Today

is a cold and windy day, we have rain forecast for this afternoon but sunshine again tomorrow. I notice there are more people around than usual and realised it s the school holidays. I think there are a few children down here staying with their grandparents.
Last week I made two blocks for Sylvia's Bridal Sampler, Ingrid and I now have a challenge going so I am hoping once again to make a block a week --- we will see. 👩

Two six inch blocks, one with a slightly wonky corner, I am hoping I can fudge it later on.

Yesterday I spent the afternoon quilting an oncology quilt, using that mono filament thread again but this time only had one needle break.  Maybe it is the machines way of telling me the needle is blunt?? Luckily the piece that broke stayed on the thread so I knew where it was.

Just a little more to do around the edges.

I like how the quilting puffs up the flowers

and the hummingbirds

I also had a lovely thank you and photo from the last Aussie Hero quilt recipient

Good morning Sue, (from the Middle East)

I’m very happy to be writing you to let you know I have received my quilt. (Photo attached).

It is such a shame about this current situation the world faces with covid19, I hope you and the family are healthy and mostly unaffected.I Especially hope that the pub can reopen soon that your youngest son works at. I heard there may be a “travel bubble” opened between Australia and New Zealand soon. If this eventuates I will very much like to travel there upon my return to Australia.

A little bit about me,
I’m an Airfield Defence Guard in the RAAF and provide protection to aircraft and other ADF personal under our protection. My job over here currently sees me flying regularly to all parts of the Middle East. Back at home I’m based in Newcastle and it has some amazing beaches that I miss.

I’m currently deployed on my 3rd deployment to the Middle East but had never received a quilt. It is great to come back to my bed and have a bit of colour and beach nostalgia ! This quilt will defiantly be with me long after this deployment ends and I can’t thank you enough for the work you have put into into it.

P.s My Mum was very moved by the quilt you sent, so she may (embarrassingly) also send you an email.

and his Mum did!! It was great to hear from her too.

I am off now to get a cuppa and warm up a bit.

Happy stitching.

Yesterday

I went back into Geelong to complete the tests I needed done, I went early (yep did not allow myself to read the book I am reading over breakfast) so I got a  parking space across the road from the pathology place, no parking fee as Geelong Council are not charging while the virus is with us, no way of keeping the machines clean I guess. So that done I headed to the hospital and got a park half a block away (yay for getting in earlier!) . I went into the hospital had my temp taken, all good and was sent to the reception desk, the reception lady sent me back to the temp taker to get a visitors sticker and off I went to level 5 to deliver the quilts to Belinda. After a very quick chat I headed back out and back to the car and home, I had to be home quickly as I have a very important meeting at 11am!
Yes a sit and chat meet up with these lovely ladies

Fiona, Michelle, Maria and myself met up for a catch up and boy the morning zipped by very quickly. It was lovely to see and chat with these clever ladies.

Fiona wore her special "high tea with the ladies"hat and looked very glam!! Maria had to leave us as she had an appointment, then it was (late) lunch time so I signed off to. Thank you for organising this Fiona, I had a great time. Note to self, do not talk when taking the photo!! 😁

I got a bit of stitching done on the Old Time Kaleidoscope block, more was done in the evening, football was on, so I retreated to the sewing room!

I also got this quilt top together, very simple, it is from fabrics Ingrid sent me. Beautiful batiks.

I finished this book this morning, I saw it months ago on Leanne's blog. It is about the walking trail from the top of the North Island to the bottom of the South Island, walked by a woman from Melbourne. Very inspiring, having said that I could never do it, but it was a great read. I had it on reserve at the library and now that it is open again, things I have reserved are slowly coming through.

My walk this morning took me along the road

down thru the houses, I heard these women coming before I saw them, they are a bike riding group based in Port Arlington.

A huge container ship was making its way along the other side of the bay

I know they are balanced well but they amaze me that they don't tip over.

Man and his dog enjoying the low tide.

Yesterday I made this weeks Anthology block, the easiest I could find in the book! I was very tired.

Now  I am off to decide which block to make from Sylvia's Bridal Sampler, the challenge was due yesterday. I looked up my blog books and found I started this in 2015...along with Fiona who was doing it with a group up her way. Best I had better get on with it!!

Have a wonderful day.

This week

has been spent quilting and binding and labelling  quilts for the oncology ward in Geelong. I had to go into Geelong today so thought it would be a good day to deliver, but after driving around the block several times and not finding a parking spot within reasonable walking distance, I cracked it and came home! I had to go to a chemist and got quite unnerved when a young man stood really close behind me in the queue, completely disregarding the markings on the floor of where he was to stand.....made me very uncomfortable, I am so happy  to be back home again!!

I made a block for a comfort quilt which has gone in the post today.

This quilt has been quilted, bound and labelled, this was the needle breaking quilt!

Ingrid's quilt is quilted, bound and labelled.

Two bags packed and ready to go. I have to go back to Geelong tomorrow so will try for delivery again.

We have had some interesting cloud formations around here the last week or so.

The galahs are around the besting boxes in the bush, it is great to see them using the boxes.

I had better head off and get my head around an Anthology block, it is due today!! Gulp!

Happy stitching.

Ingrid's birthday

This week was Ingrids birthday week, we had a lunch planned for the day, the balloons were delivered just before lunch, which was very good timing

We had a great lunch, lots of chatting and laughter, but the best was we managed to surprise Ingrid with two birthday cakes. One for eating and the other for keeping.

We got a sewing/Quilting themed cake, it was made by Leanne Rhodes of Leanne's Cakes Geelong and she did a fantastic job making this cake.

The cake had so much beautiful detail

I had sent images to the cake maker of Ingrids favourite fabric line and it was incorporated into the edging around the cake

and also there is one of her favourite designers quilts under the needle.

The machine is polystyrene covered with fondant so should last a long time.Ingrid has a glass dome the cake will be going under at home.

This was the cake for eating with Nicks cheeky message!

I gave Ingrid the One Block Wednesday quilt for her birthday, Jasper moved in for the photo!

This quilt has gone to a very good home!

I also made Ingrid a handbag with fabric left from the quilt, it was a BIG challenge for me, but I did get it finished and then forgot to take a photo!! I had handles go on after this photo.

I also made this project bag with left over bits, it has strips on the back.

I had a finish yesterday

A top made with half square triangles, there was supposed to be a snail trail at one end of the blue triangles but that got lost in the pinning and sewing somewhere. So we have a couple of straight lines going nowhere!

I also made the final foundation pieced block for the Star Quilt that has been underway for years and sadly neglected, the purple piece on the bottom is not straight so some unsewing needs to happen.

These are the blocks so far.

and to finish off here is wee Jasper.

I am off now for a walk and then when back will cut wadding.

Happy stitching.

More photos from Nick.

The happy birthday girl.

A couple of Palmers.

Jill

Nick and his cheeky birthday greeting.

This week

we have Ingrid and Nick staying, we girls are sewing up a storm

Here is the back of the table runner I couldn't up load last week. The kowhai fabric is from NZ.

A centre block of the Old Time Kaleidoscope block is under way.

A quilt was sandwiched out in the sunshine

Ingrid got her quilt top together, so many beautiful blocks

My scrappy stack and slash is all together

I have put the pink borders on a panel and have a quilt top, super quick way to a quilt top.

Ingrid put the scrappy border on her quilt top

and joined fat quarters for the backing

Over the road the galahs have been enjoying the late afternoon sunshine

beautifully observing social distancing

most of the time!!

Ingrid has her snowball quilt top together, the little pinwheels make a feature in the sashing!

Ingrid's frist attempt at foundation paper piecing and her Anthology block for this week

second paper piecing efforts! Pretty good! 

My Anthology block for the week.

I seem to have resolved the photo issue for the moment, fingers crossed!!

More to come tomorrow but for now I am off to do some more sewing.

Have a wonderful day.