Tuesday 21st July 2026 … SAMPLES, SEWING & SEARCHING … It’s been another busy week here in the Studio, with a big batch of samples to prepare and stitch as I explore two different feet this week. It’s still very cool, and then the winds arrived as well—definitely not welcome! My favourite reading spot is […]

Friday 10th July, 2026 … SUNNY WINTER DAYS … Winter in South East Queensland has been putting on a rather beautiful show—crisp, clear days that still hold a gentle warmth in the sunlight. I’ve also found myself especially grateful for reverse cycle air conditioning, which makes the Studio such a comfortable place to spend time.

Monday 29th June, 2026 … BACK TO CREATIVE LIFE … Welcome back to the Studio! After a couple of wonderful weeks away, it’s lovely to be back at the sewing machines and catching up with you all. My time away was spent enjoying precious family moments in both Townsville and Yeppoon, highlighted by the beautiful

Sunday 17th May, 2026 … SEWING THROUGH THE SNIFFLES … A little later than usual this week, thanks to a couple of days spent battling some sort of virus. There was a lot more sleeping, recovering and crocheting than sewing happening here for a few days! Funny how my watch records crochet stitches as steps/completing

Friday 8th May, 2026 … BUSY HANDS, HAPPY STUDIO … The cooler weather has definitely arrived here now — I even had long sleeves on today, which felt like quite the milestone after such a long stretch of warm days. It’s been a busy and very satisfying week in the studio, with the biggest achievement

Friday 1st May, 2026 … From Bag Charms to Jacket Panels … As you might have seen on social media this week, I spent a lovely day visiting my daughter Gemma and her family, with my little Bernina B335 machine in tow so I could fit in a bit of mending whist I was there.

Friday 24th April, 2026 … PRIORITY PLANNING … This week I got rather organised and completed writing up the Blog earlier than I’ve done lately. So not a lot of ‘social ramblings’ to add since last week.  I’ve got a few big days planned ahead for making another Laura Jacket for The Quilters Angel in

Saturday, 18th April 2026 … AN UNEXPECTED PAUSE … This week’s blog post is arriving a little later than planned, thanks to an unexpected “power down” day when a tree took out the lines and left us without electricity for almost an entire working day. Not exactly ideal—but sometimes these interruptions have a way of

Saturday, April 11th 2026 … FABRIC PILES & FAMILY SMILES … There’s something especially comforting about this time of year, as the gentle arrival of autumn brings cooler temperatures – the perfect excuse to spend my daytime hours in the studio. This past week has been all about settling into that seasonal rhythm—cup of tea

Saturday 4th April 2026 … A WEEK OF SEWING & SURPRISES TO COME … It’s been another wonderfully full week, the kind that flies by in a blur of fabric, thread, and creativity. Last weekend was a definite highlight—two fantastic days spent at Kimz Sewing and Patchwork in Warana, teaching Bernina B990 classes. The ladies

Friday 27th March 2026 … TRIMS, THREADS AND FUN … This week in the Studio has been all about play—digging into a growing stash of trims that have been patiently waiting for their moment. From soft cords to decorative ribbon, beads, sequins and shiny crystals, it’s been one of those weeks where experimenting feels just

Friday 20th March 2026 … THE GOOD LIFE … Well, for those readers who are retired as I am, from fulltime working, how good is life! Mind you, the days seems to fly by faster than ever, the older I get. It just seems like a couple of days ago that I was sitting down

Friday 13th March 2026 … I LOVE RAINY DAYS … After quite a few dry months, finally we’ve had a bit of rain here in Forestdale!  The property is looking lovely and green again, and the wildlife around here are loving it too.  This is the view out of the Studio window … Most days

Friday 6th March, 2026 … BACK IN THE ‘CLASSROOM’ AGAIN … This week started with lots of prep for a Mastery Series I am teaching to a lovely group of ladies, referred to me by a friend of many years, and a fellow Bernina Lover, Sharyn Hall, a talented mixed media artist here in Brisbane. 

Friday 27th February, 2026 … FAMILY GIFT SEWING … I thought I’d start today with a little recap of what was ‘under my needle’ at the end of last year. Here’s a little background to what I made. Christmas sewing is always a busy activity here in the Studio, and each year as well as

Friday 20 February 2026 … HELLO, IT’S ME AGAIN … Can you believe it’s already February 20th? So far, 2026 is shaping up to be another year of “more” — more sewing, overlocking, coverstitching, creating, learning, upskilling, socialising, movies, cups of tea … and definitely more road trips, whether planned or spontaneous! Simply put …

Friday 9th May, 2025 … AND THAT’S A WRAP! … What a big Challenge that was for me!  This week sees the end of my BERNINA Big Book of Feet Challenge that I set myself way back in February of 2024.  If you’ve only joined in recently, it’s been a lot of stitching, chatting and

Friday 2nd May, 2025 … ARE WE THERE YET? … ALMOST!!!  One more after this one!  This week has been quite the Challenge in more ways than one!  The family arrived home from their overseas holiday late on Tuesday evening, with a most unexpected ‘souvenir’, in the form of a virus!  Ambah was unwell a

Friday 25th April, 2025 … CHECKING OFF THE LIST … I’m a big list maker and tonight (I started this on Monday), I’m sitting with a very long list of things I wanted to get finished before I headed off on my little road trip north … and somehow there doesn’t appear to be many

Friday 18th April, 2025 … SEWCATION PROGRESS … The progress this week was a lot less productive than I had planned for! Some weeks are like that, and it’s how we react that really matters.  I’ve come to realise over the years, that the gap between my planned expectations and what actually gets completed is

Friday 11th April 2025 … Sewcation Begins … The week started out quite busy as I was getting myself organised for almost 2 weeks at home on my own, as the family packed up and flew off to Singapore for their first overseas holiday together. Their vacation started Wednesday, and after a very early morning

Friday 4th April, 2025 … GYPSY DOILEY TREASURE … I had managed a little ‘me’ time this past week, which was lovely!  I took my friend Megan along to a little workshop at Miegunyah House Museum, over in Bowen Hills.  I wrote about a previous visit with Kathryn from Just Country Crafts earlier this year. 

Friday 28th March, 2025 … TWICE AS MUCH FUN … This week I’m blogging about two different presser feet due to having had lots of prep work to do prior to heading up to Kimz Sewing and Patchwork at Warana, for a weekend of L890 fun! Here are a couple of photos from the weekend,

Friday 14th March 2025 … WET AND WINDY WEATHER … Many days of uncertainty last week, came to an end when Cyclone Alfred made its landfall and brought wild winds, lots of rain and damage to homes and businesses not only here in South East Queensland, but further north and south of us. Thankfully, we

Friday 28th February, 2025 … FAREWELL FEBRUARY … So, today we ready ourselves to ‘Farewell February’, as tomorrow in comes March, thankfully with 3 more days in the month to get things done! Sewing, family and class planning took up every moment of my week, and there was not a spare ‘down day’ for me

Friday 21st February, 2025 … SIXTIES AND BEYOND … Here we go again!  It’s really getting a lot closer to the finish line for me with the Bernina ‘Big Book of Feet Challenge’ I set myself over 12 months ago!  9 more posts to go – after this one! Yes, the first foot post with

Friday 14 February, 2025 … LOVE IS EVERYWHERE … Happy Valentines Day! Now, I’m not going to go into what the history of this particular day is and why around the world it is celebrated each year on February 14th, you can always ‘google it’! However, I believe love should be celebrated every day, in

Friday 7th February, 2025 … WHEN FRIENDS VISIT … It’s Monday evening 11:30pm  as I write this, it has just started to rain again, and I don’t have a lot of sewing news to put in this week’s blog post as I’ve been busy getting sorted for a few days of fun ahead as my

Friday 1st February, 2025 … SCHOOL’S BACK! … I did a lot of this reminiscing this week as I was ‘mending’ or actually replacing trims on some ‘shoulder pad strap protectors’ for both Ambah and Leo’s school laptop bags.  A lot different to when I went to school – slates and slate pencils in Year

Friday 24th January, 2025 … SUMMER FUN TIMES … The beach always delivers!  I had a great little getaway down the Gold Coast last week, spending time with family, at the beach, around the pool and generally out in the fresh air enjoying just being together!  Thanks Gemma, Jack and Bobby!  Highlight just before I

Friday 17th January, 2025 … THE BEACH IS CALLING … Seems only a couple of days since I last sat down at my laptop for blogging – well, actually it is!  Technology issues all sorted for the time being, and it’s back to the Bernina Big Book Of Feet Challenge again, and keeping it on

Sunday 12th January, 2025 … 2025 CHALLENGE … Spring cleaning and sorting through the Studio, appears to be more than a ‘one season long’ task … and as it’s now midway through Summer, I’m thinking it will be Spring again before I even get half of what I’ve got on my list ticked off!  There

Friday 03 January, 2025 … LOOKING BACK ON 2024 … It is that time of the year, when I total up all the stitches I’ve done this past year … and my little black notebook has recorded 1,764,042 stitches this year – not a great deal in the grand scheme of things I initially thought,

Friday 20th December, 2024 … MAKING THE DAYS COUNT … It’s been raining here almost all week … so I’ve moved my sewing onto the dining table down in the house – and as the family are away enjoying a roadtrip holiday, I’ve had the whole house to myself (and my sewing!) – and so

Friday 13th December, 2024 … CHRISTMAS IS GETTING CLOSE … So … here’s my Christmas Sewing Update – I have three stockings all cut out, one already pieced … simple squares in green and red Christmas fabrics.  Other two are tumbler blocks and triangles.  They will all be quilted, with white tops, pompom trim, little

Saturday 7th December, 2024 … HELLO DECEMBER! … The Christmas Tree is up, most of the decorating is done and all is on schedule awaiting the arrival of Santa!  Days are truly flying by fast, and the list of sewing I want to get done before the end of the year seems to get longer

Friday 29th November, 2014 … A BIG DAY INDEED … Exciting times this week as my long-awaited new machine arrived!  Two large boxes awaited unboxing – but first I needed to make room on the bench by moving the fabulous B790PRO … it went straight up on one of the cutting benches as I had

Friday 22nd November, 2014 … NEW CHAPTERS AHEAD … Back again after a break away from The Studio – and it wasn’t what I had planned, or chatted about before.  A stitching get together/retreat was put aside, as I flew up to Townsville to visit my dear Mum, Thelma.  Mum’s been on her own now

Friday 8th November, 2024 … LATE NIGHT WRITE-UPS … I’m blessed to have my little ‘happy place’ – The Sewing Gypsy Studio – to spend time in, and it is delightful to hear the ‘rain on the tin roof’ as I sew/write – I just have to remember to bring an umbrella up with me

Friday 1st November, 2024 … IT’S A BALANCING ACT … If you recall some of the photos I’ve shared of signs up in The Studio, you’ll know I love a good quote! Here’s a few that surround me … I’m constantly on the lookout for inspiration in my life, and came across these wise words

Friday 25th October, 2024 … THE COUNTDOWN BEGINS … As the year seems to be flying by me, I’ve decided to make a list of all the things I want to finish off this year here in the Studio.  There always seems to be more piling up around me as each week goes by.  I

Friday 18 October, 2024 … BREATHINGS OF MY HEART … Thursday 9pm … Another week, and another blog post and I’m truly stuck as what to write tonight – and I had best get unstuck because, it’s only 10 hours before this is scheduled to be published!  I’m not often without something to say …

Friday 11 October, 2024 … WORTH THE WAIT! … Yesterday, I got to experience the recently released Bernina B990 with a little hands-on sample, which perfectly highlighted the new features and functions of this Top of the Line machine. As this section is a really short chat this week, due to being a bit time-poor,

Friday 4 October, 2024 … MAGIC HAPPENED! … Bernina Academy 2024 wrapped up on Saturday afternoon, and what a fabulous time we all had!  I flew down to Sydney on the previous Saturday morning, hopped into a taxi and arrived at Wentys League Club (the Venue) before midday!  Then it was straight into helping the

Friday 13 September, 2024 … DASH TO THE FINISH LINE … I’m squeezing in writing up this blog between my after dinner cup of tea … and bedtime!  Yes, it’s Thursday night here … and as I’m writing this … it is almost midnight!  So … here goes, another short one! I’ve been busy now

Friday 6 September, 2024 … DAYS GONE BY … How can it already be September?  It must be, because my watch tells me that, so does my phone, iPad, Laptop … and my constant companion in The Studio … Alexa! However, when I looked around inside The Studio this week, it seemed time had stood

Friday 30 August, 2024 … SHORT AND SWEET … Some weeks I get to Thursday, and think … “What have I achieved this week?”  Well, to put it honestly, I’ve been busy procrastinating way too much, over sooooo many tasks that needed doing this month … and now there’s only 2 days left!!  Guess, I’ve

Friday 23rd August, 2024 … BACK TO NATURE … As much as it appears to be in this blog, I don’t get to sew ALL DAY … EVERY DAY! So here’s what happened this week … Time in the garden, is always time well spent!  Last Sunday I decided it was way overdue that I

Friday 16th August, 2024 … CHANNELING PARIS … Back home now for over a week, and settling back into the Studio to keep on track with the Blog has been a bit of a task – I find it a challenge to get started after a little break.  Do you ever have times like that?  

Friday 9th August, 2024 … GOOD TIMES AWAY … Shared fun times with friends, are always good! Last week I packed up my car and took a road trip up to Bribie Island, to spend a few days away with two dear friends Marion, and Rachel … sewing, socialising, sleeping and generally filling the days

Friday 2nd August, 2024 … HELLO AUGUST! … And just like that … It’s August!  I don’t know about you, but I am constantly amazed at just how fast life goes the older you get!  I can still remember as a young child thinking the days went so slow, and school holidays took FOREVER to

Friday 19th July, 2024 … SKILL BUILDING IS FUN … When was the last time you sat down at your machine/s and just played?  For me, as I’m no longer working fulltime, there’s hardly a week goes by that I’m not ‘indulging’ in this pastime, but for others it may have been quite a while,

Friday 12th July, 2024 … POSSIBILITY THINKING … This past week I’ve been filling in my days up in the Studio with lots of gridded paper, pencils, rubbers, scissors, glue sticks, markers, rulers, a compass and a head full of ‘just what could be possible’ ideas!  Have you ever had times like this?  I should

Friday 5th July, 2024 … COLD, HARD TRUTH … It’s School Holidays here in Queensland at the moment, and so far we have had some bright, warm and sunny ‘outside play days’, as well as dreary, wet and cold ‘stay inside days’.  As I’m writing this, today in Brisbane our maximum temperature recorded was a

Friday 28th June, 2024 … THE WAIT IS OVER! … It will be no surprise to anyone reading this I’m sure, that I’m opening this week’s blog post with news of something that I have personally awaited for quite a few years now!  A new Top of the Line Bernina Sewing Machine!! My love of

Friday 14th June, 2024 … CHATS AND ‘RABBITHOLES’ … The week really does fly by when you know you have a deadline to meet … self-imposed as I’ve said before, however I need to keep on track … for a little while at least. Another late night/early morning still up writing this, and I thought

Friday 7th June, 2024 … COSY PJs AND WARM HUGS … Winter has well and truly arrived here in South East Queensland, and I’m up here in The Sewing Gypsy Studio madly writing this to get it finished and scheduled for tomorrow at 7am!  It’s been quite a busy week here at home, so it

Friday May 10, 2024 … MAGICAL MAGGIE MOMENTS … So … after a two week break, guess it’s time to update everyone as to what has been happening in the life of The Sewing Gypsy. Lots! So a little bit longer read this time …I was quite busy sewing and packing for my big roadtrip

Friday April 26, 2024 … SHARING THE JOY … Two weeks ago I posted off a little Needle Wallet I made as part of the #needlecaseswap2024cc on Instagram with Christine Cohrs (@once_upon_a_quilt) … and truly, I love these kind of things, but I don’t often ‘step up to the plate’ and join in … mainly

Friday April 12, 2024 … DENIM DREAMS … Denim is one of my all time favourite fabrics to use in garments. I’m quite the ‘country girl’ and it is great for skirts, jackets, shorts, and jeans of course!  This year I’m planning on making my own pair of jeans that fit well.  I’ve bought several

Friday April 05, 2024 … REST AND RAIN, BUT NO RUFFLES! … Well, April has arrived!  It’s going to be a busy couple of weeks ahead as I prepare for my trip away! I’ve should have been ruffling away through metres of bias strips of fabric, getting the class sample ready for Just Country Craft’s 

Friday March 29, 2024 … EVERYTHING OLD IS NEW AGAIN … As I sit in The Studio writing up this Blog post, there is a new Kmart jumper that has just been unpicked, the long sleeves removed, and binding added to re-make into a vest for my granddaughter Ambah.  (Ribbing from stash!) She loved it

Friday March 22, 2024 … LOOKING AHEAD … Another week spent up in my Happy Place, ‘The Sewing Gypsy Studio’, as preparation for ‘getting ahead with the Blog’ is high on the priority list.  The reason behind that is of course, I have a big road trip planned, and I’ll be away from home for

Friday March 15, 2024 … THE BEST LAID PLANS … Planning, preparation and ‘Grand’parenting filled in my time this week, with a busier than normal routine, as Sally and Ben took time out and headed away for a week’s holiday. Picture ocean views, clear skies (mostly), outdoor hikes, swimming, relaxing, no cooking, and no kiddos! 

Friday March 08, 2024 … SLIDING BACK IN … Back on track today, as life threw a curveball or two, a couple of weeks ago, and put my blogging ‘schedule’ a little skewed.  I find that with the flexibility of working from home though, managing time becomes easier. I aim for one blog post per

Friday 1st March, 2024 … DIPPING JUST ONE TOE IN … Before I chat about this week’s Foot, (which has only one ‘toe’ – hence the title ☺) … thought I’d share a couple of photos from last month, when I went along to the Tilda Jubilee Tour Event in Brisbane.  The day began with

Friday February 16, 2024 … LET’S START AT THE VERY BEGINNING … Firstly, let me thank you ALL for the wonderful response to my first Blog post on Monday. It was humbling to receive so many messages of support and encouragement – you never know how things will be received until you put it out