AQC

I don't often go to the quilt/craft shows, but as this one last Saturday was at the beautiful old Royal Exhibition Buildings in Carlton and was all patchwork and fabric related I thought I would make an effort to go.  I wish I had taken some photo's of the inside of this amazing building for those of you who don't know it, but alas I was distracted by all the yumminess surrounding me.

I tried to be good - I have enough projects to do for the next 50 years if I don't ever buy another thing lol (which is not likely to be the case - am always buying something new, be it fabric or patterns).

I couldn't resist this beautiful wool project from Hat Creek Quilts (formerly The Quilted Crow) - it came as a kit with background and the yummy wools for just $26 which I thought was very reasonable.  Deirdre had it sitting in an old flan/tart dish, so I will be on the lookout for one of those.  Top right of the picture is four fat quarters in creams and caramels which I'm always on the lookout for  stitching on and couldn't resist the pack of 4 half metre pieces in deep caramels.

I have a weekness for Lisa from FignBerry Creations  Christmas designs, so of course had to pick up block 1 of her new one "Trim the Tree" in lovely wool felts.  It will go on the grey linen, top left.  And Marg Low had lots of lovely new goodies but really loved this little house wall hanging.  Ha ha so I thought I was pretty restrained. 

More birthday spoiling next post. Cheryl

Birthday Fat Quarters

I joined in with Chooky's new birthday fat quarter swap this year, and lucky me I was first on the list with her birthday.  How exciting to have some lovely fat quarter parcels to open on your birthday -

These two beautiful fat quarters were from Deb of frog cottage blog.  My photo does not do the color justice - it's a lovely dark pumpkin color and the brown has the same color in the flowers.

Such a gorgeous red and the background has a little caramel leaf on it. Not to mention that beautiful handmade card. Thankyou so much Susan from Susan's sewing space blog.

Can you see I may have mentioned reds, backgrounds and reproductions lol. These gorgeous reds came from Julie of Simple stitches1 blog. 

Love these rich reds from my lovely friend Sue at Kiwi kids blog.  Just gorgeous.

These gorgeous French General fabrics are from Maria - so pretty - from  life on the block blog.  My first parcel to arrive and all the way from WA. 

These two beautiful fabrics were from Chooky - love them.  Have been collecting fabrics with a small blue print for another project, but was hoping to use my birthday fat quarters in one project. 

And these two beautiful fabrics are from Judy at news from Jude blog.  Not only that she had made the most gorgeous card and the paper had little patchwork blocks on it. 

This was so much fun and can't thankyou enough Chooky for organising it.  I am going to find a pattern or an idea so I can use all my fat quarters in the one project.  I'll keep you posted.

My lovely friend Karen has a birthday a couple of weeks before me, so thought you might like to see what I made for her birthday -

First up was this little Gail Pan drawstring bag.  Lots of cute little "bee" goodies around at the moment.

And because it's often fun to do something "Easterish" when you have a birthday in March I made her this wool felt table centre which was a Marg Low design.  Off to cut up fat quarters before I go to work. Cheryl

A Lovely Weekend

Saturday saw me heading off bright and early to a stitching day in Melbourne with Gail Pan. Always love these days, and this one was no exception - relaxing and fun -

Our goodie bags

Loved this little "bee" bag which was one of our projects and was what I chose to work on during the day.

The second project was equally as lovely - a project folder

                                    
And I did not just talk and eat and shop all day - I did do a little stitching

And of course I made some purchases - lucky enough to get one of the few copies of Gail's new book - gorgeous - and two of her new patterns in my favourite red colourings.

My friend Carol had knitted me two pair of woolly socks - how great will they be for the Winter.

Sunday we met our gorgeous friend Keryn and hubby in Ballarat for an early birthday lunch. It was THE best day.  We did pop in to Craft Alive which happened to be on -

After my spend up the day before I tried to be good - two fat quarters and couldn't resist this pretty charm pack at $12. The vintage buttons are for a friends birthday.  Cheryl

I've Been on Holidays

I had a lovely two weeks away towards the end of February. The 40 degree days tested my patience but the fact that we spent the first week with my daughter and grandies in South Australia made it worthwhile. My grandson was turning four and starting kinder so of course Nan had to be there.  Straight home and down to the Mornington Peninsula for a lovely couple of days with our gorgeous friends Keryn and Ross. It was the best.  Finished the week and my holidays with a lovely three day stitching retreat. Never have I done a 3 day retreat before.  What luxury. Sit and sew and eat and talk ALL day.  Didn't have to lift a finger.  The retreat was run by Lisa from FignBerry Creations and Katie from Cottage Garden Threads, and while we did receive a lovely pattern and kit from each designer, it was as much about taking other things to work on and finish.

A few snaps from the weekend -

Our two projects - gorgeous zippered purse from Lisa and stitcher's first aid kit using an old dvd case from Katie,

Beautiful displays and lots of inspiration and yummy shop to make a purchase or two

The girls were very industrious.

Loved Lisa's new bom "Round the Garden Patch" - a combination of stitchery and hexies with a little applique.  This photo does not do it justice - it is stunning.

And look who I ran into there - what a lovely suprise - Raewyn from  stitching farmgirl blog.  So lovely to meet Raewyn as we had been partners in Chooky's santa swap last year.

 

And of course a purchase or three. The Patchwork Teahouse had a shop there and as she is closing soon fabric was $8 metre. Way too good to resist.  We did call into Patchwork with Gail B on our way.  I had never been to this shop before - amazing. We were there for well over an hour. Definitely worth a visit. 

 

Lovely Labour Day long weekend here so off again (I  have been back at work in between) to the coast for a few days. The weather is superb - 30 degrees at the moment - bathers packed, stitching packed, chocolate packed. Enjoy your weekend Cheryl

Stitching Under the Air Con

Well a very warm 40 plus degrees down here for three days running, so impossible to do too much when I'm not working.  Watering the garden is left until 8 o'clock at night so stitching it has been under the air con.  Have bought three or four things out to work on -

I have been needleturning a circle a day onto a 5" charm square after seeing some of the lovely quilts Gail Pan made doing this.  I did have a couple of weeks off over xmas when things were a bit busy, but back into it again. Think I started in September and would have over 100 -

I have used the same backgrounds over and over but so far managed to not repeat a circle fabric. What does that tell you lol - way too much fabric. 

So in a moment of I don't know what I decided I'd do the same with orange peels.  This definitely won't be one a day as more preparation required, but would be nice to do 3 or 4 a week.  First lot ready to needleturn down today -

I did sign up to do Gail Pan's monthly "I Stitch" Club  - three cute little stitcheries to do per month  which is quite achievable.  The first three are done and ready to applique to their background -

Some stitcheries to prep today and I'm back to stitching my xmas bom from last year from FignBerry "A to Z of Christmas" as this year's is about to start and I'm only half way through last years.  Time to get a wriggle on.  Cheryl

Christmas Catchup 2

I did hope this year would go a little slower than last, but days are buzzing by and I realised I hadn't shown you the rest of my gorgeous xmas gifts or even what I had been making for special friends. 

My gorgeous friend Keryn is one very clever and talented chooky and she knows I love snowmen, so this is what she made me this year - isn't it adorable?  I love it to bits and can't bear to put it away so think I will be finding a permanent home for it so I can enjoy it all year long. 

Don't my friends know me well. Barb and I have done a xmas swap together for about 5 years now and this is the gorgeous wallhanging she made for me this year.  It's just gorgeous and it too is still hanging on my wall (do you think I'm a bit loathe to pack all my lovely xmas goodies away).  Not only that we both love tins and often do a xmas tin usually filled with a sweet or two -

This year's xmas tin Barb found in an antique shop in America and it travelled all around with her.  It's so very special and I feel honoured that she would do that. 

And then my gorgeous friend Michelle spoilt me with one of her beautiful hand made decorations she designs and I just love it to bits. It looked beautiful on my tree of handmade decorations and joined several others she has made me over the years -

Isn't he/she  handsome.  I do treasure these. 

Well at 41 degrees on this Australia Day we have had the traditional barbie lunch and I'm off to stitch under the air con. Cheryl

Christmas Catch Up

I so love Christmas - having family visit, putting out my extensive xmas collection, including many special things made for me by friends, making gifts for them in return.  I again participated in Chooky's SSCS and my partner was Clare from New Zealand. I have already shown you the beautiful cross stitched decoration she made for me, but this was the parcel to open Christmas Day -

Clare obviously did some sneaking around and saw that I love snowmen. How gorgeous is this snowman pot holder - way too lovely to use mind, but he looks beautiful hanging on mu oven.  And she read that I would like to have a go and do some English Paper Piecing so very kindly included some papers and template for Lucy Boston, so I look forward to playing with these soon.  Thankyou so much Clare - so lovely to have you as my partner. Such a beautiful sewer she is. 

Now I was VERY spoilt by two or three special friends.  My friend Karen and I "met" doing a xmas swap several years ago now and we immediately hit it off and were like two peas in a pod we had so much in common, so we have continued doing gifts ever since and have since caught up several times even though I'm in Victoria and she's in Queensland. she never ceases to amaze me with such stunning and beautiful gifts and always me to a tee.  Check these out -

Gorgeous knitted plum pudding and stocking for my handmade decorations tree and the most gorgeous soaps you have ever smelt.

Love these two gorgeous hangers - they are quite large and made from beautiful wool felt with the cutest Santa buttons.

Not a great photo, but Karen also made me two beautiful xmas placemats with the cutest snowman fabric.  I didn't have any xmas placemats, so was perfect. Just had to stop hubby from spilling anything on his lol.

And if that wasn't enough Karen sent me the most wonderful selection of patterns and kits in beautiful wool (which we both love working in) - patterns I'd not seen before.How gorgeous is this.

And this beautiful one.

And love these two from 1894 Cottonwood House.

And absolutely loved these gorgeous Lynette Anderson xmas decorations.  I will have fun fussy cutting that beautiful fabric to make them. Oh which one to start first. thankyou my gorgeous friend - blown away with my gorgeous gifts. spoilt beyond belief.

Lots more to show you, but maybe I will leave that for the next post along with some stitching. Cheryl