Some precious stitching time

I had a need to do some mindless stitching and have sewn some string blocks using my scraps. 

Our son moved back in with us for a month and was staying in my sewing room, so when he moved out I set up my machine and grabbed the first things I saw, some squares of paper and some string scraps and I sewed for several hours - such a tonic.

 I love the way your mind can wander when sewing strings as the only things you have to worry about is whether the scrap is going to cover the paper where you want and the contrast between what is on the paper already and what you are adding. I often watch Bonnie Hunter's Quiltville Quiltcam while I am sewing or something from TV on demand. If you haven't caught up with Bonnie yet you should give it a try, it is great sewing along with somebody else - technology is just wonderful isn't it?

At this stage I don't know what I will use the squares for, I have a couple of ideas forming but will wait until I have made a few more before I decide.

I have also made some cushions for our window seat and I am quite pleased with them.

That corner is such a lovely place to sit with the sun streaming through the windows, my son nearly fell asleep the other day when he was visiting. It is a favourite place to sit and read awhile or just to think.

What has been under your needle? Leave a comment as I love getting feedback.

Until next time, happy stitching everyone.

Donna-Maree

Tripping Around ...

I took this picture of one of the many mosaics in the footpath yesterday when in Cambridge, they are pretty cool. Here is what it says on the Cambridge website regarding these mosaics.  Check it out for yourself HERE.

Walks of fame

If you fancy a gentle stroll, check out Cambridge's tribute to our equine and sporting heroes. Wander along Duke St to find 25 plaques honouring the achievements of local stars in the town's Sporting Walk of Fame, and as you turn into Victoria Street, look for 18 mosaics set into the footpath of prominent local horses. On the wall beside the ANZ in Victoria St, you'll find a special collection of plaques honouring our 13 (and counting) Melbourne Cup winners.

It isn't often that I get the opportunity to have a day out when hubby is on the road, but I grab them when I can. I was disappointed to find the quilt shop I was planning to visit in Cambridge had closed down at Christmas. Having planned on visiting the shop I had some time to spare once I had done enough window shopping, so I sat on a benchseat under a tree on the main road and did some stitching. The cafe across the road had an entertainer playing outside their premise and the ambience was just fantastic. The thing that always surprises me when I am stitching somewhere is the amount of people who stop to look and chat - it is definitely an ice breaker.

While window shopping I was really impressed with this little shop - MYstyleNZ check out their website HERE. They are in the process of redoing their website so make sure to check back soon. They have some seriously gorgeous fabrics, bags, all sorts of things - it definitely put a smile on my face. They will send anything out to you. The thing that really impressed me was their friendliness and positive welcoming attitude. It might be a little shop but it is a treasure trove. The other thing that I noticed in Cambridge is that a lot of the window fronts are looking very royal - I wonder why ... Some special visitors maybe?

After spending the morning in Cambridge we went on to Hamilton. I have lived in Hamilton a lot through my life, on and off and I am always keen to have a look around and check out what has changed since the last time.

Here is the Hamilton Lake or Lake Rotoroa - in all the years that I have lived in Hamilton I have never seen the lake water level so low. In fact I couldn't believe just how dry the Waikato is and how brown the grass is.

This photo is looking up to the cafe at the lake which has been there forever although it is definitely looking different since the last time I was here.

I called into The Base Shopping Centre - I had never been before although I did see them start to build it. This was a little freaky for me as our family lived there at one stage when it was an RNZAF Base. The school got relocated and all the buildings gone - all the memories of those times got challenged yesterday sitting in the mall, knowing that everything had gone and this replaced it. It somehow feels like those times never existed at all apart from in my mind.

Check back soon to see what I am up to next and please leave a comment - I enjoy reading them. Until next time...

Happy stitching everyone.

The unpacking continues ...

Hi everyone,

Wow, doesn't time fly when you aren't looking! I don't know where the time has gone since my last post but I can say I have been very busy.

We did indeed move during the school holidays and I find it hard to believe we have been in Tauranga several weeks already. The cats are settling in as you can see from the photo, although they are sticking very close to the house.

Frosty on window seat in new house.

Everything went very smoothly and the biggest drama through everything was I stuffed the battery in my car. It was my fault and I can't blame anyone else ... but a new battery later and we are off again. I don't ever recall having to replace a battery in any of the cars that I have owned, so I think I have done very well through the years to have to replace one now.

Our daughter has started school at her new college last week and was quick to tell me all about her new friends when I picked her up later that day. It is good seeing her having the confidence to move on with things though, as the move has been tough for her as she was too little to remember us moving to Whangarei twelve years ago.

I have to confess that I have not done much in terms of anything quilty since the last post, with moving and everything. Not only have we downsized the property but the house as well, and I do not have a separate space for my sewing like I did in Whangarei but are sharing the guest room.

My sewing space in the corner of the guest room. There is a lovely view out to the street from the front window - nothing like watching the comings and goings of the neighbourhood.

I visited a local quilt shop here in Tauranga that has a stitching group on Thursdays, I went along last week and are looking forward to returning this week. However, I digress. I need to get a move on with the triptych for my Whangarei group, as I haven't done anything on this project since before leaving Whangarei.

We have had class confirmations for Symposium 2013 in Taupo. I have got into two of Michele Hills classes, I am absolutely rapt. I need to get myself organised and start getting things together. Maybe the visits to the local quilt shop can help here.

Well that is all for now, come back soon to see how I have got on with everything.

Until then happy stitching everyone,
Cheers Donna-Maree

Progress ...

Don't you just love it when life is just chugging along and then suddenly the gear changes and things go up a notch. That is me at the moment, I have just been cruising along here in Whangarei looking after the house, daughter and cats. Suddenly there is a house to look at in Tauranga and time is of the essence here, but next week is getting kind of busy. I am not sure how I am going to fit everything in, but I will try. 

As I mentioned in the last post I emailed for the corrections for the wonky stars. I have had a reply from Cheryl asking for my mailing address, I have responded to this - so the instructions for the wonky stars should be on their way soon.

In the meantime I have made the alterations to a couple of blocks - it was a colour placement thing - I didn't like the greens or lights right next door to each other.

I am happy with this block now. This is bock one and it is ready for the next step, which will probably be being sandwiched ready for quilting.

The next thing I am going to work on, is getting the applique ready for blanket stitch. I think I will do this by hand. Soccer practice starts tonight for the season and there is going to be two practices per week - a lot of sitting around time for me while I am waiting for our daughter - awesome stitching time.

Will let you know how I am getting on ...

Happy stitching everyone

Donna-Maree

House Sampler Update

When I was checking out the website for Country Quilts in Canada, where this quilt originally came from, I saw a corrections tab and clicked on it. There are three corrections for the original pattern of this quilt. What a fantastic idea, having a place where corrections to early patterns can be found. 

Anyway I am deflecting - I found that there is a correction for the wonky stars. I have emailed for the corrections and when I get them, I should be able to remake my wonky stars which is great.

I love the wonky stars idea but I didn't love mine! I am checking out the other corrections and making sure that they are noted on my pattern pieces for future reference.

Here are my wonky stars and if you look closely you can see that they are not true rectangles but are some funny shape!

I need to see if I have some fabrics similar to these so I can make some more wonky stars.

Check back soon to see what I am doing next.

Cheers

Donna-Maree

And the decision is ...

The quilt that I am going to focus on is ... House Sampler BOM Quilt

I was working on this quilt a long time ago. In fact it was the first BOM that I purchased. I saw it at Calico Christmas and instantly fell in love with it. It was on The Quilters Cabin stand and I signed up immediately. The pattern is from Country Quilts in Canada by Cheryl Wall HERE is the link to the website.

Yesterday I had my friend Leeann over and we were talking about it and I grabbed it off the shelf and laid it out on the floor. I knew that I had nearly completed the top but didn't realise how close to finishing it was. Leeann and I discussed what needed to be completed and some changes that I would like made.

Here is the quilt laid out on the floor, and looking at it from this perspective I really like it, up close though the houses are BIG! There is some applique still to be done, although most of the piecing has been done.

Did I mention that I started this a long long time ago. I still like the quilt but now have the confidence to make changes to suit myself. I have done some unpicking of a few things that I want moved around. My wonky stars are looking really sad, they didn't work too well. Trying to figure out what I am going to do to fix them.

Instead of packing it up, I left it on the floor overnight but unfortunately had to pick it up as land agents where coming through the house this morning. 

Leeann and I discussed the quilting of the quilt and I think that I will do QAYG (quilt as you go). Quilting portions of the quilt and then joining them together as a whole. I am feeling motivated to get this completed. I would love to see this quilt on the wall before we move - wouldn't that be amazing!