchwork classes and take my shop to quilting and patchwork groups and also attend various craft markets.
I love English Paper Piecing, applique, machine quilting, working with woven wools. I have started making my own designs which I love.

Saturday 21 January 2012

I have twins!!!

Well now I have your attention, I must confess these twins are not of the human variety!!!

...........Check out these little treasures.....


Mrs Willy Wagtail has made her nest right on my washing line!!!

If I am hanging washing out quietly on my own, she is quite happy to sit on her nest with me nearby.
The babies are so cute and growing very fast. Here's Mum......
 ....and even happy amongst the flapping washing......
The nest is so exposed, I am worried as we have lots of Kookaburras around. So....fingers crossed these babies will fly from the nest soon.......

........isn't nature wonderful?.......

.....I'll have some sewing to show you soon.....

Sunday 15 January 2012

Hello.......I'm home......and back in the sewing room........

Oh wow, what a lovely family beach holiday we've just returned from. My time at our caravan at Evan's Head worked out to be one day short of 4 weeks!!!!!.....so I was well ready to get back to my sewing.......I always plan to stitch while I'm away and usually bring it all home untouched, and that's what happened this time too. I find I never feel clean enough....too much sand and sunscreen......and we're flat-out busy all the time....swimming, sunning, bike riding, walks, shops, talking, a few drinkies and major socialising, not to mention the bowling club is just over the grass from our van!!!!!!!!
Here are a couple of piccies so you see where we've been.
The river on the left and surf on the right, so there's loads of swimming choices. My mum and my daughter on the breakwall.
Looking upriver at very high tide towards the camping area.

.......and now what's happening in the sewing room, I hear you ask!!??.......
Remember my English Paper Piecing rings , well I am finished all 16 rings for the central part of the quilt, and am adding the applique to the centres.
Oops, meant to crop this, and get rid of the thready edges....must have forgotten!!!!!
Next job is to whip stitch a scalloped design just inside the rings with a decorative thread......this should be interesting as I've never done whip stitch before.
Here's an image of where I'm headed.....the whole quilt......I would love to have this completed before I head off to Kerry's Girl's Day in the Country at Nundle in March, as Sue Daley, the designer of this quilt will be the guest tutor for the weekend......so I'd better get those fingers working fast......

....and to all my bloggy buddies, it's been a long absence and I have missed the contact with you all, so expect me to be leaving you a comment or 2 very soon.........