Fun day stitching

The Guild had a class in Kwandi taught by Irene Blanck today. Irene is a fun and informative teacher, we had a great day. We had to take along a backing piece with wadding onto and the edges sewn down (forgot a photo). We learned about the history of Kwandi and the people who traditionally make it. Kwandi is made by the Siddi people in India, they have an African history. They make their quilts from old clothes often with sari backings, with lots of quilting stitching. 

I don't know why this is upside down, but you get the idea!

This is where I finished for the day, lots to continue with at home, once other projects have been done.

Irene and Anne.

This is one of Irene's Kwandi quilts. I like the extra squares on some of the bigger blocks.

That is it for me for now, off for dinner

Happy stitching  🪡🧵.

Beautiful sunny day today

This morning I checked my emails and saw Chooky was having a zoom for an hour so quickly got my things together and joined in.

It was lovely to catch up with everyone.

 Summer has returned again today and it is quite hot. I did some gardening this morning and came in for lunch looking like tomato face!! 

I cleaned off the table on the front deck and sandwiched two quilts out there, it was a bit breezy but not too bad

I can hear many boats and jet skis out on the water.

Yesterday I went to the quilt shop in Gisborne and did a class with Irene Blanck, she is a wizz with applique. I have had a project of hers for many years so decided it was time to relearn applique and get it made.

Irene helped me with the curved seams and did the beak as a demo, there are a few more circles to add before this part is finished.

I have also finished the binding on two quilts

Such a good feeling to have them finished.

Last weekend we went to David's niece's 30th at her place in Wonthaggi. We stayed in a cabin at the campground at Kilcunda. Sometimes, well most times, this is a very windy place as the southerly wind hurls straight of the ocean, but we struck a beautiful weekend.

Friday evening I had a beach walk

Saturday morning we went for a bike ride along the rail trail

me following hubby

we stopped to look for a cache and found some kangaroos watching us

and I finally found the cache, thank goodness!

I had another ride, early afternoon before we went out, the trail went inland away from the coast, I was looking for caches but saw a snake so that changed my mind pretty quickly!

View to the ocean heading back.

The figs are ripening on the tree and I can't do much with them, but I did see a recipe for fig vodka, which was a bottle of vodka put into a large glass container, then you add three cups of washed, chopped figs, give it a swirl around and put it in a dark place. I was supposed to swirl it each day, but often didn't remember. It was in a  cupboard for 7 days, then I took it out and strained it off. I had a taste the other day and it is pretty good!

I think that is enough from me for now 😄, it is fish and chip night at Adam and Beth place, hopefully by the time I get there the footie will be nearly finished 👍.

Happy stitching and have a wonderful week.

Clamshells are go!!

But firstly today it is Piece yourself together, where we celebrate all things EPP over at Hibiscus Stitches with Anthea.

I have a star nearly completed and some more stars glued down, I have run out of glue so might have to make a trip to a quilt shop! Sad huh!!

Today I pinned and trimmed and sewed and the borders are now on the clamshell quilt!! Why oh why did I put this off for so long, it didn't take that much time!!! Now I have to pull out all the gathering threads on the clams and applique the top row to the border.

My helper was with me nearly every step today, often under foot!

borders are on...Yay!!!! Thanks for the motivation City Girls!!

I wanted to share with you the beautiful flowers Marina gave me on Sunday..they are like sunshine in the house.

Elyte, Anne, Robyn and Annie gave me this tea and some chocolate biscuits that have vanished...I think one husband needs to be spoken to!!

I have had two bkie rides this week, one a couple of times around the lagoon, where I saw this pelican resting and today I went to the shops and back. Coming home I got up the wobbles with the weight in the bikes basket!!

But all is good.

Happy sewing.

Monday

Today I was over at the Bellarine Quilters sit and sew day and I forgot to take my camera!!! How could I do that??? There was some amazing show and tell and I can't share it sadly! It was good to catch up with the ladies there.
Some sewing has been happening here

I have been adding a border to the clamshells, I have three to go on one side and then across the bottom...I think it needs a good iron!!

the tomatoes needed picking today, I for a kilo and a half...

and despite the netting the birds have eaten most of these plums, this is my share!! The snow peas are still producing a few now and then, they are so fresh and crunchy.

I am off now to prep some tomatoes for chutney.

Happy sewing.

Monday

sees the start of meetings at the Bellarine Quilters and there was a good turn out today, there was a show and tell

I don't know whoes quilt this is but there is to be a class making the window sections at Bellarine next Saturday

this is a quilt made by Rae, with panels and she tried out different quilting in each square..it looks fantastic.

Di basted this quilt in the morning, it was from a class she did when living in NZ

Sue made these tables covers for her grand kids to take to school..love the fabrics!

I did a few more leaves and now have moved on to a flower, I think I have four flowers and one bird to go!!

Yesterday hubby and I decided to go for a walk in the afternoon, so we drove, in a round about way (yep we did a tiki tour as I got lost!!) to Point Impossible, just past Breamlea.

From there we followed a road

not very interesting, and came out on another road, then we turned left and went to a beach, as we could not find the walking trail we were supposed to be following. It turned out the beach was a nudist beach, so hubby said keep your head down and do not stare!!! Lol!! So I did and we walked to Torquay 

Glimpse of the sea

we walked from WAY past that headland you can see in the distance

we got an ice cream at Torquay at the surf club and then headed back...walking on the sand is not easy, I had some sore muscles when we got back to the car and two blistered toes! The biggest challenge was walking back along the nudist beach for a short way and not looking at two men going for a stroll along the beach in nothing but their hats!! I hope they had sun screen on!!

I am off to do some sewing, or maybe cutting for sewing before getting dinner.

Happy sewing.

Out and about

Today I was up early and off to Barwon Heads, the Seachange ladies were off on a bus trip to Ballarat and Gisborne. It was cold and wet this morning and stayed that way all day

Our first stop was Gails Patchwork Emporium in Ballarat, view from the cold back veranda....

from the front gate

our second stop was also in Ballarat at Eureka Patchwork and I forgot to take a photo!! We had planned to have lunch in the Botanic Gardens in Ballarat but it was too wet and cold so we headed off down the freeway

in the heavy rain

we had magazines to read on the bus

guess where the noisy corner was today!!

Our next stop was Patch n Quilt Gisborne

and guess who was there!! None other than Irene Blanck, who was in the shop to help Mary,  Love the cutting pose!!

this was the weather on the way home. 

here are the goodies that came home with me, two patterns by Irene Blanck to make bags, a Santa, Aussie fabric for Aussie Hero quilts, some white with sparkle for an Xmas quilt and the bumble bee fabric because I liked it!!

This happy Santa will find a home in New Zealand

Happy sewing.