Barnyard Plaids

Telkom!! GRRRrrrrrrr
After telephone calls to Telkom on Saturday, I still could not get Internet, I don't know if it was the heavy rain or what. In frustration, I switched the computer off. I hope all Moms had a fabulous Mothers Day. 
I wonder if winter has arrived early. We've had a freezing cold spell. I had to get out my winter slippers and jerseys.
I have bought another one of Beth Broodryk's patterns. I love her miniature designs.They are all  paper foundation piecing. I also bought a pack of plaids.

                                 blocks completed

 

I used fabric from my stash for the borders. Ready for quilting.

Have you seen Kaaren's new BOM, Happy Scrappy Spring?  It's a six month row along and ends 6th September, just in time for Spring here.......I'm so tempted, I love scrap busting projects.
 
Sadly, my father in law passed away peacefully on the 30th April. He was a wonderful husband, father and grandfather and we miss him already. R.I.P.  John Alfred Wright Ellis   10 September 1923  -  30 April 2013

Copper Thieves

We have been without internet access since the 18th March. Our service provider had several main cables stolen.  After lodging a complaint, we eventually received a sms message from Telkom.

No internet = more time to quilt. I finished my Raggedy quilt top in 2011, now finally, its quilted and bound. Also finished quilting a  table runner and, mini whirlwind quilt.

 Quilted different designs in each block, I even tried feathers

  machine quilted the centre and outlined the flowers with invisible thread 

 hand quilted

Yay! so happy to be back online.

Clutter Quilting Peppadews

Inspired by the book Clear your Clutter by Karen Kingston I started the year off by clearing out cupboards. Its amazing how much stuff we collect/hoard over the years. 12 bags of paper went into recycling, boxes of books and magazines,clothes,crockery etc went to the charity shop. Why do I need 15 vases?! I kept one. As I was clearing, I found things I had forgotten about and clothes still with the price tags attached that I had never worn. Now, when I open the cupboards I can see/find everything. No more surprises!
It feels like 40C today- no energy!

Several tops need quilting . I moved my machine to the dining table, its a spacious 8 seater, much more comfortable than at the small table in my sewing room, and started on the raggedy quilt, doing a little quilting every morning. By 9am its too hot and humid to quilt. I just have the border to quilt and the binding to sew on then I will have 6 tops left to quilt.

                                                                 
Peppadews growing wild in my garden, they are everywhere. Delicious stuffed with cream cheese, on sandwiches, pizza, in salads. I have preserved enough and left the rest to dry on the plants, there's just too much.

Books I have enjoyed,
Secret son - Melissa Dien
The lollipop shoes - Joanne Harris
The Partisans Daughter - Louis De Bernieres
Talking to Heaven - James Van Praagh
Inner Tranquility - Darren Main
Clear you Clutter - Karen Kingston
The Next Always - Nora Roberts -Book One of the Inn at Boonsboro Trilogy

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Wishing everyone a happy, healthy and prosperous 2013.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Wishing you and yours a very happy and joyous Christmas day filled with many blessings xxx

Hot off the machine

This morning I was determined to add the last border. I wanted to finish this quilt sooner but with all the Christmas preparations going on, just not enough time. I doubt it will be quilted by Christmas.

   Pattern by Red Brolly Designs

There's a Legavaan in my garden!

My dogs were barking madly, not the dog language we know like when the neighbors cat comes over or when the monkeys arrive to tease them or when they have cornered a snake or when there is someone at the gate or a family member arrives home. This was loud unusual warning barking so I went to have a look and used my cell phone to take this photo.

then quickly went to get my camera and lock up the dogs. He had taken refuge under a shrub so was hard to photograph. I used my zoom lens.

The rock monitor ( varanus alibigularis ) also called the legavaan is the second longest lizard found in South Africa and the heaviest bodied. They can reach 2 metres (6 ft) in length and could do some serious damage with their powerful tails. One whip from that tail will kill my dogs. This guy is young and so beautiful.

I have made my filler blocks. Now to put the quilt together.

Rainy Days

Whats with this weather.. why won't it stop raining... rain, rain go away come another.......lol!

  It has kept me indoors and at my sewing machine. I have finished 6 units of the Wish quilt. \o/

I enjoyed doing the little pieces of needleturn applique so much. I have only ever done fused applique.
Now I have to make the filler blocks, but before I start on those, a lovely cup of tea and a couple of hours blog reading is in order.

Wish I could have seen the total solar eclipse today.

Happy Halloween

I had a draft ready for posting on the 10th but we had a huge storm that affected our Internet line. The following morning we were still off line. I couldn't do anything about it as I had to leave for the airport at 5.30am. Wonderful 18 days in Cape Town, my children had shows in the same week, so I was lucky to see both their shows. My sister who also lives in Cape Town arrived home from America. All in all it was perfect timing.

Barb is one of 45 designers of Quilting Gallery's Glorious Autumn Quilters Block Party. Her block is just too adorable!! click on the button at the top of my blog to see the designs todate.
I was the lucky winner of her giveaway. She sent me this gorgeous charm pack - I love it!! Thank you Barb.

mini whirlwind is done except for quilting. I made 35 blocks - really fun to make.

                                               21" x  27"

 I just loved stitching these. Starting on the applique blocks this week.

Found this little guy on one of the shrubs. Waiting to catch an insect with its lightening fast catapulting tongue.

                                            Chameleon


 My heart goes out to all those affected by hurricane Sandy - OMG!   yesterday I watched CNN - unbelievable,  she was merciless!

Coffee With Geta

Geta asked who would like to have coffee with her - I said I would be honoured to, so she sent me these lovely cups. That was in 2010. These blocks have been on and off my design wall in between other projects. I wanted to add something but what - I tried some hearts.... I did'nt like that. Off they came and once again it was put away.

 Then recently I came across a  lovely tutorial on how to add text to quilts and thought aha!

  The heart could have been a bit smaller or maybe moved slightly lower... but its done!
 I'm thinking a simple straight line quilting.

 

 Here is the link to the tutorial on adding text