Harakeke

I made this wall hanging for my very good friend who turned

50 yesterday.  Went to Raglan for the day to celebrate with an

Italian lunch.  Had a great day even though the storm that blew driving

there made me wonder what I was doing out.  The trip home was better

as the weather had cleared and you would never believe it had been so

bad.  Took this photo on hubbies camera as he has mine with him.

It is not as good as mine.  The colours aren't quite right.

The Hairdresser

My hairdresser who has become a friend over the 16 or17 years

I have been going to her, is fighting the big C. 

For over a year I have been trying to decide what to make 

for her and it came to me in the middle of the

 night about 3 weeks ago.

My inspiration was a crazy patch wall hanging with a photo in

the centre.  I searched the internet and found this print which 

is called "The Hairdresser".  

I gave it to her today and she was thrilled.  It is going to hang in

pride of place in her hair studio.  

She looked at it all carefully and picked the little details

 I had added that I felt represented her

.  Rosalie has lost all her hair again and this time it may not grow 

back again but she still looks good with her new wig 

and her positive attitude.

Quilt Badge

After nearly losing my WQC badge several times through it falling off my jacket, I decided to make something to pin it to.  I joined Auckland Patchworkers and Quilters Guild at Calico Christmas so now belong to 2 quilting groups.  This little quilt badge can be pinned to whatever clothing I am wearing and it is my favourite colours.

Pike River Mine disaster

This disaster has affected us all and to help Shirley is

co-ordinating the making of quilts for the families.

Check out her blog above.

I made 2 heart blocks which are being sent on behalf of

Western Quilters Circle members.

My first quilts

This is my first quilt.

In 2005 a friend of mine took me to a shop to check out

teddy bear making classes.  This quilt was hanging on the

wall.  I walked out of the shop with the pattern as it had a Border Collie

on it.  For my birthday, hubby gave me the kitset and I started the blocks.

A work friend came over and showed me how to piece it together.  

I quilted it in the ditch with invisible thread.

After that I decided I needed to do some classes and 

went to "Ohio Stars and Courthouse Steps" with Anne Herrick

in Avondale.  It was great to learn some good techniques and my patchwork

and quilting journey began and is still going strong 5 years later.

I still love this one but I look at all the mistakes I made back then.

I decided after quilting this one that I was a piecer not a quilter.

Since then I have learnt to quilt on my Janome MC6600,  Well worth the

overtime to pay for it.

Blue 'n' White Challenge

Another challenge from the Halberg Group Challenge.  The theme this time was blue & white and we were supplied with 3, 2.5 inch strips of fabric.  We could add as many fabrics as we required keeping to the blue and white theme.  The finished project could be any size or shape and any style or technique could be used.

I got a little ambitious with mine this time and used my EQ7 to design the layout.  I wanted to do some stitchery and piecing.  I found some flower stitchery patterns on the internet and started.  The ambitious part for me was this challenge was over the winter months when I  suffer from SAD (Seasonal affective disorder).  I started with great gusto but tailed off and missed the finishing deadline.  It is completed finally and I am really pleased with the finished quilt.

And it has  passed the cat quality test by Jake.

Wall Hanging

One of my work mates is leaving to return to South Africa.

She has been great to work with and I am sad she is leaving.  

I wanted to make her something to remember me and NZ by 

so made this wall hanging using a Jenny Hunter design from

a workshop I attended last year.

She loved it.