Class show and tell

Morning

Carole rejoined us after a trip o/s and she’s been busy stitching bits for her “Carousel” (pattern by Sandra Boyle, Everyday Quilts) since her returnMarilyn is at the same stageSue Eand Jo are at border stages on theirs Carylin finished off the broderie perse on her quilt topneed a closer look?  Ok, here ’tisand Carylin worked on another section of her embroidery

Afternoon

Lyn stayed all day and cut, prepped and sewed on her binding, and even managed to start hand stitching it downLinda was an all-day-stayer too, showing us her finished “Welsh Quilt” top (pattern by Sandra Boyle, Everyday Quilts)and she made a start on her “Sweet Sunday” quiltby class end Linda had three blocks stitched upand was thoroughly hooked!

Cheryl finished her new quilt top in classFernanda finished hers tooit’s a lap quilt for one of her nieces, and she chose fabrics for another for the other niece (can’t give to one without giving to the other, especially as they’re sisters!)you’ll have to wait and see what Fernanda does with these.

Jane had more embroidery funand Sue B joined us, working on her hand pieced Double Wedding Ring.Meredithe x

This class is held at Sewn and Quilted.

By the bay on a windy day

Yesterday The Golfer and I discovered that we had no commitments, no appointments, no sewing dates, no golfing dates……huh?  So we decided to treat ourselves and head off for……yep, you guessed it.  Fish and Chips on the Foreshore at Sorrento!  Our favourite go-to destination for fish and chips.  It’s an age since we last did that. It wasn’t long before the seagulls were cruising around the car.  How do they know who has the food??One cheeky one legged fellow, sat on the car bonnet in the forlorn hope of a tidbit, and being one legged he was tossed about a bit by the rising wind.I had visions of a romantic Winter walk along the beach, but the winds became gale force blowing spray from the waves over the beach, and we even had a gust of sand come into the car via the slim opening of the window, which was hastily closed.Instead we watched container boats going to and fro and the ferry come into dockThe sun coming in through the window eventually became too warm and we moved the car to another carpark.  Here’s the ferry from a different angleMore boats bobbing in the turbulent sea; lots of white horses out there and the sea was that beautiful turquoise/greenI braved the cold winds to get these pics, just for you!  The water is so clearThe cafe/restaurant on the foreshore has been rebuiltand they’d look out onto thisWe drove around to the back beach where the winds were even stronger and the clouds had started gathering in earnest.  I just made it back into the car mere seconds before the heavens opened – there was even some hail!The gulls wheeled and soared on the thermals, dipping as the winds dropped only to be flung high in the sky, wings outstretched as another southerly blow sent them skywards and below them waves crashed onto the rocks and hurled themselves up the beach.It may have been 17 degrees in Melbourne city, but down on the bay it was a chilly 12 and I reckon with wind chill factor probably half that!   We didn’t even complete a walk of the main street as we were nearly blown off our feet and it was oh, so much warmer in the car!  On the way home, driving along the foreshore we saw a couple of people out windsurfing……surprised they didn’t end up in Tassie!

Nevertheless, we had a lovely, relaxing day together.  How was your Wednesday?

Meredithe x

sew stitch snap SHARE

I’ve been making these blocks bit by bit (“Parsons Geese” VT4031MC)Bit by bit, you ask?  Yes, well, the main fabrics, the “Outback Wife” became misplaced but were found again in The Great Cleanup of 2017, so I was able to get back on track.

I need 15 of this block for a new quilt I’m designing and was delighted to find, when I counted them t’other day, that I have 12 madeanother one in the makingand the means to make the remaining two! (with leftovers!)Then I can start on making multiples of the second block needed for this new quilt.

Joining in with Linda and Julie for sew stitch snap SHARE

What have you been stitching?

Meredithe x

My Weekend

I’ve had a lovely weekend.  Started with buying these ranunculus on Friday and adding them to the gerberas from last week. Such a cheery display.On Saturday I went up to see Ma Kettle to deliver her new jumper – another finish for 17in17!So pleased with how this has turned out.  It’s a perfect fit for Mum and she’s delighted with it.  She didn’t want to take it off after trying it on, so she wore it out for our lunch and said it was toasty warm!

Before luncheon-ing we went to the Bendigo Woollen Mills so Mum could choose wool and a pattern for next year’s jumper.  We had a lovely lunch, a good natter, did a food shop for her, sorted a few things, then I headed home.  I listened to Simply Red’s “Blue” CD all the way home, singing away at the top of my lungs.

On Sunday I cleaned up the knitting bag, clearing out the paraphernalia from Mum’s jumper and sorting out the requirements for the new one; just look at the colour of this yarn.  Can’t wait to get started, but I also have some yarn and a pattern for a cardi for myself that I’d like to begin.

I also made a scrappy  binding and sewed it onto “Steampunk” – yes, it’s been sent to and is back from the quilter already!  Just need to hand stitch it down now.Feeling in an experimental mood (the result of viewing more cooking shows), I made gnocchi and teamed it with a mushroom sauce.  Yummmm!!  Might not look the best here in the just-made-not-yet-cooked stage, but it tasted great – we’ll be having that again!

And yesterday was FIL’s 94th birthday, so we took him out for lunch on a spectacular Melbourne day – felt more like Spring than the last part of Winter.  Brilliant sunshine and so mild.  The Golfer took FIL for a hair cut first, and he wanted coffee at his favourite cafe after lunch so he was pretty worn out by the time we took him back, but he’d had a lovely time.  (And the home had a cake for him which they showed us – such a treat!)

So all in all, very productive and very enjoyable.  How about You?  Did you have a nice weekend too?  What did you get up to?  I’d love to hear about it.

Meredithe x

100Days100Blocks

If you follow me on Instagram you’ll know that I’ve been participating in  100Days100Blocks hosted by Angela at GnomeAngel………and why would I do this?  Because my friend Jan J talked me into it!   But I did have the book and it was going to be a “one day” project, so rather than have it hanging around this was a good opportunity to use the book and make the blocks.

The premise was to make all 100 blocks from this book by Tula Pinkand post them in order on Instagram for 100 days.

We started on the 7th May and finished today!   And yes, I managed to do it!During that time, I packed and moved Ma Kettle into her new home, went up several times to visit and sort things out, had Ma come to stay with us (during which time we all got sick!) and kept going with my usual day to day.  Initially I made the blocks ahead of time and photographed them ready to post each day (essential when I was at Mum’s), but for the last third I ran out of steam and was making them each day……until last Monday when I finished making the last 7 and posted Block 100 today!  So here they are from the first to the last.Now to make them into a quilt; I think I’ll sash and corner stone them.  Looks like I’m cutting out lots of white sashing and lots of cornerstonesbut, hey, might as well do it now, then I can put all the fabrics away (or cut up the remains for the scrap boxes) and that will be another quilt………..

With many thanks to Angela for hosting this challenge, to Jan J for talking me into it and all the gorgeous Peeps on Instagram who liked, commented, encouraged and generally kept me going – Mwah!!  So appreciated.

Meredithe x

Here and Now | August 2017

Loving // the flowers at the green grocer’s – this one broke off half way up the stem so it gets its own vase!

Eating // lots of pasta dishes in the last week or so – lovely Winter fare

Drinking // one of my lovely students has introduced me to Twinings “Digest” tea, a mix of peppermint, liquorice and lemon balm (I’m sorely missing the demise of their peppermint and liquorice tea, so this is a good substitute)

Feeling // a bit tired – end of Winter blues??

Making // tried my hand at focaccia this past week from a recipe found in a magazine – maybe not quite up to Paul Hollywood standard but The Golfer and I enjoyed it (I think I’m watching too much of “The Great British Bake Off” re-runs!)

Thinking // about quite a few things that need to be done in the next few weeks – haven’t quite hit the panic button but it’s not far off!

Dreaming // weird dreams lately and wondering if they’re to do with the above!!  Better get to; a list would be a good start!

Linking up with Sarah at Say, Little Hen, for Here and Now.

Meredithe x

Class show and tell

Morning

Back to a full house this week.  Marilyn returned and has her circle border ready to stitchLeanne is close to getting her final border on her “Carousel” (pattern by Sandra Boyle, Everyday Quilts)and worked on the last of the diamondsthis is block 15 of 16 for DeniseBeth was working on diamonds tooSue E started to machine her bordersshe’s finished Block 3 of “Matilda“and put a quilt in for quilting!and Jo was working on an oldie but a goodie, changing the size of both the hexies and the overall quilt, so a little bit of working out to be done.Afternoon

Carylin stayed all day and had show and tell for both groups; this finished quiltand her owl quilt which she machine quilted herselfand as both are being sent to Germany they needed labels, so we had a lesson on label makingCarylin’s Mum suggested that this fabric might be good for Carylin to make into something……so she didand in class she chose some sections to be broderie persed onto the cornersFernanda stayed all day too, she has finished Block 3 of “Matilda” and her “Sweet Sunday” quilt topto which she added borders, so it’s now ready to be hand quiltedI showed Fernanda how to make a sweet thumb/finger pincushionand, wanting ideas for a quilt for one of her nieces, we came up with thisyes, you’ll have to wait for further installments!

Cheryl worked on more of her quarter-square-trianglesHelen made up some more of her “Sweet Sunday” blocks (and may have done a little shopping!) – love the strawberriesJane played with more embroideryand Frances started choosing fabrics and cutting out for another “Aunts’ Quilt” block.Meredithe x