Donations to the nursing home in Gisborne

My friend from my Monday Gisborne group came for a visit. Barb was raised here in Mildura and her parents still live here. Since I have spent some time basting a few quilts and have always joined in with our groups donations what was I to do. Her visit was quick and unexpected so I gave Barb 2 quilts to take home and quilt. They were basted so half the job was done.... here are the ones I sent back.
Good night Irene

Good night Irene

And the story of where it began.

https://jobutterfield.blogspot.com.au/2014/10/fnsimy-test-pattern-quilt.html

Then there was my Hunters Star quilt.

https://jobutterfield.blogspot.com.au/2016/12/what-have-i-been-up-to-hunters-star.html

Hunters Star

I'm sure the nursing home will appreciate the kindness of our little group.

I think they have between 15 - 20 quilts so far.

Not bad for a group of 4...

A catch up...

I have been in Melbourne the past week. Unfortunately I had to go to a funeral, visit my SIL in full time care and my girlfriend was rushed in to emergency. The funeral went as good as can be expected, it was sad to see my SIL but we do need to accept it, my girlfriend was operated on and is home recovering. She is doing very well.
It was great to stay a few days with my daughter and the grandsons. A night with my brother and a very close friend.
I caught up with many friends. Too many to name but I want to thank them all. I must say when I was driving home it really felt like I was going home. All I wanted to do was get there.   I feel comfortable here.. I am getting used to the weather, people, everything. All I need is to get some work....
Back in Melbourne there were so many good moments. I only got a photo of one. My Monday girls sewing day.... They put together a lunch for me. And passed on my quilt blocks to remember our lovely friend Jill. Thanks Max for my gift. Photo of the blocks and photo of Jill when I decide what design I want to put them into... Here are the lovely ladies....

Barb, Jo, Rhonda & Joy

Tonight I spent sewing and catching up on Bonnie Hunters Mystery Quilt En Provence
Here is my progress of part 2. The night that the next step is released. I did catch up though...
Here is step 2 all made up.
Here is the link to Part 3 link up party. I didn't get to link up with part 2. I have completed part 3 so when I get a post done I'll link that up too.

My Magenta and neutrals... I used the Tri Recs ruler I bought years ago and have never used

Here is my fabric choices. It may change along the way. Let's see what the next step is and if I stick to it. I love these colours...

Bonnie Hunters .... En Provence Mystery Quilt fabrics

My friendship blocks are done...

I am expecting a visit from a friend on her way home from W.A.  She is one of the Monday girls I have been making my friendship blocks for...
I have them all finished sitting here waiting to be collected.
5 little teapots with needle and thread. Isn't that what you get together for. Stitching, coffee/tea and chatting... That's what friends are for...
Each colour represents one person....mew will all end up with nine blocks to do with as we please..

The stitchers teapot

These were the first set of blocks made.

My first friendship blocks

More basting

My Monday group are a great bunch of ladies. We all help each other and we are a great support group in many ways. This week we basted a beautiful quilt made by Rhonda.

She has done an amazing job making this lovely 3D Bow Tie quilt for a male.,it is made with gorgeous Japanese prints. So manly.

Rhondas 3D Bow Tie quilt.

It is a large quilt. Now for it to be quilted. It's stunning....

Aussie Hero. Quilts sent."

I love making the Aussie Heroes a Quilt.
I have got my friends to join me too.
 HERE IS WHERE I AM AT NOW.....

My bling quilt. Wonky Starburst Quilt.

A pink and purple bling laundry bag

A SUPER HERO QUILT 

The back of the quilt. The sons name

A cute laundry bag to remind mum of her son.... 

This following quilt was a joint effort.

Barb B made the quilt, Rhonda W drew and cut the flowers, I machine appliqued the flowers and quilted it.

Great work girls. A fantastic joint effort.

 

A lovely quilt made for a deserving person 

 The laundry bag so she can add her own name 

Monday girls break up for Xmas and all other little gifts

I have decided to put all these special little moments and gifts in one post....
We are all very spoilt at this time of year. It is a time of giving. I feel very special and loved by all my friends. They have all helped me out in so many ways over the last few years. There have been so many times we have needed a friend this year and can only hope next year will be better.
Here we go.......

Look at these yummy cakes Jill bought for us to share. Well these are what's left.
 I was too slow getting a photo. They were yummy...

I think Joy has caught the scrap bug.... What a lovely bag she has made for a present..
Look at the wonderful flower she made on the front...

My lovely gifts from friends.
A plant from Jill, hand towel from Barb, cards from Rhonda & Joy.
A special letter from Bridget. Barb gave me a little kit but I can't show it. When it's made it will be for a secret gift...

A LITTLE SHOPPING SPREE. My 3.5" die for my sissix machine .
And a postcard stamp from my local scrapbooking shop

What a useful gift from the KILMORE QUILTERS...
A bag for our quilts at the show. Of course, some chocolates.
And a little Thankyou gift from my friend Rosemary.... YUM

A lovely gift from a special friend who I have known  for ab out 31 years and is part of our family now.
Love you Sue

My yearly card and message from a dear friend from 32 years ago.
It was not so good news and there will be an emotional visit with each other soon.
Thinking of you Jo.... 

My lovely tea towels from across the seas in the UK.
Linda you are a special blogging friend who I hope to meet one day.
http://linda-koshka2quilts.blogspot.com.au

THE BUBBLE TREE IS DONE....

Our group has finished the bubble tree quilt. We all worked on it and chose to hand it over to the church where we sew on a Monday. They were taken by surprise and were very happy with it. All they need to do now is find a special place to hang it. We really do appreciate how lucky we are to have this space to meet every week. We are a very supportive group of friends that have needed each other. Especially this year.....
Let's hope next year is better..

My friends and I this week

It is so good to have a group of friends that are always there for each other. That's what my Monday group is. We have all been through so much and especially very recently.

4 deaths, parents hospitalised and operations happening to just name a few. There have been many things but we get together each week for some tears, fun, laughter, stories and of course, some sewing. Thank you to my friends for their wonderful support......

Here we are hard at work.

Here is Rhonda hard at work machine quilting this scrap crazy quilt.
It is for a Xmas present.
 But it needs to be finished this week as she is going in for an operation on Friday.
 I dropped in to see her and the binding is nearly all sewn on..

Look at the mess. I have convinced my friends at this group to bring in their scraps. No matter how small and ugly. So every week they add to this bag. They have helped me make many quilts out of it. At first they thought I was crazy but now they have even made quilts themselves at home. They cannot believe what can be done out of what we would normally throw away. PROGRESS.

Look at all these scraps.

Barb finishing a binding on her Pirate quilt for a Xmas present

Joy working away, cutting and sewing together scraps..

 These will be put into an AUSSIE HERO QUILT

Joy battling with crumbs & scraps...

I have a really good friend that has moved interstate. She was working on a grandmas flower garden hexagon quilt... http://jobutterfield.blogspot.com.au/2014/05/goodnight-irene-flimsy.html.
Well, these were some of the left over hexagons.
The clever ladies from my Monday group designed this up out of the pieces. A member that was has moved away is working on it. She has been quilting it and is nearly finished...

Di's hexagons and Jill's design, applique and quilting.

Jill quilting away

 And then there is the BUBBLE TREE. Remember I started this last year for RSC... Well I didn't get too much done and our group wanted to make a wall hanging for the church we meet in.
So others have been working on it too and now the binding is being stitched.
Isn't it looking great.... Well done girls...

Church of Christ BUBBLE TREE 

And don't forget to sign up with Wendy for FNSI
http://sugarlane-designs.com/2015/11/november-friday-night-sew-sign-ups.html

Another XMAS lunch, blocks completed and FNSI

Here we are so close to Christmas and everyone is celebrating. My Monday group had a little lunch.
We can always put on a great spread of food.

Then some presents were handed out... Rhonda made the best stitchery mini quilt wall hanging for us all. They were amazing.

Rhonda, the maker

Barb with Kris Kringle

Jill with Reindeer

Joy with Holly Berries

And me with Love

Aren't they just so cute

Here is the pattern. It was one that can get so many uses..

Now that I am at home I have finished and decided which blocks I will swap and keep for the DOD row by row mystery. Here are the completed spinning pinwheels...

To swap

To swap

To swap

To keep

To keep

To keep

http://dodmystery.blogspot.com.au

And I have received last months Staem that Seam block from France's. Isn't it lovely. I didn't make this style so it was nice to get a different design. Thanks Frances.

After all that, I am looking forward to this weeks FNSI with WENDY from SUGARLANE Quilts.

http://sugarlanequilts.blogspot.com.au/2014/12/friday-night-sew-in-sign-ups.html

Joy's 3D Bow Tie Quilt

I know that Joy loved her quilt.

It was her birthday and a special day for us all. We were all together when we gave it to her.

Here we are all in one photo together.

It came out so lovely with all the buttons on it.

Well done to all the girls.

From left to right.

Rhonda, Barb, Jill, Jo & Joy.

This is such a lovely group and photo too......

Bow Ties is Quilted

My Monday friends have put together a quilt for a friend. 

She is going through a tough time so needs a little TLC. 

THIS IS WHAT WE DID.

A lovely 3d Bow Tie quilt in pastels.

We all pitched in with fabric. Jill advised, Rhonda assembled it, I quilted it & Barb bound and labelled it.

Joy was overwhelmed.

It was also her birthday.

It is a lovely quilt.  Well done girls

Monday ladies Xmas lunch

It is that time of year where I always seem to be out to lunch.

Isn't that good.

Monday just gone my local group went to a cafe/wine bar in New Gisborne.

We enjoyed ourselves but at the same time we were wishing one member good luck.

She has just sold her house and is moving on to Ballarat.

We have decided to car pool and go visit once a month.