Serendipity Design

Hi Again

2010-12-10T07:28:00.001+13:00

It has been a while since I have last posted. I have only been ready to share some sad news in the last few days. In August my very loved Noah passed on, he was my sewing buddy and very loved. I still miss him still after more than three]mthsn. the errors in my typing are not me they are my new little buddy who is making typing this very difficult.

Welcome to our World “Puck”

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Puck loves the keyboard0 .and the screen and every few minutes comes over for a cuddle purring loudly. She certainly stays close and does not leave my side. Her vital statistics are Puck is a domestic long haired tabby and white born the 27/09/2010 which makes her 10 weeks old and her weight is 900 grams. It is very difficult to get a get a good photo as she rarely stops moving.

Puck name comes from Shakespeare’s Midsummer's Nights Dream and the character is described as “a clever and mischievous elf and personifies the trickster or the wise knave” Our little Puck certainly fits that description.

Two finishes in the last two weeks I will post photos when Puck lets me.

Happy stitching to all

As promised to Chooky Blue

2010-11-12T15:24:00.001+13:00

This is only some of my cross stitches I have at least 30 about 6 on display the others are all carefully packaged away in the top of my wardrobe.

These first three are one for each of my three daughters.

The last two are from my sampler stage. Almost all of the cross stitches are done on fine count Belgium linen. The every day stitchery's that stay out all year are under glass, the seasonal ones are quite often left exposed without glass.

Happy stitching Jeannette

Another finish

2010-11-12T15:15:00.001+13:00

In the last week I have added the borders to this, and of course had to remake the backing to fit as well. Hopefully I will quilt this over the next few weeks.

Happy stitching Jeannette

Scrappy Hunters Star

2010-11-02T17:20:00.001+13:00

A finish at long last.

A very scrappy red, cream to white Hunters star. Finished size 60 x 60 inches. Of to be quilted on Monday by myself at the long armed quilters. I think I am going to quilt it in swirly shapes in a dark cream or red thread.

This was a block that I had wanted to do for a while so I asked the Mishmash Busters group to make me some blocks and send them to me.

A lot of these materials came out of my stash and a lot of the materials were left over from the Red Beastie.

In the next few days I will be posting photographs of another red quilt that i need to finish the borders on.

Happy stitching

Very Absent Blogger, leave of absence

2010-09-02T14:56:00.001+12:00

Hi to everyone

Apologies again for not blogging regularly. But I wish to claim a leave of absence from the blogging world, as I am starting fulltime work again tomorrow for the foreseeable future.

When the time permits I will post photos of any new designs or projects I am able to finish.

Goodbye for now.

Absent Blogger

2010-07-07T08:54:00.002+12:00

My apologies to ever reads my blog. Life has been very hectic here since mid may. I have had a birthday and have reached half a century, and feel no different as to be expected. to celebrate my birthday my children thru a party for me and organised everything to guest list and the catering. On the day of the party the boys stayed home to cook while the girls took me out for the day. As part of the added pleasure for the weekend my brother and his wife and two small children came down for four days and stayed with us as well. It was a very busy couple of weeks.

I have accomplished very little quilting over the last few weeks as I fell over and injured my shoulder so it is only in the last few days I have managed to get anything done. My latest and only finish since the Red Beastie is this, it is hand appliquéd, machined pieced and quilted on my sewing machine at home. I loved doing the quilting on my machine and plan do do another as soon as possible.

If you zoom onto the second phot you might be able to see the quilting, some of the stitches are not very even but it is all free motion quilting and I certainly got better the more I did.
The only other preparation I have done for quilting is the preparation of the blocks for one of the swaps I am a member of. It is my turn for the month of July and have requested the block Hunters Star in scrappy reds, creams, whites and tans to gold. In the last week when I have had time I have played with my scraps and completed a few blocks. This quilt is going to be very different from the inspiration photo I found on the web a while ago. Must go and start work I will certainly be back soon
Happy stitching from Jeannette

A quick note

2010-05-16T19:09:00.001+12:00

A quick Hullo to you all.

I am very proud to say The Red Beastie or The Road to Insanity won a ribbon at our local quild exhibition. Without all of the contributions of the red material sent to me from around the world it would not have been possible.

Thank you again to you all for all of your help this ribbon is for you to.

My Apologies

2010-05-06T17:31:00.001+12:00

Do you remember this

And this

And finally this

This took a very long five days of around five hours per day over five weeks on a long arm quilter.. But it is finally finished every one of those spikes is outline quilted and there is a lot of cross hatching with so many threads to tidy up. It is all abeled bound and ready to put in the quilt exhibition for the next weekend.

Another finish is my hexagon quilt, it is all out of one inch hexagons I certainly loved making this but now my fingers are rather sore as I do not use a thimble.

These quilts are the reason I have not been blogging there just has not been enough hours in the week.

Happy stitching to you all I must go off and prepare dinner for the family.

First loves and new Pages

2010-03-22T08:16:00.001+13:00

I have returned to a first love this week and started making some clothes for myself and my daughter Gabrielle.

So far I have made

one Skirt

cut out two others

The new pages is that my DH has decided to go into business for himself, something neither he or I would have though was on the agenda 17 years ago when we got married. It is rather scary but after the last year we are looking forward with optimism. DH certainly has the experience after nearly 40 years in the Flower Industry.

Over at Crafty Girls Workshop they asked us to spill the beans, so here goes.

My name is Jeannette

Favourite hobby anything with material and fabrics

I seem to be drawn to all patterns and materials depending on my mood, sometimes bright sometimes soft and pretty. I love Fig Tree fabrics and have most of the later ranges. At the moment I am working with some Kafe Fasset and Amy Butler materials for a hand pieced quilt.

I love making clothes and of course quilts

I used to make baby layettes and would love to make more.

I normally sew for the family and have a small pile of gifts ready made distribution

Now that was not to painful to disclose, today I am off to my Monday quilting group to start quilting the Red Beastie, wish me luck.

Happy Stitching Jeannette

I have finished ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

2010-03-14T18:48:00.001+13:00

I have finally finished the Red Beastie Top here it is in all its glory.

I am very surprised that it is sitting surprisingly flat. The next task is to make the back on Tuesday and start quilting it early next week. I am not sure how I am going to quilt it yet I will need to think about it for a few days. Any suggestions would be welcome on how to quilt it would be appreciated. As I have been in my studio all day I must away to sit and talk to the family.

Happy stitching from Jeannette

Changes in the wind and an Update

2010-03-13T16:59:00.001+13:00

It has been an interesting week here, I have had two telephone interviews and two face to face interviews for three positions I have applied for. Unfortunately they are all full time so if I get one of them not much stitching will be happening in the future.

Today is the first time in more than a week that I have been able to get out and work on the “Red Beastie”, this quilt has taken so long and is really trying my patience. I have managed to do a incredible amount of reverse stitching. A lot of the larger pieces have more than one seam sometimes two on the bias, so I have been using a lot of pins and spray starch to help keep the shapes. My apologies for the quality of the photograph. I have managed to finish to sides and quarter of the inner edge, so not much more to go.

To give me a bit of relief I have started cutting out a new quilt, and I need 600 21/2 X 2 1/2 half square triangles. I have completed 120 so a few more to go. I am not planning to do this new quilt in a hurry so I will take my time.

Another finish was this basket, I was testing the pattern for Helen from Hugsnkisses. I love making it it was so much fun all I need to do is fill it with Easter treats. Must go and start preparing dinner

Happy Stitching Jeannette

End of February /March Finishes

2010-03-06T17:07:00.001+13:00

Hi to everyone.

It is the last days of summer here in New Zealand and early autumn. The fruit on the trees is ripening slowly and the leafs have not started changing colour yet. It is a great time of year.

On the finishing front I have finished the Mish Mash Stash busters block for March and the centre of Surprisingly Red. I love doing this block of radiating flying geese. Every member of the group choose a colour and of course I choose red as I had so many small pieces left from Surprisingly Red.

Well here it is as promised the centre of the Surprisingly Red. It looks good in the photo and sits relatively flat. Over the next few weeks I will assemble the top ready for quilting, It is still my aim to finish the top by the 1st April. I have been very disciplined and only working on this at the moment.

Have a look who is visiting us for the weekend young Flash from next door. I call her my fence buddy, as I reach thru the fence and pat her at least three or four times a day when her owners are at work, and we play chasing up and down the fence line. She has just turned three and is full of energy all of the time.

Cody loves her coming to stay as he loves to sleep in her basket. That is Cody’s basket the cane one at the back which fits him her basket is only a quarter of the size of his one and he certainly does not fit in it. When Flash comes to stay her two cats move in as well, so we end up with two dogs an four cats, feed time is chaotic as they all need to be separated as the dogs bully the cats into leaving their plates.

Must go it is feed time at the zoo here today, Happy stitching from Jeannete

Promised Photos

2010-02-22T16:25:00.001+13:00

I have got over my “funk” from this morning.

I did my work for the day, went out and did a few errands, brushed Noah my cat and made a star of two. So in all a productive day even with a bad start. On the daughter front she is feeling so much better we are hoping it is a 24 hour virus.

I am at half way point for the stars number 6 is finished. I am going to try and balance the colour movement around the stars so the next six will take a lot more time, but I am on target for getting them finished for the end of the month.

Happy Stitching to everyone.

I am Cross, and a big moan

2010-02-22T11:25:00.001+13:00

This morning I posted on my blog and prepared to go off to my Monday stitching group which is a 35 minute drive away in one direction, in great anticipation of having a great gossip with my friends and getting a bit of hand stitching done.

I had only just arrived to receive a call from my youngest to say she is feeling unwell and wants to come home from school. I love her dearly but why today does she have to get sick, so I pack up my car again leave the lovely homemade cinnamon buns for morning tea at stitching and drive back into the city to pick her up and bring her home. I am now very cross and grumpy, and are now at home preparing to start my accounting job that I do from home. Normally I only do a couple of hours on a Monday but now I am at home I may as well get stuck in.

I am so grumpy, I left home at 9am and was home again by 10.45, so all I achieved this morning was to take the car for a run, it will now be along week until next Monday.

A No Photographs Star Update

2010-02-22T08:38:00.001+13:00

I have been so good, I have been working hard on the twelve stars for around the centre and so far I am up to number four, with eight to go. Some of the stars I am not currently happy with so I will probably keeping making the stars until I get 12 the meet with my satisfaction.

I am sorry about no photos I will try and get the camera of my daughter and photograph them later in the week. These stars are still taking an amazing amount of fabric, as they are all foundation pieced and you need to start with a larger piece than expected. I have had a few stars that I have needed to unpicked as the piece of fabric I started with was not big enough.

Thanks again to all of the donated fabric with out your help this project would not have been possible.

Happy Stitching Jeannette

An update

2010-02-16T17:24:00.001+13:00

I have finished the centre and it has been a challenge. I am quite amazed that it sits flat with no puckers.

Without all of the generous donations from all of my blogging friends this would not have been possible. Now over the next week I need to start the stars all twelve of them and join them together for the next ring around. That is the dark red ring around the centre star that is my next target.

Happy Stitching from Jeannette

I have finished, and a thank you.

2010-02-12T13:38:00.001+13:00

Thank you to all those king bloggers that sent me reds for my Surprisingly Red quilt. Do you remember this photo I have finished all of my red spikes, and now can start the 12 stars. But that will be tomorrow as I need to do some house work.

Thanks Jeannette

February finishes

2010-02-07T13:56:00.002+13:00

Do you remember this photo from a few weeks ago ? my aim for the month of February is to finish piecing all of the spikey bits and at least 6 of the central stars but hopefully all 12. I would like to get this quilt top finished by early April as I would like to enter the quilt into our local exhibition which is in May, which me luck I think I am going to need it it to get it finished and completed by then.
I am over a third of the way thru the spikey bits so I am on target. Off to my room to sew so more talk to you soon.

I love Mail

2010-02-02T08:03:00.001+13:00

Look what arrived in the mail today, two parcels of fabric from the states donated kindly for my Simply Red. I am not sure if I have told you but a friend is also joining me on the Simply Red trail. Once a week we are going to get together to make the quilt. It will be interesting to see how much stitching we get down with all of the chat and laughter. The aim is to share our reds to get a better variation of spikes. I will keep you posted to show everybody the progress

Best wishes and Happy Stitching from Jeannette

Blog Draw

2010-02-01T08:27:00.001+13:00

Over here in New Zealand it is the 1st February, and it is the day of my promised blog draw of the Red Delicious Blocks. At final count I had four blocks un used, two completed and the other two with a small amount of stitching still required. So here goes here are your random numbers.

Here are your random numbers:

3 6 1 2

Timestamp: 2010-01-31 19:03:16 UTC

3 Ariane

6 Terry from Terry's Treasures

1 Wendy Ford

2 Kerry

Congratulations to you all, I will be in contact over the next few days.

I am off to stitching for the day bye for now.

New Fabrics

2010-01-23T09:40:00.000+13:00

Look at these beauty's, I splurged out on my self and bought some new fabrics.

The pinks are for my Joseph's Coat and the blues are for a new quilt I are currently playing with when I should be working on Simply Red.

I have completed around ten blocks for Josephs' Coat and now the fabrics have arrived I can start working on it again. The pinks I have just purchased range are Kaffe Fasset to spots and checks all in bright pinks thinks that I am missing in my stash.

Best wishes to all.

P.S Please spread the word and remember my

Red Delicious Blocks Giveaway

Please pop along and join in the fun I will draw the winner on the 1st February.

Happy Stitching Jeannette

Please any one ?

2010-01-21T09:01:00.000+13:00

I have had a suggestion from Elaine at

http://soggybottomflats.blogspot.com/

that I ask for donations of red scraps for my Simply Red in an earlier post. I need pieces of 100% cotton material no larger than five inches square. All shades of red I would love from brick brown red to pink reds more the merrier. It does not matter if the pieces are not square or even cut on the bias as the whole quilt is paper pieced. I have even used left over bindings for the spikes so that means as long as the piece is at least five inches long and not less than 2 1/2 inches wide I can use it.

So far I have used all of the red scraps out of my scrap bins and are begging friends for more. Please if you would be so generous as to want to send me red pieces I would be pleased. It would be exciting to see where in the world they all come from. Either leave a comment or email me directly for my address.

Thanks in anticipation Jeannette

Red Delicious Blocks Giveaway

2010-01-19T13:37:00.000+13:00

Hi to everyone, catching up on my errant emails I have noticed a few different people would like to inherit my finished and unfinished Red Delicious Blocks.As there have been more than one person that would like the blocks I am going to make it fair and run a giveaway but with conditions.

The conditions are that you will finish the blocks within six months and send me a photograph of the finished item so I can post about it. I have numbered the available blocks so you will get to choose which block you would like. Currently there is three blocks available, so three lucky people can inherit these orphan blocks.

Thanks Jeannette

Missing emails

2010-01-19T10:31:00.001+13:00

Please bear with me for a few days. My apologies for any comments or emails I have not responded to. I normally use Outlook but having a look on Yahoo, I have found many unanswered emails stuck in the system. I am going to endeavour to reply to them all today.

You cannot have a post with out a photo so here is the photo of the fantastic quilt from Ariane that I received as my advent gift. Thanks Ariane you were so generous and yes Noah my cat loves it as well I have to leave it over the back of the chair where he does not sit so he can not sit on it during the day. At night in the evening I put it over my lap and then he will sit on it then.

Thanks Jeannette

An Interesting Few Days

2010-01-17T18:24:00.001+13:00

Hi to everyone.

I have not spent a lot of time sewing at my machine over the last week. but I have managed to finish one small item, and made progress on two other items.

Progress us certainly been made on Simply Red. I am down two sides and have completed the corners on two sides as well. I have seemed to get over the hurdle that was in my mind and now are flowing quite well.

I have stopped Simply Red for a few days to play with some of my Red Delicious blocks. I am in the middle of designing a shoulder bag to take out for the day to carry all my quilting needs including spaces for cutting boards, rotary cutters, a drink bottle and a cup. This is the front so far. All the pieces are cut and prepare and now I need a few hours to complete the project. Around the appliqué I have stippled and had a lot of fun. I have a few other blocks appliqué and at least one of them is going to be used in this project. As I am going I am trying to write the pattern so its is taking longer than I hope.

Something exciting for our family this week is we bought a new car, In the photo it looks as though it is red but truly it is pink. It has been interesting when I tell family and friends we have bought a pink car ther reactions have been varied the only positive feedback so far has been from a friends eight year old daughter. I am getting to love my new car, but it was certainly hard to see the old red one go we had it for over ten years.

Let me know what you think of pink cars, I am telling the 16 yr old daughter who told us she was not going to travel any where in a pink car we were starting a new trend. I must admit she went out in it today and had now complaints.

Must go and finish dinner Best Wishes to you all Jeannette

Stash Busting Year

2010-01-08T07:42:00.001+13:00

At the beginning of every year I take a stock take of the past year and look towards the new year with joy. As part of this process I tidy and sort the house and my studio. In fact my husband tells me I do this more than once a year he believes that I do it on an on going basis as i am always tidying and making trips to the charity shops with boot loads. This is not true, it is that I put it in the boot of the car and it can take me more than a week or two to deliver it to the charity shop.

In a earlier post I showed some of the projects left unfinished from 2009. When I was doing a stock take of what I had left I realised that this project was started in May 2008. I thought I should be honest about the age of this UFO.

I had not processed very far so this is my target to at least get half thru this by February.

The whole project is foundation pieced and each curve seems to take me along time. To help the process I have gone thru my scrap bins and culled all of the suitable sized and coloured scraps that I can use in this project.

This has caused another delay in piecing because I then decided to re organise the drawers and shelves in my studio. First I went out and bought more plastic drawers so I could re sort the drawers into a tidier system. My drawers are all labelled from 1 1/2 inch to 5 1/2 inch in 1/2 increments. I am now in the process of sorting and ironing all of my scrap bins, it is now the beginning of my third day sorting and tidying,but at least the end is now in sight.

I found when folding the material on my shelves material I had forgotten I had and was over whelmed with love for some of them others I thought to my self what ever had possesed me to by this. . I might call this year my stash busting year as last year was the year of the UFO.

Hi to everyone and happy stitching.

2010 Projects

2010-01-05T11:00:00.001+13:00

Good Morning to all, over the last few days I was doing a stock take of the projects still lingering as UFO’s I am happy to say the above collage shows the quilt tops that need to be machine quilted and the collage below show the quilt tops remaining left unfinished from 2009. Most of these projects are hand work which is still in progress.

My quilting goals for 2010 are to quilt all of these tops, which means one a month and try and finish piecing all of these tops and quilt them.

I am sure that these are easy goals to achieve as long as I stayed focused and determined and do not start to many new projects.

Well here's hoping !!!!!!!

Happy Stitching from Jeannette

Happy new Year to All

2009-12-31T18:01:00.001+13:00

Welcome to 2010, I have entered the new year with only a few unfinished projects one of them I love dearly is Red Delicious a BOM by Esther.

So far I have finished five blocks and are not sure if I am going to finish any more, where I was going to hang it is to small and I do not really have any more wall space to hang it. So as my new start to the year I am going to clean out the cupboards and move on some unfinished projects that I will never finish. I am thinking of giving the unfinished blocks to someone else to finish. Please let me know if you are interested.

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You can email me me directly or leave a comment. Thanks Jeannette

New Designs and Patterns for 2009

2009-12-31T08:08:00.000+13:00

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More finishes

2009-12-27T08:05:00.000+13:00

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Finishes for 2009

2009-12-25T07:54:00.000+13:00

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I have been so spoilt.

2009-12-23T07:44:00.001+13:00

Hi to everyone.

Over the last few days of December I have been opening an advent parcel from Ariane every day, and have had so much joy out of every little goodie.

Even my cat Noah has decided that he likes what Ariane has sent me. Here Noah is sitting on the parcel I get to open on Christmas Day. He has been sitting on this every day for the last week and if he is not on it he has been in the basket beside it that holds all the other goodies for the month.

Yesterday in the mail I also received my secret Santa gift a Christmas table runner and xmas tree decorations.

When I have not been working I have been finishing quilt tops. My December resolution was to try and finish as many quilt tops that I had started to go into the new year with a clean slate.

Meaning this pile of materials and the pattern is now finished as well as the double delight. All backs are pieced and binding are cut. So my new years resolution is to quilt at least one quilt a month. At last count I had more than 12 tops ready to quilt woops this could take me longer than a year. All I have now to finish are my hexagon quilt top, Breast of Friends, Red Delicious and Jacobs Coat, but as these are all hand work in process they will not be finished in December, but my target is February at the latest.

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Over the next few weeks during the celebrations I will not have time to be posting so I am going to pre post a selection of photographs of some of the finishes for 2009.

Merry Christmas to all, and thank you for making the world a smaller place. I have loved over the last year getting to know such a myriad of people from all walks of life and places around the world. You have certainly brightened my days with the never ending support and encouragement that you have given in every comment and email. I do think that if the people that I have meet in the Blog space ran the world I would like to believe there would be no poverty, wars and crimes against humanity.

Merry Christmas to all and Best wishes for the New Year from my family to yours. Jeannette

Pif Parcel

2009-11-30T19:47:00.000+13:00

In the post over the last few weeks I have received many great gifts including my PIF from Vicki.

The PIF include the most fantastic fabric basket a set of coasters and a soap within a crotchet bag. Not in the photo was a coffee sachet that I already have made up and drank.

Over the month of December I will have my advent parcels to open so you will be hearing more from me than ever.

Happy Stitching Jeannette

My Garden

2009-11-28T19:42:00.000+13:00

This year it has been one of the best years in our garden

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Here are a selection of photos showing you what I see as I move out to my Garden studio. We have more than 15 roses throughout the courtyard that all smell fantastic especially early in the morning.
We have stuck with yellow and white roses out here so at night they glow along the fences and around the doors.
It is hard to go to work sometimes as I would rather stay at home and enjoy my garden.
Happy stitching Jeannette

Advent Swap

2009-11-25T15:41:00.000+13:00

Hi To everyone

This is all for me, I am so spoilt. Ariane in the states was my advent swap partner and I do apologise I can not start unwrapping until the first of December not many more days away now.
Happy stitching from
Jeannette

Double Delight Centre Finished

2009-11-21T19:17:00.000+13:00

Hi to everyone
I am finally getting my quilting mojo back, I have finished the centre of the Double Delight and are really pleased.I love the colours an the way the pinks, blues and golds work together.
The borders are my next aim and they will be pieced, I have worked out all of the maths and now need to get down to it.
My aim is by the the end of November which is only a few days away to piece the borders and have them on ready to go and be quilted.

Happy stitching Jeannette

In the mail

2009-11-20T08:27:00.001+13:00

Hi to everyone

I received my antique hexagons as part of the challenge.

Make Do Memories Miniature Quilt Challenge

Deadline 7th May, 2010 To preserve some Vintage Hexagon Blocks

So far I am not sure what I am going to do with them but have many ideas running around in my head.

Happy stitching Jeannette

Mail delivery

2009-11-20T07:56:00.001+13:00

Over the last few weeks I have received many parcel in the mail the first was my Stitchers Angel parcel from Patti in the states. From Patti I received a pin cushion, a xmas quilt and many more things. Thank you Patti for being so generous. My batteries are flat again so I am sorry no photos.

Happy Stitching Jeannette

Double delight

2009-11-19T19:17:00.001+13:00

Hi to everyone,

Did you know it is less than six weeks to Christmas and it is coming to fast for me. Here is the photo I promised you in the last post of the stage I am at with the Double delight, hopefully by the weekend I will be almost finished the secondary block.

Did you hear about the giveaway over at Hawthorne Threads have a look here and or here. I saw the most fantastic material that have been added to my must haves.

Thanks for dropping by Jeannette

November challenges

2009-11-08T17:04:00.001+13:00

Hi to everyone,

I have not been posting as much normal to the pressures of life.

Over the last week I have managed to post out the Advent swap parcel and strat working on the Double delight by Bonnie Hunter that I started last January, It is my aim to complete the quilt top by the end of November. I will post a photo later in the week when the batteries are recharged for the camera.

Another planned finish for this month is a a least two blocks for Breast of friends, I am at least half way thru my blocks and are playing with ideas how to set them out.

Please spare a thought for the all of the young adults that are studying hard for their final exams here in New Zealand. Our youngest Gabrielle is studying hard and is only a week away from her first exam, she certainly is working hard!

Talk to you all again soon Jeannette

A finish

2009-11-02T08:14:00.001+13:00

I finally finished something for October even if here in New Zealand it is the 2 November. I finished it yesterday late in the afternoon on the 1st November. I have made the backing and the binding and now all I need to do is quilt it before Christmas.

Talk to you soon Jeannette

Saturday Baking

2009-10-17T17:36:00.001+13:00

On a Saturday I will often to make the effect to fill the tins for lunches and treats for the week. It is quite often the only time during the week I get free to do this. One of my family's favourite recipes is a lemon cake. It is very easy to make and will not last long in the tins.

The Lemon Cake

4 oz butter

6 oz sugar

Cream together, add two eggs and beat well.

Sift together 6 oz flour, 1 tsp baking powder.

Mix into creamed egg and butter mixture, stir in 4 tablespoons of milk and 1 tablespoon of lemon zest, fold in lightly.

Place in lined loaf tin and place into a cold oven and cook for 30 minutes or until cooked at 370 degrees.

Icing

2 oz icing sugar and lemon juice mix together and spread over cake when it comes out of the oven.

This recipe is such an old one it is still in imperial measurements not the metric measurements we use here in New Zealand today.

Happy Baking Jeannette

Magazines

2009-10-17T14:18:00.001+13:00

Jenny over at Jenny of ELEFANTZ and Elaine posed a question what do you do with your magazines.

I place my name on the front and either stack them beside my chair to browse thru and then finally they are placed in the bookcase.

When there is a project I like I place coloured marker slip in the top and write on the marker a brief description. The next stage, if I are to work on the project in the foreseeable future I will place the magazine in a plastic sealable bag and include all the necessaries to start the project.

I used to keep a notebook beside my bookcase and if I loaned the magazine I would write the name of the person and the magazine vol and page number if there was somenthing I liked in it. It is quite funny when I go back and look in the notebook so many of the magazines have gone to permanent homes somewhere else and I do not miss them. Please let me know what you do with your magazines!!!!

Blog Festival. My all time favourite quilt would be this one which I made with a friend and gave away to another friend in June for a major birthday.

Happy stitching Jeannette

Goodies in the Post

2009-10-12T08:23:00.001+13:00

Look what arrived in the mail yesterday this great fabric from Fat Quarter Shop. Now there is no excuse to finish the quilt for Abbey. All I needed was the lighter of the fabrics but I could not resist the others as well.

Blogger Festival

2009-10-10T09:37:00.001+13:00

Earlier in the year I jumped on board the and I am joining the festival running now.

I was not going to join due to lack of time but I enjoyed it so much last time I am on board. During the festival I came across so many inspiring women and their blogs so here I go again. Please pop over to http://parkcitygirl.blogspot.com/ and visit.

Talk to you soon Jeannette

Half Pint Quilt Along

2009-10-08T12:35:00.000+13:00

For the Half Pint Quilt Along I am going to use scraps after a lot of deliberation. In fact it is going to come out of these drawers, and my stash. The only thing I will need to buy is the background and I am not sure of either white or cream. As I finish projects any thing smaller than 10 inches gets cut and placed in these drawers. I have a set of six drawers but as you can see the 2 1/2 inch draw is full to over flowing, in fact I think all the drawers are in a similar situation. So this must mean I need to make some more scrap quilts. Let me know how you sort your materials I would be very interested to know.

Happy stitching from Jeannette

October Finishes

2009-10-07T16:19:00.000+13:00

My October finishes for the Charming Girls Quilt Club are going to be achievable this month. Do you remember this I am going to finish any thing left over from previous months. No more UFO’s.

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In fact I would like to quilt it as well if that is possible. The pieced quilt is still in blocks and I have changed the aqua and pink after piecing almost all of the blocks. The stars did not seem to be apparent with the colours I had chosen. I just have to wait for the material to arrive from the states to continue. So this month is it it will be finished.

So this month I am going to finish

Abbeys quilt,
the mish mash stash busters block
start on the Half Pint Quilt along.

Happy Stitching from Jeannette

Very Generous Gifts

2009-10-04T15:59:00.000+13:00

Earlier in the year I participated in Christmas 3 challenge

and Di very generously sent me a gift of three very useful items, a nail file a quick unpick and a Christmas gift card. I certainly needed the first two as my early quick un pick is no longer doing it job and I was going out to get a replacement in the next few days, and my nails were in unruly state.

In the next day or so I will post what I am going to finish in October and the fabrics I have chosen for the

Happy stitching from Jeannette

A Quick post.

2009-10-02T13:28:00.000+13:00

Hi to everyone,

This is to show that I have got some stitching done this last month and I remembered to photograph it before I posted it. These small gifts have been sitting on my work table waiting to be photographed for another swap I joined. I will not say what swap it is so I do not let the surprise be spoiled.

I loved making these little treasures and have now set up a production line beside my chair at night to make some more. They are all very easy and small enough to carry around and work on when I get a chance.

Happy Stitching from Jeannette

Day two of the road trip

2009-10-01T18:30:00.000+13:00

This morning we woke to more rain, in fact torrential rain with a heavy rain warning for the whole of New Zealand. Well you cannot do much about the weather so we got into the car and continued on our way north. Before leaving Taupo I visited the local Patchwork shop called “Clever Hands” where I was very restrained and did not purchase any thing. After the short shopping excursion we travelled to Rotorua where we had lunch an visited another patchwork shop called “Cottage Flair” where I weaken and bought some fat quarters.

The whole reason for the trip north to Whakatane was to visit my brother and his wife and their two small children of four and three who we have not seen for more than eighteen months.

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After the long trip we got to spend two great days with them all talking walking along the beach and of course playing with the children. I forgot to mention swimming of course and fishing for the hardier of us.

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Then on Monday it was a long trip home of some eight hours driving and back to work on Tuesday.

Unfortunately no stitching for a least a week but may be tomorrow I will be able to catch up, or may be not as it is our youngest 16th birthday and we have dinner for us all tomorrow night tp prepare.

Happy stitching from Jeannette

Time Away and A Road trip

2009-09-30T17:54:00.001+13:00

Thursday post came and went as I was on the road. On Thursday we travelled half way up the length of the North Island to Taupo. It is around 193 miles over varied terrain. It rained the whole way up and I was hoping to photograph the volcanoes Mt Ruapehu and Tongariro on our way up but this was not possible. On thursday night we stayed in a very nice motel that we have stayed in before right on the lakefront in fact with doors on to a balcony. When the weather is sunny you can see the volcanoes in the distance but not this year.

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The dark objects are the black swans that swim past and feed off the bottom. If you zoom on to the photo with the green grass in it you can see the steam from the thermal activity rising into the air. The water and the ground is warm just along the path right out side the motel.

Talk to you again soon with more images of our time away. Jeannette

Fathers Day Images

2009-09-22T14:34:00.000+12:00

As promised this is the place where we went fishing on Fathers Day

This is about ten minutes drive from our house around the harbour from us. Some where in the water is a small penguin fishing amongst the rocks and seaweed. He or she swam all around the rock while we were there and every tome we went to take photo it would dive under the water to fish.

Love to you all Jeannette

Charming Girls Update

2009-09-19T14:30:00.000+12:00

it is almost the end of the month and I have finished

The Hugs Swap items

The Stitchers Angel swap pieces

My railroad quilt kit from Hancock's

Hurrah three out of the four listed items for September are finished. Next month I am going list the achievable and not the achievable.

Kelly has issued a challenge for us to use the letters of your name to list the characteristics of your personality. Most unfair I have told Kelly as she has a short name but here goes for me.

J Just, joyful and jolly
e Energetic, where craft and family are concerned
a Ambitious sometimes too ambitious with the time available
n Numbers I have a phobia about them, so why do I do patchwork and design my own quilts which need maths and do a job in accounts.
n Normal if there is such a person
e Easily lead a stray
t Tolerant
t Tenacity, I have the tenacity to work thru tough times
e Experimental with new challenges

Happy Stitching to everyone Jeannette

Thursday Update

2009-09-17T13:59:00.001+12:00

Hi to everyone, The weeks have gone by so fast and not as much stitching was accomplished as I expected or had hoped.

Over the weekend I went on quilting retreat and managed to piece to quilt tops. One I was working on over the week before and the blocks were partially pieced I had a mmassive problem with the setting squares and corners my maths was very erratic and I did not work it out correctly the first time so I miss cut at least half a metre of material of a fabric that is no longer available so it was necessary to choose another out of my large stash and use that. The colours are reds gold's and black with Asian inspired fabrics included. .

The second quilt is a railroad kit in heritage material very easyy to piece and I thoroughly enjoyed it. This quilt top took around 6 hours to cut and piece and do a lot of laughing and eating while on retreat. Not the best photo I do apologise I will take a better one once I have quilted it hopefully next week.

The other finish in the last week was the Hug Swap gifts all done and in the post, and I forgot to take photos.

The other finish was the block for the mish mash stash busters group I am a member of again I forgot to photo graph the block before I sent it.

You can tell by the last two sentences my brain is in a mush, I have a combination heavy head cold and hay fever so my brain is not working very well, in fact I am only managing to get work and household things done with any effectiveness.

Must go and catch up with household things Happy stitching from Jeannette

Fathers Day In New Zealand, so many prize draws.

2009-09-06T18:40:00.001+12:00

Hi Everyone today it was Fathers Day here in New Zealand. So as a surprise Gabrielle the youngest child organised that we would take her Dad fishing. We packed a picnic lunch and drove around the harbour where we were able to spend a few glorious hours fishing off the rocks. It was a bright sunny day with just a light southerly wind. The fish were not really biting but he did catch a small rock cod for the cats at home.

There are so many prize draws happening at the moment they are here and here, every body is so generous. No photos of the quilt i am working on at the moment I will edit this post and place the photos tomorrow when it is light again for me to take the photos. Best wishes to you all and Happy stitching.

Not A Thursday Post

2009-09-05T12:00:00.001+12:00

Hi to everyone

I just have to tell you about the Fig Tree Club, over at The Fat Quarter Shop and Rossville Quilts in the US they are running the Fig Tree Club. Please pop over and have a look. I had joined but had to pull out to external circumstances as explained on a early post.

Today I am working on a new quilt and almost three quarters of the blocks are pieced. I am working in reds, gold's and blacks not my normal colours and will post a photo tomorrow.

Talk to you again soon

August Finish Updates

2009-09-01T08:12:00.002+12:00

Hi to everyone,

Towards the end of the month I was thinking that I had not finished nearly anything on my list of challenges from the first of the month. But here goes this is what I finished for the month of August.

* Three new hot water bottle covers for the Christmas 3 challenge

* The tea towel for the tea towel swap for Kelly

* The bindings on both of the small quilts seen here

* A partially pieced quilt for Abbey

The only thing on my list not completed was the writing of the quilt pattern for the baby quilt.

For the month of September I am not going to make such a long list to complete but here goes this is what I want to finish in September.

To finish Abbeys partially pieced quilt
The Hugs Swap items
The Stitchers Angel swap pieces
A weekend long retreat in which I would like to start my railroad quilt kit from Hancock's

The list isn’t to bad this month and I certainly think it will be achievable, lets hope so. Talk to you again soon

Happy Stitching from Jeannette

Thursday Update

2009-08-22T17:52:00.000+12:00

Hi Everyone

This seems to be my regular thing now, on a Thursday I have a few hours to myself and are able to photograph and update my blog. Unfortunately it is now Saturday. As promised here is the photos of the quilt that came off the quilting machine on Monday, it took two long days and I will still have to quilt the cream areas either by hand or by home sewing machine I have to decide.

The other thing that happened this week was we were taken out for dinner by a group of people that my husband used to work for. While we were out they presented our family a gift of appreciation and my daughter Gabrielle the most beautiful flowers each. More than forty people came and we felt very special, the evening came completely out of the blue as we thought we were going out dinner with a very small group of special friends. The florist who organised it even had someone who was a client of my husbands from 39 years ago when he first joined the company.

Talk to you again soon

Saturday Update

2009-08-22T15:23:00.001+12:00

I have been having problems using Window live and publishing my posts my apologies for this. Do you remeber this pile of materials Well it transformed it self into this, all the pieces are cut and since I took the photo the design has changed a little and now the brown star is more centralised. Later in the week I will post another photo showing progress in the piecing of the alternate block. This photo does not really do it justice.

Talk to you soon.

P.S My tea towel will be in the post on Monday for Kelly.

“I have a notion Giveaway”

2009-08-19T16:18:00.001+12:00

Hi everyone have look here for great giveaway and I will come back later to show everyone the quilt I quilted on Monday. Happy Stitching for now Jeannette

Update

2009-08-16T15:52:00.001+12:00

Hi to everyone I have spent the last two evenings working on the Charming Girls Tea towel swap and a small Christmas inspired embroidery for the front of a bag. The tea towel is ready for posting so I will show a photo when I know Kelly has received it. The bag embroidery will most likely be finished to night and hopefully sewn into a bag tomorrow.

The other things I have returned to working on is this pile of materials I have now completed stage one of creating very small 3 inch 9 patches and Have pieced almost all of the secondary block parts but I are not happy with the colour layout and have had to go back to the design board. Over the next few days I will post a photo showing how I think it will look now with the colour changes.

Talk to you soon Jeannette

Scraps and scraps and more scraps

2009-08-14T17:19:00.001+12:00

Randi over at http://ihavetosay.typepad.com/randi/ is having a draw for a giveaway for her scraps. Please go over and enter

Lists and Challenges

2009-08-13T13:37:00.001+12:00

Hi to everyone, I have had not a lot of progress thsi week, well not a lot of time at the sewing machine. I also think I am along way behind on the list of things I thought I could achieve this month. The good news is I have sewn on and completed the bindings on two quilts and I spent six hours on Monday quilting a quilt op on a long arm quilting machine, which I hope to be able to show you next week, I did not manage to finish the quilt and have another hour or so next Monday. The two finished quilts I am very pleased with.

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We have had an interesting month or so and things are starting to settle down and we are into more of a routine. Gabrielle our youngest is about to start her first set of exams for the year and is studying hard, so this weekend we will get out and spend family time in between the study. I will talk to you soon Jeannette

Great Giveaway

2009-08-08T16:04:00.001+12:00

Ht to every one over at

Mid-Ohio Quilter

there is a great giveaway being hosted. Vicki has designed these great toys and the pattern is available over at Moda Bake Shop -

Talk to you soon

anniversary

2009-08-07T13:37:00.001+12:00

Terry is celebrating a blogging anniversary , pop over and have a look

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Talk to you soon.

Oh my goodness

2009-08-06T15:32:00.001+12:00

Hi to everyone.

With my new job I get to have Thursdays off to spend catching up on things at home and spend some time sewing if I can. Today I managed to sew the binding on the two quilts I quilted last week and will sew them in the evenings over the next week and I prepared a new appliqué to continue. I will photograph them when they are finished to show you.

Have a look over here there are two great giveaways here at Lynn’s at Blubirds great giveaway and here at Faithful Quilter: Elaine's Journey for another. They are both tremendously generous giveaways.

Talk to you soon

Spring is almost here

2009-08-05T16:41:00.001+12:00

Hi everyone, Today was the second day of my new job, and as part of the new job I was learning a new piece of accounting software, so by now my brain is slightly frazzled. This morning I left for work at before 7 and this does mean I can get home 3 in this afternoon, when I am able to catch up on housework and possibility of maybe some time on the sewing machine, but not today my brain will not allow it. I am only meant be working 20 hours but it sounds as though the hours will be increased to may be bringing work home as well. Hopefully I will be able to keep up with all of my challenges.

This is the first glimpse of spring in our garden after a few sunny days the almond has burst in to flower, we are now waiting for the cherry tree and nashi pears to all flower now. I love the end of winter with spring around the corner and the new growth. The reason the photo is blurry is due to the wind I was trying to hold the branch still while I took the photo.

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Talk to you soon

First Finishes For August, Another Pay it forward

2009-08-04T16:07:00.000+12:00

Hi to everyone, I have finished my first finish for August a hot water bottle cover for my mother in law for Christmas, I love these fabrics so pretty and pink. Just over a year ago my mother in law Nan re did her bedroom in soft pinks and greens so this will go well in her bedroom. For Pops Christmas present I made him another hot water bottle in the same greens I used for the other ones I made earlier.

Over the last few days I have joined another Pay it forward where I have agreed to send a small hand made gift to the first three people that agree to do the same. Please make a comment every little gift that wings around the world brings smiles to the recipients, I have a lovely selection of small gifts that I would love to send to you.

Question help please, Family times

2009-08-03T14:23:00.000+12:00

Does any on know how to number each comments individually that we receive. i have noticed on some blogs that each comment is allocated a number this option make it so much easier to use the random generator.

Today as a family we took a drive north to visit a plant shop that we visit a least four times a year. This place is a great place to visit as they have perennials at only $2.50 a plant. The plants are well hardened off and we have not lost a plant from here over the years. We have been in our home for nearly sixteen years and love adding plants to the garden. At the moment we are in the middle of winter with the first of the spring bulbs flowering and the almond tree is about to burst into flower.

We have made a promise to ourselves that even with the hard times we are going to spend more time together as a family so for the last three Sundays we have made trips away from home for a few hours and gone for walks and visited places we so not see regularly. Every week we plan on where we are going to go the next Sunday together. Ever since our youngest was a baby we have taken a short trip into the country to see the new lambs which with the spring flowers of daffodils are the major indication that the warmer days are not far away.

I must away to make the start making the Christmas presents for the Christmas challenge #3. My aim today is to make hot water bottles covers for my parents in laws.

New Giveaway

2009-08-02T07:52:00.001+12:00

Pop on over to Badlands Quilts and look at the great giveaway for the Soire Honey Bun roll

Talk to you soon

Giveaway, Vintage buttons

2009-08-01T16:23:00.003+12:00

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Hi to everyone, not a lot of progress over the last day, I have spent to much time on the Internet but I did find this great giveaway over at Sheree's Alchemy . It is a great collection of materials and vintage buttons. I have an ever growing collection of vintage buttons some date back to both sets of great grandparents and I would love to win these and add them to my collection.

Talk to you soon

Charming Girls Quilt Club August Update

2009-08-01T13:16:00.001+12:00

Okay now it is the 1st August here in Nz but only the 31st in US so I am going to slip in the last quilt on my challenge to get finished. Well almost I still need to appliqué flowers and the stems in the corners. But this will be done by midnight tonight.

Now for the month of August I am going to finish two bindings for two quilts, this pile of material in pinks, browns and aqua's is going to be turned into a quilt top for my middle daughter Abbey.

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Also it is my intent to make a tea towel for the tea towel swap I have agreed to join and three Christmas gifts for the Christmas in August challenge. These three are going to be hot water bottles covers for my in-laws. As part of the August challenge I am also going to finish writing the pattern for the quilt above. It is great to write down what i would like to achieve this month as I am a constant list maker but it is rather frightening because I am not a relaxed person when it comes to my lists as I must achieve everything on the list. I now I must relax as they are only deadlines I have set myself but I hate straying from a task set. May be that is the target for August I set myself to be more relaxed with the lists !!!!

More Good news over at MamaSparks there is a great giveaway. It is a gift voucher for Bunny Hill

Talk to you soon

Almost there

2009-07-30T07:10:00.004+12:00

Hi everyone
It is the 31 st July at 9am over here in NZ and I have a quilt to finish before the deadline tonight. I am not sure if I am going to make. I have four outer borders and four inner borders with mitred corners to complete. I will certainly try and let you know over the next few days.
I am not sure if I have mentioned over the last few weeks we have been going thru some family upheavals. My DH after 39 years with the same company was officially made redundant yesterday, so currently he is at home on garden leave until the end of his notice period another four weeks. I had never heard the term "Garden leave" and had to get someone to explain to me what it meant and it means " go home and potter in the garden". This is a great thing because we are both avid garden lovers and love to get outside and work together.
A good thing this week was that I have got a parttime job doing account work so things are not all bad. I must get off the computer now and get to the sewing machine to try and finish the quilt top for the "Charming Girls Quilt challenge".
Talk to you soon

Two finishes

2009-07-28T08:41:00.001+12:00

Yesterday I went of to my stitching group where I was able to quilt two of the smaller quilts that I have sitting around. Over the next few weeks I am going to make a concerted effort to catch up and quilt all or most of the quilts I have around. Actually it may take more than a few weeks more like a month or two. I will do a count up today but think the number easily goes into double figures. My apologies the weather is fine today so I rushed outside to photograph the quilts without them being bound or trimmed. Later today the binding will be attached so I can stitch them

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over the next few nights. The one on the right is a design by Simplify and the one on the left is an original design out of the scrap stash. I love the wide open spaces with the small amount of appliqué and embroidery. Hopefully if I keep to target every Tuesday I will be able to show you finishes, keep your fingers crossed that I can keep up the momentum.

Talk to you again soon.

A New Pay It Forward

2009-07-27T08:25:00.001+12:00

I love the thought of special gifts winging there way around the world and hopefully making the world a happier place. So far this year I have participated in three Pay it Forwards and have loved the experience and thought I would share another.

This is copied from the So Bella blog by Laura at the link below.

http://sobellablog.blogspot.com/2009/07/pay-it-forward-giveaway.html

I am entering into the following agreement with the first 5 people who comment on this post and then commit to doing the same on their blog. Just read below and if you feel up to the task, copy the following into your blog and leave me a comment.I am willing to post overseas (I am in New Zealand), but remember you must commit on your blog to do the same for others.

1. I make no guarantees that you will like what I send you. But you may be pleasantly surprised. It will definitely be sewing/craft related.
2. What I send will be made just for you, with love, by my own hands. See, I can go to your blog and read your posts and a really great idea will pop into my pretty little head.
3. I promise I will complete all 5 gifts this year - 2009.
4. I will not give you any clue what it’s going to be. It will be something made in the real world, that you can touch and feel, and not something cyber.
Perhaps you'll send it forward to someone who will absolutely love it.
5. In return, all you need to do is post this text on your blog and make 5 things for the first 5 to respond to your blog post.
Send your mailing address - after I contact you to confirm.
Everyone is welcome. I guarantee that you will receive something from me providing you do the same for 5 other people in your blog post. Are you game? Let's do this and I can't wait to send you what I hope you'll consider a nice surprise!!!!!!!!!

Please make a comment to join in the fun and return again soon.

A finish

2009-07-26T10:32:00.001+12:00

Good Morning to all.

The weeks are going by so quickly and not as much progress as I would like to see. But as promised I will post a photo of the finished tote below. I am still in the middle of writing the pattern but at least I have finished the sample. When testing the pattern I found a few vague instructions that need to be corrected.

This tote is in a a Robyn Pandolph range from a few years ago which I absolutely love.

Hopefully within the next few days I will be able to post the images of the appliquéd borders I am trying to finish when time allows.

Yesterday at the guild meeting we had a Occupational Therapist come and talk to us. I am not sure about you but I quite often have poor posture while doing activities, her suggestion was not to do an activity for more than 30 minutes with out changing the activity i.e. walking to the ironing board from sitting at the sewing machine. The other suggestion was that most of us have our ironing boards at the wrong height they should be around 4 inches below the elbow. It was a very interesting meeting with a lot of information to take in.

Talk to you soon Jeannette

No title today, Spring is in the Air

2009-07-19T15:20:00.001+12:00

Something is in the air, it has been sunny and warm about 12 degrees during the day with a light southerly wind. Both yesterday and today it was warmer enough to walk along the beach and we even sat outside in the sun and had our lunch.

Today is the last day of the school holidays before Gabrielle returns to school tomorrow with only 5 weeks until her internal exams. So today we have spent the day as a family with this afternoon her father and Gabrielle have gone up to her eldest sisters house to help tame the garden, while I elected to stay at home and finish some much needed UFO,s. I have finished another ufo this afternoon and are only down to four now. My goal is to finish at least maybe two quilt tops next month , and I hope to quilt at least two hopefully more it does depend on the time available. I will post the image of the finished tote tomorrow. Talk to you soon

Pincushion Swap

2009-07-17T14:50:00.001+12:00

Hi to every one I neglected to say in the last post, included in the pin cushions swap parcel was some green and pink strips of material and a a few fat quarters that were used for wrapping the gifts.

It is the middle of winter here in New Zealand and I have been meaning to make some new hot water bottle covers for the family. Well I used the strips and fat quarters sent to me in the pin cushion swap and the leftover batting from around finished quilts. So from a beautifully wrapped gift I have managed to make four hot water bottle covers. My 15 year old daughter has said I must be out of my mind as the bottle covers are stippled quilted lined and bound with binding.

I love them and they are still really warm even in the morning when I make the bed. I most likely will make some more for gifts for my elderly in-laws as I know they still use hot water bottles. I can see an embroidery and appliqué version coming soon. Please email me if you would like a copy of the instructions of how I have made them they were very easy and took no longer than an hour and a half all completed. Talk to you soon

Pin Cushion Swap

2009-07-13T12:08:00.002+12:00

This morning I received my Pincushion swap from my sender in the United States it is Sharon from quiltingwithamarmaladecat.blogspot.com

The parcel was so beautifully packaged and contained so many great goodies from material to Thangles to the most beautiful pink and green pincushion. All beautifully wrapped in material and packaging.

This was the first pin cushion Sharon had ever made and is beautiful . These two colours are probably my most favourite colours in the world if that is possible. Thanks very much for visiting.

New Club update, a finish

2009-07-13T10:31:00.003+12:00

Over at Green Fairy Quilts they are having a generous giveaway and are organising a fantastic charity. Here is an excerpt from the blog to explain it in more detail.

I would like to introduce you to my charity.
Green Fairy Quilts charity was started last year with my husband taking quilts over to
Romania to people in need. We have our trip booked and are leaving
September 7, 2009, only 8 weeks away, to go and give more quilts to the
people there. I would love to take more quilts. If you are interested
in donating some quilts, please email me at judi@greenfairyquilts.com
Please take a moment to watch our video and read about our charity.

It is well worth watching the video.

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I have managed two finishes, two of my tote samples are now completed and the other is at assembly stage and I will get that done today all going well.

The evening I have spent doing the borders for the quilt on the design board one border to go, that is this evening project as long as I do not watch to much TV.

Talk to you soon

New Clubs

2009-07-06T15:14:00.001+12:00

Hi to all. As I mentioned in a few of my posts I need to have a deadline to work to. So with this in mind I have decided to join to Charming Girls Quilt Club as an incentive to finish some of my outstanding projects.

Charming Girl's Quilt Club

Project One--is a quilt top that has been on my design board for longer than I wish to think, today I managed to get the centre of the quilt together and now I need to finish appliquéing the borders.
Project Two, three and four are further tote samples for a new patterns

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I certainly have been procrastinating and putting off finishing anything so now my time is up. For the next week in the evenings I am going to concentrate on the borders so hopefully by this time next week the borders will be on or ready to sew on. The two out of the three totes have the embroidery finished and they are cut ready to go so it is only the construction that is required. I will let you know how I get on.

It has been bought to my attention

2009-07-05T09:33:00.001+12:00

Good morning to everyone, it has been bought to my attention that one of my totes is similar to a bag published in Australia. There are two major differences between the two items my item is a tote that folds up and fastens while the other is a bag. But the embroidery is similar and that is what the problem is. It was not my intention to break copyright so I am going to remove the pattern from sale. I will let you know what happens.

3 patterns ready for printing

2009-07-04T17:05:00.001+12:00

It has finally happened I now have three patterns ready to go to the printers, and a fourth just waiting for me to finish the binding so I can take photographs.

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The one in the middle has a hand drawn and hand coloured piece that is included ready for embroidering and appliquéing is slightly smaller than the other one. These patterns will be available shortly. I must say I do love the new software Windows live it is so much easier to post.

Hexagon progress, Mish mash stash busters

2009-07-03T08:52:00.001+12:00

Hi to everyone, a great week so far but not a lot of progress on anything. But i was able to receive and send back the block for the MIshmash Stashbusters. I think it left Canada on the 27th June and I received the material on the 1st and posted it out late yesterday. I love working to deadlines it seems to be the only way I can make my way forward. Here is a glimpse of the block I sent back.

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Three days this week I have got together with friends to stitch and talk, so during this time I have been working on the hexagons. This is the layout I think I am going to follow with the large diamonds in the middle surrounded with a single hexagon border and then the small diamonds, flowing out to a single row of red hexagon’s and then a border of some kind. I am still enjoying the hexagons but have a callus on the end of my finger from hand stitching.

Must go and finish tidying as I have friends coming for lunch.

I have been so lucky, New software

2009-06-30T08:13:00.001+12:00

Hi to everyone, I had a great day yesterday I was able to get back to my quilt group after an enforced break due to being unwell. I am not sure what is happening in your part of the world with the Flu, but it is certainly affecting the school rolls. In some schools only a two thirds of the students are at school. It is the middle of winter and it has been extremely cold so maybe this is the reason.

In the last few weeks I have been receiving parcels in the mail at least twice a week, and I do love receiving things in the mail. At the end of May it was my birthday and my family gave me money to buy more “needed” material, they were very generous but did not really understand why I needed more material as I have so much. So over the last threes weeks in the mail I have received three international parcels that contained material enough for a least four quilts which I already have designed I just need to make.I have also three further international parcels that contained gifts and prizes I had won in peoples generous giveaways .

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For someone who does not win very often it is like I have had an extended birthday running for over a month. Lucky Me!

This is the first post using windows live and apart from the initial teething problems finding my way around it has been great so far. I love that we can play around with the photo layout and the spelling check is more what I like using. I must go and do some housework and stitching and proceed with my day. Have a good day everybody.

Prize Draw

2009-06-29T03:58:00.002+12:00

Hi to all, I know what you have all been waiting for or well I hope so. It is the prize draw for my 50 th post. The fantastic random number generator chose ......................................

Rebecca said...
Awesome! I would love to make it in the colors of the rainbow! What a perfect combo of colors!! Thanks for the chance to win your generous giveaway!

Within the next few days the pattern will be winging its way to Rebecca, when Rebecca contacts me with her physical address Thanks to all of those who made a comment.

Pass it forward, New Yahoo group, Polka Dot swap, 50th Post Giveaway

2009-06-23T09:09:00.005+12:00

Good Morning to all. Over the last few days I have been battling to get over a cough that seems to have settled in my chest. So not a lot of progress on any thing really. Something I have managed to do is down load some photos of the Pay it Forwards and the swap parcels that are now in the post winging there way to Australia, and the United States.

In one of the yahoo groups I belong to they have issued a Sunshine Challenge, the challenge is to decorate, make or create a kitchen towel or potholder. So I accepted the challenge and decided to add a cup cake to a white tea towel I had bought as part of a gift. It was so easy and so much fun, I think I will have to go out and buy some more white tea towels and make some more as gifts.

The other thing I decided to do was join a Polka Dot swap, and was lucky enough to get Vivian from here in New Zealand to swap with. So far we have exhanged a few emails but have a month to do the swap within. I am already on to what I what to make for Vivian and have started preparing it.

P.S Remember my giveaway is still running for another few days.

My Giveaway, 50th Post

2009-06-14T12:38:00.009+12:00

Good Morning to all, Over the last few days things have been quite busy my youngest daughter has been involved in the Chorale Festival that involves more than 20 schools over two days singing to their hearts content in competition with each other. I decided on the day Gabrielle's school was involved to go and sit thru the competition and listen to every performance. Music is one of my great loves so I had a great time. As I are unable to sit and do nothing for six hours I took my hexagons to do and managed to complete at least 150 background hexagons.
The other creative things I have been doing is working on the two new quilt designs. One I can not show you but here is a glimpse of the other on my design board. I need to assemble the blocks and finish the borders over the next few days. I have loved making this quilt I think due to it being in very bright primary colours I do not usually use.

I am sorry about the the delay in not posting the photos of the the pay it forwards wrapped gifts I went to wrap them and decided to add a few things more to them so that is what the hold up is.

Now for The Giveaway for my 50th Post.................................

My good friend Jenny has finished testing the pattern and so the giveaway can now start and will close on the 29th June at midnight. In the pattern is one embroidery design and the instructions for making the Quilters Companion Tote.

What you are required to do for the giveaway is to tell me

1./what colours you will make the Quilters Companion

2./come back and tell you are a follower

3./Post about my giveaway

4./For easy tracking of the comments and so I do not miss putting you in the draw the comment must be made on this original post .

and enjoy playing along. The winner will be drawn by random number on the morning 30th June.

Giveaway Day, 50th post

2009-06-09T08:06:00.002+12:00

Well it is now the 9th June here in New Zealand, and as I promised I will make the draw
drum roll please.....................
The Winner is number 24
Jessica Christensen said... Hey, thanks for playing. I do like pink or chocolate brown.
I have contacted Jessica by email and Jessica's parcel will be winging its way to her shortly. Thank you for playing along I was so sorry that I could not give everyone a prize. But there is my Pattern Draw coming shortly.

My apologies to every one who did not get an email from me the number of entries in the draw were amazing like 70 comments. Some of you will have received an email. My apologies to those that did not.
This morning I went to take photos of the new project I started yesterday and the parcels ready to be sent off for The Pay It forward and the Pincushion Swap, but you guessed it flat batteries again I will post photos later today.

a Giveaway, a huge number of comments

2009-06-08T17:33:00.002+12:00

It is now June Monday 8th and A Sewn Up is to be launched tomorrow. I hope everybody is lucky and wins a prize draw. Even if I do not win I have a had a great time over the last few days finding all of these amazing blogs and so many wonderfully creative people. When I looked this morning I think more than 150 blogs had signed up. I have managed to visit a view but not all of them.

Tomorrow morning I will post about who has been lucky enough to win the giveaway from me, I have had a amazing response well over 50 comments and I hope you all will come back in the future to see what is happening over here.

Another giveaway from Kelly from "I Have a Notion" is this great book. http://ihaveanotion.blogspot.com/ Please go over and have a look.

Overseas posting

2009-06-03T14:14:00.001+12:00

Good Afternoon to everyone. A question came in this afternoon about overseas postings yes I will post overseas.

All Sewn Up, My First Giveaway, A glimpse

2009-06-03T09:20:00.006+12:00

I have decided to experiment with the Giveaway blogs . To stop you having to read thru a whole post I have decided to list all hosts of the giveaways in one posting to see if that works

Vicki over at has joined the
http://midohioknitter.blogspot.com/2009/06/all-sewn-up-giveaway.html
Di over at
http://snippetsnscraps.blogspot.com/2009/05/here-we-go-this-is-it-taaa-daaathe.html
and here
http://lilamaequilts.wordpress.com/2009/05/07/blog-launch-and-a-giveaway/#comment-228

I must stop now and go and do some work. Bye for now. Remember if you leave a comment on the giveaway please tell me what colours you like working with so I can tailor the prize to suit the winner. Batteries are charged enough to take a photo so here is a glimpse of the new pattern. This little flower has only petals that are 1/2 inch long.

All Sewn Up, My First Giveaway, Pattern Giveaway to follow.

2009-06-03T08:29:00.005+12:00

Good Morning to all over the last 24 hours I have been doing the last few stitchs and the samples of the new pattern. This time I stepped out of my safety zone and did it in strong pinks and blacks. The pink was a piece of material that I hand dyed in a combined workshop with a friend in the last century. I love the strong colours but found the black hard to work one. I just went to take photos and the batteries are flat, i forgot to charge them this morning. Later today I will post the photos.

Over on the side bar there is a new Blog Party this is to launch "All Sewn Up". As party of the party there is a large number of blogs with giveaways. I have decided to join the party and have a giveaway. Included in the giveaway will be a fat quarter, some embroidery thread, ric rac and other assorted items. In fact enough if you desired to make a Fat Quarter Bag.

Please leave a comment and tell me what colours you prefer for one entry and if you blog about me and come back and tell me you will be have another entry, Entry's finish on Tuesday 9th June New Zealand time.

Giveaway and pattern launch

2009-06-01T16:26:00.004+12:00

Hi again, Have a look over at Dawn 's blog she is having a great giveaway for Laundry Peg Bag and Iron pattern. Thanks very much Dawn for the chance of winning imgine how coordinated the laundry would be with these in there.

Last hours of giveaway, hail and the cold.

2009-06-01T09:07:00.008+12:00

Good morning to everyone. It has been bitterly cold here in Petone, with some snow flurries and hail showers every hour or so with fine sunny spells in between. This is a photo taken in the courtyard after the wind and hail, and the next image is Cody who was trying to work out why his world was so different. Cody is so intriqued with the hail drifts he started to eat it and then decided it was to cold and went around shaking his head.

We have only had Cody for a few years as we re homed him when he was seven, so I am not sure if he has ever seen hail in this quantity before. It is certainly a rarity here in Petone. The light shining in the rear of the first image is my studio where I am catching up on the mending during the hail. I do find it hard to concentrate on the mending when I would rather be quilting. When I get of the computer shortly I will be going back out there to make progress on my Bonnie Hunters Double Delight.

Over at ht tp://moonvalleyquilter.blogspot.com/ Teresa has a great giveaway of quilting things including this book I would love to win. Please go over and visit.

On the pattern design front I have now designed two more quilt tops and now have to make the samples, one of the samples is going to be in reproduction materials, the other I am not sure.

There are two online quilting stores I would like to acknowledge that give great service and that is

Rossville Quilts

Stitch N Frame

over the last few weeks I have been looking for materials and both of these stores have been more that helpful and very quickly responding to my email questions. Thanks once again to them both and I recommend them both for there great service and helpful advice. I will not post the links as I do not want to be seen as advertising them here but if any one wants them please contact me by email and I will send them to you.

Bag giveaway

2009-05-28T13:11:00.005+12:00

Good Morning to all, over at Kirstie's blog she is having this great giveaway of this bag. Pop over and have a look. Kirstie also has a esty site to purchase some other great products.

Since last posting I have been pattern writing which is more difficult and time consuming than I thought. I have now written two complete patterns and are on to a 60 x60 quilt pattern now.The tote patterns are going off to be tested by a dear friend. The problem when I am designing is I start off with one idea and it multiplies into many more just like amoeba. I am going to spend this week writing patterns and then over the next few weeks I will produce the samples. So I can photograph them. When I am away from the computer I am still producing hexagons for light relief in the evenings. I think I have made around 20 flowers at this point, with more to come.

P.S The tote giveawy is still happening as soon as it comes back from testing

Pattern design A new Blog site

2009-05-24T10:33:00.003+12:00

Good morning to all. Both of the sample totes are finished and now I am up to finishing writing the patterns and they are almost ready to go. I will giveaway the pattern to celebrate nearly 50 postings within the next few weeks. I need to spend some time on photoshop and take some photos. As part of the research into this pattern could you please make a comment about your loves and hates about patterns so I can try and make the pattern easier to use. I know I like clear instructions with diagrams but others like photographs. please tell me what you like to get out of a pattern.
Over on http://yellowbirdart.blogspot.com/ I found a great blog and retail store with ten great giveaways and images of Spring Market. Please have a look.

New Adventures, Thank you to Sherri, Tagged

2009-05-20T13:12:00.007+12:00

Good Afternoon to all. I have been designing a patchwork tote that has been lurking around in my mind. I decided that when I attended retreats and go out to my stitching group that I want everything together. So far I have designed a two simple applique designs and worked two samples they just need to be completed and photographed. Here is a sneak peak. So far the two that I have designed one is to hold patchwork supplies while the other is to hold my design journal/ portfolio and stationery supplies that goes everywhere with me.

I am thinking of embarking into pattern design, while I am always designing and creating new patterns it is just I never stop to write down the instructions and produce a pattern that someone else could follow. I have decided that it is about time I used the skills I have and use them.

I am please to say and very excited that I won a giveaway on the Inklingo giveaway and yesterday I received the gift from Sherri for agreeing to be tagged it is a great little bag that is going with my portfolio tote I am designing and making at the moment.

By the way the wedding went off with out a hitch and they are away at the moment on honeymoon. Next week I will let you all onto a secret why receiving these small gifts made the week extra special. A few posts ago I offered a small gift to the first few people that agreed to be tagged the offer is still open. Please either comment on this posting I will leave the offer open for another week or two, or my 50th post

which ever comes first.

2009-05-12T13:28:00.003+12:00

Good Afternoon, three days to the wedding and everything is done Hurray. over at Julie of Tattered Threads & Willing Hands is celebrating with a giveaway please have a look.

http://julieisa.blogspot.com/2009/05/happy-blog-versary.html

I wont be able to post until after Friday but I will post hopefully early next week.

Wedding, Pay it forward, With a smile

2009-05-07T07:47:00.008+12:00

Good Morning. This week has been interesting. My daughter choose to purchase a wedding dress her in Wellington but has had a bad experience. When she found the dress she fell in love with it and the dress only needed minor alterations as the cross over bust gaped a little. The designers suggestion was to shorten the dress at the shoulders seams but this has created other major problems. I wont go into the details but after a nervous five days the dress is now fixed as well as we can do. Thank goodness I have a good friend as an advisor of how to fix the dress as Julia has had her final fitting and she is happy.

Any way on a bright note Jenny over at http://rosycrafts.blogspot.com/ is running a pay it forward. I know if you have been reading my blog you will have already noticed I have joined another but that is okay because every random act of kindness makes the place a better place. The next three people that make a comment and agree I will send them a hand made gift within the next short while.

I find it interesting when I walk to catch public transport in the morning how many people are rushing every where and not smiling or talking to each other. But if I catch a later bus I quite often come across the retired people out for their morning walk. These people normally say "Good Morning" or comment on the weather. Is it the older generations have more time or is it they have been encouraged to be polite and view the world in a different way. I have a game I play with the people earlier in the morning I smile at them and say "Good Morning" It is interesting how many will smile back. If you are like me and want the world to be a friendlier place lets practise smiling. Let me know what you think.

Another project I have started is a hexagon quilt with the hexagons being a inch in size. This is something I think will take a long time but it is certainly relaxing and certainly not difficult.