Car picnic

As tempers were starting to fray and with us both feeling a bit of cabin fever, we decided to pack a picnic and head OUT! It looked like being the last sunny day for a while too, so an ideal day to go. (I honestly don’t know how Mum is coping – she’s such a trooper.)

The Golfer bought a fresh loaf of bread and some chocolate muffins (guaranteed to help chase away the blues), and I made up some salad sandwiches, added some bananas and coffee, along with our puzzles and kindles. Enough of a mix of good and treats, I thought.

Into the car, music on and we were away down the freeway and ended up here

We ate our picnic in the car, only leaving it to use the nearby amenities, conscious of others and checking out people population (not many) before doing so. From the window of the car I took these pics, getting a blast of fresh sea air while doing so which helped sweep away the cobwebs.

The tide was out, well actually on the turn, so the sand bar was exposed

These girls were on skiffs, and one jumped off onto the sandbar, dragging her skiff onto the sand then proceeded to jump and do bombs into the water, it must drop straight down at that point. She had a ball, as did her little dog who ran like crazy around the sandbar.

a man was out fishing; not too sure how success he was

and just before we left another was sailboarding, moving at a great rate of knots with the stiff breeze

the seagulls were enjoying the sandbar too, basking in the sunshine

From the front of the car I could see these houses; what lovely views they must have across the water

This seagull

was balancing like a ballerina, using wings and feet to keep him there in the buffeting breeze. He was a long way up

It was delightful just relaxing in the car with the windows down just a little, and I must admit to having a little doze after doing the sudoku.

Feeling very refreshed and in a much better frame of mind, we traveled home. And despite the new rules, this trip was needed; we’ll cope better in the coming days.

Hope you’re doing ok Dear Peeps.

Much love

Meredithe x

QAL 2020

I had a very productive day on Saturday. Finally got my mojo going. Started by clearing up a bit in the sewing room. My cutting table suddenly appeared (just don’t ask where all the “stuff” that was on it is now!) and I’d forgoten that it’s soooooo long. Perfect for cutting borders for my Star Quilt for QAL 2020

They were all cut and attached to my quilt top. Then for the corners…….love it when a mitre comes out so easily

This isn’t a good pic – I’d taken it just to show my Friday friends meaning to take a proper one later……obviously that didn’t happen!

I also put borders on my “Gateaux” quilt top (nothing to do with QAL 2020!)

then pressed them both and took them off to the quilter on Monday, dropping them at Carol’s door and scampering away so I didn’t contravene the new isolation regulations. My QAL 2020 quilt is HUGE and as I have no-one to help me baste it, have left it for Carol to do then I can hand quilt it, and “Gateaux” has been left for Carol to machine quilt.

Also on Monday, we dropped a precious cargo of toilet paper off to Mum, leaving it on the shelving provided for resident drop-offs (she prefers a different brand than the one used there) and dropped off Poppet’s birthday presents, again leaving them at the door although I did ring the door bell and stood back to have a quick chat telling Poppet she wasn’t to open the gifts until Tuesday, her birthday. That remark was greeted with “Oh, what???”! She turned a big 6 and has started school……who knows when she’ll be going back.

It’s all still very surreal, isn’t it? After our outings on Monday, which included some fruit and veggie shopping, I felt a need to scurry back to our “burrow”, safe and protected by the four walls that are keeping danger out. Just weird.

Hope you’re all getting lots of stitching done too. Stay safe lovelies.

Meredithe x

Monthly Makes | March

I showed you at the end of last month that I’d decided to make this pouch

and with everything that’s been going on, it wasn’t until yesterday that I finally got around to making it – getting in by the skin of my teeth!

I unpacked the kit and read all the instructions

cut everything out

and a little while later……

one bag made with it’s see-thru front so you can “see” what’s inside!

Now to decide on April’s Monthly Make. How did you go? Would love to hear about it.

Meredithe x

Around here

As we go further into lockdown, some nice stuff for you…..

~ mushrooms anyone? These have appeared in our lawn, I’m guessing from the tropical weather we had earlier in the month. Not that I’ll be picking them to have on toast for brekky!

~ I’ve enjoyed the last of the hydrangeas. Always sad to see them go.

their colourful blooms fading to those burnished greens

and the last of the roses too

~ Since isolation started I’ve done some cooking/baking making casseroles, pasta dishes and focaccia

and tried some GF friands which were very successful and went to Mum (they’ve set up some shelves just outside the foyer where families can leave care parcels for residents; the staff periodically check and deliver). It was cool at the start of the week so cooked up some chicken and sweet corn soup. Sun has been shining the last few days, so had soup and the last of the focaccia out on the deck.

~ We had a brilliant sunrise the other day; I was nearly late to meet my walking partner as I kept stopping to take photos

and while out walking its been lovely to see some native blooms

~ The Golfer noticed a very good deal for dishwasher tablets with one of “those” internet companies the other day and as we were down to our last two tablets he ordered “the deal”. It arrived a day later……we’ll have sparkling dishes for months and months and months….

Things were getting a bit grim on the toilet paper side of things too, with only 3 rolls left in the cupboard and none to buy every time I ventured to the shops. Sent The Golfer out for the early shop (he’s an over 60) and he came up trumps!

~ I think the Government’s message has come through loud and clear as I find myself, while watching modern day tv shows, ridiculously thinking, “Oh no, you’re standing too close together – get 1.5m apart!” and “NO! NO! No hugging!!”

We will survive. Keep checking in with family and friends, take care of yourself, eat well, exercise and get good sleep, and support your local quilt shop!

Much love

Meredithe x

Stitch Sisters

Before we had to stop meeting in real life we had a small contingent get together at Kaye’s home – we didn’t hug each other, as we usually would do, and we sat well apart! Onto the nice stuff!

There were delicacies to partake of

and Kaye had some special show and tell……this gorgeous little sewing machine that comes all the way from England she’s discovered, and all in working order – it was serviced just before Kaye bought it. Looks like quite a complicated threading procedure!

As we were leaving Kaye’s sewing room I spotted these that she picked up in Portugal last year

Kaye has totally changed tack and it stitching woollie bits

I did lots of prep work for “Rocks and Whetstones“

Helen was working on the last of her blocks

then suddenly it was finished! Ta-Da! I just love her Kaffe inspired “Go-Go Wheels“

Maree has progressed her “Ruby May“

and Rhonda has started knitting a sheep blanket for her newest grandson.

Meredithe x

Class show and tell

Morning

Carole had her triangle quilt back from quilting, just needs the binding sewn down now and it can be given to its recipient

and Jo made the five blocks she needs for her new quilt

Afternoon

Two students stayed all day; Cheryl worked on her EPP BOM

and prepped some pieces for her “Floristic” blocks

Linda played with EPP too including these tiny hexagons

and then prepped some circles and chose a thread to embroider with and just a little bit of retail therapy with the fabric

Fernanda had another “Timeless Tulips” block made

and another cut out and partially pieced

she’s also finished her “Bloom” quilt top and wanted to make it a bit bigger

so we carefully cut and pieced this one way fabric so that the windows sit upright the whole way around

Jane stitched in three units

Lynn got another couple of blocks nearly made

and Louise joined us for the first time and had an applique lesson

That’s it from classes for the time being, Dear Peeps but I shall be back with more very shortly.

Don’t forget to visit your lqs on-line during this time – they are the life blood of our community and we need them to keep going!

Meredithe x

Class show and tell

(This and tomorrow’s posts will be the last of my students’ show and tell; classes have been suspended at the shops as I can’t keep a “social distance” if I’m showing someone a technique or helping them out.)

Last week at Nuno Nuno we had a new student, Georgia, who originally hails from a farm in Kansas. When I asked Georgia how I could help, she proceeded to bring out from her bag some calico and when these pieces were unraveled, my heart skipped a beat and then began thumping furiously.

Georgia has these blocks which were made by either her mother, grandmother or aunt with original feed sacks from, we think, the 1930’s through to 1950’s

There were three completed rows of four blocks and another 2 set pinned together so Georgia proceeded to stitch them into rows using a 3/8″ seam allowance as we realised that is what was originally done. Then there’s some ice-cream cone shapes stitched into rows too which I’m guessing were intended for borders

and just look at that fine stitching

and Georgia’s stitching was just as small and neat, learnt from her mother and grandmother.

PLUS…. but wait there’s more…. Georgia has a pile of feed sacks which her mother has hemmed

and a whole pile of the ice-cream cone shapes just waiting to be stitched together

They’re all in pretty good nick as they were kept in Georgia’s mother’s cedar chest. The patterns on these fabrics just make my heart sing! So beautiful! Blast Mr Covid19 – I don’t want to wait to play with these some more!!

Faye has finished her quilt top

so we chose some borders and she stitched the first ones on

and she had a lesson in scrap cutting so I can’t wait to see what she makes from a lovely pile of off-cut fabrics.

And Natalie was delighted to be able to complete her hexagon pincushion, all done by hand and finished off with the perfect button from her collection. She’s hoping to make several more now that she knows what to do.

Meredithe x

This class is held at Nuno Nuno, Mont Albert