Western Quilters Circle Annual Quilt Show

This weekend is the Western Quilters Annual Show at Kelston Community Centre, Cnr Awaroa Road  & Great North Road.

There will be over 100 pieces on show, the Hoffman Challenge, Merchants and Cafe with lots of home baking.

The show runs from Friday to Sunday 10am to 4pm daily.

Entry is $5.00 - $3.00 for seniors

Too Pooped

Since 2005 we have been going away for a weeks holiday.  Initally

we stayed at a Bach right on the lake front of Lake Taupo. 

 That year I started the following Cross stitch

Stuart gave this to me for my birthday in 2003, I think.  

We thought it looked like our cat Forrest.  

This year I finally finished it.  

It is now a memorial to Forrest

 who died too young. (Feb 2002 to 19 Sep 2009)

Valentine ATC's

The February theme for ATC's at WQC was Valentine.

I wasn't going to the meeting but decided to make some and

posted them to Annette to take along.

I kept the one on the right and when I see Annette on Friday

I will get the 2 that mine were swapped for.

Had a wonderful week at Matarangi Beach last week

and now half way through my second weeks holiday at home.

Haven't managed to do any patchwork but have completed

the cross stitch I have been working on for the past 6 years.

Cushions as requested

Our friends Arnie and Karen got engaged at the end of last year and we gave them the last swing seat Stuart made before his back got so bad.  It had been sitting in the weather for a couple of years but they were keen and took it home. I promised them cushions for Christmas and they requested themes. Arnie wanted a stag and Karen a horse.  Here are there cushions on their swing seat which they stained and put on their deck.

I found this lovely horse print and put on the back of them both.  I had hoped to find a deer print but didn't in time. Today I went to Ascot Lane with Wendy`to show them the  WQC raffle quilt (they donated the fabric) and there hanging on a stand was the perfect deer print. Oh well never mind, they loved their

cushions as they were presented.

Tablerunner

I made this tablerunner for my agility and good friend Cheryl

for her birthday.  I used some of the fabric left over from 

the quilt I made her.

The applique block came from the book "Hop to It"  by

Edyta Sitar.  The block is called "Spring Reel" 

Another Wall Hanging

I have completed another wall hanging.

This one is a birthday present for my pen pal

who lives in Adelaide.  We have been corresponding

by writing letters the old fashioned way since I was at high school. 

This where I say that I left high school xx years ago.  It is double

figures but I prefer not to count up as it is rather scary

for a person who couldn't see how they would manage the

5 year training course, let alone leave after 16 years and 

then return again after 4.5 years to do another more than

10 years and still counting.

  Last year we moved to emails. 

I traced the design and cut out all my pieces to

discover I had traced the layout design which wasn't

to scale.  I had done too much to start again and continued

and it turned out an inch smaller than intended.

I even tried some different quilting on this and I am very 

pleased with the outcome.  I hope she likes it.

Now to wrap it and post it.

My sewing room

This is probably the cleanest and tidiest my sewing space has been in a while.  As I was finally getting the inset table top I wanted for my sewing machine, I decided to use the opportunity to spring clean and sort the area.  The windows are so clean that you can actually see through them.  In the process of scrubbing the walls and floor, I remembered all the time I spent painting both when the house was first built in 2000.  Hard to believe we have lived in the house for 10 years. How did that happen?  We lived in a caravan for 4.5 years before that.

Well here it is completed.  Doesn't it look so neat

and tidy.  Just as well the cupboard door wasn't open

as my spring clean did not extend that far.

And look at the view.  I look in to a lovely mature

Rimu tree and other native bush.  Note the home made mosquito
screens so we can leave the windows open as the mosquito's are big
out here.