I Love Retreats !!

I am so lucky to belong to a group Of fabulous friends that sew together each week. We decided this year to have our own retreat, so here we are at Hastings Point, Which is on the NSW coast about 20 mins from Tweed Heads. We have rented a house On the Beach The view is fantastic.

Its a big house, There are ten of us here and there is heaps of room and It's only cost us $200 each for 7 nights and that includes $50.00 for the kitty, We all brought one meal and our own breakfa

The House, The top floor Is where the owner lives . We have the bottom two levels. Big verandah's 2 living area's 5 bedrooms Its really nice .

 

I have walked up to The end of this beachevry morning, ..I think its Cabarita .

We have been sewing too, Do you like our Aprons  from the left

Ann, Tess Trish, Leanne,Jeanette, Sharron, and Pam .....

This is the Tandem Tote by Copy Cat Designs,  Two Zip's and a bit fiddly, and I can't read patterns , but Jen had made it before so showed us how to do it. Mine is the Pink and red linen one on the left .!

More Bags. !

My New Sewing Table

I had been complaining about the finish on my Sewing table for a while, and my D H said he would make me a new one, so after some measuring and telling him what I wanted I waited and waited, then he said It was finished and what sort of legs did I want. I decided to visit Ikea and bought adjustable legs for a table I already had, then I could just add another unit to  the one from  that for the new table top to sit on.

 

To the right is the table I have made high enough to cut on, with the adjustable legs.

This is my beautiful new sewing, quilting  table, lots of room on the left for a quilt and room on the right for pins, scissors etc

This is the underneath part that holds the machine up so it is flat in the table.   I can't believe how great it is , I have used it too, I'm almost scared to in case I scratch it !   if you click on these pictures you will get a closer look. !

I also received On Friday my May Secret Pal D j Pressie The cutest little Mary Engelbreit Pin Cushion, a lovely fat 1/4  and a nifty little snap and store a bit like a glasses case but you can put your scissors etc in to it when doing classes, so thanks Secret Pal. !

So cute, I am getting quite a collection of Pin Cushions now.  Maybe another blog entry there . !

More Candied Hexagons

I took these with me To New Zealand and am really pleased with how they are turning out, these are just placedtogether, I have stitched each hexagon,  I started using Bottom Line thread, It is very fine and strong It has made a big difference In my stitching, I am loving the colours and found a few more fabrics on a shopping trip to Sew Co  the other day. I gave my sewing room a clean today as I am getting a nice new sewing table ,  made by my Husband It should be nice and slippery for quilting . It has 3 coats of high gloss varnish, He has made it so the machine will be set down as a flat bed and it is longer on the left hand side so plenty of room to take the weight of a quilt. I do most of my quilts on a frame but still like to do arty stuff and smaller quilts sitting at the machine, I can't wait for it to be finished , so pictures next time .!

I have  done about 5 of these since i got home, I mostly only do them at night, They are quite addictive.....

Friday Again...

I haven't posted for a few weeks, We have been on Holiday to new Zealand to see my Mum, She lives in Paeroa, so after a quick trip from the airport to Devonport, On the North Shore to pick up His Golf Clubs , It was down to Paeroa.

The Auckland Tower

This Is Grandmothers Garden Patchwork Shop at Gordonton, about 45 mins drive from my Mother's, I managed to leave a few dollars there.

A really lovely shop and plenty to choose from, with the dollar so high  the prices were good for me too.!

 

This is a view over Lake Karapiro, When we were first married , We used to race Power Boats there, It is also used for rowing. I also found a lovely patchwork Shop in Cambridge .

My Mother spoilt Chris and this was one of his breakfasts.!

And this was dessert.! 

Hexagons Again......

This post is coming to you from New Zealand, DH is off at the V8's Super Cars in Hamilton, I had a few days with my sister who was down visiting my Mum, and she was very interested in The Candied Hexagons so has already started her own. Iv'e been making more my self and collecting more fabric for them, Went to a Lovely shop In Cambridge, called the Quilters Patch got some really nice spots and stripes. Here are some ready to be stitched together.

 

These  ones are stitched ..Can you see the tumbling blocks.!

I'm having fun with all the lovely colours.

I picked up some more Kaffe Fassets from Patches and Cream here in Paeroa, and all half price In there sale, They also had 6 fat 1/4s for $25.00 a bargain for me with the exchange rate too.!

Mmmmm Roast Lamb for Tea tonight, Mum won the meat raffle the other night at the RSA same as our RSL at home . She also won  a $1.00 raffle and got $25.00 !    Then I won one to.! $25.00 for fabric !!!

Hexagon Madness !!

After starting some 1"Hexagons in all shades of anything pink, I saw some talk on One of my Yahoo groups Squilters  about Candied Hexagons Yes they sound good enough to eat . The Quilt  Is one By Kerry Dear and was featured in  Australian Quilters Companion In  Issue 18 The 2006 year Book , I remember looking at it at the time and thinking It was lovely . Then I looked at all the "bits"you had to put together and thought Nah too hard ! Well after hunting out the book and lots of help from Ros  in printing out the papers I have started  the blocks I'm doing them on papers , and using Kaffe Fasset and anything else that looks good with the Kaffe's .

Ive only stitched  a couple together but have layed them out and love what is happening.!

These are the pink ones which I will keep doing as well........

These are my first blocks ! Yummy !! Candied Hexagons.

My friend Sharron and I had a lovely time  auditioning fabrics  for the quilt from My stash, I still can't quite get my head around the fact that I enjoy hand stitching , I used to hate it with a passion. !

This is my April Gift from My Secret Pal from the

Dear Jane group The cutest little handbag with yummy chocolates inside, 2 fat quarters that are perfect for My farmers wife sampler quilt and a package of Steam a Seam 2 , Will have to try that soon.!

I love it ! and am hiding the Chocolates Just for me

This is a jelly Roll quilt I quilted on The frame last week, I will put the binding on today which will be the darker colour you can see, And I think It will fit My Mothers Double bed and will make up for the half  a quilt my D H said i gave her a couple of years ago.! ( it was a lap Quilt ) No wonder it didn't cover the bed .!

Easy Baby Quilt

Well I have discovered how hard it is to sew with a little one underfoot, Miss Talula has been keeping me on my toes.While she has an afternoon sleep as tempting as it has been to join her I have snealed into my sewing room and managed to complete this cute baby quilt, very simple just a panel and Iv,e added some borders some simple quilting and a cheater binding (machined on and its finished.!

remember if you click on the photo you will get a closer look.

I also managed to do another block for the  Moose On the Porch Jelly Roll sampler.

And here is  The Weetbix Kid !     Miss Talula  Sits up and eats 2 or more every  morning.!

Feeds herself , you are not allowed to help, eats everything we do,which makes it easy,  Sleeps from 7.15 till 7.00am most nights shes really very good.!

Wow Two Posts in an afternoon…..

I struggle sometimes with the technology of computers but thanks  to Neroli On the previous post I managed to add a link and hey it worked.! So now I will attempt to add another for Jasmines great Quilt giveaway on her blog.! if you would like to enter go to her blog and have a look.http://www.banaghaisge.blogspot.com/  now I only have to hope this works !

And this is who I am looking after for almost 3 weeks .. I also have her brother here but he will be going to Nannies as  well. I  have found out you are almost unable to do any sewing with little ones around. and oh the mess……

What I have been Up To.!

Not much stitching happening here as I am on babysitting duty, Last week I managed to finish a bag or 2 and did a couple of farmers wife sampler blocks. This week I have managed a couple of FWS blocks     I also did a block  from a quilt along happening on http://moosequilts.blogspot.com/ Its using a jellyroll I’m using one called Petal Punch from Victorian Textiles very funky.

These are the strips and this is the 1st block

It’s Friday Again

Well I missed the last couple of fridays, I haven’t been doing a lot of stitching, but just today have started to sew. I bought the new Farmers Wife CD used with E Q 6 so have loaded it and managed to print some block patterns.here are 2 I did today

I love the 1930’s fabrics in these blocks.

Ivé also started doing some 1”hexagons

I’m just going to use any shade of pink and see what grows from it. Its good to have something I can take with me when travelling etc.

These are a few pink fat 1/4s to cut hexagons from only $2.50 each too. Who could resist.

I also bought a few fabrics this week some of which included these.

I loved this Bright cot quilt panel and will just put this multi coloured bright border on.

So watch this space next week and we may have a completed quilt !

Long Weekend visit to the Big Blue Shed

Our Big Blue Shed

Over the Weekend before Australia Day we went up To Moore Park Beach to our Land that we will retire too.! We have built a big shed so with the water tanks full and a shower in the caravan, Its quite nice to stay there.

This is the Big Blue Shed. It took us 4 hours with himself on the big tractor and slasher and me on the little ride on wizzing around the trees. Hot and dusty was the order of the day.!

and were racing . It actually goes quite fast ….. and it has cruise control.!

This is looking back up to the road , we just put down the metal for the driveway, as we got bogged while there over Christmas.!

This is beautiful Moore Park beach whic is 4 klms from our land.!

Friday Flaunting…….

This is a close up of the piece I did for Gold Coast Quilters Guild Challenge…..

Last year we had a class with Helen Godden so had to use The technique we learn’t. I used the genesis paints whic are nice to work with I used Rock salt on the Butterflys body and love the effect.

I have appliqued the green part of the wings with batik fabric. It started with a drawing of the butterfly on a4 paper then I did it bigger This piece is 20” square.

Another Bag

This is the Stable Bag Just made this one for My daughter as she wore the last one I made out, thats actually 2 she has used till they don’t look nice anymore.!

 

From the ends ….

From the handle

This fabric was from Andalucia by Patty Young for Michael Miller Looks a little brighter in real life.!

I hope she likes it.

That’s all the sewing I managed last week as had to have a big clean out . We bought a new bed and the old one was too good to toss, so had to empty the old sewing room, so had a good cleanout and I now have 2 guest rooms with queen size beds.!.  This week I have a challenge piece to work on . Has to be finished by Wed 27th for Guild…… and I am going away Friday till Tuesday Guess I’ll be busy over the next few days ….. till then …….bye

My SCSS Gift

 
This is the gift I recieved from Christine in Chooky Blues SCSS It's lovely and makes a perfect table centre on my Lazy Susan on the dining table. I love the dragonfly note pad and the lotion is scrummy too. Thanks again Christine.

Christmas 2009

Christmas and Holidays

Christmas is gone for another year, and we had a hot Christmas this year In Port Hedland with My youngest daughter and her family. It was so nice to be there and see the little ones open there presents on Christmas morning.

This is Talula’s first Santa Sack I made for her.

Talula with Dylan checking out her new bike from Granma and Pa.

Now I just need to learn to go forwards. !

The View From My Sewing Room Window

A group I am on Squilters  asked the question what can you see from your sewing room window, well this is my view.

I look up to the front gate. there is a school across the road and a housing estae beyond . When we moved here 12 yrs ago it was a cow paddock looking up to Wongawallen. I have another window on the other side so its nice and light and airy, very pleasant to sew in. I can see if anyone is coming and what the dogs are up to.

Late Flaunt……

Well better late than never, This new computer is still misbehaving sometimes it will not let me down load anything. This is a Christmas stocking I did rather quickly last week for our Sew Crazy Quilters group. We were all given   a pattern and had to make a Christmas stocking. It was lovely to see the variety of all  the stockings, we were then given a lucky number to match one on a stocking, and took that one home.

This is  the one I made.

These are some of the others.

I also made a really nice vintage style apron, but I forgot to take a photo before I gave it away, I  will put up a pic when I get one from Leanne,  who I gave it to from My Sewing Sisters group,

Well I only have one more day till we leave for Port Hedland, and wouldn’t you know it  there is a cyclone right off the coast of W A and heading for Port Hedland ! Hopefully it will cross the coast some time tomorrow, We actually fly into Karratha which is a 2 hr drive from Port Hedland so unless there is flooding we should get through ok, after looking forward to seeing Miss Talula and Dylan Villian for so long It will be disapointing if we can’t go and miss having Christmas with them, they are in the process of battening down so I hope everything will be ok.! The suitcase is full of presents not sure where the clothes are going to go.!