Out and about

Today has been a busy day, this morning I went into Geelong for the Guild meeting...

one of the beautiful show and tell quilts today

the Easter bonnet parade!!!

After the meeting but before the speaker ( a lady was going to talk about her Vintage quilts) I had to leave as I had kitchen duty at the Seachange Quilters show

here is my Charm Square Sampler hanging in the show

and the Bordered Diamonds quilt with the Samoan fabrics, looks very bright compared to the quilts around it!!

A general view, 

and the light is not good, but this is a Michelle Ridgway pattern..the calendar bears, had to sneak the photo so sadly it is not so good!!

Had better head off and get some dinner cooked!!

Happy sewing.

Busy day

Today I decided I just had to get on with it and get these quilts done, so I am happy to say that both quilts are finished, labelled, with hanging sleeves, their bags are made and labelled, just need to give them a good going over with sticky tape to get of the fluff and dog hair!! Then they are ready for the show on the weekend!! Seachange quilters at Barwon Heads...Friday evening until Sunday afternoon this weekend.

I have also motivated myself to finish my name label for the members quilt at Seachange

I used a last piece of fabric from Samoa...hope it fits in with the others! 

Ok while I am still motivated I will make a start on the Dresden plate!

Happy sewing.

Happy sewing

has happened today over at the Port Arlington sewing group, the Bellarine Quilters. There was lots of beautiful show and tell, I only got a few photos

these lovely quilts with elephants, they started out as one quilt but got to big, so now are two!!

How cute are these teddies?

Guess who came to sewing group today????  Was lovely to see Shez and have a sit and natter and sew...we actually only got part of the day to chat as I was in the back room sandwiching a quilt. This group has a wonderful frame where you pin on the backing, pull it tight, then lay on the wadding and the top and then you can start pinning...when you have reached as far as you can, you wind up the pinned end, make sure all is tight and off you go again. Shez has taken a photo so can add that later, or you can see it on her blog.

Thank you Shez for the photos!! One happy quilter. 

After we had finished I had a wander down to the shops and over the road

and down towards the beach...it was a bit dull then, the sun came out when I got back to the car.

I did a little more binding on the Charm Square Sampler...off to do some quilting now.

Happy sewing.

I have been

stitching happily today, this morning I went over to Barwon Heads and did some sewing with the Seachange group, it was lovely to meet some different ladies and to chat and sew. Once I got home I was motivated to make the binding for the Charm Square Sampler...something that has been waiting a while but is not on my to list this month!!! Maybe that is what I need to do....not put it on the list and then I will do it!!!! Some kind of crazy logic there!!! Anyway the binding is on and now the hand sewing begins,

Happily off to start the hand sewing now.

Happy sewing.

And here we are...

..we have had five days in New Zealand now, have had all kinds of weather, the birthday party went well, everyone turned up and enjoyed themselves..we have been out and about a little

this yarn bombing was out near we went for lunch...there were several trees decorated in the same way...

I did  litle retail therapy on the way to the hardware shop......Christmas fabrics were all 30% off....couldn't ignore that!!!blogger has decided on an upside down photo for some reason.....

I took Mum up to the Te Puna Quarry garden...we scrambled up steps and over stones....probably not the best thing to be doing with a nearly 90 year old, but we got to see large gardens of orchids so all were happy!!

The view over the bush and out to Mount Maunganui was wonderful .....perfect weather today...

Loved this carving, things like this were spread through the gardens....

the next day the weather wasn't so good but we went for a walk around Mount Maunganui along with hundreds of other people....it is the local fitness track as well as the visitors wander and look track!

a huge ship left the harbour as we were walking around, the Maori warrior meets and farewells the shipping. ..

..we are around now to Pilot Bay, the calm side.....lovely fishing spot....

yesterday we drove through to Auckland, it was pouring, so wet!! Not good for driving, or being a tourist or geocaching, although I did sneak a couple in! Lol!

My quilt was waiting at Jenny's house.....

beautifully  quilted by Leanne at quiltmekiwi....pop over to Leeannes blog she does such beautiful quilting 

a little close up...

Jenny has been busy knitting KOGO blankets so last night I got busy with the crochet hook and started the edging......is raining heavily on and off again today, so not sure what we are able to do, might have to sit and chat and sew/knit/crochet!!! It is a hard life lol!!!!!

Happy sewing.

Sunny day

Today I sewed some fabric together for the backing on the Charm Square Sampler Quilt, hasn't it been a beautiful sunny day??

It was very bright in the sewing room this morning....

the supervisor found the only spare bit of floor space....

had to wear my sunnies to cope with the glare!! Lol!! Still lots of sorting and tidying up needs to be done! The backing is sorted, the quilt top ironed and tidied and it is flying off to the lovely Leeanne at quiltmekiwi in New Zealand!! I am sure she will do an amazing quilting job...just hope the quilt top is ok to quilt!!

This afternoon I went out on the bike (yes sometimes I forget my age!!) and went in search of caches..

It was a beautiful afternoon, calm no wind, quiet road....

easy riding, not too many up parts!! Not keen on the up!! 

There are caches about every 200m along this road, don't know I would be happy doing this in the summer as I would be  frightened of snakes....have been looking under dead trees and in tree stumps....only some spiders this time of the year...

..time to head home I think....have had a great afternoon, legs are a bit sore but I am happy!

Hope you have had a lovely day!

Happy sewing.

A finish...

..this afternoon I managed to finish the flimsy of the Charm Square Sampler Quilt!! Woo Hoo!!

I am so very happy with it....and super happy I managed to get the blocks all the size they were supposed to be!! Bonus!!! Now to decide on the backing and the big question....do I attempt to quilt it???

....later this afternoon after a few domestics...best not to leave the washing out on the line another day I thought...I completely forgot it last night and it was frosted this morning...lucky we had a beautiful sunny day!!....anyway I got to make another block for Sylvia's Bridal Sampler

this one is the Friendship Star...I think we made one of these for the Underground Railroad Sampler, no I have just checked and we didn't, we did do some of the triangle blocks the same way though, anyway enough of me waffling, I have also started another block

Grace's Friendship....it needs sewing down and trimming....I found it already traced when I opened the book, so must have planned to make it for something else and then changed my mind! Love a bonus!!

the supervisor enjoyed his walk this morning...I was laging behind a little!!

Well had better go and start dinner

Happy sewing. 

Because I am happy.....

Hee hee!! I spent lots of time today unpacking tubs and finding homes for things but I had promised myself I would do some sewing today as well...my mission today was to do the 9th and final block of the Charm Square Sampler Quilt...'cos how long can one block take to make?? Well quite a while I found out when I sewed along happily and then had to unsew!! mmmmmm...but...

Ta da!!! Number 9 block finished......then I laid out the blocks on the desk..not really enough room but they looked good...

I am feeling pretty pleased with myself for getting the blocks done, so while feeling happy I decided to start on the sashings...even managed to put in some corner stones (new experience for me!!) only a couple of not quite right corners...

..and now this is as far as I got..have to stop now as black is hard to see at night and the light in the sewing room isn't too good..one more sashing strip to make and then the next row of blocks goes on...I have been sewing along with Shannon at Modern Tradition Quilts..all the block instructions are on her blog. I found her tutorials easy to follow. I am so happy!!! Hopefully I will do some more tomorrow.

Happy sewing.

Sewing Sunday

I have had a productive day today...I think the overcast weather makes me more likely to sew...I would rather sit and read outside if it is sunny

..some interesting clouds happening here this morning ......

I made a zipper pouch this morning....read the instructions twice, measured, sewed and cut...and then realised I had done it the wrong way!!! Oh dear....oh well instead of a pouch that sits up and makes it easy to look inside I have one that wont!! Lol!! At least I got the fabric the right way up I suppose!!

I also made block 7 for the Charm Square Sampler Quilt...only two more to go....then comes the serious stuff....gulp!!

I have launched into another Aussie Hero quilt, the request was for blue, green, yellow, meditation and beach...I snuck some yellow on the sides.....and am planning to do lots of free range quilting along the black lines....fingers crossed it is liked.....

.....the supervisor, of course is near by for when he is needed!! I used the outdoor table to make the sandwich today and got it finished just before the rain started!

I am off to Eve's place tomorrow afternoon and then we head for Mount Gambier....then on to Kingston and the big lobster!! A few days of tiki touring around.

Happy sewing.

Charm Squares

I did a little stitching this afternoon and thankfully no unstitching...I have learnt to slow down and use the stiletto!!

Block number 5 for the Charm Square Sampler Quilt...not too many corners damaged in construction!!

I have also been over to look at Barb Smith's buttons.....boy that is fatal...I find it very hard to go and just look

these arrived in the mail yesterday...just love them!!

my first letter from A Month of Letters arrived yesterday too...exciting!!! And it was from NSW and a quilter!!! Great envelope!

I have also signed up for

You can join up too over at Wendy's she also has some very interesting recipes there for Friday night.

I am off to get dinner organised.

Happy sewing.

Oops!!

Today when I should be packing or putting clean sheets on the bed or doing something else constructive I am looking at blogs, listening to music...I must say here I have packed up the linen cupboard so feel like I have at least done a little today...anyway while I was looking around I found this blog Modern Traditional Quilts, and liked this quilt and so I have decided to try and make it this year...I have even visited ebay (recipe for disaster!!) and bought some batik fabric and some black for the background...once the fabric arrives I am ready for action!!

Have I done the right thing??? Mmmmmmmm......I wasn't supposed to start anything new so early this year, but when you see something you  like what do you do?? Lol!!

Happy sewing!