I knew it would happen . . .

  I just didn't know when -

the crotchet hooks are out again and I'm loving it!!!!

.  .  .  oh, and a few bits of fabric

.  .  .  what's happening here????

.  .  .  oh that's right, it's report writing time again!!!

A day at the Zoo

The Zoo was lots of fun, and Jodie took lots of great photos of the animals, but I kept seeing beautiful flowers along every path.

Sewjourn Cactus Beauty

Heading off to bed now after a FABULOUS weekend away with a bunch of sewing girls at the wonderful Sewjourn in Lancefield.  Wow, what a place.  It was fantastic, with everything a sewing girl could need for a few days.  It even had a wonderful cactus garden which I took particular interest in, and marveled at their drought tolerance sense.  Although cactus gardens can sometimes look unfriendly and dangerous with their spikes and wrinkly old skin, they have a wonderful ability to put on a magnificent display with flowers at particular times of the year, and I saw glimpses of this on their website.  I was even moved to buy a velvet looking cactus at the Farmers Market on the Saturday and will put it in my flowergarden as a reminder of a great weekend.  

Thank you ladies!

I was particularly taken with Kathryn's work - for a new"ish" quilter, she is "the bomb!"  To attempt and conquer such patterns, I take my hat off to her.

From left to right: Shabby, Nikki, Lara, Me, Jodie, Megan and Rachael

all very tired after staying up until 3am sewing and singing Sound of Music and ABBA renditions

. . . another Shabby Masterpiece

. . . good night now   Zzzzzzzz

. . . on a roll

and the last stitch on this last night

whoo hooo!

. . . another

Another nearly finished - a table runner from the Rosalie "Gift" Book

Wedding Quilt

. . . this is the before

and this is the after . . . 

. . . another UFO well on the way to completion!  THE Wedding QUILT that I have been working on since last year, belonging to the daughter of a teaching friend.  When she asked me if I could make the dress into a quilt, I thought . . . 

. . . I'll give anything a go once!  I am thrilled with how it has turned out.  The custom quilting has really made it special.  I had it done at Quilt Station 

in Elphinstone/Cetral Victoria and she did a terrific job.

I still have to bind it and label it etc. but I can see an end in sight with this one too.

It's a good feeling to be clearing the decks -

- although you probably couldn't tell by looking in my sewing room, there are still lots for me to play with!

UFO Blitz

This is "Patient Pete."  More than 12 months ago, I was cutting up heaps of chenielle that I had been dying, and then cutting into squares and sorting them all out.  I had heaps of scraps on the floor and Pete asked "What are you going to do with those bits Mummy?"  Of course this led to him designing his own quilt and me off on another unplanned project.  The quilt top was made in double quick time and then it has just been kicking around the sewing room - waiting - waiting - waiting.

Last week I got busy and backed it, quilted it and bound it.

"Oh what a Feeling!" 

 Now I have plans to do another that has been waiting - waiting - waiting!  

Look out UFO's - your days are numbered!!

My Favourite Season

Autumn is well and truely here in Ballarat.  It is indeed my favourite Season of them all.  I love the colour, I love the seed ponds, I love this rain that keeps coming, and the cooler weather.  I love the cutting back, planting bulbs for Spring and tucking everything up for winter with mulch.  I'm so excited to have some of my own Autumn leaves in my garden, but still need to import the bulk of them from the streets in town on my way home from school.

Remember my beautiful new bag?

. . . well, what I didn't tell you was that I made a mistake when I was putting the magnetic clip on, and left 2 little holes in the front pocket.  I thought I would look for a little button to cover them up.  I was down in Geelong on Saturday and was having a lovely time at A Little Different with all their gorgeous fabrics, and I found this little birdy button.  It was just perfect!

I never tire of looking at this beautiful yellow daisy bush.  Such a common old thing, but every flower is always different in my eyes.  They are all so individual and even the old ones have their own special character.

Autumn is indeed my favourite season . . . what's yours?

Bags and Quilts

Fabric, fabric, fabric

Term 2 is well underway now and I am getting back into the swing of it - sort of.  I decided to get my orders out of the way and take no more for this term.  I'm just going to do some fun sewing of anything I like.

3 bags out of the way, and just the "Wedding Quilt" to go.  It is currently being professionally quilted and I am looking forward to seeing how it turns out.

I am longing to get out into my garden, but the glorious rain keeps falling.  My tank is almost full again.  It's good though as I am getting a tiny bit of order in my sewing room.  

Weekend joy is here.