Last day

Today is my last day here in Waiuku with Jenny, tomorrow is the day to head to the airport and head home,  I am keen to get back! 

Julie very kindly drove up here to meet us for lunch, she also brought us wonderful fresh veges from her garden and some brownie 😀 

It was very special to have a catch up and a chat. We had a great lunch in the Hidden Cafe.

Some progress photos

This blanket was knitted and sewn together by Jenny, I did rhe crochet edge, it will come home with me and go to KOGO.

This blanket is KOGO squares sewn together by Jenny, crochet edge by me

This blanket was knitted and sewn together by Jenny, crochet edge by me 😁

This is my progress on the Temperature Tree - four branches to go and then I can start on the leaves. I am very happy with it considering it is my first attempt at cross stitch. 

No sewing tomorrow, probably reading and watching movies on the plane.

Happy stitching.

Photo dump......yay

Nothing better than a pile of quilted quilts on the back of the couch, not sure hubby would agree though!! 😃

I spent some time while it was sunny out on the front deck

and have sandwiched two quilts

This weeks Anthology block is done, this one is Beehive, no surprise there! It was a bit fiddly but worth the effort.

Ingrid sent me a bag of goodies and inside was a pattern, some iron on hexies, some black linen and a pack of mini charm squares. I ironed the hexies onto the mini charms

and while sitting by the tv glued the sides down. They are now awaiting more attention.

The Quilt Shop in Eltham had a sale, so I got this pack of half meter pieces for a new project, so far I am resisting starting! 

They also included this lovely postcard pincushion pattern.

The quilt made by Wendy at the Guild is finished

as it this one made by Wendy

Also this one, blocks made by Tania, is finished, I tried out some in the ditch quilting on this one and it mostly went where I wanted it to go.

The crochet is slowly progressing, I am nearly out of wool, so this might have to sit for a while until I can get some more. Still has the wobbly edges, hopefully it will settle down.

This is my first attempt at the Sylvia's Bridal Sampler block, I thought the corner triangles were cut too small, but carried on...duh!! I went back and read the instructions, again, and realised I had cut the square into 4 instead of two as the pattern said! Oh dear!!So some unsewing happened, more cutting of triangles

and yay, this one works! Well nearly it is slightly small, some fudging might be required later on.

I am very happy blogger has worked today, maybe it had a headache yesterday, who knows!

Have a wonderful weekend, keep safe and 

and Happy stitching.

 

Zooming along

Saturday morning I joined in with Chooky and her zoom party

It was great to catch up with ladies I knew and to meet new ones.

Four more stars to add to the collection

 

I did some epp in the morning and crochet in the evening. I had to pop in and out as we had the grand dog visiting and he needed some entertaining, plus it was a beautiful afternoon so some gardening and pruning happened and a little quilting was done as dinner was cooking. My crochet is a bit wavy, I must have added too many stitches at some stage, but I have pulled it out three times so far, will just see what happens now as it grows.

Last Thursday I made another block for Sylvia's Bridal Sampler, this one was made using foundation paper piecing so went together quite quickly.

I finished off this quilt top from Susan I used the serpentine stitch every second row, the binding was done yesterday afternoon and the label sewed on last night. I hope to do another hospital delivery on Wednesday when we have to go into Geelong, after midnight Wednesday we are back into restrictions on where we go and what we do.

I had better be off and get the shopping list organised and the library books to be returned, hubby will be back from his walk soon and ready to head out again.

Happy stitching.

Fun and happiness

Yesterday I drove up to Bullengarook for lunch and a sit and sew catch up at Tracee's place. The City Girls were heading over too. We had a wonderful day of fun and chatting and much laughter. Marina suggested a bit over a month ago that we make blocks for Tracee and she would put them into a quilt. Well we did make blocks and Marina worked her magic with help from the other City Girls and  Donna and a beautiful memory quilt was created.

Some of us made two blocks, some made one and helped with the binding and quilting. I know this was quilt made with a huge amount of love, to give Tracee and her hubby comforting hugs for many years to come.

I have to confess that not one stitch was sewn, time just disappeared with eating, Tracee made a sensational lunch!, chatting and laughing...heaps of the latter.

It took several attempts to get a group photo because there was so much chatting and laughter happening

Such a great bunch of women! We had the best day, I floated home on a cloud of happiness, still giggling at some of the comments made during the afternoon, but some comments must remain at sewing days, so I can't share sorry!!

Today has been a beautiful day, I have been preparing for a retreat this coming week and sitting in the sun! Multi tasking!! Lol!!

The supervisor has been keeping an eye on me!!

cutting out applique shapes in the sun!

I had two happy mail deliveries this week, one I gave the mailman a shock as he delivered the envelope to the door and I had been lying in bed reading!! Poor man!! Confronted by bed hair and panda eyes!!

This beautiful book is full of amazing paper pieced patterns created by a Scottish woman who lives in NZ and quilted by Leeanne of Quiltmekiwi, who does the most beautiful quilting. Leeanne is currently doing blog posts of the various patterns/animals from the book.

and the other special arrival was this book, cute crochet dolls with many changes of clothes. Another one day project!!

I had better head off and get things organised for tomorrow.

Happy sewing.

Casual Guild Day

I wonder if that is the right was of describing today....we had sit and sew at Guild but it was not a formal meeting. I met Tracee and Donna at the Kaiser craft shop in Geelong, some purchases were made there

an envelope maker, some stamps, journal bits and little wooden bits to decorate and stick about the place! Oh and some washi tape!

Donna was working on her stitchery, she is now officially hip!!! 

Tracee was sorting out her cottons...did she has 2 strands, 4 or 6?? Something had gone wrong in the middle of the threads.

Just to prove I was really there!! lol!!

I have finally finished this stitchery, has been on the go for over two years now, one of those pick up and take when stitching is happening, it has also travelled to the UK, Russia and Germany....obviously not much stitching happened there!!

and I was having a play with the crochet hook last night...not sure if I have understood the pattern correctly as it is a bit wonky!! Ah well it is the prototype!!

Happy stitching.

Back home again

We did the big drive from Canberra yesterday and seemed to make better time...we saw a lot of this

did some of this...

and made more of these...

was very happy to see this.....

and super happy to have my hexie container go from this....

to this!!! Yay!! Doesn't take much to make me happy!!

I am linking up with Anthea over at Hibiscus Stitches for her Piece yourselves together EPP link....lots of lovely EPP things happening over there.

Happy stitching.

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.