Stitching ...

I haven't finished my Christmas sewing for this month ("All Hearts Come Home for Christmas - Hugs 'n' Kisses) - it's on the way but I've been a bit side-tracked this month.

Mum came over this afternoon and she spent a couple of hours stuffing the Mrs Perkins legs. I was so happy she did all this.

I've also stitched another Bronwyn Hayes design - this will be used in a similar secret project to the other recently finished stitchery.

Had lunch with the schoolgirls yesterday - always nice to catch up.

Would you like a cuppa?

Handbag Tea Cosy, Homespun No 47 designed by Karina Shipley. Sharon, a blogless friend, bought these fabrics ("Winsome" Nancy Halvorsen) for me ages ago specifically for this tea cosy. This is so cute and was quick and easy to put together. I love the button.

Holiday Packing

In 18 sleeps I am going to Queensland to visit Diann who shall remain blogless. For 3 days of the visit we will be attending a retreat so I've been preparing some things to take along to quilt, sew and stitch.

The central medallion and 4 corner blocks of the "Simplicity" quilt have been blanketstitched ready to start piecing the various borders at the retreat. The medallion will be on point hence the stitched orange guidelines.

This is the stuff I'm taking with me -plenty of variety; no chance of becoming bored. Have no expectation that much will be completed, let alone started - it's going to be a fun time.

While I was pottering around in the sewing room this afternoon I came across this stitchery and a little stack of material inside a Homespun magazine. Stitched this ages ago - it's for a handbag tea cosy. I have now cut out the bits and might get it sewn together this week.

Out with the Old

The new bicycle was delivered yesterday.


A bit of construction was needed


It's very new-fangled - lots of buttons to press

So it's goodbye to old faithful - this bike is so old the gauge is in miles, not kilometres, and it's travelled a lot of miles.

Scrappy Spiderwebs

In the photos below are some scrappy spiderweb blocks waiting to be trimmed and also my little stack of finished triangles. A few more to sew and I'll have enough for a lap quilt, which was as far as I was planning to go, but last night while checking out various online shops, I came across a piece of the Robyn Pandolph stripe, so I'm thinking the quilt will end up a lot bigger - I don't think I'll be running out of scraps any time soon.

The pink body parts on the ironing board are a Mrs Perkins or two. I read here about some bloggers making Mrs Perkins and remembered that I had the pattern tucked away somewhere in the sewing room. Bought the cute fabric at Inspired Stitches.

As a change from all the blanketstitching on the "Simplicity" medallion, I traced/stitched this Bronwyn Hayes design to use on a little secret project - waiting for some fabric to arrive so that I can put it all together.

Parcels flying across the country

Last night was time to open the parcels containing our tablerunners/table toppers made by online stitching group partners.

Teresa made me the most gorgeous tablerunner - beautifully sewn and finished. Suits me and our house so well.

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I wasn't home for the the online opening because I, along with my girls and Mum, went to see

The Best Show Ever. Our family loves musicals - this was sensational. Miss Diann (who shall remain blogless) saw the show in Brisbane and told me how fabulous it is. Caroline O'Connor is an absolute superstar. Sharon Millerchip is equally stunning. Gina Riley - wow. Same for the whole cast.
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My other partner was Sarah and I made her a Sunshine Scallop Quilt by Bareroots. But wait, theres's more - I also made one for my dear work friend, Tammy, for her birthday late last month.

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Time with Family

On Friday Elizabeth's best friend, Mary, married Ryan in Gerringong - beautiful church overlooking farmland and the ocean. Mum, Jenni and I had to see the wedding - the service was lovely, the bride absolutely gorgeous, and our darling girl a beautiful bridesmaid.

Mary allowed the three bridesmaids free reign over their dresses as long as they were black. After spending ages trying to find a dress she liked and not succeeding, I offered to make Elizabeth's dress, so we went pattern/material shopping in late March and I made the dress on Good Friday. The design is a Butterick pattern from 1960 and is made in a heavy delustered satin. I didn't manage to take a decent full-length photo of Elizabeth so I'm looking forward to seeing the "official" photos.

Today is Mothers' Day in Australia. We took lunch to my mother-in-law's place, where we met up with my mother, our children and their partners. Jenni brought along sweets:

a three-layered icecream cake from Cold Rock - delicious (chocolate with maltesers/white chocolate with cookie dough/butterscotch with Crunchies).

Today is also my birthday, so it was extra-special to be able to spend it with the family. Lots of flowers, cards and presents. My friend Diann, who is still blogless, dyed the pink fabric in the left foreground of the photo - it is so pretty. Received the latest Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Chiaverini books, perfume, chocolate shoes and the children tell me that a new exercise bicycle is being delivered some time this week - they think my poor old bike is lethal and should be chucked into the skip in our back yard.

One present from John is a trip to Queensland next month to attend a 3-day quilting retreat with some dear friends and a couple of extra days holiday, so am very much looking forward to that.

I am very fortunate to have a wonderful family and such dear friends. Thank you for the emails, phone calls, sms messages.

Girls Day Out

Lunchtime stitching over the last 6 or 7 weeks - "Girls Day Out" Block 10:

"Butterfly Garden" blocks all pieced and waiting to be stitched/appliqued.

Another Birthday

Festival of the Birthdays in our family at the moment. Today we went to Elizabeth and Matt's place for lunch to celebrate Matt's birthday. Matt's niece and nephew decorated the cake and helped him blow out the candles.

I've been making some more "Butterfly Garden" blocks. Decided to take a photo because I managed to knock most of these blocks off the design sheet and it took me quite a while to sort them out.

Two more blocks to piece, then it will be time to trace the stitcheries and decide on applique fabrics.