Saturday Meet-up

Over on the Stitch-A-Long blog, we all knew that Holly from Nimble Thimble Stitchery-Do was visiting Australia from Canada for a cousin's wedding.  Holly, Chookyblue and I had been communicating and planning a meetup - I knew that as long as we could coordinate dates around Holly's commitments I could do it - but to get Chooky here required a lot more maneuvering and Holly really wanted to meet Chookyblue.   Well...she lives about 8 hours aways so it was going to need something extraordinary to get her here.

But the "Social Event" Gods were smiling and a farming friend of Mr & Mrs Chooky in northern NSW needed some help "preg testing" the cows...let's not go there to learn how they preg test, but it does include very long rubber gloves...That was about half way to Brisbane .....so not so much of a push to get Chooky to Brisbane.  So that looked like it would happen....(By the way the Preg testing was cancelled due to wet weather!)
The plans continued and we were able to include Michelle Ridgway - who had just released her first ever book - including patterns for a gorgeous quilt and a lot of tags and smaller projects which she brought along to show.

Then another "surprise" guest - Lynette Anderson - who is taking it a little easy for now as she has damaged her finger - Chooky decided she needed a bit of cheering up so we invited her too.  (Fortunately Quilt Sherpa - her driver for now - also needed to come to Brisbane...the gods were still smiling on us).  Lynette also very generously gave each of us a charm pack of her latest fabric range - Needles & PIns.  Gorgeous fabrics.  I need to make something special with them......

What a roll up - sorry to anyone else who went to the Full Moon for a quiet lunch!!  And sorry to those who chose to go away...

In all we had 19 people!

Sadly this photo (which I brazenly copied) is missing Holly & Megan  ...so here is Cheryl, Megan, me & Holly. (sorry I pinched this one too....)

I had a lovely time chatting to Holly & Megan - we were all trying to drag Megan into the "patchwork" world - and her husband's business is opposite a quit shop - what more could  you want???  But Megan is thinking she may venture into a "Craft Retreat" place so we gave her all sorts of ideas & recommendations!!!  

We reluctantly said goodbye to Holly & Megan late in the afternoon.

During the afternoon those of us who had missed getting their mini quilt from Sunday Stitchers were able to catch up.

Here is mine (made by Lynda)

and its reversible!!

I love it - anything with houses or building gets a vote in my book!!  Thanks so much Lynda.

Chooky was "sleeping over" at my place so we sorted her fabrics for her Nature's Journey centre block - and look she got it done ...

well maybe not quite finished...but it looks effective.

Thanks so much to everyone who came along - I am sure Holly will remember this day as a special part of her trip down under - lets hope she gets back soon!

Sunday Stitchers Mini Quilt Swap

This months meeting was to hand over our mini quilts - sadly I couldn't be there but I organised for my quilt to be there on the day.

I made this one for Cheryl - and silly me - forgot to take a photo so I have pinched the IG photo that Cheryl posted.  (Love her hanger.)

(Thanks Cheryl, hope you don't mind)

So, two finishes in a month!!!!! Whoopee!!!

I will collect mine next Saturday.

FNSI - July

I had Thursday and Friday off work - so I have spent a lot of that time organising things for my retreat...its now less than 5 weeks away...so it's time to start cutting and packing bits.

I have a list of things I want to do - no doubt longer than the time allowed ...but best to have too much than not enough.

I am planning on a few projects that involve 1.5" strips...I seem to have cut a gazillion - here they are:

 Still need a couple of reds

 and a couple of yellows

On Friday night I also finished preparing another block for my Quilty Christmas Fun quilt.

And I did a bit of stitching on my Rosalie Quinlan BFF while watching some TV...

Hope everyone else was productive and not too cold - or hot - depending on where you are..

Finally a Finish!!!!

When I look at my list of finishes for the year on the right hand side I get very depressed....

I do get a lot of time to sew...usually...so why no finishes????

Oh..... that would be because I have too many projects on the go - and mostly they are "quilts" not smaller thing slike bags and wall hangings etc.....Well that's my excuse and I am sticking with it...

Finally, a finish - this might be because of a "sort of" deadline.. I did a Natalie Bird workshop in February along with the Sunday Stitchers and it was suggested that we aim to finish our projects by the July meetup - so I did.  It was designed as a pouch for a kindle or similar but since I have a cover for my iPad - I made a sewing folder - a few others have done that too...but they say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.

I have another almost finish - it's a secret sewing thing...(so I can't show you...yet) but you know when you are putting the binding on - you do a rough measure around to make sure the joins don't end up in the corners...and for me they hardly ever do first time - and then sometimes it's late and you are trying to get it done...and you don't???

Murphy's Law prevails:

FNWF + Saturday Sewing

The first Friday of the Month is time for FNWF - any excuse to sew my DH would say..

I worked on this and have finally finished the alphabet and block 2 from Mrs Beasleys Sampler:

I have a "Go -To" project that is handy when I haven't organised any other hand sewing...so I did a bit on that on Friday and continued sewing this on Saturday at my group  meeting ...there are 32 blocks all up - I've done 12 - although I haven't done any words yet - they will be all one colour and will match the fabrics that I use around each hexagon . . . .when I finally get there.

Saturday night I did a bit more on the "Go-To" project, cut some strips of yellow for a soon to start project and finished off the top for a secret project.

Sunday was a bit of a "domestic" day - went through my wardrobe and now have a "few" bags to drop off at the local Op Shop - did the necessary grocery shopping and tonight I have got to the pinning stage of that secret project...so you can only see one corner....I have ummed and aaahed over this so much - and as my friends tell me - sometimes you just overthink things...so no changes now just a bit if quilting & binding to go....and a label of course...

Thanks for your company - thanks Cheryll for organising and encouraging us...I'll be over to visit a few during the week.

Road Trip

A few of us decided it was time for a road trip - two shops that we hadn't visited before plus an old one that was worth another visit.
Three of us set out from my place - we collected #4 on the way and off we went.

First stop - Patchwork on Smugglers.  This is a "at home" shop - open Monday-Friday 10-4 and Saturday 10-1pm.  Enter on the left via "the gate".  You will probably need a navigator - personal or electronic - to get there as it is in a canal estate.  BUT absolutely worth a visit.  Not huge into Reproduction, Shabby stuff, but the prices are fantastic. $4.00 fat quarters, $16.00 per metre for fabrics.  Paper piecing supplies $4.30 per pack...Best Press - so cheap compared to other places.

Leanne, the owner, was off on retreat, leaving her husband to cope with the influx of shoppers.  We were quite kind to him and even helped some other shoppers find what they were looking for. We all left with a couple of things..I found  a pack of very pale balis for $25.00 (Bali pops were $38 I think), some of Leanne Beasleys' Hearts & Happy Flowers fabrics...I don't think I bought enough of them..might need to go back!

Then it was coffee time and we found a lovely little coffee shop - thanks to the local knowledge of #4 - just coffee and cake - but all home made cakes.  We all had a vanilla slice made with lattice biscuits...the coffee was nice too.

Then off to Fifi's Fabricology.  I have known about Fifi's for a few years now and thought it was probably just a regular shop - not too big...mmmm.
Well, you need your navigator for this one too - and you need to just keep driving down the track - (hope you didn't wash the car just for this trip) through a gate...There are a couple of signs but you need the navigator to be looking for that because you will be watching the track so you don't end up in the deep gully beside the track.  It would make a good track for a horse back rider...more on that later...but the car parking is great - all concrete and quite a lot.
There are a number of buildings.... we entered the "main" one  - we were greeted by a happy face "Oh! is this your first time here? - let me show you the sales room and the "backings" room".....(we are already noticing how big this shop is)...so off to the adjoining rooms.  They are little "cabins" - all self contained with bathrooms.  Apart from looking through all the sales fabrics (incl Anni Downs range that I have forgotten the name of - from her quilt "Favourite things), we are all thinking - perfect retreat place...needs a workroom....Then back to the main shop - and Maria is there - on a little trip for her anniversary - what a nice DH she has...and we may have quietly mentioned our previous stop...
This shop has everything - all the types of fabrics you could ask for - her website say more than 10,000 items.  Her prices are in the "normal" range, but the specials were pretty good.  We were told that next time we come we could take advantage of the workroom tea & coffee - bring our lunch if we like - stay a while - as long as well call before to check about classes etc.  So even more suitable as a retreat venue...
We all left with little parcels of goodies.

Definitely time for lunch - after 2.30 by now - so we went to Currumbin Surf Club.  Out of the car - assailed by the salt smell.  I grew up in Coogee - a beach side suburb in Sydney - OMGosh I hadn't realised how much I miss the smell of the salt and the sound of the ocean...

Lunch was good - sorry no pictures - seems I had left my phone at Fifi's - so we had to back track and decided stop #3 for the day was a no-go  - We had planned on visiting Fantazia Fabricland - it will keep for another day.

Had another coffee at #4's place and then headed home...

My purchases:

What a day - so much fun and new opportunities for us to dwell on.

FNSI - June

Its wonderful to know so many others are sewing along - it certainly keeps me motivated.

First up I stitched a bit - not much, so no picture...then I moved back to the North Pole to work on Santa and his sleigh and reindeers.

The reindeers are not in position yet and I need some reins and the "doo dad" that keeps the reindeer attached to the sleigh - you can tell I'm a city slicker can't you?? or maybe my brain is fuddled (it is late)....DH who did at least spend some of his youth on a farm tells me it is called the "Shaft" - ..tonights job was putting Santa & sleigh together...a tad fiddly - I have no idea how you could hand applique such tiny bits...I know some could ...not me though.

Thanks Wendy for being the hostess with the mostest and I'll do my best to come and visit other party goers over the weekend.

Mrs Beasley's Sampler

A while back...quite a while in fact...I and two friends decided to make Mrs Beasley's Sampler Quilt from Leanne Beasley.
We had a sewing day today and we all had our blocks there...quite by accident - so I took some photos.

As you can see we are at various stages for the most recent block  and I still have some stitching to do on Block #2 - the alphabet.

Inca and I are using softish pastels - Inca's: 

  Mine:

 Maureen is using a stronger colour set.

We all have several other projects we are working on but we all hope to get this one done before the next magazine arrives....

Nature's Journey - June

I've finished my blocks for June for the Stitch A Long.
 

I've made as few changes to the pattern...as I do...

The next month is partly prepared and now I need to decide if I do the pieced background as Anni has it or just one fabric...decisions decisions...and then later on there are 46 squares which are meant to be appliqued as a border...mmm thinking about that one too...

My God Daughter's Baby Quilt

My God daughter had her first baby at the end of May.  Her mother told me the colours that were preferred - teal blue, grey yellow as they didn't know the sex of the baby....I had some fabrics in the stash so used the panel and coordinating fabrics to make this quilt.