Lovely quilts and some stitching

It was so exciting on Tuesday to see Roni's quilted Red Home quilt. It looks so good! Can't wait to make one....maybe next year.

 Jude came in a few weeks to choose some thread for this amazing "Tree of Life" quilt. She has painted the black fabric and then machine quilted all over it. It was so special to see it finished. Jude did a class at the shop with Helen Godden to learn the techniques.

 I have been stitching a little too in between some secret preparation for Stitching on the Lake. This was the Rosalie Quinlan project at Urban stitching in Melbourne and it is nice to see it stitched.

 I have been wanting to do some of the gorgeous projects in the Simple Life book by Anni Downs so started the pencil case the other day.

 I also won a giveaway on Dzintra's blog! Lucky me.

 It was this very yummy looking cooking magazine. The chocolate pudding on the front looks amazing!

 Dzintra also sent a delicious chocolate with the magazine. Thanks so much, Dzintra.

Fiona and I have had an amazing response to the Stitching on the Lake days in November. The first day, on 17 November is full. The second day, on 24 November still has places if you are planning to come and haven't booked yet.

Wednesday Night and......

Can't believe it is Wednesday again! I haven't even shared last week's show and tell from Wednesday night. Sally has finished this gorgeous hanging for her little granddaughter.

Anita has made up her sewing pocket from the stitching day. She chose to stitch it in red and it matches her fabric well.

I was so lucky this week as I won this great magazine in a giveaway but Gail. Thanks so much for having such a lovely giveaway, Gail.

 It even has one of Gail's designs in the magazine!

 I have been stitching a bit and managed to applique and stitch the best friends block from Some Kind of Wonderful.

 I have become a bit hooked on this game though. My girls play and you get to draw and guess...a bit like pictionary but you do it on a tablet, phone or ipad. Luckily hubby has a tablet so I can play!

Blogiversary giveaway

Sorry it has taken so long to post about this little giveaway. I was hoping to have the little bag finished ready to photograph but ended up taking a picture of the pattern. I promise it will be finished to be sent by next Monday. The giveaway will be the little stitched bag, a "World as it should be" bookmark and 2 kits from the Stitching on the lake day last year. They are for 2 of my favourite patterns, the felt bird and the star hanging.

To be in the draw, just comment on this post. I will draw it on Monday.

Give a thought and a prayer for all the people in Queensland who are in the path of cyclone Yasi. It must be so terrifying.

A winner and a few more Sydney scenes

I have just drawn the winners of the two "Trees" sampler patterns. The winners are Heidi and Meredith. Please email me your address and I will put them in the post on Tuesday. We have a public holiday tomorrow because today is Anzac day. It is a special day here in Australia where we remember those who have fought for our country.
I thought I would share a few more photos of Sydney. On Friday we caught the train into the city as Ma and Pa were meeting some special friends for lunch at the Wesley Centre. Janelle and I went too and we had a few hours of shopping in the city which was fun. I took some photos quickly of the lovely tiled floors in the Queen Victoria Building, which are so like patchwork.

This is the clock in the Queen Vic Building.

We also enjoyed looking at the lovely things on display at the Wesley centre. This is a beautifully embroidered tablecloth with many names embroidered on it. See the close up below. They had many special memories framed in simple deep white frames like this cloth. There were old bibles, keys, cutlery, notes that people had written and many other things.

This was another of the framed works. It was very special seeing all these objects that had meant so much to people in the Wesley mission over the years. It is good that someone thought to collect and keep memorabilia like this.

Trip to Sydney

Janelle and I headed off on Wednesday to visit Ma and Pa. We had to have a little visit to Berrima Patchwork on the way. Isn't the tree a lovely colour?

We enjoyed watching the birds in Ma and Pa's backyard. They just love splashing in the birdbaths.

We also HAD to have a shopping trip, actually two on the same day, to Roselands. We went in the morning, went home for lunch and then went again later in the afternoon. We kept Ma out till after 5pm which is something she hasn't done before! We also had morning and afternoon tea the the Cookie Man. They make yummy coffee there and you get two little biscuits too.

Just realised that I haven't drawn my giveaway yet. I think I might draw it tomorrow and see if anyone else comments on the 19/4 post.

Another block stitched and a new pattern

I have managed to fit a little bit of stitching in over the past busy week. I have finished block 6 of the Crazy Christmas BOM by Lynette Anderson and am pleased with the result. I did rush the needleturn this time and that is not a good idea! I couldn't bear to undo it so continued on and it is OK.

The "Plant Trees" sampler and cushion pattern is now ready to go to Hobbysew. We are doing this project in my "Stitching for Pleasure" classes but there have been a few people interested in the pattern. The samples can be seen at the shop. The pattern will include one of "Up in Annies room"s lovely willow tree buttons and the buttons are also available individually.

Here is a close up of the painted tree and the house on the sampler.

And here is the lovely button.

I have 2 copies of the pattern and the button to give away. Just leave a comment on this post to be in the draw. I will draw it on Saturday.

A giveaway winner, a lovely quilt and some shopping

It is Saturday here in rainy Canberra and it is time to draw my little giveaway. Thank you so much to the lovely people who commented. The winner this time is Tatkis all the way from Russia! Congratulations. Please email me your address and I will post the pattern to you on Tuesday.
Margot brought this lovely quilt to show us on Wednesday night. It is one of Cathy's mystery quilts from a few years ago. Margot has done a wonderful job choosing the colours and then doing it all in needleturn applique. She has also quilted it herself. Fantastic work, Margot.

Hobbysew is having a sale and I went to work on Tuesday determined that I didn't need ANYTHING! Oh well, it was all too tempting. The customers kept bringing lovely fabrics over to me to cut and I just had to have some too. I was also tempted by all these trims. I could just see lots of trimmed Santas!

Here is my pile of fabrics! I did get a fair bit to use as backings perhaps.

This one appealed to me and I have no idea what I am going to do with it. It would be a nice backing or lining for a bag or..... who knows! I just liked the pictures and the colours. One of the Tuesday stitching ladies bought this one to use when making her hexagons. She'll put a little picture in the centre of each hexagon.

A little stitching, an old pattern and a small giveaway

I managed to do a little stitching over the past week and finished this little reindeer from the Christmas pattern by Cinderberry stitches. He is very sweet.

I also stitched my label for my "World as it should be" quilt, which is still waiting for me to get it to the quilter.

I also made up a new picture for my "Baskets of Flowers" bag pattern. I have taught this bag over the years and have made it into a pattern and I needed to improve the pictures. The day ladies are going to make this bag in class next term.

I have a spare pattern here so let's have a small giveaway. If you would like to win this pattern make a comment on this post by Friday. I will draw it on Saturday.

The postman has been

It was so exciting last week to open a package that arrived on the front verandah. It had these lovely books and some fabric in it. I have been a little naughty on the internet. This book is by one of my favourite designers , Barri Sue Gaudet of Bareroots fame. It has such a lot of beautiful projects in it. Can't wait to make some of them.

I also couldn't resist Nancy Halverson's new book with lovely sewing accessories in it. It has some really special patterns in it.

I also ordered a little of Nancy's fabrics. Two of them are from her new range and they do look lovely and will go with my stash of her fabrics very well. I also bought the sample squares of the I Believe range as they are such nice fabrics.

I had a lovely email today from Tudy in the US, who won my Giveaway recently. Thankfully the package arrived safely. Christine has also received hers her in Australia. Thank you, Tudy and Christine, for reading my blog and for commenting on the giveaway.

Giveaway winners

Thank you to everyone who commented on my Blogiversary post. The winners are Christine and Tudy. Could you please email me and let me know your addresses so I can post the prizes. Congratulations.

A Blogiversary giveaway

I can't believe that it has been one year since I started blogging! It has been such fun and really special to share my stitching life and other bits and pieces with my lovely readers. Thank you to those who visit and especially those who comment on the blog, by email or in person. It is always good to receive the feedback. I have decided to have a giveaway of 2 of my recent patterns and a canvas work scissor keeper as one prize and my nativity pattern including the wooden button as the other. You just need to comment on this post to be in the draw. It will be drawn on Thursday morning.

Looking forward to hearing from you. If you can't for some reason comment on the blog, then send me an email and I will add your name into the draw. 

More bears and a collection of little things

Here are a couple of my favourite bears that sit on the kitchen shelf. I'm glad you can't see the dust up there.

These fellows sit happily on the piano. The little fellow on the right belonged to my hubby when he was little.

Lisa linked to a picture of her printer's tray yesterday filled with lovely little bears. This is my one and it is a collection of little things. Small bears, little houses, cotton reels and thimbles.

Here is a closeup. The VERY SMALL bear in matching fur to the larger one was made for me by Fiona years ago. She is so small and would have been so hard to stitch, turn and stuff!

Fiona is having a giveaway to celebrate one year of blogging. Make sure you check it out.

Giveaway drawn

Thank you to those who commented on my Giveaway post. I am so glad you liked the decoration and the pattern. I have drawn the winners and they are catita and Heidi. Congratulations. I will get the pattern to you as soon as possible.

Some little gifts and baking...

I had a very successful shopping trip yesterday with my girls and managed to get the last of the gifts. They are under the tree, wrapped and ready. I have just wrapped some decorations for my girls and have made these appliqued hand towels for them and one for me. They are designs out of some of Nancy Halverson's Christmas books.

I also had a baking afternoon yesterday and had a go at this Panforte from the latest Donna Hay magazine. Looks OK in this picture from the magazine, so hope it tastes yummy.

Don't forget to comment by tonight on the December 16 post to be in the giveaway for the Nativity pattern. I'll draw it tomorrow morning.