The Scraps of March...

Hello everyone, it is once more, nearly the end of another  month - this time also the end of the first quarter of our year.  Hmm, fast is not even a really good word for it.

Well the Wine Country Quilt Exhibition has come and gone and guess what?  I forgot to take any photos!!  Not one!!  None, zero, zilch... now how slack is that.  I do have a reasonable excuse - we were so busy on the Janome stand that I never had time.  I managed a couple of quick looks, but never remembered to take my phone with me to take some photos.  So this is the website and you can go have a look at the winning quilts here and see what good quilters there are in the East Coast of the North Island. There were over 160 quilts on show which is outstanding.

Suffice to say I was a bit knackered after that so have been somewhat slow in my sewing achievements.  The 365 Challenge is still lounging around in February, but I did manage to do four on Saturday, plus have cut out quite a few.  Hoping to make a determined effort to catch up over the next couple of weeks!!

I do love the look of the Ohio Stars, the bottom right one has a four patch in the middle of it, but my two fabric blend a little too much.  Never to worry, not doing it again, that's for sure.

This is the Stitchery Block of the Month that I started way back in 2008 (ahem).  The Stitchery blocks are almost finished, and not by my own efforts.  My friend Lynn loves doing stitchery and has done all but 6 of the 24 blocks.  I spent an afternoon before Easter and cut out all the pieced blocks in preparation for my grand stitching session.  Hmmm, wonder when that's going to happen?

These are the slightly better photos of the small quilt that I entered in the quilt show.  It is one of my first efforts and doing a whole cloth, and had great fun.  The pearl seed beads that you can just see on the ends of the leaf veins are my grandmothers, and I think they could be between 80 - 100 years old.  I never met my Grandma Ruby, and but am most grateful for her legacy of creativity.

This is some fabric I found (through my friend Catherine) at the quilt exhibition.  I'm going to make a bag for my best friend who has a yellow scoot!!  Perfect!

These are some 4.5 inch blocks I  made for the Rainbow Scrap for March.  The colour was purple with a yellow accent - my yellow is rather bigger than an accent, but I like it anyway.  For some reason I am into 4 patches and will most likely make another half dozen or so, then I have pulled out some cream that I will put between for a plain block and make it up into a small quilt for a friend's niece who takes in unwanted babies in India.  She now has over 30 children and all want a quilt of their own.  Happy to help out.



That's most all that I have to report at this point.  We have  made great progress in the house and the painting is slowly getting done.Only the bathroom shower and the tiling in the kitchen is left to do.

I hope you all had a wonderful Easter break, and that you were able to reflect on the reason we have this holiday time.  To celebrate the risen Christ who died the death we deserved to redeem us.  May you all be blessed this coming month of April and enjoy your family.

My dear husband Kerry had a small turn in church yesterday.  He was carted off in the ambulance to be checked over and praise God, he is absolutely fine.  A bit dehydrated and the Dr kindly told him he had suffered from "older person stuffy church syndrome" (if only you could hear me laughing here).  It's a fact, they had had several cases that morning and it happens on a regular basis on hot days and not enough air circulation.
However, it has made both of us realise how quickly life can be changed.  One minute Kerry was standing beside me singing, then he sat down and in 30 seconds was totally out for the count.  I am very appreciative of having him beside me still.  Go give your "dear old stick" a kiss and be thankful too.

Hugs and blessings to you all and thanks so much for stopping by.

Clare

I'm linking to Cynthia's blog here and Rainbow Scrappy here
Also Confessions of a Scrap Addict here

A beach, a hill and an almost finished quilt top....

Hello everyone, finally made it back to say hi and what's happening in my world.  Life has been rather hectic, and of course I managed to get sick again.  All better now and getting back on track.

Anzac Weekend saw my friend Donna and I troop off to Pongaroa to have lunch with my sister.  We used to visit this tiny village with our parents who had close friends living there for some years.  Sounds terrible to say that we have not been back for about 50 years!!!  After lunch we drove on out to Akitio Beach where we used to often go while there...the crayfishing was legendary.  How easy it is to forget the little dirt roads and how long it takes to drive the hilly winding 30kms to the beach.  All worth it in the end and we went back home the alternate easier route.  The trips is around an hour and a half one way from home.

I did manage to get my sisters very large quilt finished before I left and was able to give it to her on the day.  Glad I dont have to sew all that binding down Joyce!!

The pattern was the freehand flower that I practiced on the Vanuatu quilt and it looked really lovely on this one too.  I used a Magnifico Thread in a lovely olive green that just looked stunning on these colours.  Number is 2180 and it sewed like a dream with bottom line in the bobbin.
The alterations have been moving along nicely, and while I was tripping around, the boys got stuck in and put in some walls and the new kitchen window. I spent the day at friend Catherine's giving her some help on quilting her lovely Round Robin quilt.  Cant wait to see the finished article.

It looks even better than this now too.  And look what I got for Mother's Day...just what every mother desires... a handle on the toilet door...lol.  Coming up in the world here in Waipukurau.

We are in the throes of ordering the kitchen, so that is my next most exciting thing happening in the building world.

In the stitching world, I have finally got this scrappy top together for my grandson's birthday quilt.  Now to get the frame on and find a nice border fabric.  I'm hoping that there is a chance I will find something nice in my stash, but not counting on it.  I'm really happy with the result so far.

On Sunday after a lovely lunch with Kerry, we drove up to the top of Pukeora Hill just outside out town and sat on this lovely new seat with a view.  Can see about 190 degrees from up here and it was a spectacular day.  Love this part of the world.

And finally, one for the birds.  This Cotoneaster tree at my sister in law's is a feast for the birds at this time of the year.

There you go my friends.  The update in a short version.  We will be off to Wellington in three weeks to help Richard & Kea move into their first home!  Wow, such a special time for this little family.  Marcy is growing at a great rate and is such a beautiful baby...of course!  The twin great grandsons are now at home with Mum and doing well.  Jayden the smallest is still on low flow oxygen, but both are putting on weight and seem to be thriving.

Take care and will try to come back sooner.

Blessings
Clare