March FNSI is here already!

Happy St Patrick's Day!  A little belated but still, let's extend the shenanigans!🍀🍀

This year, like last and the one before, is just flying by.  I don't know what it is....is it technology taking over our 'free' time?  Being bombarded with information constantly through our phones and computers?  I don't know what it is, but I'm aging faster than I'd like....but I guess that's a bonus not afforded to some, so I shan't complain.

Are you ready for our FNSI this Friday?  What are you planning on working on?  I have just finished a swap gift that hopefully will be delivered before then so I can show you.  It was to be a pattern from one of our favourite designers made in Tilda.  I found it really hard to send it off....I loved it!  But I can make another one so I'm not too worried.    My only hope is my recipient loves it too and can use it.  I love practical gifts, not just dust collectors.  What about you?

I've also just finished a top for a quilt as a gift for my neighbours who are overseas at the moment getting married.  I'm waiting for the backing to arrive and I have two weeks to quilt and bind it before they get home.  It has been a fun one to do.  I've used blocks that were spare ones sent in the Little Box of Creativity from our beautiful sponsor, Kitty Rose Cottage.  We were sent two strips of Tilda fabric, one patterned and one coordinating solid each month for a year.  Sewing these together to make a 16 patch block made a rainbow of blocks and I knew I just had to make something special with them.  I got inspiration from an email I received expressing interest in a quilt a long for valentines day.  

I saw it and thought, "Ooh, this will be perfect!"  So I played around with some graph paper and drew a block and subsequent quilt design.  So each block became a heart!  I had to make an extra 9 or 10 blocks to make my quilt top and I'm super happy with it.    Here's some of the blocks....(I haven't taken a photo of the whole top yet as it's been wet, overcast and windy on and off over the past week or so...very unpredictable weather for taking photos!) 

I'm not sure what I'll be working on on Friday night but it will be something, that's for sure! 

I made a heart to commemorate one of FNSI's stitchy sisters who passed suddenly recently.  Our friend Catherine Doust had been ill but passed suddenly...she was only 53 years old and gave so much to our group as well as many other online groups.  She will be sadly missed. 

The hearts (which are one of my favourite symbols as you can tell from my blog insignia and the blocks I make) were made by many and sent to adorn her coffin so that we could express how much she meant to us all....tell your loved ones (end even those who are just friends) how much they mean.....it can all be gone in an instant.  Just know, I love you all. 

Thank you all for all you give to our little group.  It fills my heart every month knowing we can be together doing what we love best, even though we're miles apart.  I sincerely can think of nothing better.  Now saying that, I'd love to thank Dawn for supporting us with a prize each month for one lucky, randomly chosen FNSIer.  Have you been to visit her online shop lately?  There's some beauties there - the new Tilda Songbird, which I love, and the Brie Basics which I love even more!  They go with everything and are so beautiful...I think I need to buy yardage! (don't tell my husband!)  I think I might have to even order some poppyseed basics....they are cute!

So, our February get together had 23 beautiful ladies stitching.  I popped everyone's names into the wheel of names and spun to find our winner.  Congratulations to our February winner who will receive a prize from Dawn at Kitty Rose Cottage.

CONGRATULATIONS Dianne!!!!!

Now make sure you sign up below or on the facebook group page.  If you're not a member yet, press the 'join' button and I'll be sure to add you!

looking forward to stitching along with you all

Enjoy the rest of your week xox :o)

2026 First FNSI for the year and memories of times gone by.

 Welcome, welcome,  and a very happy New Year!

It just occurred to me that I have been doing FNSI for quite some time now after taking it over.  I had to go back and check how long and can you believe it......my first was Jan 20, 2012!  I've been hosting FNSI for 14 years this year....so since that very first Aussie FNSI, that's 

• 5111 days or 
• 13 years 11 months 28 days, or 
• 167 months 28 days or
• 730 weeks and 1 day or
• 122,664 hours or
• 7,359,840 minutes or
• 441,590,400 seconds!!!!

Can you believe it???  Happy anniversary to us! 

That's a heck of a lot of craft projects we've been able to fit in!  I'm so proud to be able to host this for us all, and with the help of our beautiful sponsor Dawn from Kitty Rose Cottage, encourage you with gorgeous fabrics and kits and a prize or two!  Speaking of which, have you seen the new Tilda range 'Songbird' ready for preorder?  (and yes, it is on sale at Kitty Rose Cottage!)  Ive just placed my order and can't wait to get it and make something beautiful.

Time has certainly changed since those early days and the idea of blogging is a little 'old' but I still like to blog when I can.  It's a little more arduous now with updates over the years making it more difficult to add photos and things so posts are fewer and farther between.  

Keeping up with the times, I've added our Facebook group to make it easier for those who don't blog (or who prefer the 'instant' inspiration) so if you are not a member of the group yet, I recommend you join so you don't miss out.

We've made so many friendships and learnt so much from one another over the years, I cannot imagine life without FNSI now.  We've grown from a few ladies to a group from all over the world.  I've found it to be so therapeutic and inclusive, particularly being in a rural area where getting together is limited. What are your memories of FNSI?  I'd love to hear.

Scroll forward and I've got a bit of a catch up for prizes for 2025.  November and December was problematic as computer issues made it difficult to post.....frustrates the bejeebuz out of me.....BUT, we'll start off 2026 with a positive...... some winners!! That's always good, isn't it?

We have winners for both November and December and without further ado....here they are.....

Congratulations ladies!!!  So much inspiration each month and a little payback is just the 'glimmer' we need!   

Looking forward to spending another FNSI with you this Friday night and for many more Friday nights to come!  Thank you so much for sharing it with me and here's to our little community growing bigger and stronger for a long time yet!

Big sugary hugs xox :o)