Happy Halloween!

We don't seem to embrace Halloween here in Australia like other parts of the world but in recent years the marketing has been getting stronger and this year I couldn't resist getting into the spirit when for the first time I saw these Jack-o-Lantern pumpkins at the supermarket.

After watching numerous Youtube videos, I went to work and was quite pleased with how "Jack" turned out.

And finally, I have a use for this Witch I made several years ago - don't you just love her lace-up boots!

I received this beautiful parcel from Nadine.  The fabrics are from Provence and were selected by Nadine whilst she was there on holidays.  There were lots of little treasures in the parcel and I felt really spoilt when I opened it - thank you Nadine.

I have a couple more photos of Quilts in the Barn to share with you but please go and click on the badge on my sidebar for much better photos of all the quilts that were displayed.  I just wanted to show this one.  Look at all the detail with the different layers of fabric to create this beautiful bird.  This level of work was indicative of almost all of the quilts displayed - amazing!

Here is Sarah Morrell, made using a pale blue background.  I am so in love with this quilt!

One for all the hexie lovers.

I have made the centre of this quilt.  It has been in the cupboard now for a couple of years and I may just have to get it out and finish it???

This is called Drayton Hall by Di Ford and I came home with the pattern for this one. 

I also came home with this chair for my sewing room - yes we went to Ikea after visiting 3 patchwork shops.  As I said in my last post, we had a very big day out.

Fabrics purchased from various shops and,

this beautiful little book.  If you love cross stitch, go have a look at Jean's, from Linen & Raspberry, latest post.  You will be in cross stitch heaven!

I have been working on Swan Lake and "Hooray for Me" I have finished the fourth border!  In saying that, I still have 44 star flowers to applique down the mitred borders once it is all joined together - won't that be fun???

Now I don't have too much to show for Clamshell Club this month but I have been working on them.  I ran out of clams so I have cut lots more and have been turning over the tops in readiness to applique down.

Here is my Buddy boy.  Just had to share this pic I took of him.

Sue-Anne xxx

Quilts in the Barn Exhibition

I left home at 6am Friday morning and after picking up Helen, Jan and Michelle, we headed down to Wonga Park, Melbourne to the Quilts in the Barn exhibition, with quilts by the Secret Sewing Sisterhood.  We arrived right on 10am after a fairly intense drive down through the hills towards Yarra Glen and Lilydale in probably some of the heaviest rain I have driven in for a while.  Let me just say that it was well and truly worth the effort.  Above is Deb's Quilt, The Poppies, designed by Di Ford.  It was magnificent!

This is Georgetown Circle by Di Ford.  This quilt is also stunning and unfortunately my photos have not done the quilts any justice.

I didn't catch the names of the above two quilts but they are the same pattern made by different quilters.  It was so interesting to see the different colourways for the same quilt and there were several examples all throughout the barn.

The famous Sarah Morrell quilt was there in all her glory and I got to see her close up!!! 

And of course I had to get my photo taken with Linda, our wonderful host, and Di Ford, the designer of all these wonderful quilts.  Can you see in the background to the right?  It's Phebe!!!!  I also got to view  her up close and personal too!!!!

Corliss from Threadbear was there with her shop and I bought the most beautiful cross stitch book.  I will have more pics for you next post.

Please go visit Linda's blog, Quilts in the Barn to see lots more photos of the quilts.  There were around 90 quilts on display and they were all amazing.  She is putting together a slide show for those of you that couldn't get there in person and hopefully, if you like what you see, you can donate something to a breast cancer charity - she will have it all explained on her blog - and it can then get added to the total of the monies raised from the Exhibition.

After Quilts in the Barn, we went shopping, of course!  More on that next post.

Sue-Anne xxx

Clamshells & Armchair Stitching

Well I am more than a couple of days late with my clamshell report.  I have had a terrible chest infection/flu and it has really knocked me about.  I thought I was really lucky to not have caught it all Winter and then bang, it arrived late with a vengeance.  I have managed to complete 3 rows for the month.  This photo was taken with my iphone and I was mucking around with an app I have for photos.

I have also been busy cutting out shells and tacking over the edges so they are ready to applique down.

I have finally started the last border of Swan Lake.  Luckily I had all my hexagons covered and I was able to just sit in my chair all day and stitch them down as I haven't been good for much else.  When I vacuumed the floors yesterday I was thinking how filthy they were, then I realised I had not done them for exactly two weeks! 

This is Irish Circles, a BOM that I am doing through Patchwork on Stonleigh, designed by Karen Cunningham.  This is the centre that goes with the two blocks I showed on my last post.  I just couldn't leave it alone!  I had a lot of trouble picking the perfect fabric to frame the circle and not being able to make a decision, I decided to just leave it and concentrate on other projects.  Of course, that didn't happen and I finally made a decision and kept stitching until it was done.  There are a lot of little appliques to go around the blue circle but I can relax now that I have that centre done.

I also made some blocks for Lizzie (see my last post), and below are some flowers that have started to bloom in my garden.  

My lilac is finally starting to have some decent sized blooms, 

My big pot of pansies that are lasting a lot longer than I thought they would,

My first rosebud for the season,

and this magnificent Iris.  The colour is a deeple purple/brown colour with a pale yellow.  I was given a few different plants from a friend that had divided hers and it has been fun to see what colours they open up to.  I have never seen this colour before.

I haven't been spending much time on the computer over the last couple of weeks but I have been reading what everyone is up to and will slowly get back to commenting when I am feeling 100%.

Is anyone going to Quilts in the Barn next weekend?  Jan, Michelle, Helen and I are going on a road trip next Friday down to Wonga Park and then onto a couple of quilt shops in Melbourne, before heading home and stopping at our favourite Chinese Restaurant for dinner on the way back.  Just click on the link to read all about Quilts in the Barn.  I am really looking forward to seeing all the wonderful quilts from Di Ford and her friends from the Secret Sewing Sisterhood.  Maybe I might see some of you there.

Also, what is going on with Blogger!!!!!  I have had to upload my photos several times.  They seem to have changed the format for uploading and won't hold them.

Now I am going to make myself some lunch and sit down and continue to watch the big race - Bathurst.  There was a huge smash this morning on the first lap where the car rolled several times and virtually disintegrated around the roll cage and it was amazing that the driver got out and walked away.  There was also a kangaroo hopping across the track in front of several V8 Supercars bearing down on him.  Thankfully he got away and hopped back over the barrier without incident.

Sue-Anne xxx