Around here

~ I’ve picked the first of the roses, but they didn’t last long in the house as The Golfer has succumbed to hay fever and they were driving him crazy.  Apparently it’s been a bad Spring for hay fever.  Pretty while they lasted and I’m admiring them on the bushes. ~ These gumnuts seen on my walk always remind me of ballerinas’ tutus ~ The Golfer and I had a quick trip to Sorrento for a fish and chip lunch which we ate on the foreshore in beautiful Spring sunshine accompanied by some pesky seagulls, one of which decided he didn’t like standing on sand, so stood in the water on some seaweed instead! ~ I’ve finished a quilt and it’s being quilted now, so in readiness for its return I’ve prepped the binding placing it onto a Binding Baby which I won in a competition run by Jodie.  Such a great way to store awaiting binding. ~ Helen has had a good report from her surgeon and we shared a last mid-week lunch together at “The Hill” cafe in Berwick before she heads back to work.  It’s been fun exploring new eateries with my friend There was so much of my souvlaki I took the other half home!

~ Our bottle brush is starting to flower – such a glorious sight~ Been meaning to share this for ages; a house I go past on my morning walks went up for sale last year.  It was rented out for a while after selling then the bulldozers moved in.  Being a big block I thought that 3-4 townhouses would be built.  Imagine my surprise when, after returning from our trip o/seas, instead of houses there’s now a park!Big wide paths, children’s play equipment, garden areasnew trees and some of the existing onesand seatingand discreet seatingI’ve already seen some girls playing on the swing before school and I’m sure it’s well used by the children in the neighbourhood. Such a pleasant surprise.

~ One of Mum’s friends has this sign on her door……….a lesson for us all!

What’s been happening in and around you?

Meredithe x

Squealers

On a very wet day a few of us ventured out to Karen’s for Squealers.  As you know there’s always delicious afternoon tea, including some lovely home baked goodiesKaren’s sweet peas are blooming(and Mr Karen even picked a bunch for Helen and for me at the end of the day)

Andrea brought along a bunch of stunning roses from her garden for Helenand the lone cornflower that had come out.

While we listened to the pouring rain and righted the wrongs of the world, Andrea appliqued some leaves onto her projectHelen worked on her “Primavera“Miss E has some work colleagues expecting bubs soon so she embroidered some little grow suits Karen is embroidering an alphabet onto a quiltand I kinda, sorta started another a new project, alright it is another new project. I’m using my “Winter Journey” templates (I’ve chosen the 6″ size) and the travel fabrics I’ve been collecting for a number of years.  You know how sometimes it’s the right time to start a project you’ve been thinking about for a long time??  Well, it’s now!

We timed our departures between showers……..

Meredithe x

Class show and tell

Morning

I helped Carole choose some pairs and then sets for her blocksSue W whizzed along on that sewing machinemaking another 8 blocks for her quilt

Afternoon

Lyn stayed all day and put borders on her quilt and made up a backing, chose a pattern and thread and now it’s ready for the quilterFrances had finished her blockshe’s in two minds about where this is going, so decided to start on “Bloom” instead Cheryl and I chose some backgrounds for her hexie surroundsJane has five rows of her “Sweet Sunday” togetherthe other Lyn motored on with her bindingTineke set up her bias vine bordersFernanda prepped the last of her “Bloom” blocksand started to applique themMeredithe x

This class is held at Sewn and Quilted, Blackburn

Woolly Bits

Following on immediately from “Treehouse at the Hall” it was Woolly Bits Day at the lovely Millrose.

Events have conspired against me this year and I haven’t been able to go to many of the Woolly Bits Days so I decided it was high time I stitched up another birdHelen was staying the weekend with us so I dragged her along for the day and she brought along some hand stitching to doLynne was working on her “Fresh Cut“Too quickly it was lunch time with lots of choice from the new menuthen back to it……

I finished my birdie, learning a couple of new stitches along the wayHelen had a lovely shopJoy put on a bindingLynne had a break from embroidery and got out this bagwhich contained a scarf she’s knittingLizzie covered a lampshadeand we had another visitor, Miss I who is 12(?) and she was making a dollwe all needed afternoon tea to revive from our laboursbefore heading off home, which unfortunately was a nightmare trip with an accident (not us), traffic jams, heavy rain and roadworks!  Still, Helen and I chatted about our lovely day and that kept us going.

Meredithe x

Treehouse at the Hall

Went again to the annual “Treehouse at the Hall” recently and had a wonderful day.  The entryway was decked out in Treehouse fashionas was the passageway to the bathroomand even in the bathroomOf course the hall had loads of beautiful quilts hanging, and the stage was all set up tooand Emma’s mum Sarah had her area which was inundated immediately by those who love a bit of vintage stuff – and who of us doesn’t??Each table had an individual centre displayand we each received some very special “mail”which was almost too lovely to open, but curiosity got the better of me.  More lovely projects……Morning tea arrived, a blissful morsel of which one really needed to try every varietyMarg Sampson George was the guest speaker regaling us with hilarious travel stories before moving on to a show and tell of her stunning quilts.

Then it was time for lunch which arrived in these nifty boxeseither chicken curry, salad and orange cakeor salmon, salad and pecan sliceand I won a chair prize…..again!I was too busy talking and prepping eighteen, yes 18!, “Bloom” blocks to take pics of Marg’s quilts or what we were all working on.  Needless to say, it was a fabulous day and seemed to fly by.  So looking forward to next year’s event.

Thank you Emma, Sarah, Marg and all the helpers (in front and behind the scenes!) in making our experience a wonderful one, again.

Meredithe x

PS the fabulous food came from “The Filling Station” in Mornington

Friday stitching

Stitching was at mine and I baked a spongeand put out other deliciousness for afternoon teaHelen has cut out heaps for her “Primavera” quiltI blissfully wielded a hook for some crochet – “Dune” by Attic 24and I forgot to take pics of what Karen and Maree were doing – apologies.

Meredithe x

Class show and tell

Morning

Sue E has finished her “Welsh Quilt” (pattern by everyday quilts)Carylin was working on her Christmas miceCarole stitched more of her blocks togetherand Leanne took heart in hand and started to trim back her border, applique it down and we put some of the hexies on it to see how it will look

Afternoon

Two students stayed all day;  Linda has finished her baby quilt, just the binding to stitch down then it will be ready to wing its way to the northern hemisphereand in class she worked on her month 4 blocks for “Bessie Creek Road“and Lyn got two blocks made and stitched togetherWith the other students; Fernanda has finished her “Matilda” BOM from Treehouse Textilesand in class she worked on more “Bloom” blocks the other Lyn finished quilting her table runner and added a bindingCheryl prepped more hexie surroundsJane stitched rows togetherHelen did more appliqueand Frances so very nearly finished her blockMeredithe x

This class is held at Sewn and Quilted, Blackburn