Christmas outing ...

Our Tuesdays girls had our yearly Christmas outing today.  This time we headed west and went to Palmerston North, which is about 1 hour 40 mins from here.  It's a bit longer these days because the gorge that you used to drive through has been closed for the last 18 months or so due to major slips.  The cost of repairing it was too major and a new road is going to be developed.  Unfortunately, it's going to take about another 6 years before that is completed!!  We are way down on the list of priorities. This is the only access road from east to west within reasonable distance.  In the meantime you have two options - the Saddle Road - steep, windy and hard work for the big trucks and is the most used one I think from north east traffic, and the windy, semi flatter one that goes from south east.  We went over one way and back the other so did a complete circle, lol. That way we could manage to fit in at least two quilt shops.

On the quilting front, I have been plodding only, as still getting my speed back up from the chest infection - had to do another round of antibiotics, but never mind.  I have finished quilting one of the baby quilts I made and bought some binding today to do the final installment.  I had a lovely wee spend up this time - it is only once a year ladies!  The excuse of Christmas that is, hehehe.

Most of these pieces I have in mind for small borders and binding on baby quilts.  The charm pack will make a really lovely little baby quilt and I bought a lovely yellow/gold matching fabric to border and bind this one with.  Sorry the photo is not very good but never mind.  The dark fabrics along the top are Fq's for my eldest grandson's new "big person"  quilt as his quilt was made when he was about 4 years old, lol.
The aqua/green FQ is for a skirt I am making for a granddaughter.  Gosh, I had better get busy.

Catch you later everyone.  Hope you are not finding the Christmas rush too overwhelming.  Thanks for stopping by.

God bless,
Clare
I'm linking to Oh!Scrap here have a look at the gorgeous scrap quilt ideas.

Let the Sunflowers shine...

Way back in September 2011, I visited my online quilting friend in small town Kansas - Parsons to be exact.  It was a very special time for me and I so enjoyed meeting Barbara and her daughter Jackie.  Because of Parsons geographical position, it was easy to visit four states within a couple of hours - it sits near the crossroads of Oklahoma, Missouri, Arkansas and Kansas.  Such fun!
While I was there, Barbara asked me to give a talk to her local guild, then it became a few of the little outlying guilds until we ended up with 70 plus people.  It was a lovely evening of showing off our fabulous New Zealand with an awesome DVD of Central Hawkes Bay and other lovely stuff.  At the end of the evening, the President was thanking me and out came this positively massive bag of fabric!!  Unbeknownst to me, the entry fee was a fat quarter of fabric.  Oh my, I got all sorts of amazing fabric gifted to me and some pieces were way more generous.  Most of it had to be posted home as we couldn't fit it all in my bag!!

The reason I have told you this big long story is that I had  around 17 different sunflower fabrics in this amazing collection that I had not really touched in the last 8 years.  However, my (step) daughter was going to turn 50 last month, and I had asked her a year or three before if she would like a quilt.  As Shala is a very good sewist and has made a few quilts herself, I hadn't got around to asking.  The answer was an emphatic Yes!  Then it turned out that she loves sunflowers!  Oh yes again!!  Out came my stash and Shala chose basically all the fabric that had sunflowers on it.  Well Shala's 50th birthday was looming up and I decided about July that I would have a go at getting it ready as her birthday gift for when she came down on 29th September to celebrate with us.

Here you go with a couple of photos and I am smiling so much you wouldn't believe it.

This is one of the two large blocks in the quilt.  It's a beautiful piece  of fabric and the sunflowers just glow.
All the fabrics have come out of my stash, so this quilt managed to make a little bit a reduction, Yay,

 

 I was determined not to put any fabric back in  my stash, so used all the large pieces left to make up the back.  It actually came out really well,

Here is Shala with her quilt.  It was very windy so the quilt would not co operate with laying flat.  Never mind.  I actually managed to quilt it myself as well,  My awesome Tuesday girls pin basted it for me and I did an all over meander on it using a lovely So Fine mustard gold that blended beautifully with all the colours of the quilt.  Looked good as it didn't need anything fancy as the sunflowers were the stars, and then my fabulous Tuesday girls helped again with stitch down the back of the binding,

I can't tell you how amazing getting this quilt finished on time made me feel, as I do have a bit of a struggle with my health issues.  But God was so good to me and gave me the strength and tenacity to keep on and achieve something so filled with love for this very precious member of our family.

Now onto the next quilt...

Thank you for sharing my joy of this quilt and I'll look forward to showing you my next achievements.  I hope you are all having a great time with your quilting and your families.

Many hug and blessings to you all,

Clare

linking with Oh! Scrap here

#this is not us

My heart is still very heavy as I pen this quick post.  The tragedy that unfolded in our country on Friday 15th March has left a huge impact on our people.  50 precious New Zealanders lost their lives when cowardly shot down while praying in their Mosques while they were praying. These people should have been safe We have come together in ways never seen before and made us look long and hard at our own attitudes to races and religions.  It will take a long time for New Zealanders to process this.
I really liked what a Rabbi (on a panel of a Christian, Muslim and Jew) said in an interview on television discussing this event and the question of why do we have these white extremist views.  His point was (and forgive me for not remembering his name)  that "when God made Adam and Eve, He made them human.  The Jews were not around for another 2000 years."  Such a good point - human!
I continue to pray for all affected by this terrible tragedy.

There are, of course, many quilters doing what I am at the moment as we unite to make healing heart quilts.  This is the start of my offering.

If anyone would like to contribute to these quilts, the following is reposted for your information.  Please read it all first as there are some requests that are very important to be followed.  Thank you.

View this email in your browser

Quilters' Lane, 50a Queen Street, Masterton (behind the Library) 06 370 9400

Quilters' Lane News Healing Hearts for Christchurch Dear Quilters and Stitchers It is so wonderful to see the community of quilters working together to do what they can to help the families suffering as a result of last week's terrible events in Christchurch. Two of our fellow shops have volunteered and are making a massive effort to provide quilts for the families. Helen of Angels in Gumboots is co-ordinating heart blocks. These can be appliqued or pieced. There is a pattern in the kiwiquilters Facebook group.They are looking for green hearts on a white background. Here is some information from Helen IMPORTANT NOTE: I've been asked to pass on that our hearts need to avoid the colour red, prints with animals on (my bad with my applique heart!) and prints with people/faces/figures. EDIT: pattern has been uploaded into Files and a picture attached. I love how much aroha there is in this group! So excited to see what we create together. For those wanting to applique, just make sure the background block is 6.5 inches unfinished square and your heart is at least 1/2" from all edges. Address to post to me: Helen Thomas, Angels in Gumboots, 101 Cambridge Avenue, Ashhurst 4810. Contact email: angelsingumboots@gmail.com. May I make a suggestion RE the Healing Hearts quilts? I have put my hand up to help coordinate and organise Healing Hearts quilts. I do know the colour white and green both mean a lot to Muslims - I am thinking we focus on white backgrounds with green hearts. Busy Bee quilt shop in Rongotai have offered to quilt and bind 100 quilts. Our wholesalers have offered the backing and batting free of charge. There has been a huge response internationally as well.

With love to you all and I pray that God will bless and keep you safe.

Hugs

Clare

Scrapping away still

I'm not going to talk about the fact that it's already well into March. Much better to talk about fabric and projects and everything else except how fast time flies. That's what you get when you look in the mirror I told  myself.  Just don't look and you wont have to think about it.  LOL.
In my attempt to reduce my stash,  I may have been a little successful since I spoke with you last, because at least I haven't bought any new fabric!!  Progress has been made on a number of projects, and I even dug out some (very) old UFO's and did a little on them.  I had to pinch myself a little at this point.  Hahaha.

The photo to the right shows that I have now laid out the fourth section of Danielle's quilt ready to be sewn up.
Section three has two blocks up on the design wall and the other two have be stitch into rows and just need making into the 2 remaining blocks.
That will just leave the fifth and final section to be done.  Woohoo as they say, sounds like it's almost getting there.  Must not speak too soon just in case.  LOL.















I'm trying to do some each day, but it can be a bit of a struggle some days.  All in good time.  The next three photos are of some eye candy from the Tuesday Girls who have been very busy of late.

This is Lorrie's lovely Christmas Redwork wall hanging.  It is really pretty.

Lorraine is doing a Boston Commons using hexagons.  These are quite large hexagons for Lorraine.  Often she is working with little tiny things that can barely be held in one's hand.  Mad, I think, LOL.  It's certainly going to be a beautiful quilt.  The fabrics are all French General scraps that Lorraine was gifted.

Not sure if I have already mentioned this quilt before but this is Lynn's Pies and Tarts quilt that looks fabulous.  It was interesting choosing the correct binding colour and I found a delicious rusty red in my stash that was perfect.

I have gifted my pile of completed pies and tarts and the cut out pieces and fabric etc to a quilter who needed it a lot more than I did.  I had to take a look at how important this quilt was to me in relation to my health issues and decided I did not want to continue with it.  Feeling really happy with that decision, and it has allowed me to continue on with other projects that need to be finished.

This is the first two blocks in the mystery quilt I am doing with Quilters Lane in Masterton.  I chose the Dear Stella colour way as a change for me and just love it so far.  The bestest thing though is it comes already cut.  I just have to sit and stitch it up together.  But guess what... I still only just got them done before the next blocks arrived. What.... that's just sad,  hahaha. Mind you, I had to pull out a few rusty old drawers in the filing cabinet of my brain to remember how to get these stitched up properly.  (whispering - I had to unpick a LOT...lol)  To change the subject....

This little quilt appeared in post here a while back and a couple of friends had suggested I make it bigger.  I'm never too sure what to do with little quilts, and the fabrics were not suitable to donate it as a baby quilt.  So I have added on a small frame and another floral border so far.  Have another floral border but with different flowers cut from the same striped fabric so will put in another lighter frame and put that one on too I think.  Then I will have to decide what to do with it from there as it will probably end up neither one thing or the other.  Might have to ask if anyone would like it and send it off somewhere to live happily ever after!!









So that's about it here for now,  thanks a heap for popping in and reading about my crazy life.  My health has been great the past two to three weeks and New Zealand has been sitting under this ginormous high and the air pressure has been so good for me. Now it's back to reality as this dratted little low came by and moved it out the road.  Okay, I know we all needed the rain, but gosh it was fun while it lasted.  Ignoring the fact that winter is definitely coming with the cooler autumn nights and mornings we are now having and realising the other side of the world is very happy about that.  Oh well.  See you again soon.

Hugs and blessings
Clare

I have linked to Confessions of a Scrap Quilter here enjoy your visit.
Also linked to Oh! Scrap here for even more scrappy goodness.

Still Around and some Quilt photos

Hi there everyone,  so sorry for being away so long but my health has been a bit of a major issue lately.  After five days in hospital though I am like a new woman!!!  Feeling great, and dont expect to have any more hassles for a long time (I'm speaking severely to my gall bladder as I type!)

Have quilted a couple of small quilts only, and forgot to take some photos, so posting a couple of oldies for you to look at.  I have loaded a gorgeous medallion quilt today but didn't get started as my brain did not want to co-operate at all, so felt I should not even try to quilt.  Tomorrow I will be into it.

Hope you are all very well and avoiding all those horrible winter ailments.  If you are in summer, don't forget the sunscreen!!  It is so exciting watching the trees starting to bud up and the bulbs pushing their way through the cold ground.  Spring is getting ready to burst through!!

This was the Shop Hop quilt I designed in our last year of trading as a patchwork shop.This photo is unquilted...forgot to take one of the whole thing quilted.  I quilted this one on my Janome Horizon 7700 just to prove you can do a large quilt on it.  Didn't like all the handling of the quilt of course as I am spoilt by my longarm.  This quilt  now adorns the bed in our guest room.

I never did like the quilting in the vase...it's too crooked, but as always I was under pressure to get it finished in time and it has stayed crooked!!

This was one of my all time favourite Shop Hop quilts as it uses Kaffe Fassett fabric.  It was very bright and colourful and I gave it to my close friend who just adored it.

Definitely delicious, dont you agree.  And last but not least, this was our Block of the Month featuring New Zealand fabrics.  My friend Maria Travers from Masterton designed it exclusively for us and it was most successful.  It is a favourite quilt of mine.

So there you go my friends, a bit of a walk down memory lane for me, and a heads up to you all that I am still in the land of the living.
We are now anxiously awaiting the arrival of our 16th grandchild as Mum has gone into early stages of labour today.  We are so looking forward to the joy of a new child to join our family, and Mum is deciding on what colours she would like for this one's quilt.  It will help to soothe the pain of our loss of one of our wee twins...went to sleep and woke up in heaven.  Your prayers for the Mum would be lovely.

May you have an awesome weekend.  Don't forget to make time for those you love while you have time to love them.

God bless,

Clare