Bits and pieces for July

Quilters really are the most amazing people, they are sharers. They love good food and don't hesitate to share recipes when someone compliments them on their food. Recently I acquired a recipe for ANZAC biscuits which is different to the one I normally use and I have made them several times just lately which included a double batch to take to Whangarei with us this last weekend when we visited the girls. Scarlett, our granddaughter just loved them as I had put raisins in them.

ANZAC biscuits with raisins 

Last weekend our youngest daughter Georgia had her school ball and she was totally over the moon when it was announced that she was the Queen of the ball! Here she is with Trae who was chosen as King of the Ball.

Georgia and Trae

I have been reorganising my sewing room and it is working much better, however I do still have some more to do in there before it is presentable to the world. I am really enjoying spending time in there and will often just wonder in and then think that I will just squeeze in some more stitching. As a result of this the quilting on Home Coming Lane is coming along very well and the end is indeed in sight. I can't wait to get this quilt up on the wall and I am working exclusively on this quilt at the moment, which is unusual for me. I am quilting it in four sections and when the quilting on all four sections is complete I will show how I intend to put it together.

Home Coming Lane under the needle

The two gridlock quilts - the blue one and the purple and green one are about to begin their journey to their owners. Both of the quilts are gifts for my nieces in Australia and although they are the same pattern the quilts look totally different due to the colours used and the placement of the colours. I really loved making these quilts and I am sure that the girls will love these quilts as much as I do. I love blue and put in some of my very special fabrics into the blue quilt. I adore purple especially with pink and love how this quilt turned out especially with the green. I will miss these quilts.

Both quilts have 36 different fabrics, however the blue has the constant fabric in the t's where the purple quilt has different greens which gives it a completely different look.

My machine is calling me, so until next time - happy stitching everyone.

Donna-Maree

Update for April 2016

Wow, April is done and dusted and May is under way. I thought I would just have a recap on what I achieved in April as my focus this year is on being productive and moving some projects along.

The final block for Home Coming Lane was completed which felt absolutely amazing. These blocks are a combination of piecing and Applique and even though there are only four blocks, there is a lot of work in each of them. Having these finally completed is definitely an achievement in my book. They are half quilted but have been put aside for some other things to be worked on.

The Home Coming Lane blocks being quilted

The hexies are coming along and my little side projects are nearly complete. Two little hexie bags, one for me and one for a friend although there just might be a few more of these in my future as they are so easy and fun to do.

These just need the tops sorted and linings fixed in. The one of the left is having a hexie lining and the one on the right is having a round one piece fabric lining. Will post photo when completed.

At club we had a UFO weekend and that was incredibly productive for me with quite a few 'quilt as you go' 'string' blocks made. Once home I continued with making these blocks and before I knew it a quilt was completed. All that is left to do now is a label and to gift it to the recipient.

I quite like the blue grey traming on this and I think it has come out well.

Overall I am very pleased with what I achieved in April and am looking forward to achieving more in May. There is going to be no let up this year, 2016 is a very busy year indeed.

Just before I sign off, this weekend is the Great New Zealand Quilt Show in Rotorua by Aotearoa Quilters which is the main guild here in New Zealand. Rotorua is about an hours drive from Tauranga and there are a few car loads going from Tauranga this morning and I can't wait to see all of the quilts hanging in this exhibition. One of the displays is the Sewezi Flight Challenge quilts and it will be awesome seeing these quilts hanging together. Two quilts were chosen in the selection process from five for our region to get through for this exhibition. I will have more on all of that later in the next post as I have to get moving to be ready on time.

Until next time, happy stitching everyone.

Donna-Maree

Progress on Home Coming Lane

Yes, there has definitely been some movement with this project. 

I don't like quilting big quilts any more, well to be honest I have never liked quilting larger quilts on the machine, my shoulders and patience really just don't cope with it at all. Quilting is supposed to be fun and if it isn't fun, then I just don't do it. 

This probably explains my reluctance to quilt anything and complete things and why I have so many UFO's lurking in my sewing room and any other place that I have been able to stash them around the house. This is exactly why the Top 5 group at club has been established, it was an idea sparked by a conversation about these UFO's and the need to tackle them. My stack of UFO's was made very public last year when I presented my quilting journey at club and showed many flimsies amongst my presentation.

Yes some of these flimsies are due to just needing some mindless sewing during semester breaks while I was studying a few years ago and others were waiting for me to up skill myself so I had the techniques and confidence to do the next step without wasting all the work that had been put into it already, nor waste the fabric. There are many reasons why our projects end up in the UFO bin.

However, I digress - last week we had our first show and tell for the first quarter of the Top 5 group and I was incredibly disappointed with myself that although I have been chipping away at this project, it wasn't completed in time for this reveal. It was very exciting seeing everyone else's completions and hearing how long they had indeed been UFO's before graduating to a completion and while I was excited for them all I couldn't go past the fact that I didn't have anything completed.

I tend to over think things and I haven't been able to decide which batting to use for this quilt, which is silly really thinking about it now. The purpose for this quilt is to hang on the wall and once I realised that either of the two choices were going to work there was no stopping me. So Tuesday saw me grab some batting and some backing and I put my sandwiches together. 

I had decided a while ago that I would 'quilt as you go' this quilt in four sections. Each block is 25" square and so I decided to just go with that. 

Yesterday I cleaned my machine - it sure doesn't take long for the lint to build up - and I couldn't put it off any more. Without thinking too much I just started, I worked out where I was going first and just did it. I decided to stitch in the ditch around the house blocks, the appliqué flower, vine and bird blocks and the pinwheels. The stitch in the ditch will give the wall hanging a good base and some definition as the quilting in the scrappy squares will be different to these areas. 

Funny isn't it how you don't notice things when you are putting the quilt top together but notice things as you are quilting them. On the second block I noticed that two leaves somehow avoided the blanket stitch brigade, yet I was so sure that I had checked and double checked everything. 

The 25" squares are working very well, they are a very good size to get through the machine while quilting and are easy to turn and roll without too much bulk, they were also a really good size to batt up on the end of the kitchen bench.

Today I will carry on, at this stage I have no idea what I am going to do next but I am sure it will come to me. Until next time, happy stitching everyone.

Donna-Maree

Yay, block four is done!

Wow, yesterday I kept chipping away joining segments together and last night at last block four was completed.

Warm off the ironing board I placed it on the floor to get a photo and true to form Frosty the cat ran to it and sat down. What is it about fresh new blocks that makes our fur babies want to sit or lie on them?

Block four with Frosty

This quilt is one of my Top 5 and I am excited seeing the progress on this one. I have had to push myself to keep the momentum going, but I am so glad that I did. There have been times when I thought that I would never get there and these are the times that I would normally put a project aside and work on something else. I am so glad that I have persevered and I think it will be easier to push through like this on the next project too as a result of this one.

Block Four

Although life things have been going on that I have had to work around, I have tried to do some sewing every day. Having the finishing line in sight definitely helped with the last of the hand stitching and not all of the stitches are created equal but they are done. I am indeed one happy lady.

I decided a while ago that I would quilt each of these blocks individually and then join them together. Today I will endeavour to get them batted up, I can't decide which batting to use as this will be a wall hanging, so will think on that while at stitching with friends this morning.

At this stage I have no idea about the quilting for these but are working on the theory that it will come to me as I go - at least I hope so.

All four blocks arranged together

Anyway I want to get this posted and get moving as I have another busy day ahead. I have recently been taking photos on my iPad but have had some feedback as to the poor quality of them, so last night I took photos on the camera which always produces better results however I need to download them on the laptop and add them to this. Let me know if the quality is better or not.

Have an awesome day and happy stitching everyone.

Donna-Maree

Hand stitching on block four - done!

Yes the hand stitching on block four is done and dusted. Yippee!!!

Guess what I am doing today? Yes, stitching the block together. Catch you later when it is done.

Happy stitching everyone.

Donna-Maree

And block three is done!

Yes, I have been chipping away a little at a time and block three is indeed done. What a fantastic feeling.

The best thing is that block four is just about completed too. There is a little hand stitching to do and then putting the block together. Once that is done I can lay them out and check placement of the blocks for the colours to be evenly distributed throughout the quilt. I am going to quilt as you go each of the four blocks and then put them together.

This is one of my top 5 projects and we have our first quarter draw next week at club, however I don't think this one will be completed in time but I will try.

Happy stitching everyone, I am off to get some more stitches into block four.

Donna-Maree

March is humming along

Progress is being made with the hand stitching for Home Coming Lane and I am still loving it.

What has been done so far for block three.

Just the house section of the block to be sewn now.

Today is our first child Kelsey's 25th birthday and the celebration of not only her life but our journey as parents. I always find our children's birthdays emotional and always get swept back to when they were born and what was happening back then. 

A quarter of a century is definitely an achievement regardless of how you look at it really. Not only that but Kelsey is an amazing mother to her own two year old daughter Scarlett and I am incredibly proud of the beautiful and strong person that she is.

The sun is shining and the temperatures are still high and there is stitching to be done, so until next time - happy stitching everyone.

Donna-Maree

Home Coming Lane, block two is complete

I am so thrilled at the progress that I am making with this

And I am loving how it is looking. Work has begun on block three and the hand stitching is progressing nicely.

Now to get back to stitching...

Donna-Maree

Block one is complete

Block one on Home Coming Lane is completed and I am very pleased with it.

It is so good seeing some progress on this project, I can't wait to get the other three blocks done and for it to be completed and up on the wall. 

I joined the block of the month for this quilt with the intention of hanging it in our newly renovated front entrance in our house in Whangarei, not long after that my husbands current role was advertised and the decision was made to move here to Tauranga. I was devastated that this quilt would not hang where I intended it, and I just couldn't face working on this quilt for quite some time.  Now that I have somewhere in mind to hang this quilt again, I am keen to get it done and hanging on the wall and I have renewed enthusiasm. This one is one of my Top 5.

Until next time, happy stitching everyone

Donna-Maree

Home Coming Lane progress

I am really thrilled to have all of the hand blanket stitch completed for all components for my first block for Home Coming Lane which was a Gailpan Designs BOM through The Country Yard in Northland.

Last week I spent a whole day pushing through and getting all of the applique pieces ready for attaching. I managed to get everything ironed and this block has been waiting for the vine to be completed as it was the last thing for me to do.

Now I can sew it all together. Check back to see it all sewn together. Until then happy stitching everyone.

Donna-Maree

One of my Top Five

Today I decided that I needed to work on something that kept my mind occupied and had decided at the beginning of the week to set aside today for sorting out Home Coming Lane and getting the blocks spread out on my new design boards. It is blocks like these that I thought the boards would be absolutely perfect for and I was not wrong. 

I have been procrastinating about this quilt and always get it so far and then I have to pack it up again and until now I had not found a way to keep it all organised but still ready to work on until now with my new boards.

I spent yesterday afternoon working through what still needs to be done for each block. This pattern is a mix of piecing and appliqué and each block is at different stages. Having the boards means that everything for each block is laid out and all together and I can stack the boards.

Block one, nearly completed just vine below house to do.

Just about all of the appliqué pieces have now been attached to fabric, so the next step is cutting them all out and getting them attached to the backgrounds. This quilt was a kit and it is fun choosing the fabrics for each component. One of the reasons that the boards are really good is I like to have the whole quilt spread out at one time so I can check and see that the colours and fabrics are spread evenly throughout the quilt. I don't have the space for a design wall so these boards are the next best thing. 

Boards with everything laid out and organised.

I was really impressed with the how the cotton batting works holding the pieces in place with no movement, the other thing is I pressed directly on the board. My iron is very small and low wattage and while it gets hot it wasn't too hot for the board. 

Isn't this iron cute? Yes it is real and it does work.

Once I have all the appliqué pieces in place then these can be added to my 'to go' bag. I am really keen to get this one to completion and up on the wall. There are four blocks made up of both the appliqué and the piecing which I am intending to quilt as you go although I haven't thought through yet how I am going to deal with the borders.

Right, this one of the top five is calling me, so happy stitching everyone. 

Donna-Maree

Which project? ...

Hi everyone,

Since writing the last post I have given considerable thought as to which project I should work on and have chosen two: "Home Coming Lane" and "Christmas Star Chain".

My thinking with this was that I could sort out Home Coming Lane, as there is a lot of applique to do on this quilt and once I have it organised and all cut out and ironed I can have the blocks bagged up and ready to sew when I can.

Just for a reminder here is a photo of Block One that I did when on retreat with my friends (I have done more than this since then, but haven't got it out for a photo).

I decided that before I get this one out and sorted that I would pull Christmas Star Chain out and get my head around what needs to be done on this quilt. This quilt has a bit of a story already and it isn't even finished!

My hubby bought me the kit for this quilt for my 40th birthday (a few years ago). I saw the quilt at the Otamatea Quilt Show that year on The Apple Basket stand and instantly fell in love with it. Being a very new quilter I never gave a thought to the making of the quilt and the skills required, lol.

Christmas Star Chain is a quilt designed by Darlene Zimmerman and Joy Hoffman using the TRI-RECS tools which came with the quilt kit along with the book.

Isn't it just lovely. I started making this quilt when my sewing area was down in the rumpus room probably about 2004 and I got 5 minutes notice one day that hubby was going to tear the ceiling out of the rumpus room. Argh! I didn't have much time to pack up as you can imagine and just gathered everything the best that I could. I have not touched the quilt since. The work on the house grew from replacing the ceiling to full-on renovations that have lasted for quite a few years and we have only just totally finished to put the house on the market for the move, as you do. 

So my thinking was that I would pull this little darling out and work on it while hubby was away and get it completed.

Here is everything laid out on the dining room table as I get my head around what needs to be done and what has been done. But see that little pile on the bottom left: that is 20 RECS triangles and I need 192, but the thing is I am pretty sure that I had cut all that I needed and they were sitting in a meat tray in my sewing room on the shelf where they have been for a long time. But now that I want them - they are not there. I can't find them! I have had a massive clean up for the marketing photos for the house and have a vague recollection of putting them somewhere else BUT I can't remember where. I have looked through just about everything in my sewing room and cannot find them ... anywhere. I have found just about everything else but NOT those triangles.

So I have decided after spending the best part of two days looking and sorting as I go, that I am going to put this away for now as clearly now is not the time to be working on this quilt and hence its story continues.

I just have to decide what to work on instead. I will ponder that today while at the hairdressers. One thing I have realised through this experience is that I work very differently now to how I did all those years ago. I rewrite instructions onto card with symbols that I instantly recognise without having to read through heaps of words. I also organise things differently now as well - this may have something to do with the fact that I have more projects on the go at one time compared to back then. Don't know if this is a good thing or not.

So on that note I will head off and get myself sorted and put these pieces away before hubby returns tonight as it is still all spread out on the dining room table. I will carry on while hoping that the missing pieces will resurface in time.

Cheers for now and happy stitching 

Donna-Maree

Stitching update

I thought that I would give you a stitching update as I have been chipping away at things.

I gave up on the idea of doing a little sewing and tidying the sewing room at the same time and spent a big chunk of time at the weekend moving and reorganising the sewing room. It is not completed but you can definitely see where I have been and it already feels like a more positive and motivating space. I don't have much of a stash at the moment, but I did take time to fold my yardage to fit the shelf in my cupboard based on the idea by Bonnie Hunter, check it out HERE.

Here is my first complete stitchery. I just need to make it into something now. I keep changing my mind about what to use it for - a cushion or put it in a bag. That might need some more thought.

The first house block completed for Home Coming Lane.

I have my stitching group this week, a trip planned to an exhibition on Friday and club day on Saturday. So come back soon to hear all about them. Until then happy stitching everyone.

Donna-Maree

Girls Break Away!

The black dots you can see on the sand bank are people who are sand surfing!

Looking out towards the head waters and the bar, such a beautiful day!

Not the usual bird of paradise plant, these flowers are awesome.

Here is Leeann taking a photo of me taking a photo of her. 

This is where we stayed, awesome setup and very quiet.

Here is block one of Home Coming Lane. This is when I laid them out on the table to decide where everything was to go.

This is what I had achieved by the end of our sewing session. Everything that can be sewn together has been. I just have the appliques to do on the empty blocks now.

Here is the layout for Block Two. Everything that can be has been sewn already, so just waiting for the applique blocks to be done - no pressure.

This is what it is going to look like when it is completed. This one belongs to another friend and I liked it so much that I thought that I would participate as well, I can't wait to get mine completed.

Fiona put the borders onto this quilt for her son, as you can see he loves surfing.

Here is a close up showing the awesome fabrics and Fiona's cool flying geese made with triangles - don't they look good.

This was Fiona's other completion for our sewing session. Fiona was working on this quilt at our retreat in March and it was fantastic seeing this quilt come together. This quilt is going to be a gift and I am sure the lucky person will be rapt with it, I know I would be.

This was Leeann's first completion, isn't this amazing. I am so impressed with this quilt. I know that this quilt is made from special fabrics that were a gift to Leeann and is therefore more precious to her.

This is Leeann's second completion and she made this in one day - impressive. This was a kit that Leeann purchased from Itch to Stitch Bernina here in Whangarei. Check out the vehicles - they are all New Zealand versions which makes it even more special. I am sure that any boy would love to snuggle up with this special quilt.

I had a fantastic time away with my friends and we laughed and sewed our hearts out. We walked at least once every day along the waterfront and on the beach with our special friend Lily (Fiona's canine friend). If you look closely at the photo of the bach you can see Leeann patting her. You can check out Leeann's blog for a photo of Lily and Leeann's photos of our time away Here. Opononi has always been a special place to me and getting the opportunity to spend some time there with special friends makes it even more special. Thanks Fiona for giving us the opporunity and thanks to Leeann and Lily for helping make it so special.

Until next time - happy stitching everyone.

Donna-Maree

Pondering ...

It is the school holidays at the moment and we have already whisked through one week, it has gone so fast that I don't know where it went. Before we know it Term Four will be done and dusted and Christmas will be here.

Spring is definitely here with it's fluctuating weather, including strong winds and some occasional sunshine. While it is nice getting the washing dry in one day, it will be nice to see some warmer temperatures as summer approaches. I have tidied up the vegie garden beds and have sown some seeds which I am hoping to get planted before Labour weekend, the official planting time for Christmas eating! The wisteria and roses are looking and smelling lovely and the port wine magnolias are smelling particularly awesome.

Daylight saving started last weekend and that could be a contributing factor in terms of last week going so fast. I have to admit that we have slept in more than once in the past week and we seem to be having dinner later than usual but I am sure that we will get used to it and adjust. I am very grateful that it happened at the beginning of the holidays and not at the end.

I am going away for a few days with a couple of girlfriends for a girls sewing break next week and I am sooooo looking forward to it. For the last two days I have been thinking about what to take to work on. It isn't like I am spoilt for choice as there are a few UFO's lurking around this house, however I still have one more day to decide which ones to take. Even hubby has asked what I am going to work on while I am away.

I could take the Orca Bay - as that could now be classed as a UFO, there is the new BOM that I am slowly chipping away at. There are a few other older UFO's to choose from as well, so maybe a little more thought is needed between now and Monday morning. Maybe a quick dig around in the sewing room tomorrow might help jog the sluggish memory, however it could be scary as to what I find.

So I am still pondering .... 
Check back soon to see what I took and the progress that I make. I will also get some photos of our awesome Northland for you.

Until then ... happy stitching everyone
Donna-Maree

Friday already ...

Well what a week and Friday is here already. 

Today I was up at Barge Park here in Whangarei, where the regional primary-intermediate schools cross country was held. The weather was co-operative and our students ran hard and they did well.

Following that I called into The Country Yard, one of the local quilt shops which is at Maungatapere (just along the road from Barge Park really). I caught up with Kerryn and Raewyn and had a look at the lovely things they have in the shop. Check them out online here if you cant get along to their shop.

Here are some stitching goodies that I purchased today, I haven't really done stitcheries before so I will keep you posted on my progress.

Here are the fabrics for 'Home Coming Lane' which is a BOM that I have just signed up for. I will have the pattern soon so I can start this - I will keep you posted about my progress with this as well.

After all of this I decided to carry on out and visit my absolute most favourite beach Ruakaka.

Looking to the right towards Uretiti and Waipu.

Looking to the left towards the harbour, and Mount Manaia.

Here are some shells that I collected but decided that they needed to stay at the beach. I had appreciated their beauty as I collected them and took a photo and was able to walk back down the beach.

Walking down the beach I found a creation that someone had taken some time to put together, quite impressive I thought. Those white things are shells that someone has carefully placed on the branches.

I have club day tomorrow, so might have some more to comment on after that. We are having a celebration with a shared lunch and I am looking forward to it.

Happy stitching everyone

Donna-Maree