A gift, some progress and birds

Lovely to catch up with Fiona this week and to receive this beautiful early birthday gift. I just love this special tin with tricky hardanger on the top and the piece of liberty fabric too.

 I have been slowly working on my old UFO, Fairy Kisses, by Helen Stubbings.

 Bruce took some lovely pictures of these birds recently.

Lovely work...

I forgot to share some lovely show and tell from last week. It was lovely to see Marlene and she shared this amazing hardanger tablecloth that her sister made for her birthday! This picture doesn't do this justice as it was so beautiful and this is only one little bit.

 We just loved this little quilt that Margaret is making using a panel by Anni Downs!

 Several of the ladies are making Natalie Bird's lovely new BOM (you can get it at Hobbysew). Judy has finished her first block and we all felt that it is so much prettier in real life!

 Great to see Lynn back after her holidays. She had been to Lynette Anderson's day in Queensland and had made these lovely projects since then! Both were so beautiful.

 Natalie came too and shared this amazing bunting designed by Rosalie Dekker. It was a lot of work but is such a special decoration.

Lovely birthday celebration

It was so lovely to head to the Arboretum for a very special lunch to celebrate Jan's birthday. The company was delightful and the food was really delicious. Jan was very spoilt with some gorgeous handmade gifts and some beautiful flowers. Just check out all this wonderful stitching, embroidery and knitting.

 Gwen made a lovely hardanger bag.

 Lesley created this great mug bag.

 Paddy and Jo knitted gorgeous scarves.

Sue stitched this gorgeous candlewicked bag with special goodies inside.

 Donna stitched this amazing dressing gown for Jan!

 This was my little gift. I really enjoyed making up this little canvas work house.

Happy birthday, Jan.

Lovely work..

Barbara brought in her finished bunny quilt last night. It looks wonderful and she even quilted it herself. There was lots of laughter while I tried to get a photo so thought it was worth showing both the laughing and the serious one! There will be one lucky little man getting this beauty.

 Lovely to see Brenda's finished zipper purse from the stitching day. She has done an amazing job.

 Brenda has also made up her hardanger piece as a Christmas decoration. Great work, Brenda.

I haven't anything to show as the last week or so have been spent working on some secret stitching for our retreat later in the year.

Happy Easter, some stitching and a lovely gift

Happy Easter to all of you. I hope you are enjoying a lovely rest over the holidays. I am enjoying a the long weekend and it is very special as Ma is visiting. It has been lovely seeing her catching up with the little men. She will see little Alice on Monday when she, and Mummy and Daddy, get back from holidays.

It has been fun to work on some other projects over the weekend. I haven't done any blocks of this quilt since last year! Must straighten the windows on that back house!!!

 Lovely to see Roni's hardanger on Wednesday. This is the front.

 Just check out the lovely canvas work back!!!

 It is also my birthday this weekend and Fiona gave me this amazing gift. We are sharing the United Stitches patterns and they are all printed on which is great. Love the Tilda tin too.

The other three projects at Stitching on the Lake

Here are the other three lovely projects that we are doing at Stitching on the lake on Saturday (and in a few weeks too). Fiona has designed this gorgeous needlecase and pin cushion. Check out her blog for the threads you need if you want to stitch this in similar colours. 

The next project is some hardanger embroidery on lovely green linen. The linen and the threads are included in your kit.

We know many of you love canvas work so here is a lovely glasses case to create. You can of course make this in any combination of colours but the ones Fiona has used are found on her blog. 

See you on Saturday or in a few weeks for our second day.

Stitching show and tell

It is so exciting to see what the ladies have been stitching each Wednesday. Gwen had finished her little Santa from Saturday. I just love his bushy beard.

 Karen mustn't sleep as she had so many things to show us. This is her last block of Whimsy and Wonder, the Quiltaid BOM. This is such a beautiful block.

 She had also pieced this quilt! It is now ready to go to Robyn to be quilted.

 And never one to have a rest, she has a gorgeous new project to start. These are 1920's ladies' fashions to stitch and then make into a quilt. She has chosen her borders and even has the backing all ready to go!

 Pauline brought in her Christmas bag from Tis the Season to share with us. Looks wonderful.

 The evening girls had been busy too! Sally has finished her foundation pieced stocking from the stitching day.

 Sue has finished hers too.

 Sue is so clever at hardanger and has made this lovely angel.

 Sue had also finished her little Santa. Well done!!!

A Wednesday update

I had a lovely day on Wednesday catching up with the social and class stitching ladies and catching up with Fiona later in the day.  In the morning, Janet was working on this exquisite christening gown for her baby, who was due in a few weeks.

Little Audrey had different ideas and arrived on Friday! Her proud daddy sent on some photos so for those of the Wednesday ladies who read this blog, here she is. Congratulations and well done, Janet...and daddy too. 

We did do some stitching too. Chris had this beautiful pin cushion she bought at a stall. It looks so lovely and we all appreciated the beautiful hardanger.

 In the afternoon, Karen had finished her apron using the jug of flowers applique.

 She has also finished her Town Hall. Wish mine was done too!

 Don't her pots of roses look great?

Fiona came with me to the night class but I forgot to take any photos. We all enjoyed having her there. It was lovely to catch up with her and was also a good chance for us to get some organisation done for the first stitching day on 17 March. There are still a few places if there is anyone still wanting to come.
Only 2 sleeps to go till I head off on holidays. Must get packing and get all those stitching bits and pieces organised.