Show n Tell July 2012

OK it's been a busy week so far for me, back to work after school holidays, and last minute quilting and binding so I have something to go in the Quilt Show. See the details on the right side bar of where, when etc for the Quilt Show it's coming up fast.

There was a small show n tell at last Saturday's meeting because most people were handing in quilts for the show instead.

Anthea Wild made this after coming home from Kerry Glen's gem class using a feature children's fabric.

Lynne Wilson has used the last of her nine patch blocks she received in swaps,
to make this set of placemats. I'm sure she has made about 5 quilts from these swaps!

Another of Lynne's creations. the sweet little purse opens up to a little sewing hold all.

A lovely bag made by Shelia Ujdur.

'Thoughts of Holland' by Ann Field. look closely they are machine stitched, amazing! 

Baby quilt made by Frances Dixon. 

Fabric Postcards made y several different members.

These will be on sale at the exhibition, & money raised will go to Project Promise 

(Local Hospital Fundraiser)

Cat approval?

Oscar has been feeling a bit left out lately. That sewing machine has been hogging my time. Here he is the other day checking out my progress!

And of course if Mum loves this thing then I better put some of my smell on it.

Sander Ties

Ten Minutes down the road from Mum's is Otaki. Otaki is a little town that is split into three different communities. There is the 'Road/Highway' which is famous for big brand outlet stores. It's a very popular shopping destination. Then there is the 'Township' itself which has small local shops, supermarkets etc. And finally the Beach which of course is the beach! In the Township there is a factory & store that I have wanted to visit for a long time, Sander Ties.


Can you see my shadow taking this photo? It looks like Darth Vader is coming to get some new ties :-)



They have a big selection of Ties at Sanders, and also do a lot of Souvenir ties & make the All Blacks Ties.
I bought a tie as a gift (so I can't show you).



I was allowed to have a little nosey at the factory, there was so much to see!
Look at the piles of cut out fabric waiting to become ties.

I also bought a bag of 'scraps' from Sander's. I thought I had lost the bag, I have been known to throw supermarket bags away before, thinking they had rubbish in them :-( . Anyway after hunting everywhere I thought I could have put it when I came home and finding nothing, I looked in the boot of the car and there it was waiting for me! Yay!


Here's the bag, can you see the fabric peeping out the side?
Oh yeah that is me trying to quilt the biggest quilt ever on my domestic sewing machine (so it can go into the Quilt Show) in the background. More later if it ever gets done :-)


Closer shot of an uninteresting bag, with gold fabric peeping out....


But there is treasure inside. Lots of variety, many of them lovely silks. As I was buying scraps I thought they would be little bits, like 5 inch squares. But these scraps are bigger than fat quarter size.
No plans for them yet, before anyone asks! I need to finish so many things before I start new.

Road Trip…

After 1664km (1034 miles) I'm home from my road trip to see my Mother, I thought I'd share a few photos from the trip.

On the way south I saw many army vehicles driving north in convoy, when I stopped in Turangi I noticed I wasn't the only one having a break.


On the Dessert Road (Central Plateau) I stopped to take a photo of Ruapehu with a dusting of snow. Ruapehu is an active volcano and also has really good ski slopes.


I stopped for a break in Taihape (gumboot capital of the world) and found this little quilt shop.


There were even quilts in the upstairs windows. It was so cold in Taihape though so I didn't stay too long!


Nearly at Levin I stopped at Foxton to have a quick look at the windmill.


It was really cold in Levin, because the Tararua mountain range was covered in snow.
This is taken from the main street of Levin.


And another photo of the snow covered Tararuas, from the railway crossing in the centre of Levins CBD.
Coming from the "Winterless North" as Northland is sometimes called it was a shock to the system, I wore my thermals everyday, and to bed too!


Here's a photo of Mum and I.
Mum had been in hospital for several weeks, and I wanted to help her readjust to being home and help to arrange extra care for her.
I think we are very similar, but Mum thinks we look nothing a like!


On the way home I decided to go a different way so I could catch up with a couple of friends in Dannevirke.
I had to go over the Saddle Road as the Manawatu Gorge Road was closed to north bound traffic.
So I stopped to take some photos of the wind farm from Ashurst.


I love the big windmills, they remind me of many happy years living down this way when my kids were little.
These last 3 photos were taken from the windmill lookout.


They are 70 metres high (76 yards) and each blade is 35 metres (38 yards).
And yes they do make a Wosh Wosh noise when spinning!


Here's a link if you'd like to read more about them. Te Apiti Wind Farm.