Stitching in Lamb's Valley

Here I am with Aunty Krissy and Aunty Doffy.

Just arrived back in Sydney after my lovely few days in Lambs Valley. The weather was gorgeous, although it was windy, and Friday was quite chilly. By the time this morning dawned the wind had gone, and we sat out on the deck to have coffee and cake.

Homemade - of course. Lavender and Honey cake (front), and Whole Orange cake (at back) and coffee made by our personal barman and barista - aka Uncle Hugh - on his wiz-bang coffee machine!

We had great fun sewing for a few days. The main objectives were for my two aunties to cut up a whole bunch of doilies, ready to make a quilt each, and for me to start and finish two cot quilt tops for my eagerly-anticipated grandbaby due in November. Alas, I did not have enough of the pieces cut out for one, so that only got 1/5th done. The other one was a whole batch (or would that be flock?) of flying geese in warm and cool colours - a la Material Obsession style! I am afraid to sew the strips together, I need Kathy's input for the next step.

While we were quietly sitting by the fire last night, me arranging the flying geese blocks, Aunty Krissy hand-quilting (the lovely sampler quilt she learnt with Lynn Hewitt), and Aunty Doffy making a gorgeous Asian-style dinner, I found out that two of my great-aunties (my grandmother's sisters), are sewers and they do patchwork! I think I have a mission to embark on ... to catch up with them, and their quilts! I haven't seen either of them for more than 20 years - to be perfectly frank, I was surprised they were still alive.

The embroideries were very bravely cut up, and here they are ready to be sewn into six strips of 2x2in-wide strips. Both have a king size bed, and this is all the doilies used, so it was a close call, and fortunately no squabbling broke out, they shared very graciously. The strips will be off-set with silk ribbon and wide fabrics strips. Should be gorgeous! Will share a photo when they're finished.

And, here are a few of the views we had to gaze upon, in between sewing and eating ... sigh


As I drove back down the mountain (we were 300m above sea level - which you just may have guessed by the view) I came across the herd of wild horses that live on my Aunty and uncle's property and there was the brand-new-just-born-yesterday foal ... too cute!


This little fellow was named, by Auntiesx2, Patch to honour our weekend of patchwork sewing. While we were sewing his mummy was labouring to bring him into the world; how nice it was that today was warm and sunny for the little Leo bloke! Hey, just had a thought - he was born on August 1 - Horses Birthday!... omg... how clever.

Later tonite, after kids are asleep, will google stuff to do in PARIS - how many sleeps now Erica? Got the tickets on Friday - it's really happening ...

dls

Sewing (or not) with Erica

Ahh, yesterday I finished the contents of Down Under Quilts 136 - the BLOKEY September issue... a little closer to its release date I will tease you with some photos...

For now, I get a few days to take a breath before I start the next issue. And what great timing, cause today is my once a month get-together with Erica.

Once a month Erica and I get together for about half a day and sew, or knit, or ... today we did neither, we were too busy chatting about a number of things to thread a needle!


We looked at the new ArtQuiltingStudio magazine, and I cut some selvedges off my fabrics for Erica ...



We had Banana Cake (which I baked this morning) and coffee that Erica picks up at the local Birchgrove cafe - Charlottes - my favourite! ... I think we both had two pieces of cake ... but who's counting!

See the little zipper bag? It says Make a Friend, stitched in chain stitch, with a button sewn on... I got it from Smiggles, don't you think it's too cute?


I got to see Erica's latest blocks in the ... fabric... they're zingy and fresh and so delectable.



I rearranged my Spotty Spikes to reveal a STAR between each, rather than a small square (well smallish-8in, compared to the size of the 'star'). I've got to say, and Erica concurs, the stars are better! What do you think? The fabric isn't filling the space real well, but you get the drift?

It means the quilt will now be two x three rows. Much more manageable - size wise, I was afraid that the quilt might up and eat me when it was three x three - it was so big and menacing.

And Erica showed me how to do a few more things on my blog ... hence it's re-arranged and a little disarrayed (until my skills improve).

AND, we talked about our trip to England and Paris - mon dieu! what fun we will have Cherie.

See Erica's blog for the cute little bag tags we are using - we will bematching, mine is pink, and her's is blue. We are so excited about the trip, and have lots of planning to do, woo hoo.

dls

Turning 9, Baking and Spotty Spikes

Today we were photographing quilts and products for DUQ issue 136 (september). We had a marvellous collection of challenge pieces, all smaller than 10in sqaure, from the Thread Studio - wait til you see these! How divine! Plus we shot loads of other great quilts - can't tell you more yet, you'll have to be patient.

When I got home I set up the sewing machine (sadly I dont have a dedicated sewing area) and got ready to sew borders onto my nine 24in Spotty Spikes blocks ... ready for Design Circle tomorrow. I didn't get them all done, thanks to the Baking requirements (see below). Here's a photo of the two that did get done, minus sewing the mitred corners.

It is at the monthly Design Circle class at Material Obsession where my Spotty Spikes flourish. They are not at all like I would usually make, and I think they look quite good! I am even considering entering the compelted quilt into the guild show next year - now that's a first for me!

In between sewing, I was making Summer Plum (aka prune) Muffins to take to Design Class tomorrow, when my currently-eight-year-old reminded me that he needed 27 cupcakes for school tomorrow, to celebrate his ninth birthday with his classmates. Not only had I not factored the time, I did not have enough ingredients. A quick flick through the muffin book, and I found a Chocolate Chip Muffin recipe. Here are his birthday muffins for school tomorrow... and the Summer Plum Muffins for my Design Class.

And, here is the birthday boy, Mason, who is so excited about tomorrow that he can't get to sleep.

Now, I am off to get this kid asleep...

dls