Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas everyone, I hope all your plans are working out. My plan for a picnic on the beach have been sidelined because of the bad weather, so it's roast pork and pavola at home instead. I'm sure we will manage :-). Here's a little bit of fun I found on youtube enjoy...

Easy Street Part 4

Well this afternoon I started on clue 4 of Bonnie Hunter's Easy Street Mystery Quilt.
I thought I better as clue 5 with be published tonight.

I still have a few units to go (I'm only making half the units, for a smaller quilt). But at least I made a start.
I cut these out, and sewed them this afternoon while watching Bonnie live on Quilt Cam.

Now I better scoot and link this up to Bonnie's blog before the next clue is released! Go and have a look at all the other 'crazy' bloggers doing Easy Street too. I think I might be the last to link up this week ;-)

Thanks Jenny!

Look what arrived in the mail today! These Goodies came from Jenny of Romany Quilting. She recently posted her 500th blog post, and to celebrate she had a mystery give away.
(I won!)

I love visiting Jenny's blog Romany Quilting and have been visiting it since before I started my own blog. Jenny also blogs with her husband Robin about their travels around New Zealand on Romany Rambler blog.
Even though I have never meet Jenny I feel like I know her, and hope to meet her 'for real' one day.

My Mystery Goodies from Jenny

Congrats Jenny on posting more than 500 blog posts, and Thank You very much for my Goodies.
(I just checked how many blog posts I have done and it's only 234 so I have a long way to go to catch up!)

Show n Tell December 2012

OK here is the Show n Tell from the December meeting, better late than never :-)  !!!
I know I've missed a couple of items out, sorry if they were yours, either the photos didn't come out or I just missed taking it's photo, as it was a busy meeting. Enjoy the ones I did photograph.

Marion Roke made this lovely Log Cabin quilt for her Daughter and Son-in-law.

Sue Farrier made this quilt to be raffled to raise funds for the local SANDS support group. Kerry Glen donated the batik fabric, and Sandy Robinson donated her quilting.

Tric made this quilt as a gift for her friend Margo who is returning to Canada to live.

close up detail of one of the houses

Tric personalised this quilt with added appliqued Maple leaves for Margo.

'VROOM' a Story quilt made by Pam Carr for her grandson Cooper

A close up of one of the blocks in 'VROOM'

Shirley Julian made this beach scene, after learning the techniques in a recent class taught by Robyn Thomas at Bernina  

More wall hangings from the class made by;

left-Shirley Julian, centre-Lynne O'Donnell, & on the right-Robin Halverson.

Covered notebooks and diaries made by Shirley Julian

'Illuminations' made by Sonya Prchal for the Quilts Aotearoa Challenge- Outside the Square 

Carol Mayes made this table runner from Stack n Wack blocks.

Christmas wall hanging made by Hazel Phillips, for a satellite group challenge 

Christmas wall hanging made by Shelia Ujdur, for a satellite group challenge 

'White Christmas' wall hanging by Pamela Danher

Rosslee Baker made this block of the month Xmas wall hanging

Ann Field made this table centre at a Coutry Yard class, and added machine embroidery roses

'Christmas Baubles' by Dorothy Terpstra, a kit from the Apple Basket

On the left a wall hanging made by Rose Silvestor, for her widowed friend Judy who is getting married again on the 12-12-12, at 12:12pm

On the right Christmas stockings made by  Jessica Fraser

Christmas Table Runner Challenge

Whangarei Patchworkers & Quilters Club Christmas Challenge was to make a Christmas table runner. As you can see it was a good idea, as so many members entered.
There was such a variety it was very hard to pick a favourite to vote for. I think they are all winners for entering.

Busy, busy, busy and fun too!

First off I have had a very BUSY week. I know I haven't posted last weekends Show n Tell from Club, but I will soon. I decided to do this quick post first.

Since the Club meeting last Saturday, I have gone to a Fire Brigade Honours Night, School Prize Giving, School Leavers Dinner, Secret Santa work party, and Ten Pin Bowling with my works social club.

Quilting wise I have finished the Red/White quilt top I have been working on, and cut and sewn Clue 3 of Easy Street this morning.

The Red/White top is finished!

Here's a quick photo of the Red/White top, Oscar was not around to model it for me and see I didn't even unfold that corner, remember this is supposed to be a quick Post!

Yes I still need to trim the corners!

Shhh.... don't tell Brad I have posted this picture of him! They looked so cute together before they went out the other night I just had to share :-)

Youngest son and his Girlfriend 

Finally started Clue 3 of Easy Street this morning (just in time before Clue 4 will be released)

Oh there you are Oscar. He's not really interested in this Easy Street Quilt. He opened an eye to see what I was putting on his back and then went back to sleep!

You can see other peoples East Street blog posts on a 'Linky' on Bonnie's blog. My post is number 238!

Goodies in the Post

I picked up my parcel from Cathy of Cabbage Quilts today. Cathy had a give-away on her blog a little while ago and I was lucky enough to win!

Poor Cathy was probably thinking it was lost in the mail, as she emailed me last week saying it should arrive last Friday.

I expected it on Monday or Tuesday, but as happens Murphy’s Law ruled and I have only received it today. It’s a long story of sleeping teenagers, and then a ‘helpful’ Husband who found an ‘undelivered parcel card’ in the letterbox. He thought he would do me a favour and collect it for me…then he totally forgot all about it until today when he asks me if I have picked up my parcel?! Pretty hard to do when you haven’t seen the ‘undelivered parcel’ card.

Happily it's here now and opened.


Wow look Cathy wrapped the patterns in  fabric too!


Two great Jen Kingwell patterns, and fabulous Cabbage Rose fabric from Cathy.
Thank you so much Cathy, & Jen too.

PS: I have opened the patterns up and had a look and am very pleased to say the instructions are lovely and clear.
If you'd like to buy any of Jen Kingwell's patterns they are available from Amitie Textiles.

Easy Street Progress

I'm doing Bonnie Hunter's (Quiltville) new mystery Easy Street. I have decided to make only half the units, as I'm not sure if I have enough of the right colours in the stash.

I also just converted the size Bonnie said the quilt will finish into centimetres.
If I was making all the units, this quilt without borders would measure 213cm square, with borders 260cm square! That is one big quilt, so I'm glad I'm only doing half the units!

So here is the progress I have made so far, the first two clues done. If you want to see some of the others doing the Mystery, Bonnie has a 'Linky' of other bloggers here for you to have a look. The first 'Linky' had 239 blogs link up! I wonder if there will be that many this time.

This are the flying geese units & rectangles from clue 2

Four patches, these were clue 1

I have also been working on sewing together the units of the Red/White quilt I started at the Quilt retreat last weekend. Don't they match my Bernina nicely ;-)

Red/White blocks

Just finished reading Jennifer Chiaverini's latest 'Elm Creek' novel, 'The Giving Quilt'. I was pleased there wasn't too much repeating of the info from the previous books in this one. A few new characters are introduced and it will be nice to see them in future books. This book was a bit different too, as there was some of the 'unpleasant' aspects of quilting written into the storyline. 

It’s Arrived!

Poking out of my letterbox this morning was a large envelope. I spent a couple of minutes texting quilting friends to tell them it had arrived, then I ripped it open. I texted first as I knew I wouldn't want to stop looking at the booklet after I had opened it ;-)

So it's big decision time now, what classes to take, do I go to all the lectures and happy hours? Yay fun fun FUN!

Our Second Retreat at St Francis

Several members of the Whangarei P & Q Club went down to Auckland last weekend for a fantastic weekend of sewing. We stayed at the St Francis Retreat Centre. It's a great venue, as everyone has a private room with a proper bed (not bunks or slats) and it is fully catered.

Here's a few photos of what we got up to.

Standing Left to Right, Sandy, Shelia, Fiona, Judith, Leeann (me), Kathy, Donna, Lynne W, Liz.
Sitting Left to Right,  Marie, Maria, Lynne O, Jane, Ros, & Lynda

Fiona machine quilting a quilt for her grand daughter.

Opps, Fiona quilted completely over this safety pin!

My Opps, I did this several times, the block on the left is correct the right had to be unpicked :-(

Me hiding behind the dots. I had just been very naughty. Enough said.

Here's all the blocks I sewed at retreat. I laid them out in the downstairs lounge before we left.
 I hope to put this together at home, so that it's not a UFO forever.

Donna machine quilting her quilt as you go blocks. She finished half her quilt in the weekend.

As I said earlier the retreat is fully catered. All we had to do was walk to the dinning room when the dinner bell was rung. No food prep, no dishes, it was wonderful.

One of the lunches, the salads were really yum.

Roast Lamb & Vege, you can see we have all had some. There's still plenty for seconds.

Yummy dessert, it had a meringue edge and base, chocolate centre, with walnuts and cream on top.

We are booking another retreat here, so if you missed out this time make sure you come next year.