Where has the Time Gone?

It has been a month since I have blogged and I am amazed at how fast the time seems to be disappearing at the moment. 

Phebe has been consuming most of my stitching time and even though the progress is slow, I am loving every bit of it.

 I hand pieced all the dogtooth border and am now starting work on the next applique border.

See my fussy cutting?  I did a class with Di Ford at Threadbear last Sunday.  We had a fantastic day and I came home all inspired with renewed vision when looking at fabric.  I redid this flower through the week and have a couple more I want to change.  I was in "Phebe Heaven" as it was one of the quilts we got to study and she was hanging on the wall right behind my seat all day!!!!

I have been playing with a Sue Daley template.  A very cute little basket and I think I will stick to the red baskets.

This year, Jan and I decided we would join the Castlemaine Applique group.  We have a great time and get to see the most amazing quilts.  Meghan does a fantastic job of hosting and makes us feel very welcome.  

The above two photos are of the same quilt made by different quilters, Dorothy and Merri - absolutely stunning.

This beautiful quilt was made by Kerry.  The quilt is called "Queen Daisy" and is a design by Susan Smith, it is also another one I want to make one day.

I also finally got to meet Deb from "Needles Sticks & Hooks" .  We have been blogging friends for a while now and it was really good to finally catch up with each other.

We have also had a birthday this  month.  My beautiful big boy, Chris, turned 28 and here he is with his "Freddo Frog Ice Cream Cake", no pavlova for  him!

The weather has definately changed here and it is freezing.  These are the last of my roses till next Spring.  I love that striped one but I don't know the name, it always looks great in a vase with the other pink ones.

Sue-Anne xxx

Lest We Forget

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:

Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.

At the going down of the sun and in the morning,

We will remember them.

     
       Lest We Forget......


My thoughts today are with all ADF personnel, past and present.

My father, my son

Sue-Anne xxx

Happy Easter & a Finish

 Irish Circles is finally finished! 

 Which now leads me back to Phebe.  I have conquered the Apple Trees and am pleased to say I have now finished the centre applique. 

 

I want to wish everyone a happy and safe Easter.  Our soldier boy is home for a visit and a well deserved rest so we will be having a quiet one, trying not to eat too much chocolate or too many hot cross buns!

Sue-Anne xxx

Crow Gathering in the Barn!

L to R:   Michelle, Helen, Jan

Friday saw us up and on the road very early as we had a very important meeting - a Crow Gathering at Linda's famous Barn! 

We were welcomed with freshly made scones with jam and cream (still warm from the oven) and tea and coffee.  Our tables were beautifully decorated and we each got a huge goodie bag and a little gift bag.

The Barn was decorated in all manner of things from Crow Central and Leonie and Deidre instructed us on all facets of working with wool. 

This pincushion kit was in our goodie bag and this is my progress so far.  We learnt lots of interesting "stuff" and Leonie and Deidre were there to advise and help all day.  Thank you ladies for a wonderful time.

Linda, along with her wonderful helpers, put on the most amazing luncheon.  We had freshly made scones, club sandwiches, cheese and fruit platters, lumberjack cake and my personal favourite - mini merangues.   you can tell how good the food was, by the time I got my camera out, it was nearly all gone.

L to R:  Me, Rosemary, Elyte, Linda

A highlight for me was meeting Rosemary.  She is visiting from England and is Shirley's friend, a lady who I have become great mates with.  Wish you could have been here too Shirley!  Also pictured is our hostess, Linda - thank you so much for a fantastic day!!!  Also, thank you to Bev - why didn't we get you in the photo???

The day would not have been complete without our usual stop at Seymour Chinese on the way home, although I don't know why I ordered anything because I was still full from grazing all day!

Sue-Anne xxx

Of droughts and Flooding Rains........

Well what a week we have had in my small part of the world.  Our town had a rain total of 256mm for the week, with over 100mm  in one day.  Above are a couple of pics from the golf course behind my street.  The fairway was like a river and the carpark was completely cut off and under water.  Thankfully the water has all dissipated and run off to wherever it is supposed to go but please spare a thought for our quilting friends in Wagga Wagga and surrounding towns as they brace for some seriously major flooding.  My thoughts are with you all.

I have had a testing time with Irish Circles.  I originally chose the pink fabric as the separating border.  I stitched it all down, added the next appliqued tongue border (with mitred corners) and then laid it all out to see how it would look with the next border and YUK!  The pink looked flourescent and totally took away from the blue centre of the quilt.  As you can see from the above pictures, the fabric isn't that bright or solid, I just needed something really soft.    Anyway, all the unpicking and resewing is done so now, I am onto piecing the final border and I will be very happy to have this one finished.

Nic was home for a couple of days so of course, I had to make another pavlova (I promise this will be the last photo for a little while).  I decorated this one with passionfruit and we have all decided that this is the best topping.

We had some Show & Tell last Friday at sewing.  This gorgeous quilt was made with lots of reproduction fabrics that have been collected through a fabric club.

Jan is making a quilt from blocks like this one.   The blocks are really big and this block looks fantastic.

There is less than two weeks to go until the Gathering in the Barn and I am starting to get really excited.  Jan and I also made the trip down to Castlemaine a few weeks ago to the Castlemaine Applique Group meeting.  We had a fantastic day catching up with quilting friends and making lots of new friends.  I am definately looking forward to the next meeting.

I haven't done a lot of blogging lately as we have had some computer issues at home.  Hopefully things are back on track now.  It amazes me on how dependant we have become on computers. 

Sue-Anne xxx

First Finish for 2012

I have a finish for 2012!   My Clamshells is finished, complete with label on the back. 

Soot & Ashes

This is another almost finished.  Cheri Payne had a quiltalong last year and I participated quietly in the background.  I have always loved her work and found this project to be lots of fun.

This week has also seen me working on  the next border that goes on this...

Irish Circles

And whilst I was fossicking into the depths of the fabric cupboard, I came across this project half completed.  I still have a lot of applique to do before this quilt is finished but maybe I might get back into it soon.

More pavlovas!  This time, I made mini pavs.  Here they are cooking in the oven

Here is one all ready to eat and ...

A collage of my pavs - was nearly going to make this my blog header but I thought it might be taking it a bit far!

Sue-Anne xxx



HAPPY AUSTRALIA DAY

I love a sunburnt country

A land of sweeping plains

Of ragged mountain ranges

Of droughts and flooding rains

I love her far horizons

I love her jewel sea

Her beauty and her terror

The wide brown land for me

I am so proud to be Australian.

Happy Australia Day

Sue-Anne xxx

Slowly Settling Into The New Year

I am slowly getting back into a routine, sort of, after the hype of Christmas. I have managed to do a little applique - yes Phebe has reappeared and I am very proud of these little flowers! I have absolutely no vision when it comes to fussy cutting and even less patience with fiddly little pieces so I am sure you will understand how happy I was to get these little darlings stitched down.

I also made a cover for the ironing board.  When I had the Friday Girls over to make our little quilts (the I'm not going overseas quilts) back in October, I was very embarrassed at the state of the cover.  It has only taken me 3 months to replace it!  This is the first time I have made one and although it is a little rough around the edges I think it looks pretty good and next time I will have a better idea on how to have a better fit.

I've been sewing some clamshells too.  I think I only have about 7 rows to go so may decide to put my all into it and get it finished.  It would be nice to actually have something finished for a change...

I also managed a little fabric shopping at Needles & Pins at Warrandyte.  I had to go down to Melbourne on Friday with Nicholas to pick up his Drift car.  Its a bit of a long story but was down there getting a specialist tune up after the motor getting rebuilt.  I took him down, he was going to drive his car back  and I planned to do a bit of shopping before coming home.  Anyway, turns out there was a last minute problem with the car and Nic couldn't take it home so, off I headed to Needles & Pins with Nic in the passenger seat.  We get there and he says to me "Please don't be long, I have to be back home before tea tonight".  I replied "Don't worry, I don't know anyone at this shop".  I walked in and who do you think was there - Di Ford - of Phebe and countless other beautiful quilts fame!  We had a great chat.  Di and the Secret Sisters are featured in the next Quiltmania due out so make sure you get a copy.  

This week also saw the family get together for dinner to say goodbye to Nic.  He has headed back to base now after having a month off.  That's him above with Chris and Amy.  All major dinners in this family have to be a roast and Nic's favourite dessert is Pavlova.  Now I don't make pavlovas - my father has always made them and this Christmas there was a lot of discussion as to how to make the perfect pav.  I decided to give it a go and make one out of the Donna Hay magazine.  I was quite ambitious as it is a double layer pavlova (two cakes) but I was so happy with how it turned out, that I am claiming bragging rights for quite a while.

There was no beading or weeping, the crust was silky smooth, tasted divine AND

look at all that marshmallow in the centre of it!  I also made raspberry coulis (another 1st for me) and everyone had two helpings.  I hate to think how many calories are in it...

Even Buddy was wanting to see what was happening up on the table!

Sue-Anne xxx