The little boys at home and at Floriade

Time to show you how much the little boys are growing and changing. Sammy is walking everywhere and Benny isn't interested yet. They are so different!

 They went to Floriade to pet the little animals with Mummy, Daddy, Tess and Pa on Wednesday and had a lovely time. Luckily Pa took his camera! I missed out as I was at the shop but was so glad to see the photos.

A class, some lovely stitching and new patterns

It was fun to share a class with some lovely ladies on Monday. They were getting ready for Christmas and the ladies were making a little felt Santa, mini Christmas bunting, a redwork stitchery and a foundation pieced stocking decoration. Several of them started a few of the projects and enjoyed learning some new skills.

 One of the ladies brought along this gorgeous pouch full of her stitching goodies. It was a project from the Inspirations magazine and used a wonderful assortment of braids

 At Wednesday stitching, Christine was working on a beautiful tablecloth that her mother had embroidered. It was quite old and had a printed label mentioning "wartime".

 This gorgeous cross stitch was being worked on as well.

 Hobbysew had a delivery of lovely Anni Downs' patterns on Tuesday and these just HAD to come home with me!!!!

 Then I HAD to start on a couple of the little stitcheries for the bags!

Some progress

I am so enjoying stitching these blocks in the Chateau Hexagon BOM by Lynette Anderson. Couldn't resist starting this one straight away! I just love the geese.

 FINALLY..... I put together the last block of the In my Garden BOM by Anni Downs. I can't believe that I left this for so long. It is almost a year since I touched this UFO and it didn't take very long to put together.

 It is always lovely to see what the ladies have been stitching on Tuesday and Wednesday. Shirley has finished her cushion from last year's retreat and bordered it with lovely fabric. Looks great, Shirley.

 I do love the buttons she has put on the back as well.

 Roni has been busy too and finished her Santa hanging and has framed it. Another lovely decoration ready for Christmas.

Some stitching

When we headed to Sydney the other week, I had to find some stitching to work on in the car and while chatting with Ma and Pa. This runner by Gail Pan was one of the projects at Friends in stitches in July and now the stitching is finished. Must try and put it together instead of adding it to my basket of projects waiting to be sewn together!

 I did manage to sew these next few items together. Fiona and I made lots of projects for our retreat in August and I hadn't made up the bag, the pin cushion or the scissor keeper. I am teaching these projects along with the runner, quilt and folder cover in 4th term so needed the samples finished. Here is the front and back of the draw string bag.

 This is the pin cushion.

 It was fun stitching up the canvas work scissor keeper.

 I have also been doing some secret stitching for Stitching on the Lake in November. It is always fun making Christmas decorations!

Great Show and Tell and some progress

Just checked the photos on my camera and realised I hadn't shared some lovely show and tell from last week. Roni is working on this lovely Red Brolly BOM that is in the Homespun this year. Her blocks look fantastic. She has changed some of them but they are looking so good. What an expert she is at needleturn applique. This will be a lovely quilt to hang this Christmas.

 Roni is also working on Scandinavian Christmas. Here is her first block.

In the evening, Danni showed us this beautiful quilt she has made for a friend's new baby. Great fabrics and colours.

 Even the back is interesting.

 I have been slowly (and without much motivation) working on the little boys' baby quilts. The stitcheries were done before they were born! Finally the centre is done for Sammy's quilt and I have one row pieced for Benny's. Why do I procrastinate about the machining?

Quick trip to Sydney

Can't believe that it is over a week since I last posted. It was a busy week and the time just flew. We headed to Sydney on Thursday for a few days and had a day in the city with Ma on Friday. It was a perfect summery day and we enjoyed the Botanical gardens and a ferry ride to Mosman.

 Bruce took these photos and also some lovely ones of Ma's garden.