Stitching....

In between our retreat and a wonderful weekend in Melbourne, I have been trying to do a bit of stitching on my ongoing projects! I am definitely not starting so many next year!!! I hope to have a year of finishing off things.....ha ha. Here is the runner that I made for the retreat.

A few weeks ago, Lyndal and I made a little dress for Alice. We bought a great pattern, the geranium dress, online with lots of sizes from Made by Rae. It went together well other than the button holes! My beautiful machine made them perfectly when I practised but but not so well on the real dress! Must practise more.

 I am still behind with the splendid Sampler blocks but here are a few more.

 Foxley village is moving along very slowly too.

 I am almost up to date with the Andersons Farm button club!

I also had fun filling this little shelf for my sewing room. It is a nice way to show off my pin cushions and other little bits and pieces.

Great show and tell

After two busy weekends, our retreat and then a great weekend in Ballan, it is now time to catch up on some lovely show and tell from my classes. Lynne has been busy cross stitching again. Love the blue she has used.

Great to have Roni back last week. She has been busy too. She added a lovely chimney to the little felt house.

 Roni also finished her cross stitch decoration and her gorgeous felt scarf. They all look so good. The scarf pattern is one of Anni Downs' patterns.

 Marlene has been busy stitching hexagons in all different sizes and has made a runner, a hanging and some decorations.

 In the evening, Natalie brought her mum, Allyson to visit our class. Her friend has decorated these bags from Woolworths with suffolk puffs.

 Another of her friends made this amazing embroidered needlecase! It is so beautifully embroidered.

 Lastly she brought along this embroidered elephant!

Millrose Cottage!

Fiona and I headed off early on Friday to fly to Melbourne and then to drive out to our wonderful weekend away in Ballan, at Millrose Cottage. Before we headed to Ballan we took a detour to Castlemaine and visited Threadbear Quilting. It is a wonderful shop full of amazing quilts and lots and lots of reproduction fabrics!

After a delicious lunch at Castlemaine and a little shopping we headed to Millrose Cottage. It is the best place for stitchers and quilters. The house is just set up to suit 10 ladies so comfortably.

Here are just some of us as we missed out on catching everyone in this photo as some left early. 

Another highlight here in Ballan is that next door is the Millrose Patchwork shop. It has the most amazing collection of fabrics!

 Judy was teaching and we were so lucky as she came and spent and evening with us at the cottage.

 These two pictures are of the Liberty room!

 There is also a room dedicated to Japanese yarn dyed fabrics. It was heaven.

 I did try to resist buying too much as my sewing room is very full of fabrics but you can't visit these great shops and not buy gorgeous things!

 The weekend was full of chat and laughter and some delicious food too. It was great to catch up with lovely friends that we don't get to see often enough! Chrissie made us all a lovely, little key ring

 I was thrilled too to receive a little bundle of Gail pan's latest fabric range. Thanks so much girls.

Thanks too, Rose, for organising the weekend. It was so much fun.

Lovely show and tell

Many of the ladies brought show and tell to share at the retreat. Here are some pictures of just some of the lovely work! It was great to see what the ladies did with last year's felt projects.

 It was motivating seeing all the great stitching and patchwork being done.

I had best go and pack as I am heading to Victoria for a weekend at Millrose Cottage in Ballan. So excited!