Back home again

I am well and truly home, yesterday was a sit on the couch day I was so tired!! Must be getting old! I didn't get many photos of what the ladies worked on at the retreat as I had planned to do that Sunday morning but three of the ladies had to pack up and go home early as the husband of one lady was unwell.

We had a Kris Kringle on Saturday night and I received these two lovely fat quarters

We were also asked to guess a number between 1 and 20...I guessed 8 and was given these great fat quarters

This was part of what Judy got sone on the retreat, there was another quilt top done but I just grabbed this photo as she was packing up. The top on the left was made from fabric her sister brought back from Japan, the middle too was made drom scraps from a quilt made 25 years ago!! The one on the right was made from  9 16 inch squares I think, they were stacked and cut and rearranged and sewn back together four times. 

I am beginning work on the next paper pieced animal...the hedgehog

And Sue is busy working away on her beautiful fabrics.

I had a good drive home, we had some visitors later that evening

And it pays to keep an eye on things when you ask for help of the comouter kind 'cos you end up with photos like this!! 😀

Shane and Steph stayed Sunday and headed home Monday

Steph was trying to get a photo of the Supervisor so

we all joined in!!

Today I have done some grocery shopping and house cleaning..all the exciting things that wait for you when you go away for a few days!! But I did get to the machine late this afternoon

And made two little scrappy house blocks for the Bellarine Row by Row..I was going to sew them by hand but have decided it is much quicker on the machine!!

This is as far as I got with the hedgehog, I need to set the fabric out again and continue sewing. Maybe tomorrow..the large piece has 18 bits to sew on...gets a little involved!! 

This block is part of a sew along hosted by  Juliet of the  The Tartankiwi, she makes the most amazing paper pieced animals and birds and she has a book coming out soon which is exciting.

I had better go and rescue dinner.

Happy sewing.

Saturday

This morning I went into Colac to do some geocaching and to visit the quilt shop, and I didn't get bogged!!!!

It was cold at the Lake, but great to walk around. I went into town and found the quilt shop but didn't take any photos,  was too busy looking!!

Back at the retreat this was my  next project

This paper foundation block  is my  next challenge,  I will give the link to  the blog it comes from later

Sue is busy sewing her beautiful coloured squares

By 4.45 I had the Kingfisher finished!!

5pm was happy hour where we began to celcbrate Christmas in July,

There was lots of Christmas red and cheer !!

Dinner was served in the dining room, which had been beautifully decorated, we had a wonderful dinner of roast oork, turkey and potato with veges, followed by Xmas pud and custard for the others and a baked apple with currants for me.

Following that we watched LaLa Land in the in house cinema. Now I need some sleep so I have energy to sew tomorrow.

Happy sewing.

Quilt retreat

I came through to Birregurra yesterday to a quilt retreat with some of the Bellarine ladies, I did some geocaching on the way, which I relly enjoyed until I got the car bogged on the side of the road, luckily there was a dead bush nearby so I was able to get branches to shove u nder the wheel and after 5 attempts got back out on the road!! I can tell you my blood pressure was very high by then.
We are back at the old hospital, that has been converted to a B &B

There are lots of beautiful antiques and bits of furniture all around

Love this penguin

This is the little sitting room Sue and I are sewing in

Last night I was sewing tumbler blocks, this is  QFO from Seachange

And this morning I got it all finished. I went for a walk after lunch and found

the new quilt shop...small but has beautiful fabric and classes on offer.

I even found some bollards by the Primary School

This afternoon I finished the Spidey quilt, quilted and trimmed

The almost Chevron quilt is quilted and trimmed to. We have now had dinner and I am heading back to sew some more.

Happy sewing.

Catching up

Sunday we went for a walk on part of the Geelong Rail Trail, on the way we stopped at a winery and cafe called Basils, the view from the front of the cafe was amazing, you could see across Swan Bay

there was a huge vege garden

with loads of veges and fruit trees

The train Poziers passed us while we were walking

Adam and beth stepped out into the cold wind! We found quite a few geocaches

saw this galah having a snack

In the afternoon I gave Beth some crochet lessons

one chain circle

and the beginnings of who knows what!! One happy camper!! Beth has just learned knitting so has had to relearn holding the wool and hook, she is going really well.

The Supervisor, of course, 

lapped up all the available attention!!

Today was sit and sew at Barwon Heads, followed by grocery shopping and a visit to the library, then off to Queenscliff for some geocaching,

 and found my first mystery geocache, in a park I have been to many times before!! It was a beautiful day out.

Back home I have put the binding onto this quilt, it is ready for the hand sewing.

I had better head off and cook dinner before the hubby complains!!

Happy sewing.

FNWF results and Saturday sit and sew

On Friday night I managed to quit the little nine patch, simple quilting but I am happy with it

Thank you Cheryll for hosting, you can see what the other FNWF'ers got up to at Cherylls blog.

Yesterday I went to Portarlington and had sit and sew, there were just three of us there but we had a great day

there were some interesting clouds about over the water

I have been working on a weighted cushion for No 1 son to take to work

the Spidey man quilt has had basic quilting, I will go back and free motion around the Spidey pictures

I also started straight line quilting on this quilt. There was lots of chatting going on and Natalie was doing something new to her so needed help

Sue was cutting strips for her quilt

Natalie is making a quilt for her grandson, her first attempt at applique on the machine, these blocks are done

these are waiting to be done

Yesterday No 1 son and his lovely girlfriend came to stay, this morning he is cooking pancakes!! Yum!!

Now we are off to walk part of the Geelong Rail Trail and do some geocaching.

Happy trails.

FNWF

Tonight is Friday night with friends, a chance to have a virtual sew along with like minded people

You can sign up over at our hosts blog, Stitchingcubbyhole,Cheryll will be there to greet you

I found some more pins and sandwiched this quilt, all ready to sew tonight.

Happy sewing.

Bits and pieces

Yesterday was sit and sew at St Leonards, Jill has been working on a beautiful header for over her bed and it is nearly finished

Aren't the colours beautiful?

Mary was working on a cushion cover

we spent a while moving the flowers around and sorting the best look!! Kind of hard to do!!

I rode the bike back and forth yesterday, there was a cold wind but it was a beautiful morning.

Hee hee caught the supervisor before he could look away!!

I sandwiched the Spideyman quilt today

and the almost chevron quilt is sandwiched

I put together a backing

and put a border on this top

and now it is ready to be sandwiched, I think I might need some more pins as I have run out!! Some quilting needs to be done.

Happy sewing.