Around the Block

The last of the poppies

The last Autumn flush roses

The beautiful red gladioli that is as tall as me - I have 3 spikes

. . . and I wish I could say I made this quilt, I LOVE it! It was one of our craft girls who did

This one however, is part of the Around The Block that I was in last year. I asked for all circles of many different colours. It was hard to put together so after much deliberation and consultation with others, I have decided to make a cool colour quilt and a warm colour quilt.

This is my cool one so far.

These 2 quilts were finished, and hung in my sewing room in the holidays - the one on the chair is waiting to be bound. Waiting for some fabric that is being ordered.

. . . and a go at one of Nikki's little lavendar bags - fun to make, I think I'll try another

PUMPKINS from my garden - time to tidy up the vegies. I found lots of treasures in there.

I can feel some Pumpkin soup coming on!

Spoilt for choice

I think you'd be forgiven for trying to eat one of these cakes - they look so delicious!

Last week some bloggy friends and I went on a little drive to Ballan.

Only about 30 minutes from Ballarat on the Melbourne freeway.

Oh, that means it's not far from Melbourne, or Geelong too . . .

They had every colour of the rainbow in fabric - just a beautiful display.

Mill Rose Cottage was the name of this sumptuous QUILT SHOP.

Next door as part of the whole outfit, was a gorgeous little restaurant. Of course we had lunch first, then next door for shopping, and then back for coffee and cake. This was the view from our coffee window.

The meal was fantastic, the cakes were "out of this world scrumptious delicious"

and we will definitely be going back again.

It really was a special "day out"

If you're looking for a lovely place to go, to meet up with like minded friends,

this is definitely a great choice.

You can't miss it in Ballan - it's in the main street, a village really, so only one main street. While we were there, it was getting lovely RED canopy's over the windows, so it really stands out. Only open since March, so a brand new venture.

Spoilt for choice? Well we have 3 great shops in Ballarat already, Gails Patchwork Emporium, Ballarat Patchwork, and Eureka Patchwork. Now we have somewhere else to share our love...Millrose Quilting and Gallery. It would be a great "round trip" for anyone needing to have a "fabric fix" and I'm sure there would always be Ballarat Girls happy to share in the coffee part. Another little gem has been discovered. There's a great review of it here.

This took my fancy

Quite an amazing sight - it took my fancy, so I had to go back with my camera

This too - beautiful Autumn colour

. . . and a bag for my neighbour's daughter, heading back to WA

A Current Affair

Why don't stories like this go on A Current Affair? - Let's catch this "low life" that thought they deserved to take this from someone else, without asking, paying or caring. Please help us to help Nikki get it back.

On a brighter note, a had a go at one of Kelly's patterns that I've had for about a year, but was a little nervous to tackle. I LOVED doing it, and want to do more now. It was so much fun.

This is what is flowering in my garden this week.

I have 3 tremendous spikes, as tall as me, and as they are opening, they have a lovely yellow striped throat.

As you can see, I'm enjoying my holidays

A Pieceful Life

This exhibition will soon be on show in Ballarat.

It's going to be amazing!

A "peaceful" life is what I aspire to, however a "pieceful" life sounds just as good to me.

If you love quilts and quilting, or if you just want to see what one amazing lady can achieve when passion is involved,

put this date in your diary, and make the effort to get to Ballarat and Space 22.

-All the quilts are hand quilted-

Various quilts have featured at:

Tokyo Quilt Show,

World Quilt Show: New Hampshire, USA

Pennsylvania National Quilt Extravaganza: Oaks, Pennsylvania

Pacific Quilt Festival: Santa Clara, California

World Quilt Show – Florida: West Palm Beach, Florida

Greater Chicago Quilt Exposition: Schaumberg, Illinois

There will be quilts for sale. This quilter is a local talent.

May 5-22 is when you can catch this exhibition.

Come and support Maria, and marvel in quilt heaven.

Patterns

I saw this pattern on someone's blog and just had to seek it out and buy it. I love quilts where you can use up scraps, as I have HEAPS of them, so this appealed to me. I was excited when it came in the mail yesterday.

Being in the "pattern" mood, I also bought this 2 for one pattern from Bloom. I love sewing accessories, so couldn't help myself.

It came as a PDF, so that's what I call instant gratification!

Old meets New

About a year ago I made this "very much loved" table runner with my favourite Japanese fabric. I always meant to make some place mats, and even got the fabric required. (Which promptly found a nice comfortable resting place in my sewing room, patiently waiting to be made into something!)

12 months on, I have begun to make the place mats. One is finished, and the others well on the way . . . however, they do show up the old runner. The question is, do I have enough fabric left to make another runner, or should I just leave it. I thought the runner was pretty good, until the place mats arrived. I even put the runner through the wash, yet again,

but love and time have aged it.

Young Peter is delighted as this is how much bigger they are than our old place mats, and it was his idea to make matching mats.

I couldn't get the same binding, but I got a pretty good match.

A New Book - YIPPPPEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!

Nikki's book is here. I've been longing to see the finished product, as I have been following her progress with this most exciting project. I was so excited last week when I got this copy in the post. I was lucky enough to be a pattern tester for a few of Nikki's patterns. She is the "master" of bag patterns, and is very adventurous with clothing. The skirt in this book just makes me want to rush into the sewing room and cut one out. It is GORGEOUS! Thanks SO MUCH Nikki. I hear a rumour that it will be available for sale at the Quilt Convention next week in Melbourne, or you can get your own copy over here right now. A fabulous book and great addition to any crafters library.

We're having REAL AUTUMN type weather at the moment. I'm loving the changing colour in the gardens, both mine, and all over town. I'm officially on holidays now for 2 glorious weeks, so I am intending on sharing my time between the garden and the sewing room.

Now, if you use pea straw in your garden, and don't tend to get to all your garden jobs perhaps as often as you should, like me, you will be rewarded with these beautiful pea flowers.

I have them popping up all over the place, and am loving them.

This hydrangea is making one last "hurrah", before it's time for a winter sleep.

I've started hand quilting this quilt now and am enjoying it. The photo doesn't really do the richness of the colours justice.

. . . and there couldn't be a better place for a pussy cat

tucked up in amongst some snuggly quilts and some clean socks

purrrrr fect!