Avalon Weekend!

It's all over ... back home again from our retreat! Our hosts were wonderful - thank you Delveen and Peter, you never cease to amaze us, we were all so spoiled! This is a bit of a jumbled Post - I've had a very busy day and I'm really looking forward to bed tonight. I had a little play with Barb's Accuquilter over the weekend- yes, I think I could take to it quite nicely - I just hope I don't miss out on Hancock's special deal! Love my Liberties and they really are beautiful to stitch on the machine!

I told you this is jumbled - Barb brought back this gorgeous antique quilt she bought on her recent trip to the USA. You will be able to get a little peak at the Double Wedding Ring, back, left-hand corner - it sold, but I wasn't the lucky buyer - enjoy Gloria!

Here's Barb stitching her Kaffe Double Wedding Ring - in blues, pretty, pretty! I have been dragged into participating in this great repro with Raelene and Gloria so far oh, doesn't it sparkle!

This is a very gorgeous book Irene bought in France recently!

And here we have one by our own Rosalie Quinlan - quite gorgeous, too!

Lots of chilling out - doesn't Marilyn look so serene!

I think I might have disturbed Raelene having her Nanny Nap!

Jan's quilt for her sweet little grand-daughter - so much beautiful work - I feel it needs to safely hang on a wall!

A happy Good Night and a happy week, too!

Liberty Cabin!

All is going to plan - just one trial block done and I think I will really enjoy making this quilt just for me! Inspiration has come from Miss Print and this project features in Moda Bakeshop. Thank you Kaye! I have been wanting to make a quilt very similar to one of my very first quilts and now is just the right time and right place. Beautiful Liberty - my Pfaff takes to it beautifully, too. I have ordered an Accuquilter so let's hope it loves Liberty too - I'll space out my shopping sprees and treasure every little tiny scrap! Applique with Kaffe and piecing with Liberty - what a way to go! - I'm still so taken with the bright, clear Repros - I have really established myself fabricwise. I'm yearning to try some felted wool - I will be so happy when the opportunity arises!

All the centres will be the same - the red being very traditional representing 'the hearth of the home'.

The light print is little bicycles - as cute as! - I love whimsy as you know! There will be borders and that will be fun choosing the print!

Oh, I know, I have garbled on about fabrics - you see, I really haven't achieved much lately - time is not kind to me! Whoohoo - off to gorgeous Avalon for a four-day retreat tomorrow with some of my best, fun friends. I must be totally packed up by the day's end.

♥Not without sending blessings to all New Zealanders - such tragedy - 'there but for the grace of God go I'- we worked in the mining industry for thirty years and now our children are following in our footsteps!

Liberties and a Mug Rug!

Yes, just playing (and drooling!) - wow, the designs that exist nowadays! I am off on this track for a couple of reasons - when I felt so unwell during the cold winter, I realized I need my very own cuddle quilt. What could be finer and have such a beautiful drape? Also have seen and heard about quilts made from lawns and voiles and I rather fancy the challenge!

I have been collecting small pieces from eBay, Etsy and yummy quiltshops. I have selected clean, crisp, bright colours and will use them all. There won't be very much go in the bin at all - I usually don't stress about fabric useage and am generally very happy to fussy-cut - not with this fabric line though, lol!

I have a wonderful mess on my cutting table at the moment - usually intolerable to me - but this mess, I quite like! I'm not quite sure the hourglass will be the final design, but I think so! Maybe we'll have an hourglass alternating with a printed square - I think the larger prints need to be left whole to be shown at their very best. How about the golfers back, top left!

More playing - seems I was the only girl in Blogland who hadn't attempted a Mug Rug. I'm happy, at last I found the use for the faded-look black linen with the strawberries , it is really lovely! Finished rug is 5.5" x 11.5" - seems like a nice size for a cuppa and a bickie, a lot are being made quite a bit larger, this suits me!

I missed our Guild Christmas Party today - tummy bug. Ed was off to the chemist for me and things have settled a little - I'm sure you all needed that little bit of information ... sorry!

Happy days!

Cross Stitch Aplenty!

Whew! One lost Post and one regular Blog lost too! I am a determined little chick and I have been trying to problem solve - I've done it, I think I've beaten Blogger by changing my Email Account! Here I am thanking Chookyblue for getting together cross stitches for all to see! I think this one is called Santa of the Forest - very vintage and worked on 32 count pure linen. I was such a purist in those days and a real finisher, too - no UFO's!

Santas of the World in traditional costume. Most of my cross stitches were done when I lived in Gove in Arnhem Land between 1977 and 1984. I raised 4 children and worked full-time in those days, not to mention putting up with Ed, too - just joking - they were some of the happiest days of our lives!

Mr Wind caused me a little bit of frustration - the detail in his beard just a little difficult!

For Mum and Dad - Mum is 92 now and has lived with us for over 10 years - one of the greatest loves of my life Dear Dad left us in 1983.

This treasure of Numbers has a partner, the Alphabet - it hangs on another wall in the Littlies bedroom and was picking up the reflection from the blinds.

I decided to call it quits after that - lots more to show - perhaps another day! I'm off to prepare some Liberty fabrics now to send to the Quilt Fairy to be cut into squares - I can't wait to go on a retreat the weekend after this and put my shoulders to the test doing some machine quilting. I'm really winging it with the Liberties and have in mind a very simple cuddle quilt just for me!

Happy week everyone!

Poppies and Pinwheels!

It has been two weeks since I chatted - where has time gone? I certainly haven't spent the time sewing! My Danielle brings their big quilts home to launder - this one has been taken over by her DH, Adrian - a good opportunity for you to have a look-see! I have used repro fabrics - yes, still quite clear and bright and quite old, too. It has certainly stood the test of time and I have combined hand and machine quilting and it takes very kindly to a gentle wash in the machine!

I have been working on my applique but not a lot of progress there! Now I have the thought of making a quilt in Liberty Lawn - does anyone have any advice or tips please? I also really like Little Folks in voile by Anna Marie Horner and feel I will have to have a little play - I have a Retreat coming up at the end of the month - would be a nice way to spend the time with Girlfriends! in a lovely venue in the country just outside of Perth.

Enjoy your weekend!