TPQG Retreat 2016

Wow - we had another very successful retreat at the weekend. A weekend full of good company with like minded people, good food and lots of laughs and did I mention how productive it was. 

Retreats are a fantastic way of getting to know each other a little better and seeing what we are all working on, whether you stay over or just attend for the Saturday.

We had a little project on Friday night, which was great fun especially as it was an opportunity to create something pretty and useful from scraps - a bit like our quilts really.

Decorated jar with our prize - fabric flowers

We decorated jars and painted tins with doilies, lace, ribbon and anything else that we fancied. The varieties and ideas within the group was just amazing.

Pam's scones with jam and cream

Pam makes scones for morning tea on Saturday and they are the best scones around for sure, definitely the best I have ever tasted. 

Saturday we had a class for those that wished to participate and it was an incredibly busy but productive day.

This is what we were making and we had our centre rectangles and whites precut so we were ready to get going once we had set up our machines. This pattern is called Gridlock designed by Tanya Finken.

Here are some pics from the class. Everyone had different colourways and some used one colour for the T's in the background while others used an assortment of fabrics.

Rae's completed quilt top - just borders to add.

I can't wait to see them all finished at show and tell at the club. Well that is all for today, but please check back soon as I still have some more photos from the Great New Zealand Quilt Show to share. Until then happy stitching everyone.

Donna-Maree

Yay for a finish!

I couldn't leave the Christmas trees alone and found myself sitting and sewing the binding on yesterday afternoon while watching Masterchef on tv on demand just to get it finished.

So last night I sewed a few hexies, just a couple.

The hexies are sitting on the next project which is waiting for completion, but more on that tomorrow. I am not sure how much I will get done today as we are going out of town today but I will keep you posted.

Check us out tomorrow to see how much progress has been made. Until then happy stitching everyone.

Donna-Maree

More little projects

Little projects can be so rewarding, they can be a good interlude to bigger projects and can be so much fun.

For Debbie I made a pair of oven mitts...

And I also made her a doorstop...

I love it when friends really like what I have made for them and I really enjoy seeing the items being used. I was a little concerned about the oven mitts as I only used one layer of insulbrite but Debbie tested them out and they work perfectly - no burnt hands.

These doorstops are very effective and look great in different colour ways and are filled with rice that has been frozen for 24 hours to stop insects eating it.

I was on a bit of a roll and also completed these folders that had been sitting around for a while. I am pleased with how they turned out and can't wait to make one for myself. These are going to be Christmas gifts, I will put some extra things inside as a surprise.

Until next time, happy stitching everyone.

Little Projects

Little projects often get squeezed into our busy schedules and amongst our other projects and I have recently squeezed in a few.

Over this last year we have been having projects at Tauranga Patchwork and Quilters Group and one of those was fabric baskets. So yesterday I made two fabric baskets as a baby gift for my hairdresser who has just had a gorgeous little boy.

Last weekend I made some portable design boards that I had seen on a blog which I thought would be beneficial to have in the sewing room or wherever I am sewing. They do make a good tray or work surface when sitting on the couch in the evenings with the family. 

I like how the boards can be stacked and because they are light they are easy to carry from one part of the house to the other. I usually do the cutting of fabric on the end of the kitchen bench - it works for me. Being able to spread the boards out on the dining table and place the components on each board and then transport them to the sewing room is definitely a bonus.

Lori has very good instructions on her blog for making these and you can check it out here. I chose to make my boards 16 x 20 inches so I can use them for different size blocks, as I have already mentioned this size also works as a lap top work surface.

I have several more projects to make and complete  today and they are gifts for a special friend that we are having quality time with this weekend who has moved into a brand new home. 

Check back to see what I made for our friend Debbie.

Happy stitching everyone
Donna-Maree

Where are you working today?

Sometimes we get the opportunity to work somewhere different. Where are you working today?

I had the opportunity to accompany hubby on a day trip and so while he is doing business I am sitting looking out over Lake Taupo having coffee and working on a project. Not what I had planned for today or what I was going to work on but a bonus day and trip out is worth it. It also means that this project gets some much needed attention.

I again have too many projects on the go and I want to get all of the tracing on this one done so that I can do the hand appliqué when I get the opportunity. I can't move along on this project until the hand stitching is done. This project you have seen before on my blog, probably many times. It is a Gailpan Design Homecoming Lane, I still really love it and want it done and on the wall.

Unfortunately I left my glasses in the bathroom in my rush to get out the door and so I must look a little strange sitting here with my prescription sunglasses on - alas it is the only way that I can see to do anything, lol.

Happy stitching everyone

Donna-Maree

Yeehah! Today I am off to a retreat...

Yes off to retreat!  A very special time to catch up with some special friends and get some serious sewing done. Can't wait to hit the road.

Here is my main project for the weekend all cut and ready to roll. I wonder how much I can get done.

Watch this space to find out - will update when I can.

Happy stitching everyone.

Donna-Maree

Orphan blocks getting sorted...

I do not know where I got these orphan blocks but when I was tidying up the other day I found them and instantly knew what I wanted to do with them. Five of them were joined together with the background blocks that you can see on the left hand side. I unpicked these last night watching tv and I didn't think of taking a photo to show you a before shot. 

However for some reason I thought that there were ten blocks so you can imagine my surprise this morning when I counted them out and there were only nine.

This is how I am wanting to set them with tramming and four patches in between - this is destined to be a central table runner for the dining table. They need the tramming as they are not all created equal and some fudging will be needing to happen. So I guess another square needs to be created - even though the fabrics will be totally different to the other blocks I think they will be okay and I will put the block in the middle so it doesn't stand out too much. Thank goodness for Bonnie Hunter and her sensible attitude about scraps that rubs off on many of us.

Come back soon to see how this project has got on...

Happy stitching everyone and please leave a comment if you have time.

Donna-Maree