December

 I am finding it hard to believe it is December already! We have celebrated David's birthday with lunch at the Queenscliff pub with his sister and bro in law, we all enjoyed our ourselves.

The garden has been going well, we had a lot of rain in Spring which helped

Some poppies have come up and flowered which was very exciting, I spread a lot of seed last year but only got a few plants. Still better than nothing.

The cactus plant I put into the gumboot a while back has finally flowered, the flowers have opened more since I took the photo.

I have quilted another quilt sewn by Christine from a box of two and a half inch squares I had, this in #3, since taking the photo Christine has bound it, I have labelled it and it has gone to the Bellarine Quilters, to be delivered to the Geelong Hospital Wellness Centre next year.

I have been spending some time with young Finn, one afternoon we made yoghurt, banana and blueberry ice blocks, he was not impressed that he had to wait over night to eat one! He loved them and wanted MORE NOW!! Sadly it was too close to dinner time 😀

Early December I met up with the lovely Robyn and her hubby in Geelong, we had lunch together before they went off to do a little exploring before catching the ferry to Tasmania. I met Robyn and her hubby and boys many years ago on a trip to Brisbane top present Michelle with her replacement Christmas quilt. Robyn and her family put up both Raewyn and myself for a few days and drove me to and from the airport. They were very generous with their time to two strangers.

I have been having a few walks along the beach and found many of these recently

I do not want to meet one of these when out in the water, not that I have started swimming yet but it is forecast to be 30 deg tomorrow and then 34 the next day so I might be tempted! I always thought if you got stung you poured vinegar over the sting but after looking up Mt Google apparently not, you need to wash off with sea water and then immerse in hot water. You learn something new every day!

Local ladies who knit and crochet have been busy decorating the trees down the main street for Christmas

these are just two of many, they are great to see.

Looking down to the Bay today.

We have had a few challenges from the Guild for this month, one is for an extravagant Xmas hat, the other is and 8 inch square using only aqua and purple, with the assist of Circles, we are going to be challenged once a month to make different blocks, no idea what happens to them but I guess I will find out.

Another challenge was to make something to be used at Christmas at home we were given a piece of fabric - I cut mine in strips and glued it onto a metal circle I found at an op shop

Jo from Bellarine Quilters kindly got her hubby to cut me the wooden base, I covered the wire circle and stuck on the decorations and the tree and wove the little lights around everything. It looks lovely at night time and will live on the dining table for a while. Fabric is now unrecognisable. I need to get a photo of the left over bit...

that is the fabric 😀

Early December Carleen and I went to Tracee's place for a Christmas gathering, we caught up with Tracee and Marg and some of the City Girls, we had a great lunch and then Tracee had us playing games 😳

Maxine concentrating on her bumble bee gathering a ball

more bumble bee gatherers, we couldn't see what we were doing but had a good laugh! Sorry about the finger in the photo!

Ann and Gail, bouncing ping pong balls into an egg container

Carleen and Julie

Maxine and Marina

Tracee and Elyte, we had a great day and lots of laughs.

This quilt and the one below have been finished and donated.

They were in show and tell and the Bellarine Quilters.

I have been trying to be good and go for a walk each day, this day I rode the bike to Indented Head, St Leonard's pier

Indented Head beach.

I think that is enough for me at present, I have been chipping away at the Temperature tree, and in November so not too far behind. I hope to get some tops into quilts over the holiday time.

Happy stitching.

August Challenge

 

My first part of the challenge is completed

This quilt was started June 2021, it was a challenge from Ingrid. The hexies are all sewn by hand, the border machine appliqued on and binding sewn by machine too. It was quilted by Tracee from Hummingbird quilting, I am sure I said that in the last post! I am very happy to have it completed.

I have also finished 2 blankets, sewn the squares together and finished off with a crochet edge. One more to do and then they will go to KOGO.

That is me up to date, I hope to start on an Aussie Hero quilt tomorrow afternoon, but there is a call to the garden, David is putting in a wooden edge and the weeds have to be removed first and guess who needs to be going that! So far I have spent 6 hours out there - good to do when it is fine and sunny but think of all that wasted sewing time!!!

Happy stitching.

Christmas Gathering

Tracee very kindly invited myself and Carleen to join the City Girls and the Gisborne Girls for a sit and sew and Xmas lunch yesterday. We had two games, much laughter and a Kris Kringle.

Elyte and Annie unwrapping and dice throwing during the first game

Maxine and Tracee watching

Carleen, Anne, Robyn and Elyte

Marina and over the back Julie by Tracee

Maxine putting on her special Xmas glasses

Our second game, wrapping a parcel using one hand each

It was not easy keeping one hand behind  your back!

Margaret stepped in to hold the spare hands!! 🤣

We had a lot of laughs during this, the first game was unwrapping a present while wearing oven gloves while the next  person tried to throw a 6 on a dice.

That was very funny to watch too.

Tracee's beautiful tree.

Here are the Kris Kringle swaps

And the all important group photo! Such a wonderful group of women.

Happy stitching.  😊 

Quilt In Bacchus Marsh

 Yesterday Maria and I went up to Bacchus Marsh to attend the Quilt In there, the speaker was Leesa Chandler, there were lots of pop up shops, I got to catch up with Tracee and most of the City Girls, Marina unfortunately couldn't come but she was there in spirit 😀

Well blogger has reversed all my photos for some reason, one of the Thought Bubble blocks, slowly progressing

another Thought Bubble block

Leesa Chandler and one of her quilts, her talk about producing her fabric line was very interesting.

Marina went with Elyte to make a cuppa

She had a chat with Barb

did some fabric shopping

enjoyed some chocolate, she had a busy day actually!! 😂

I did get an almost group photo, but the ladies were all listening and looking to the stage. Not good timing on my part!

a beautiful quilt seen during show and tell.

Some serious looking conversation happening with Robyn and Maria.

The quilt covered car out the front - once we saw this we knew we were in the right place. We had a great day and managed to get in and out of the car between rain showers. 

I am progressing with the Aussie hero Quilt, the pieces are all pinned in place, it has been sandwiched and it currently being quilted. I am attaching the pieces using free range quilting, so the attaching and quilting happens at the same time. I like the way the body pieces puff up as you sew them.

I had better be off and do some more on the panda.

Happy stitching.