Gorgeous boys

How precious is this picture of the boys!

Grandbabies and some baby goodies

Couldn't resist showing you a few more pictures of the precious boys. They are now out of the humidicribs but they are still tube fed with their mummy's milk. They will be in the hospital for a few weeks yet but it is lovely to see that they are going each day. No cuddles for us yet! Still, it is just lovely to stand and stare at them in the nursery.

 I have been making a few things in anticipation but decided not to show them till the little fellows had arrived. Their mum decided they might need some little cardigans to keep them warm so I dusted off the old knitting needles and had such fun knitting these little cardis, hats and bootees.

I have also been appliqueing a few little pictures to decorate the room. These are from Anni Downs' Boys book which has so many gorgeous things to make for boys.

 The boys' aunty and uncle, Lyndal and Nick, travelled to New York this year and brought back a fantastic mobile that you can hang whatever you like on. So we decided to make some felt shapes to hang from the mobile.

 Most of the pictures used were from this pattern. I plan to make this up as a quilt one day.

 I have also been stitching! I have been working on these lovely animal stitcheries from 'All creatures Great and Small' by Natalie Bird. I plan to make them up into 2 small, cot quilts. Better get going on that!

The boys are here safely

It is with great excitement that I am finally able to show you our little grandsons! They were born yesterday, 8 July,  and are still quite little. With a lot of hard resting, Amy encouraged them to stay "inside" until 34 1/2 weeks. She was in hospital for 7 weeks and then home for 2 until they decided to come at 5.30 or so yesterday. They were born by caesarian section at 7.14 and 7.16 am. Sam is older but just 2 minutes. Here is little Benjamin who weighed 2.3kgs.

 This is little Samuel who weighed only 2.1kgs. They have a bit of growing to do before they can come out of the humidicribs but they are doing well.

 Here are the very proud parents with Sam. He was allowed to come for a tiny visit yesterday afternoon to see his Mummy. I was lucky enough to be there and see him close up too.

They are so tiny! We are so excited to be grandparents!

June's SKOW blocks

I had the applique sections done for June but hadn't put the blocks together or added the borders. Finally here they are!

 The, a bit wrinkled, quilt so far. Not much to go now.

A finish and a lovely lunch

Finally, a finish! I only had to add the binding to this Angel Sewing Toolstore and here it is. This is the front.

 These are all the pockets ready to be filled with useful stitching tools

 This is the side panel that you fold over to close the toolstore. I think it is going to be very useful.

 On Saturday we headed to Sydney to see Ma and Pa and to take them out to celebrate Ma's 81st birthday. Hubby couldn't resist some more pictures of the birds in Ma and Pa's backyard.

 We had lunch at the Lugarno Seafood restaurant which is situated right on the Georges River. The punt that crossed the river, before the current bridge, used to leave from here many years ago. This was the view from our table.

 Here is the birthday girl with Pa.

 Jeni and Paul came too.

 Here we are as well. The food was delicious and it was a very special lunch out. It did remind us of our cruise earlier this year when we feasted together every evening! If you look carefully, the picture behind us on the wall is of the old punt.

Stitching progress and Craft Fair quilts

I have been a little under the weather this week with a dreaded cold! It is amazing how tired a cold makes you. So I have had a little at home this morning and have been doing some hand stitching on this Sewing Angel Toolstore, another gorgeous pattern by Anni Downs. The top applique bits had been done ages ago and I just hadn't managed the time to make the pockets etc. There is a lot of handstitching on this project. This is the outside.

 These are the inside pockets to be filled with sewing goodies. It only needs binding now.

I did want to share these pictures of just a few of the many amazing quilts at the Sydney quilt show.

 I just love the felt used on this one.

 This one is made by a very special young lady who visits Hobbysew quite frequently with her talented mum, Helen Godden. How amazing for one so young!

 I do love mini quilts and this one was very special.

 I just love Michelle Hiill's beautiful work with William Morris images. This quilt was so beautiful.

Skype stitching and some show and tell

I was supposed to be in England this week and had planned to enjoy a stitching day with the girls in Hay. They looked like they had a lovely day together. Good food and company and enjoyed making the kits that I sent by post! They were making the projects Fiona and I did at the last stitching day here in Canberra. Here are some photos they put on facebook. I can't seem to get them to go where they are supposed to!

I came home at 10pm and had a chat with them on skype! So glad they all had a lovely day and wish I had been there.

 I couldn't resist starting my new scarf. Lovely coloured wool though I took me a few goes to get the hang of the pattern.

 Barbara brought this wonderful quilt she has made for us to see. Lots of tricky cutting and piecing. Well done Barbara.

I forgot to show this lovely block finished recently by Karen. 

Karen has planned what she is using for her centre block of My Town. Looks great. She is going to add a few other things and some embroidery so it will be lovely when finished.