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 still 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 

Weekend rain

3 days of unrelenting rain - we even had hail. Perfect weather for sewing and soup, nothing like homemade soup on a cold rainy day.  I used scraps and a paper pieced pattern for whirlwind blocks.


                                         

16, 3" square paper pieced Whirlwind blocks

I have about 14 more to make.

 And I am still stitching away...really enjoying these.


The link to these lovely stitcheries is on my sidebar - Red Brolly Designs.

Check out this brilliant idea for hand piecing a 1/4 " seam guide

Giveaway Winner...

Thanks to everyone who entered my giveaway and thanks for the birthday wishes. What an amazing response!
The winner is # 46. Joyce Carter. Congratulations Joyce, look out for my email.

Busy stitching....
Can someone please tell me how to post the RNG results - I have tried everything.

PS: A warm welcome to new followers.
EDIT: The hexie kit is on its way to Joyce in Georgia, USA.

Quilters Blog Hop Party

                                                         

I am so excited to be part of the Blog Hop Party hosted by Michele from Quilting Gallery.

I'm giving away this sweet little hexagon kit. The kit includes templates, instructions, a stitched example, a spool of gutermann thread, a needle and 30 pieces of fabric in earth tones. So cute! Pop it into your handbag for a lovely take along project and if you have never made a hexagon and want to give it a go - its perfect.

             They really can become addictive. I have made 615 hexies
          

 

             Don't blame me if you get hooked * wink

Please enter my giveaway, everyone is welcome and I will post anywhere in the world.
August is my birth month, all you have to do is tell me your birth month - that's it - one word.

Giveaway closes on 3rd September and Mr RNG will choose the winner.

Once you have made your comment click here to return to the party page


Good luck everyone, thank you for visiting and enjoy the party!
 

Pickles and Preserves

August - the last month of winter and our windy month. We have had a fabulous winter, warm and sunny during the day.  My lemon, kumquat and lime trees were laden with fruit. There was more than enough to share with family, friends, neighbours, passers by and even the monkeys, lol. So I have been preserving and pickling. Made lemon curd, delicious on toast, crumpets and scones, also kumquat jam and I preserved some in brandy and some in a light sugar syrup. Lemons preserved in salt and a lemon pickle from a recipe I found on the web. Loved having my son home for mid year break.

                                                     

    

We have been tidying up the garden, its so dry. Pruning and cutting back shrubs and woody perennials, raking up tons of leaves - it seemed like tons, cleaning out the gutters, preparing for spring rains. Not a bit of sewing since my table runner and its still a flimsy but I have started the stitching on a beautiful free pattern - The Wish Quilt  from Red Brolly Designs

 

Been reading a lot and enjoying the gorgeous winter sun.

Drinking from the dragons well - Alex Smith

Playing sardines - Michele Roberts

The kitchen congregation - Nora Seton

Almost French - Sarah Turnbull

Tales from the time loop - David Icke

The power - Rhona Byrne

Meditation prayer and affirmations - Edgar Cayce

Infinite love is the only truth everything else is illusion - David Icke

The forgotten waltz - Anne Enright

The dancer from Khiva - Bibish

Toast - Nigel Slater

Autumn Leaves

I have been soaking up the sun. I love Autumn, glorious sunny days... and enjoying these two lovely books that I bought recently. Each book has 11 beautiful patterns by Monique Dillard.

 
My Autumn leaves table runner is done except for the quilting and binding.

Our guest speaker at guild meeting on Saturday was Bren Brophy, Curator of the KZNSA Gallery. He spoke about Durban artist, ceramist and embroiderer, Hendrik Stroebel and shared images of his amazing work. His wonderful collection was created over the last 17 years. Incredible detail on such a small scale. Each piece is hand embroidered and set in his beautiful ceramic frames. His next exhibition will be held in November this year, I'm definitely going.                                                                                      

                                                                                                                                 

added these to my stash

      

Books I have enjoyed reading;

Oil on water - Elle Matthews

Under the mercy trees - Heather Newton

Joonie - Rayda Jacobs

                                                                                                                                                                                                             

On my design wall..

This is what I have been working on. My first table runner.

I found the pattern in one of my Australian country craft magazines. I love piecing and applique together in a quilt. I used 5" charms from my stash.

So now I have to add the leaves and vines - the vines are embroidered chain stitch. I used my GO! Baby  and Rose of Sharon die for the flowers and leaves. I used 24 flowers instead of 36 as in the pattern - they are much smaller.  I have two finishes. I hand quilted my two mini quilts

Lately it has been kind of hectic here. My son and daughter flew home for my husbands birthday. Lots of entertaining family and friends, a huge family reunion, three funerals and lots of shopping with my daughter.
Now I'm happy to get back to my sewing. I hope all mom's had a wonderful Mothers Day!

Happy Easter!

 This lovely pattern is free from Red Brolly Designs

button in my sidebar

FREE Quilting Videos

Just to let you know - there are hundreds of quilting videos for you to enjoy now through Sunday 25 march at www.QNNtv.com. Enjoy!

Mini Quilts

Lovely rain and a few cooler days, I managed to get some sewing done. I enjoyed sewing these paper pieced blocks, a bit fiddly to start and I messed up on the first two but finally got it right, ready for quilting and binding.


                                                                    2-1/2 " blocks

also finished these fun blocks. Pattern, 12 days of Christmas from Temecula Quilt Co -
have to decide on sashing and borders.

                                                           3-1/2 " blocks

I have wanted these rulers for ages. Next on my list is the dresdan ruler.

 My wrist pincushion that I have used for years was looking drab - so I used my Go! cutter and felt.

                                                              from this

                                                                    to this
                                                                      

I love  The Quilt Show.   They allowed  free access to their shows on the weekend and I really enjoyed the ones I saw- lots of good tips. I especially enjoyed Sue Nickels and Sue Garman's work - gorgeous quilts and wonderful inspiration.
I've just seen the weather report for tomorrow - 32C hot and humid. Luckily its a public holiday so its off to the beach I go!  

I can't believe its Autumn

Despite the unbearable heat and humidity that has sapped my energy, I have been busy removing the applique paper  tearaway stabilizer from this quilt top that has been sitting on the shelf far too long. This was a BOM by Cotton Tale Fabrics in Hillcrest. It's going to be a challenge quilting all that cream background.

                                        88" x 88"

I have started a miniature snail trail, paper foundation piecing. I am using charm squares from my stash. Each block is 2 1/2 inches. I have completed 6 blocks - 8 more to go.

    
and I have completed the last Red Brolly stitchery.

                                           reading this book

 Some lovely free BOM's in blog land - click on the buttons in my sidebar. So many that I would love to do.

Happy New Year!

Christmas and New Year with my family in the Western Cape was wonderful. Now I am trying to get back into the swing of things but this heat wave is not helping.  I started stitching the final Red Brolly Christmas stitchery and I have several tops that I want to baste and quilt but that will have to wait for cooler weather. So today I have my stash of ice lollies, lots of blog reading to catch up on and I am looking forward to all the new happenings in blog land.

 May you all enjoy good health, peace and happiness in 2012….and quilting! 

 Hi and welcome to new followers :))