Home Sweet 'Red Home'

1st of July already - the start of the 3 months of spreadsheets, accounts & reconcilitaions if like me you work in management accounting. Even for a small business it's numbers, numbers, numbers until you wake up having nightmares about them. The sad thing is this is my favourite time of year at work but this year it's just too busy, too much work in too little time & taking over another full time role as well is just not helping. More stress relief stitching is what I need but some nights I am just too tired.

I am still knitting, on to the last of four hats for workmate Regina's new baby Annabel. I am loving the brim on this one, a new stitch I haven't seen before that looks fantastic. It's ultra easy too, knit 1, slip 1 - that's it with a knit row every second. The third row you knit 2 to start so the rows are offset & you end up with this cute honeycomb design.

Another mesh scarf done for Megs too, this one in red, maroon & purple - delicious!

I have done a little stitching on my Stitch A Long SKOW block & will have to concentrate on them soon to catch back up. One thing I haven't given up is buying new books by our local Aussie designers. I have The Simple Life by Anni Downs on order & my new favourite pattern book is

RED HOME by Natalie Bird

Another beautiful pattern book by Natalie with 10 red themed sewing projects for the home. The main quilt have a pieced centre with appliques & stitcheries around it so for someone who needs more piecing practice like me this is very attractive. Time to break out of my comfort zone of making quilts with stitcheries & appliques with borders.

My number 1 project given my current time limts & the subject matter is this cute little Red Cat Mini Stitchery - purrfect for me! It looks gorgeous in applique on the top right of the main quilt too.

I also like this little Red Bird Coin Purse on linen.

I also want to make the Heart & Bloom Mini Quilt because at 11 inches x 14 inches I can make it to fit on the mini quilt stand. It will look gorgeous & I can't wait to get a selection of these little quilts to swap and change on the stands regularly.

As you can see, lots of great projects. On the back cover you can see the True Friends Tote Bag, Little House Pincushion (with hexies), the Heart & Bloom Mini Quilt, the Table Centre & the Churn Dash Pieced Quilt.

There is also the Red Home Round Cushion in lovely toile & the Thread Catcher, little baskets that can have 101 uses as well as catching our threads & off-cuts.

After a really busy day at work, just looking at this book makes me feel relaxed & itching to stitch.

I brought my copy from Sarah at Patchwork Plus. They are currently just $25.00 with free post & you will have it in your hands within a few days. Sarah is super fast at posting out orders.

I can't sign off without an update on the furboys. Little Brun is feeling a little neglected with my now working more days a week (I'm surprised he hasn't done a blog post letting you know of his dismay!). To add to his woes, last night I lit the slow combustion fire in the family room rather than sitting in the lounge with the gas fire. Poor Brun just couldn't get his old head around the change & kept going back in to the dark lounge & sitting in front of the unlit gas fire. One guess who kept traipsing in to the lounge & picking him up & putting him back on the rug in front of the lit fire. Young Hun-bun is his usual happy self, enjoying the two sunny days we have had this weekend after weeks of rain. Hun-bun's new nickname is 'Low Maintenance' which only leaves one new name for his big little brother........

Happy reading
Tracee xx