WOW. What a week we have had…..

 Where do I start. Maybe with…. I haven’t done any sewing at all.

We headed to Melbourne for a special weekend. So, the first night we made it to Sea Lake. Accommodation wasn’t great but Dinner was amazing. I had spicy mushrooms 

and Tony had fish n chips.

Next day we were in Port Melbourne at THE LOCAL pub. I had seafood pasta.

Tony had a beautiful pie and mash. 

Can you tell we like our food.

We checked in to the MIDDLE PARK HOTEL. Up 2 levels, no lift. Good exercise. We have decided we do not like the traffic anymore but it was a beautiful spot. Room was small but the best part was it being double glazed, doors had soft closing so we were not disturbed with noise at all.

Our night was spent with the OZ HOGS, the Melbourne Harley chapter’s General meeting. I had made a quilt to donate to them. It used one of their T-shirts and a special pin and a badge/patch that was my Haus ands from when he was a member. We presented it during general business as they had no idea they were getting it. They loved it. We had a great night.

Next morning we did a drive by my friends new to them home a few kms up the road.Took a little photo to say hi and we were thinking of them. I haven’t seen them for a few years…

We then headed to Bacchus Marsh for brunch and of course, a quilt shop. It is a new one where it has a cafe. We shopped in the cafe and the quilt shop.

Next up the road to St Anne’s winery for some white port, yummy. Then off to Ballan and a visit to Millrose Cottage. Yes I bought a few things.

I loved this little quilt.

On the way back to Bacchus Marsh to visit an Aunty we had this beautiful view of the You Yangs.

You Yangs Victoria 

We also stopped a this wonderful florist called FABULOUS FLOWERS. It was also a cafe too. Must be a theme in Bacchus Marsh.

We had a beautiful visit and the headed to another friends for a very fun catch up night and was looked after and fed very well. Thank you so much Jo. We have been friends for about 42 years.Sorry no photos. We spent the night telling stories of our recent trips and lots of laughs. They will be in Japan the same time as me. Exciting. We were then sent on our way after a fully cooked breakfast. Oh my.

Back home again and we had an unexpected visit from Janice and Mick. Janimary

We went for a drive to show them around town. Had a stop at the Art Gallery and Rio Vista Homestead. This was where Mildura began. The Chaffey story.

Then off to tea at the RSL. It was amazing.

We had someone have a look at our bus and they have bought it. So we now say goodbye to BASIL. 

I am also working a full week by myself as my boss is on holidays. It’s the first time I have been by myself. The days are flying by. I have just had my first one year anniversary with working at CARPET ONE MILDURA.

Today is another celebration. We moved to Mildura 7 years ago. WOW. The time has flown. Any wonder I am so exhausted. 

I hope to spend the weekend making my challenge project as it has to be handed in next Tuesday at our AGM. Thanks Janice for helping to sort out a design problem.

I AM EXHAUSTED. So many milestones covered….. THIS HAS BEEN MY WEEK…….

A Flip La K sort of weekend.

 Our quilt group had a fabulous trunk show on Friday night. 

Flip La K with Brenda.

We raised $140 for cancer resources. Great effort ladies.

Saturday we had a workshop to learn how to use these wonderful rulers/templates.

We all made the same block each which will be put together for a charity quilt. We also were all given the ruler to keep. Brenda was so generous.

The group all worked hard to finish the block then start on their own block/quilt with their own rulers.

Everyone was so busy.

I wanted to learn the flying geese block. This is one that I never get right. Brenda’s quilt is so pretty.

I grabbed a pile of Batiks and hand dyed fabrics

Started to sew the dreaded block.

Finally worked out how to do it with the ruler.

It does work fairly easily once you get it. A great workshop.

Sunday was time to start another block.. my friend made this block as her first attempt. 

Now it’s my turn

and this is the fabric I grabbed.

I didn’t get any of this sewn as my machine played up stitching the batiks. I cut the strips needed then packed them away.

This is such a beautiful design

I went back to stitching the last 2 charity blocks. Now to work out how to put them together. The blocks were to measure 10 1/2” but they measure anything from 10 - 11” so a clever idea is needed. A few seams will be pulled apart and restitched and the sashing I have chosen will give a wonky look which hopefully will hide the odd sizes.

10 of us went to the RSL for dinner on Saturday night and my oh my… it was delicious.

The shanks.

Chicken and vegies.

Garlic prawns, rice and vegies… Delicious 

Pavlova with berries…. Yummy. I didn’t have this but the person next to me thoroughly enjoyed it.

There was 7 different meals ordered and they were all great quality.

6 of us bought meat raffle tickets and 3 on our table won…

It was a fantastic weekend. Now to make something with the blocks started…..

My quilt is finished . Now onto another slow stitching project.

 I had a bit of trouble with the blocks not being even on two of the sashings and my quilting lines went really off. 

So I unpicked half of one sashing to fudge the design a bit…

2 of the crosses are a funny shape but at least it gets them back on track

Now all sashings are quilted

Quilting, binding, label, washed and all quilting lines are removed.

It’s on the bed.

It looks amazing and fits my bed so well.

I LOVE IT.

So now I need another hand project. A smaller one this time.

I am off to Japan at the end of the year and will need to take a pretty hand towel/washcloth with me.

What better time to stitch my sashiko cloth that I bought 10 years ago.

I love this coloured variegated thread.

This is easy sewing for just sitting and relaxation. Not much concentration needed. Just stitch straight lines. Look how much I got done tonight.

I’m linking up with Kathy for Slow Stitching Sunday

https://kathysquilts.blogspot.com/2023/07/slow-sunday-stitching_01120999213.html

Hand quilting a long time UFO

 

 It has been so long since I have picked this quilt up to work on.  My beautiful friend Sue made this scrappy top for my 50th birthday. I was not into scrappy quilts then. But since Sue made this wonderful quilt for my birthday I have been learning to use scraps and enjoying them. I knew I had to hand quilt this as a treasured memory for many years tor come. It sat for approx 3 years and I started quilting Bonnie Hunters baptist fan idea. I am using up my mums crochet cotton to do big stitch quilting. I am loving it.

I have the centre finished. Now on to the sashing.

I changed to a green thread so the sashing quilting didn’t stand out as much. I am just doing corner to corner on the diagonal.

Look at my poor overworked finger. Some days it was sore and others it was very rough and callused.

The binding is nearly complete. I have had this for nearly 10 years so it is really a well deserved UFO. It has been so nice snuggling under this quilt especially during the last few cold weeks.. I am thrilled to bits with it.

Thank you Sue. Always thinking of you.

It is very close to being finished