Birthday gathering

I  have spent the last 24ish hours in Gisborne catching up with these lovely ladies

It was the usual Wednesday night gathering, minus a few bodies, busy or unwell or away travelling also last Sunday was Tania 's special birthday...the big 50!! So we lashed out and had fish and chips for dinner and then instead of going out to the usual meeting room we stayed at Margs and had out catch up and did a few stitches there....

Later in the evening we had birthday cake kindly supplied by Tracee 

the birthday girl Tania 

Tracee was working on her stitchery...

Pauline was tatting...amazing work.....

Tania had made her final Underground Railroad Sampler block for us to sign....sorry this is upside down... Marg was going to do some stitching but ended up comforting a nervous dog....I did a little stitching in between chatting...lol.....a very enjoyable time was had.....but today I had to head back to St Leonards....

Love this part of the road...Avenue of Honour in Bacchus Marsh..so pleasant to drive through. ...but back to reality now...some secret sewing happening.....photos later!!

Happy sewing.

Saturday sewing

Today I went to the meeting of the Geelong Patchwork and Quilting Guild and had a good time, not so many people there today as lots were at the Quilt show in the city.....sadly one of the lovely ladies I met last time has had a stroke and is in hospital....goes to show once again we have no idea of what is around the corner for us!! There were more Rajah quilts on display for show and tell and also these two

this beautiful quilt is made from a piece of fabric then heavily quilted with gold thread and beaded....

isn't that beautiful...

..this beautiful quilt is a gift...the person receiving it asked for a horse quilt....

and this is a baby floor quilt...love the colours!

I did get some stitching done on the hexie quilt and on a stitchery.....the speaker was the curator from the Geelong Wool Museum......he was very interesting and very knowledgeable about quilts....sadly he said one of the biggest myths in quilting relates to the Underground Railroad quilts...the blocks are said to give a message to slaves escaping to Canada....this gentleman said it is all untrue and only came into being 25 to 30 years ago!! I was gutted!!! I so wanted to believe it was true!!! Oh well I can still believe it is a good idea even if it isn't true! Off to ACQ tomorrow...another busy day.

Happy sewing.

FNWF results

I was surprised with people staying Friday and Saturday at St Leonards...love my DH and his lack of communication!! We had a good time though, my listening ears had a huge work out but I stitched as I listened and was very happy with what I got done

My lovely stitchery from Michelle Ridgeway is finished...she need a good iron before deciding what to do next

The little Barb Smith stitchery is finished, I thought she might make a lovely journal cover one day!!

I started this stitchery on Friday night and finished the words on Saturday...think I will look for a star button to go on the top...

and last night I started this stitchery...seem to have a stitchery thing happening at the moment...

isn't it funny how you can want to do something for ages and then suddenly you get motivated/organised/the stars align....and it happens!! This is my last block, the signature block for the Underground Railroad Sampler I made last year during FNWF with Marg, Tracee and Tania, I am not happy with my writing on the block so will iron it off and try again, then get the girls to write their names and I will embroider it on....then to get all the blocks to the same size and decide how to put it all together.

Thank you Cheryll for hosting FNWF, you can see what the other lively bloggers got up to over at Cheryll's.

Happy sewing.

Sit and Sew

This afternoon some of us sewing girls gathered at the Gisborne patchnquilt shop, kindly organised by Donna....I had planned to reveal secret sewing tomorrow but as there were several of us together we went with today when Tania called in after a Dr appt.  I had asked 15 people to make a 14 inch star square, plain in the centre so they could stitch in their name, and in a fabric Tania would recognise as them.
So with in 10 days I had 14 blocks and off we went.  The lovely Tracee came over (secretly) on a Friday afternoon and squared up all the blocks, then we crawled around on the floor for the best part of an hour arranging the blocks in the 'best' way....that is always hard isn't it, deciding where to put things!!
 I then started sewing blocks together and then attached them to the backing and wadding in a quilt as you go method,  then had a play with some free range quilting (secretly) .........Marg popped in to see how I was going as I was finishing the quilting and very kindly cut and attached the binding (secretly).
 I took it to sewing group on Wednesday evening and Donna and I (secretly) did the hand sewing on the binding and then Donna sewed on the label. Tracee emailed me the words for the label, and they are beautiful!!  Tania has some health issues so we thought we could all go with her when she has appointments! I thought I had left my camera at home today (I think it was my brain!!) so Marina kindly took photos and I have pinched some from her blog tonight!  So here we go.....

taking the quilt out of the bag....

one happy Tania......

label on the back....Tracee's beautiful words....

this was the second photo Marina took...I have managed to get them out of order....Tania trying to take it all  in....

she is a bit over whelmed and speechless!!

..this is an amazing machine embroidery made for Marina by a friend, Marina has added the stitching...you can seethe reference to this and her cat Maisie here, isn't it cute!!!

Marg busy stitching names on her last Underground Railroad Sampler block  (that is exciting!!)

Donna stitching away..Marina concentrating on....

what Pauline was saying!

I would like to say a huge thank you to all the wonderful ladies who made a block for Tania's quilt, Pauline, Anette, Jenny (NZ), Marina (Gisborne) Carol, Anne, Annie, Robyn, Marina, Tracee, Marg, Donna, Shez, Chez and of course the lovely Elyte. Thank you for responding positively to my ASAP PLEASE!!!! Makes you realise (yet again) what  wonderful people there are in the quilting world.

I have to say a big thank you to Marg today too...she gave me a beautiful wall hanging...

my very own Chow Chow!!!! I love it Marg, thank you very much!!

Happy sewing!

Sunday

Sunday morning the sewing continued and just before lunch we had show and tell of what we had completed on the weekend - these are Tracee's blocks and a Christmas stitchery...

Tania's blocks...

Marg's blocks....

and my blocks.....

we had some fun setting up the camera and moving things around so as to get everything and everyone in the photo while setting up the camera on a chair, box on a chair, fireplace.......looks like a serious business doesn't it!! Lol!

And here we are - happy campers after a weekends work.....can't believe the Underground Railroad Sampler blocks are DONE!!!! Thank you ladies for a wonderful fun filled and productive weekend!

Happy sewing!

I nearly forgot one thing....

The Aussie Hero quilt is well on the way.....have to put on some side pieces at home and then get quilting!

What a weekend this has been!

After lunch Saturday..

So the fun (and hard work) continued...

busy quilters at the cutting board...

afternoon snack..Yum!!

Tracee finished her Flying Geese.....

and then her Shoo Fly...boy this girl is steaming ahead....

I had a problem with my Birds in the Air block....put them together back to front!!! Der!!!! So some unsewing had to be done!!

see what I mean.....

all better now!!

Marg finishes her Birds in the Air.....

so does Tracee.......now we need a break for dinner....

Tracee is hungry me thinks!! Lol!!!......

Tania perfecting the wooden iron technique...we had to adapt as we do not have a wooden iron, but the rolling pin worked really well...Tania is starting on her Drunkard's Path block...

guess who has finished already!!!!!

Isn't the fabric of Tracee's block beautiful!

and the next thing you know Tracee has finished her Sail boat block....and there is only one to go!!!!

Tania finishes her Drunkard's Path.....

so does Marg.....

my completed Drunkard's Path...

Sail boat block....sailing backwards...Lol!! I put the sail on the wrong way...

Marg cutting for her Sail boat block....with lots of encouragement!!

Tania finishes her Sail boat block...

Marg finished her Sail Boat block

and before we know it Tracee has finished her North Star block..

my finished North Star block...and it is time.....

for bed!!!!!

But before we go...here are my Underground Railroad Sampler blocks all done!!! Yay!!!! they need to be straightened but I am still amazed I managed to get them all done... many times I wanted to stop and many times the Great Hairy Crocopiggies raised their heads but thanks to Tracee. Tania and Marg - and their help, support and encouragement I persevered!! Goes to show what you can do when you have wonderful supportive friends!!!

Happy sewing!