There Has Been Some Changes In The Wind

What a month I have had!  This is my beautiful boy Nic.  Last year he applied to join the ADF as a soldier.  It has been a very long process but he got a phone call and 13 days later, on Tuesday, we had to say goodbye to him for a while.  Our home feels very empty, as he is the last child to leave but we are very proud and happy for him. 

Another change that is going to take me a while to get used to is the closing down of Patchwork on Stonleigh.  This shop has played such a huge role in my quilting life over the last twelve years and I will miss popping in there each week.

We were lucky enough to get in one last Irish Circles class before the shop closed and this is my latest block.

Here she is!  All quilted and all I have to do now is hand stitch the binding down and attach a label.  This is the biggest quilt I have ever made and even with the clothesline wound all the way up, the quilt is still dragging on the ground.

It has been a while since I have mentioned clamshells (sorry Jossie) but I have been adding to them.

I went to my friend Jackie's open garden today.  This is a view from one section of her garden through to the next.   She does a lot of companion planting and her garden is functional, as well as beautiful, with all the produce that she grows.

This beautiful blue flower is "Morning Glory" and is growing all over her archway.

We are on the home run now to the wedding - only two more weeks.  So much for me finally getting a photo of all of us together, with Nicholas being unable to attend.

Well that's about it from me today.  I have been enjoying all the "Red & White Quilt Show" photos that have been displayed in blogland.  What a magnificent exhibition and now I really want to make a red and white quilt!!!

Sue-Anne xxx

Time To Move On

The time has come to redistribute this basket of fabrics into the larger overall stash.  I feel a little sad saying goodbye to this collection as I have been working with them for the last twelve months and know each piece of fabric intimately.  You see, this is my Swan Lake basket and she is finally finished.

The backing fabric has been joined, she is now at the quilters and I feel a little lost without her. 

Whilst I feel that not a lot has been happening in my little part of the world, I have been busy with Irish Circles and have managed to complete another 7 blocks over the last couple of weeks.

They have been fun and quite challenging at the same time.

There is also something else that is starting to consume my daily thoughts.  Chris and Amy are getting married in April.  I am starting to get really excited and have already bought a new pair of purple shoes...

now all I need is an outfit to go with them!

Sue-Anne xxx

What A Week!

Well what a week it has been in our beautiful Australia.  We have had bushfires in Western Australia, the worst cyclone ever in Queensland, Sydney is having a massive hot spell and here in my little part of Victoria we have experienced humid tropical weather, followed by two days of non stop rain caused by the cyclone in Queensland! At least, after all that rain, it is much more pleasant today.

I still have a couple more little bits to do on Swan Lake but I have also done a bit of work on Irish Circles.

These are the two latest blocks completed.  The second one is my favourite block.

These are the final hexagons for Swan Lake.  They are all sewn onto the quilt now.

I was also a very lucky girl to receive these beautiful charms from a friend.

This is on the back of the "Silly" charm - don't you just love it!!!

And here is a "Hello" from Milo.

Sue-Anne xxx

What Is Going On!!!!

Queensland, Australia is suffering from its worst ever natural disaster.  I have been glued to the tv for most of the week in shock at the enormity of the Queensland floods.  As I write this post, four of our States are suffering from floods!  This time last year we were in drought suffering from 40 plus temperatures and now there has been so much rain, that any area that gets a big downpour is at risk.  There are lots of ways we can help.  Donations can be made through The Qld Premier's Flood Relief Appeal .  Also, Make It Perfect is hosting an online Auction and if you click on the links, you will be able to find out all the details.

My heart goes out to everyone who has been affected in some way by this catastrophic event, especially to those who have lost loved ones. I fear that it will take years and years to fully recover from this  and there are still towns bracing themselves for the worst as this massive amount of water travels down our river systems.

On a brighter note, Swan Lake is finally together Yay!!! 

Even Buddy is pretty impressed!

I still have a bit of applique to go but at least now, she looks like a quilt and I am very excited to be near the end.

I also had the honour of viewing another Swan Lake quilt on Wednesday.  Pleas from New Zealand has "crossed the ditch" to come visit and participate in Patchwork on Stonleigh's Summer School.  We had a little Show & Tell at class with Susan's, Pleas's and my quilts.  Pleas has added some little dollies to her centre and it looks fantastic. 

It is a little hard to tell in the photo, but there are three Swan Lake quilts all laid out on top of each other!!!

I also received a lovely surprise in the mail this week, all the way from Cyprus!  Valentina sent me this wonderful diary from the V & A Museum.  Look at all the wonderful clamshells on the cover!!  Thank you beautiful Valentina!

Sue-Anne xxx

Happy New Year Everyone!!!

Exactly one year ago today I decided to start a blog of my own.  I never imagined that I would make so many new friends from all around the world and I wish I could someday get to meet you all in person, what a wonderful time we would have! 

Christmas day arrived and even though there were a few "Kath & Kim" moments we had a fantastic day.  This is the only photo I took (slack I know).  Kellie's job was to bring the ham and because she had to work until 5 in the morning, she slept in and didn't make it till lunch was nearly over.  The Plum Pudding turned out well and my father told me that I have the job of making it from now on - don't know whether that's good or bad?  This year we finally decided to do Kris Kringle and everyone seemed quite happy with it except for Nicholas (the middle child, need I say more?).  He still thought he would be getting a present from his mum and dad and was devastated when he realised this wasn't the case - he is 24 years old!!!  I think these little stories are what makes each Christmas special and gives us a laugh when looking back in years to come.

The flooding has gone and the heat has set in and Buddy is bedding down for the duration.  I am not quite sure why he has started sleeping with his tongue poking out but it does look pretty cute.

I have cut out and stuck down all of the 48 star flowers for Swan Lake!!!

Here she is laid out on the floor and is now starting to look like a quilt - I am getting a little bit excited!!!

I have also stitched two more rows of clamshells.  It has been a stressful couple of months and this little quilt has been there to let me feel peace and calm whenever I start stitching.

Wishing everyone a very Happy New Year with lots of health, wealth and happiness for 2011!

Sue-Anne xxx

I Lost November & 21 Days Till Christmas!

Well, I have totally missed November and there is only 21 days till Christmas! 

My husband became ill and had to be admitted to hospital on Melbourne Cup Day.   After spending two weeks there, he finally came home but there have been a couple of hiccups with his recovery, due to his disability.  I am happy to report though, that he is much better and will just need lots more time for total recovery.  I have been really slack in catching up with what everyone has been up to and thank you especially to those who have emailed to see where I have been, I treasure your friendship.

*To Bronwyn in Sydney - Thank you so much, time has got away from me but you are in my thoughts and I will be in touch soon. 

The one positive from sitting at the hospital every day was that I got to applique the centre of Swan Lake.  The centre is quite plain so as not to detract from the border which is definately the Star of this quilt.

The flowers were a little challenging though and I am pleased to have them completed.  Now all I have to do is cut out and applique down 44 flower stars????

I have also completed a couple more rows of my clamshells.  I really really love working on this and although I got lots of stitching done while Howard was in hospital, I have not been able to do much since he came home.  This is perfect to pick up when I get a few moments and need to destress.

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My Mum has made the plum pudding every Christmas since I can remember.  This year, she decided that it was a bit much for her so I was given the job.  Having never made one before, and having to live up to my mother's pudding reputation, I very nervously took on the task last Sunday (note the phone in the photo, I made several calls to mum whilst making it.  It smells ok and now we just have to wait till Christmas Day to see if it tastes ok.  Fingers crossed.

I finally got the tree decorated yesterday so now it is starting to "feel a lot like Christmas"!

Sue-Anne xxx

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