Easter Holidays

 Megan and I went down to mum and the extended family for Easter. We had a few days at Bexley, the property my uncle's own near Rowena in NSW. Mum and my cousin Dice had already been there a week, and they had been very busy creating all kind of weird and wonderful things.
Megan and I statred with wire work, Megan made a 3 stand candle holder.Her first go and she done really well. I made more wire baskets and a candle holder.

 Dice and I both made bee boxes. We had seen them on the TV and thought they would be a good thing to have in the garden. The other's all laughed and said the spiders and bugs would move in not the native bees we were hoping for, we will just have to wait and see.

 Dice (Dianne) had a few Hebel blocks for us to play with, I had always wanted to have a play with those blocks. I carved this funny thing that looks like a mile post with ears. It is very easy to work with, bit dusty is all.

Every one made bird houses. Mum made 5 and I said she has to put them all together in the garden like a little village.

We all made barbwire balls for the garden. As you can guess we like the rustic look in our gardens.

                                                  This is Megan's candle holder

My sister and I went a bit mad with the hanging rocks. I had seen this idea in a book but they had used macramé to hold the rocks together. Kay found a lot of rocks in a heart shapes so she made a string of hearts.

While we were all together for  Easter we went over to Coonabarabran to catch up with more family, every one said we had to go and look at the National Park (Pilliga Forest) Since the fires had been through there.It would be the only time we would see all the rock formations. So of we set, It was wet and eery with all the black trees and very sad to see the places that people had lost, our hearts went out to them.

 I grew up in this area and I had never seen the country side like this, first time most of us had seem the rocks, mountains, creeks and rivers. It was unreal.

                                             
                                          But all around it was coming to life again.

 
                                                Bark on the gum trees. I can see a quilt in this.

                                                          The colours are stunning.

It was my birthday while we were away. Meagan and Terri decided to make me a cake but they couldn't find the sugar, I said look in the sugar bin. "The What" they had never heard of a sugar bin, so when they found it they were fascinated.    There had always been a sugar bin in the pantry at Grandmas.

 

At the end of our stay, uncle Geoffrey got his old car out to go in to town. We all went off to Rowena to the pub for lunch. Same of us got to ride in to town in the old car and same got to ride home in it.

 
                                                Its a lovely car to ride in, Very comfy..

We had a great holiday and hope to do it again next year. The garden is looking fantastic with all the new creations.
Now it is back to quilting, my exhibition is next week and I still have a few things to finish.

Sewing friends

 I can't believe that a month has gone by, it only seem like last week we were together for our sewing day.
We had a finishing off day. Bev found the book "Quilts on the Double" by Judy Hooworth & Margaret Ralfe. It is full good idea & wonderful patterns. The pattern we picked to make was "Beach Brollies"
The top photo is the second quilt "Beach Brollies Tails" that you make from this pattern. The idea is two quilts from the one lot of fabric & cutting. No waist. This quilt still needs to be pieced together.
Sorry my photos are mixed up (it's way too hard to fix, I am having lots of trouble with my computer lately.)

 This quilt come from the book "Kaleidoscope the Smart Way" by Sharon Sebrow. The pattern name is "English Garden". Evol now has the fun of quilting it.

 This is the first quilt "Beach Brollies" . Still needs to have the border put on.


Do you know what this is? Toadstools.   I was out walking & beside the road there were all these big white balls.  They looked really good, I just had to take a few photos. But I don't think you would want to touch them. Once they dry out they turn to dust.

                                      This one would make a great quilt pattern.

Sewing at Peter Taylor's.

Shelly arrived with her "Cactus Flower" quilt. This pattern had the papers to make 3 table runners but Shelly was after a quilt so she put them all together. You can also purchase this pattern as a quilt but we didn't have it in stock at the time, that's why Shelly joined the runners. Looks great though.

The Block class is moving along. We are only up to month 2 and they have made 6 blocks already. I think I will have to throw in a few more difficult blocks.
 This is just a few of the blocks from class.

 

We have started our 2nd Judy Niemeyer pattern. This time it is "Stepping Stones"
 The photo below is of Bonnies blocks for the quilt.
 Next month we will start the "Bali Bed Runner" This quilt or runner has the Wedding ring block with points / stars were the rings join. It is a stunning quilt. 

Megan and I are off to Mum's for Easter. Going to be a bit of a family get together with Aunts, Uncles, cousins, and more. Mum sure will have a house full.
I better say bye for now so I can go and pack.

 We had our once a month get together again. The quilts are getting out of hand, 2 on the go and we are still finding more we want to do, or I should say the one that picks the quilts No Names, is getting ahead and we are following along quite happily. Evol also has a few to quilt.

 Ruth called in for a chat and cupper. She had her Dear Jane quilt all finish and ready to show us. It's just beautiful. Ruth started this quilt when Bev & I had the shop. I also started a Dear Jane quilt but my is still in little bits in a box waiting for me to get back to it. I think it will be a while before I get to that box. But Ruth's quilt has inspired me again
.

 This happy little quilt belongs to Laurene. She made it for her new grandson Bede (pronounced bead).


I have been teaching the Cactus Flower table runner at Peter Taylor's. This is one of Judy Niemeyer patterns. A foundation paper piecing method. The girls are all keen to stat the next class on one of  Judy's patterns. Our next class will be the Stepping Stone quilt.

 Lorraine and Bonnie with there quilt tops. Next week we will be quilting the tops

 Daph with her quilt top. The soft pinks and blues are very pretty.


The last few days I have been really busy quilting. In May I will be having my own quilt exhibition at the local art gallery. So I have been working like a mad woman finishing what I had in the pile at the end of my sewing table.

I made these little quilts for samples to have in my quilting classes. I got the idea from a workshop a done with Jenny Bowker. Incorporating the fabric design out into the quilting pattern

 

 

 See!!!! A wonderful empty table. Pity it won't stay that way for long, I have lots of UFO's in the cupboard dying to come out and see the light of day. You open the door and there all lining up screaming pick me, no pick me, please pick me.

 Well I suppose it's time I face the music and find one to start on.

Busy first month

On the 14th February I will be teaching my first class with the Judy Niemeyer patterns. This class will be the "Cactus Flower table runner". I made up 2 samples to display in Peters Taylors shop. Great class to start if you have never used one of Judy's patterns before. We will even have some of Judy's quilts for show in the shop. I have joined the Judy Niemeyer Trunk Show so we will have a new quilt on display every month. It's all very exciting.

 

Been busy quilting lots of my quilts. I have the pile down to 3, and 2 of those are new quilts. Very proud of my self. Two quilts I took around to Evol and she let me quilt them on her big quilting machine. I did have to have lots of help.

For a few weeks I have been making up blocks for the Techniques, Blocks & Design class that starts next week at Peter's. We will be working on basic blocks through to more advanced blocks. The  Feathered Star is one of the more advanced blocks for this class.

 Do you remember the old Red Wagon fabrics? I was going through my stash and found them, thought it was about time I used them all up and I did!!!! Joined lots of uneven strips, added a few squares more strips and I got a wonderful quilt. I had lots of fun cutting and joining. This is part of the quilt. The top is all finished just waiting to be quilted now. It's one of the new quilts in the pile.

 Sudoku quilt is finished.  It was a easy little quilt to make. I did this as a class before Christmas.

I started this quilt at Sandy's retreat a long time ago. I can't remember when, it was that long ago. I didn't quilt this one, I gave it to Evol to do. She had just received a lot of new funky quilting patterns so we picked one off them for her to play with on this quilt. Turned out really good. Very pleased with the design.

 It was back in to the cupboard to find a UFO to finish. Pulled out my Sue Ross "Circles of Fun" quilt. I don't know how many times this quilt has been out of the cupboard to be finished and always went back in with nothing done to it. But!! This time I got busy and finished it or I should say almost finished it. I just have the borders to put on. This is one of the blocks that the quilt is made up of. Another pat on the back for me.

It's getting late and I haven't had tea so I had better go. Hopefully I will finish the "Circles of Fun" over the week-end. Good Night.

2013

 Have you seen the flowers on a Pony Tail plant ? It only been the last few years that I have seen them flower. Very striking. I just wonder, does that part of the plant die once the flower does. I will just have to wait and see. (I hope not)

 Before Christmas I got busy finishing  the quilts I had in my quilting pile. The pile has only 2 small quilts now. For this little quilt I have been playing with strips and No rulers. It's been lots of fun.

 Colour wash Hearts and Flowers quilt. I made this quilt as a sample for a up coming class. We will use a 2" fusible grid. This fusible grid would of been very handy for a lovey lady I know that had a lot of trouble with her colour wash quilt many years ago.

 Second quilt with No rulers. I have had a lot of fun making those quilts





Christmas at Bexley
We have just had 2 lovely weeks away with family and friends. It's great to catch up with every one.
My uncle made this stunning big santy. He is standing out near the front gate so all the passing traffic can see him.

The "Hen and Chicks" was out in flower. So pretty. Sorry I don't know it rigth name.

No quilting, sewing, or a piece of fabric at all while I was away. But plenty of other crafts to keep us busy. Mum and I had a good time playing with wire. Made a few things (Art) to go in the garden.
Mum made the two bird cages and my uncle made the little birds in side. Very cute birds.

 I made two wire bowls. There pretty big. Not sure were I will put them but I'm sure I will find a spot.

 We also made a lot of Barbwire balls. Doug said they would be good for the little (real) birds to make there nests in so the bigger bird can't get to them. He side that's about all there good for. Mum and I think there pretty neat. More art in the garden.

Back into the quilting now I am home. Working on a quilt with all the OLD "red waggon" fabric I have.
I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and new year. Now it's time to look ahead to the wonders we will get up to this year.