The end of another month...

Wow the months are flying by. I have been doing a little bit of knitting. Using up leftover feathers yarn and covering coat hangers.

I love using these. My shirts don't fall off.

I think I will send some to my mother in law for Mother's Day....

Let's hope this mail makes it to its destination...

Good bye Rosie.

Well I had to say good bye to my friend Rosie and her husband....

After a few days together and some good chats with friends we had an afternoon at the movies with about 130 friends from Squilters.....
We went to see the movie..... THE TENTMAKERS OF CAIRO....
It's not one I would rave about or choose to see on my own.. Unless you wanted to follow the Egyptian revolution in 2012-2015.. But there were amazing quilts being worked on and made by men. Brilliant and fascinating.
Now time to say goodbye I thought.
But Rosie had other ideas.. She had bought me a gift so I went back to her accommodation. Here we had a chat over a glass of red wine. We chatted about next years venue... And look at the glass she is using. She bought one for me... it says.
SCQ 2017 Retreat .... Mildura, Victoria. and has a picture of a paddle steamer.....
All etched in.... THANKS ROSIE & GRAEME...
Next years retreat is at....
WHANGANUI. NEW ZEALAND
I wonder if I can go..
Let's hope... There is a special person I could meet if I went... Of course I would travel with Rosie.. and maybe a few others..
Until next time Rosie.

I know it's late

I know it is late but I got this from where I work. They were handed out for Easter. I couldn't let it sit there all day so I ate it all up. Lucky I got a photo.

I haven't caught up on all the blog reading over the last 2 weeks. Hubby and I had a few days away with the motorbike group he is a member of. Camping at the local lake. Easter up here is the busiest time of the year and all the locals get out of town. So we went with them.

There were 6 vans, campers and swags. And a group of 13 friends.

Enjoying time with friends and a great campsite.

 A bit of a yummy snack for lunch

 Enjoying the nights camp fire

A day out with my hubby...

Since moving towns it has been a while that I have been on the bike with my hubby. His local bike group was celebrating their 26th anniversary. So we joined in the ride. It was beautiful weather and we ventured out.
Here we all met...

Had a few stops. Meeting at the end...  It was a great day and I thoroughly enjoyed the fresh air.

We made it to the end of the ride at the club house. The RAAF museum...

Off home to change and then back here again for dinner and drinks.

Luckily we only live 6kms away.

REMEMBER TODAY

Friends, glorious friends

Recently I had 2 friends come for a visit. I have known them for over 30 years. We worked together for many years and then started our families. They decided to come and catch up for my birthday and of course, they wanted to see where I was now living....

We did all the tourist things. My hasband was a great sport driving us around...

We walked the market, the mall and a drive around town. Lunch at a lovely cafe, then another drive to a nearby town to look at the old buildings. We also stopped at Loch 10 to view how high the river is and was when it flooded back at Xmas time. We stopped at Orange  World to buy some fresh fruit. 

Photo time with the locals.

The next day we went to the fanstitc Gem shop, relaxed on the paddle steamer going through Loch 11 and lunch in the sun at a winery... It was a beautiful day. 

Home to relax and watch some movies. Next morning was a sad day. We had to say goodbye...

Squilters in Sunraysia

I am lucky enough to have another friend visit. Rosie and her husband, Graeme, have ventured up here for the Squilters sewing retreat weekend. They both decided to make a weeks holiday out of it. It has been warm but we also had some rain too.
Anyway, I took Rosie along to the local sewing group. We talked and laughed.

Here is my finished Hexie bag... Maxine loves it...

We also all went out for dinner at the local pub. I'm sure both Rosie and Graeme are enjoying their time here....
At the moment Rosie is enjoying the Squilters get together.
I have been doing a little bit of crochet..

A hexie workshop bag...

My friend is sewing along with her paper pieced Hexies and stores them in different bags. We got to talking and suggesting what sort of bag would be good.  You need pockets for your sewing supplies, fabrics, papers, prepared Hexies and somewhere flat for the finished flowers.... who wants to fold them when you pack up to go home... Well, as you know I use scraps for a lot of my projects. This is no exception...

I have started.... Strips being sewn..

Look at all these pieces being stitched on to bag wadding. It is a bit stiffer than quilt wadding. Makes it nice and sturdy. I enjoy all these little pieces.

Crazy scraps have been cut into the shapes for the top and bottom and long strips for the sides.

 Planning is going well. I have odd zips, scraps of everything. The base is the right size, the lid fits and now what do I do....

This is what it looks like when it is all closed. It measures about 14" across.

There is a full pocket on both sides of these larger Hexies. 

These pockets could store the papers & fabrics... 

 Inside the base of the bag will fit all those flowers laying flat for storage. The top also has a full size pocket to put scissors and thread.

Now to finish all the binding... 

Better luck this time...

I stitched a hexie block for Charmayne for her table cloth but it hasn't arrived. So out came another piece of fabric and thread and stitch away again. I have completed another one so I do hope it get there this time....

Here is what she is doing.

http://countryfragrance.blogspot.com.au/2017/02/stitches.html

Next little job was a  poppy block for Aussie Heroes. It measures 7" and when all are received they will be joined together to make a special quilt.

Let's hope this turns up in the mail....

http://aussieheroquilts.blogspot.com.au/2017/03/hqjtf-633-anzac-tribute-quilt-2017.html

 I even spun the seams and got the the black circle in the centre. Very impressive...

My DOOR STOP

Look at what I have been using for a door stop. 

My mums plastic covered bag just sitting there looking out of place. 

But not for much longer...

Here is my door stop being sewn together..

The centre is done and filled. Now to finish the outside.

And here it is all done... I love it. I actually made a lining bag the same size to fit inside. 

I mixed some lavender with the filling at the pointy top and filled over half of it for the base with crushed walnuts. This makes it a solid base and heavy enough to hold the door open.

This looks so much better at my front door. I am very glad I finally have it finished...

swapping parcels.

I delivered the 2 quilts to my friend and she was thrilled. So I deliver and then she give me something in return.. She has been busy knitting for the premie babies too. Aren't these beanies just gorgeous...

I can't thank you enough Anna. A job well done.

 Little special inspirational quote cards. A little thankyou gift...

My friend has decided not to do any more patchwork. She had a clean up and guess who was the lucky recipient of all her unwanted fabric. WOW.. Look at these tubs.

Now to work out what to make with them.

What Sunraysia Quilters were doing on our weekly meeting...

Look at this beautiful work that one member was working on..

 This week we were making super hero capes for the children at the hospital. The children are given one after they have had an operation.

 Here is my fiddle cloth I handed in to our group to pass on for charity. Everyone's work came up lovely.

March birthday fat 1/4 swap.

At the March meeting there were 4 of us that received our fat 1/4's.
Here mine are all ready to hand out. Yes, I only have to pass out 3 as it was my birthday and collected these.
I enjoy packaging them up a little different. It makes it a bit fun.

 The first ones I received

Look at all these parcels

Now all opened. I asked for NEUTRALS.. Wow... I'm going to have fun with these.

My blog is in print....

Since I have started blogging I try to get each year printed into a blog book. I had the first 2 done then the next one got away from me with life emergencies. This year I wanted to catch up. Sue over at http://kiwikidspage.blogspot.com.au Had hers done which spurred me on. Sue sent me a link for 30% off. This really helped. So now I have all 4 years in print. 2013, 2014, 2015 & now 2016...
This was my birthday present from my hubby and a celebration of being back to work. Very exciting.

 The covers have come up lovely. Each photo has a special meaning. It puts a smile on my face every time I look at them. Great memories.

 The pages are just so much fun to go back and read. Even if the Internet somehow disappears I still have a hard copy of my last 4 years in print.. What a diary to keep of all my life's happenings...

http://www.blog2print.com

182 Solstice Challenge still going.

I am running out of fabric now so I just have to get by with what's left.
I am a few behind but I will be ok.. These colours are looking so lovely. Can't wait to see how far I can go...

Block 11.... Measures 12.5"

Block 11.

 Block 12...... Measures 18.5"

Block 12

 Block 13... measures 12.5"

Block 13

Time to hang some of our gifts..

I have finally got around to hanging some of my favourite things...

My bird feeder Given to me by a special,friend.

Wind chimes from the inlaws.

And a spiral ball hanger. 

We just love watching it spin around....

Here is the bird feeder filled with thread and cotton off cuts.. Hopefully the birds will like to add them to their nests... Time will tell.

My hubbies favourite shorts are worn out. He didn't want them thrown out so into the sewing room they went. It's their time to be renewed..

 All stitched up and ready to wear..