Chook Shed Stitcher's Challenge April and Finn

 

April has come to an end and so too the challenge for this month.

My challenge was to work on the Sashiko panel, I had to stop stitching a few days ago as I ran out of thread, but more turned up in the mail today so stitching can continue.

the whole panel

and blogger has turned this  on its side for some reason

and this one! But these are the sections I have done.

Now we wait for next months number to see what gets worked on in May.

Last Sunday we went over to Queenscliff with Adam and Finn

Looking over to the ferry wharf

I took my camera with us, Finn was fascinated and wanted to have a go

Rabbit

The mirror he has in the back was a good thing to have a go with, with GaGa's help to hold up the camera!

Rabbit again

In the mirror again

Hand over the camera!!

Legs and feet and there were many, many more that were out of focus blur. Finn has a great time until the battery went flat - turning on and off will do that!! 😁

Finn had a great time at the park

Fun on the swing with Dad

waiting for GaGa to finish with "MY" camera!!

Oh dear she has the camera out again.

Down the twisty slide.

Time to head home after a play, walk to a cafe for a milkshake and biscuit, hot drinks for the big people, a visit to the bookshop, back to the park....I think we all need a rest now!

Later in the afternoon I got my act together and sandwiched a quilt

The sun was going down

all done and ready for quilting, which I did today.

the desert rose plant has grown well this summer and has had 3 lots of flowers. I missed the first one but got these, I am so happy it is still going well as it is a tropical plant and we do not live in the tropics! This plant must be 18 years old now.

OK enough from me for now

Happy stitching.

My bags are packed and I'm ready to go...

well nearly, there are always the last minute things that have to go in the bags...I always end up like the bag lady going on retreat, so this time I have tried to be contained! 😄

Blogger has decided to turn this photo around, these little stars have joined the family, they are great to stitch while sitting near the tv in the evenings.

Another two projects to take to retreat, one is to make a quilt top with some blocks I was given, the other to make flying geese, the paper foundation method, something I have not tried before.

I sewed together the strips for this quilt top yesterday and cut them all to six and a half inches, now they need to be joined together, but that will happen on retreat. I have so many projects packed, I do not think I will get to them all, but at least I have lots of choice. 😁

Lovely Joan called in today and let me choose some face masks from the ones she has made, thank you Joan, now I don't have to make them!! The two lower masks have wire to shape them over the nose and all have an internal pocket to put a filter. Pretty flash! Thank you too, to the lovely ladies who sent me links to mask making, I have kept them for future use.

Joan dropped off this fabric and blocks that were left over from a commission she had, the person requesting the quilt sent extra fabric so an oncology quilt could be made, which was very nice of her. She also took home a quilt to quilt and brought us a tin of yo-yo's she had made, David is very happy, I notice three have disappeared already. 🤭

Ingrid received a box of goodies from the US and in the box was this pretend leather fabric, Ingrid suggested a satchel, so this is what I came up with, very basic but large enough to hole 12 inch blocks with some room to spare

Inside is a fabric covered heavy card that will keep the shape and stop bending.

I went out on the back deck for a while this afternoon and watched these two galahs in the back yard, they were eating something from the grass and the edge of the garden.

They are such pretty birds.

My little desert rose plant is still trying to flower, the poor thing is very confused and must think it is still summer. I keep watching the flowers but they are very slow, I think the cold might stop them opening up much more. But we shall wait and see.

Tomorrow morning I am off to the retreat in Gisborne, about 1 hour 45 minutes driving from here and where we used to live. Gisborne is inland and higher so I am prepared for colder weather. Not that it matters really as I will be inside sewing madly to get all my prepared projects done!! 😁 

Happy stitching.

Since I have been home

We have had a beautiful sunset

I have checked on the desert rose to find it is still flowering! Very exciting for me!

I have painted a bird bath with grout sealer as it was leaking.

I finished a jelly roll quilt top, thanks to an idea from Susan and Lynda who made them at Scrub Stitch'n. The Supervisor gave his approval just before the wind blue and the quilt top fell on him!!

I had the urge to cook, not normal for me, but it does happen from time to time  and tried my hand at some gf Hot Cross buns, they came out of the oven looking much the same and did not agree with my digestive system so will go to feed the birds!

The I made some fruit and nut Bliss Balls and they were great, macadamia nuts and fruits.

We had a walk along the beach, the Chowdy had a paddle,

Giselle who had come to stay for a few days enjoyed watching the boats coming and going

the Heron boats were going out for a sail

our compulsory on the back deck photo.

Giselle started this bag many years ago and it needed the handles sewn on and the top row sewn down, so I did that one morning and now Giselle has a finished bag.

Ingrid and Nick are here staying and Ingrid gave me this egg warmer....how cute is that??

the knitted blanket is slowly growing, onto gray wool now.

Ingrid went to the AQC for th first time this year and came home with lots of goodies,

including this beautiful block she has given me, the fabrics were already on steam a seam and were pre cut!! How good is that, so yesterday I laid it out on an applique mat Ingrid also gave me, and got the picture together, then transferred it to the backing fabric. Hopefully this week I can get some back and wadding together and begin to sew it down.

I am off to put one more coat of sealer on the bird bath, once it is dry it can go back in the garden, then back to the sewing.

Happy stitching.

Preparation

has been happening here over the last few days

Four packs of the Old Kaleidoscope Blocks ready to be sewn together

I have cut several strips of fabric ready to cut further into pieces for the One Block Wednesday blocks, I will get back to them shortly.

Yesterday the Supervisor went for our amble along the beach, is was a beautiful morning 

Little fairy wrens were bobbing around in the grass

the big gull was in residence on the end of the wall

the gulls were having a rest

or maybe doing the morning yoga?

the desert rose is flowering beautifully, it is so pretty.

The Supervisor had a little rest in the back yard when we got back.

I am listening to the TV as I am writing this and hearing about the shocking shooting that has just happened in NZ, it is so sad we as humans just can't respect others and get on with each other.

I am off to my happy place in the sewing room.