Bugs,Love and a Biscornu.

Hello,

I hope everyone has had a good time lately. We have been busy going to different places and end of year wind-ups. Not long until Christmas now. Last week I bought a metre and a half of light blue tulle to make a throw-over to cover food during summer. Although they can be used all year round. I made a few of these a few years back for Laura and Chris. While I was at Chris's home earlier on in the year she brought hers out to cover our dinner. I told her it was nice where did she get it from. I had made it she said, the memory came back very slowly!!! On Chris and Laura's I had for the weights some little metal dutch windmills. I found these in a craft shop and now I wished I had bought the whole jar full because I have never seen them again. I decided to machine embroider some ladybirds . I was running very low on Black thread and managed to finish the four lots of ladybirds with about 30cm of thread left on the spool.

For the weights on the corners I went to my button collection and used some lovely bright yellow daisy buttons with pink centres. I sewed these on with beading thread. I had saved these buttons of a shirt that Lucy had when she was about 4 years old. Twelve years later they have been put to very good use.

For this months stitching challenge the theme was "Love". I had downloaded this pattern from Andrea's blog sometime ago. The pattern is on her posting dated September 4Th 2009.I added a little of the detail from the main pattern in the corner blocks. I used some of the fat quarter that Paula had given to me in a bag swap. I can't wait to see what Anita has come up with. I have really enjoyed these challenges and the great part is we are both using up items we have on hand in our sewing rooms.

Last Friday was my last sewing day for the year. Six of us meet at our local neighbourhood centre and get together to sew talk and eat once a month. Most of us took hand sewing on Friday. Ladies were putting together quilts or doing some stitchery. We went out for lunch which is customary on our last day. We give Sue our tutor a present and card. Sue has been returning the favour with some wonderful gifts over the last couple of years. Last year we all received a beautiful machine embroidered bookmark. This year Sue has been into cross stitch. Cross stitch on her embroidery machine that is. Sue hates hand sewing and can think of nothing worse. This year we all received a Biscornu. For those of you who have never heard of this a biscornu is a 8 sided embroidered pin cushion. It is a French word meaning "that which has an irregular form,with projections." Sue did several different designs in different colours.
The pattern is on both sides of the biscornu. A check on the net will find many patterns to make them as well as instructions. I have finished sewing my gift for the Secret Santa Honeypot Swap and will be posting it of today. When it gets to its new home I will show some photo's. I just love doing these swaps especially at Christmas time.

Happy days.

Bev C

A New Shirt,meet "Graham Thomas"and a Vegemite Recipe.

Hello,

I made this shirt out of stretch material late last week. I bought a renmant at Good Sammy's during the winter. There was enough material to make one of my favourite patterns.

I have used the Butterick pattern for a while now. It is a great pattern because the shirts are both for summer and winter. The cross over style is so easy to make. When I was washing out the material I found two price tags one was for $2.50 and the other one was for $3.00. I don't remember which one I paid but it certainly was a good price for a shirt. There was about a metre left over and I have given this to a lady in town here who makes quilts and clothes for children in Botswania. The roses are loving this great weather we have been having. I went out this morning and enjoyed the scent from "Graham Thomas." Graham is another David Austin rose which has fully double cupped blooms. It has the most beautiful strong tea rose scent. I have this planted at the end section of our back lawn. From a distance you look through another rose covered archway to this rose at the end. Red and Yellow roses show up in the garden. Other roses tend to blend in.

You may be wondering why the Vegemite jar is out in the garden next to a gardenia in a pot. I will let you into one of the best gardening secrets/tips I have been given. If your gardenia is looking a bit yellow and is in need of a boost just do the following. Mix about a tablespoon of vegemite into about a litre of water and mix until disolved. A little hot water will help this along. Then when the mixture is mixed add this to a nine litre watering can. Pour this over your gardenia's and you won't believe the transformation of good health in your gardenia. A day or so later you will be blessed with the most healthiest plant and certainly more blooms than you thought possible. I have never been given the exact amount of vegemite but I found that about a tablespoon does the job.

The other week at a Garage Sale I spyed this lovely wooden wheelbarrow. It had to come home with me. I have several wheelbarrows spaced around the garden. This one is a more decorative one but others are old and are great for growing strawberries in. We had our last gathering on Saturday for Garden Club. We will resume again in about March,hopefully by then the worst of the summer heat will have been and gone. Thank you to everyone who expressed concern regarding David's accident. Hopefully no more motor cyclists will be landing in his back seat again.

May each new day bring you sunshine and flowers.

Bev C

Some Sewing and New Arrivals.

Hello,

After a couple of weeks of looking through my magazines and patterns I have finally decided what to make for my swap partner in the "Santa's Festive Honeypot Swap." I found a pattern I think my partner will like. Of course I had to change it slightly. I sorted out my Christmas material and found I had enough to make my item.

Last week after several tries I finished a nightie. Three times I made the yoke wrong,I had the shoulder straps connected to the bottom of the yoke instead of the top. Thankfully it was easy to unpick and now I have my Strawberry Nightie.
I have had this book from Kwik-Sew for many years now. I like using this book because the patterns can be used either for stretch material or cotton. Very versatile.

I had on order from my local patchwork shop for a bolt of cream Homespun. I got the call the other day to say it had arrived. Yay. Chris also sent some more patchwork books from "Scavengers" and I was pleased with the material Lesley sent to me. I especially liked the brown floral.

I have been visiting C&T Publishing blog for a while now. I have found it to be an interesting and informative blog to read. I was extremely lucky to have a win of six patterns from Kim Schaefer
They are all applique patterns so I am in "Applique Heaven". Thanks guys.

On the home front we have had a bit to deal with in regards to David's car. On Sunday night we got a message to say his car had broken down about 20 minutes out of town. He had worked in the city on Sunday and was coming home for his day at the accountants here in town on Monday. After organising for the RAC to attend to him we booked his car in for a check up on Monday. It needed a new alternator. This was put in on Tuesday. He was supposed to work in the City on Tuesday but called in sick. There just wasn't enough time to get there after waiting for the car. He left home here mid afternoon with a car that had a new alternator and had been serviced the week before. Just after seven we got a phone call from him. "Mum I have been in a accident,but I am OK" I couldn't believe it. He and two friends were going out for dinner and a motor cyclist ran straight into the back of his car pushed all the rear end in and the riders head came through the rear window. They had no idea that the motor bike was coming to them. So they were in a fair amount of shock. Some of them had glass embedded in them but an ambulance was called and fixed this. The motor bike rider just had a sore ankle. Unfortunately we think David's car is a right off. We haven't seen it but have spoken to the tow truck driver who said when he drove it onto the truck it didn't sound very good. So we had about two and a half hours of phone calls back and forth to insurance company's police etc on Tuesday night and then again yesterday. We are just waiting to see if the car is a write off before we can do anything else. David took public transport to work yesterday and was getting a lift home. We may have to lend him a car to get to work though ,as he has to get up here for work on Monday's. David has been working about 45 and a half hours the last couple of weeks and it will be like this up until Christmas so it couldn't have come at a worse time. Thankfully no one was seriously injured but I do wish Motor Bike riders would be more considerate. I hate how they weave in and out of traffic. The funny thing about all this is that David had gone one block too far and was coming back to go the right way,if only he had taken the right turn he may never have come across this motor bike rider. Now we are wishing for a quite couple of weeks!!!

Happy days.

Bev C

Over the Top Blog Award.

Hello,

I hope you all had a great weekend relaxing or having fun. Not long ago I received my first ever blog award from Pauline. Pauline has a great blog with such wonderful photo's . Pauline also has the gift of writing and I think she thinks I could write a book like her. I have to answer 35 questions then pass this award onto six more blogs. 1. Where is your cell phone? Kitchen

2. Your hair. Brushed

3. Your Mother. Gardening

4. Your Father. Deceased

5.Favourite food. Liquorice

6.Your dream last night. None

7.Favourite drink. Tea

8.Your dream/goal. Happiness

9. What room are you in? Family room

10.Your hobby. Gardening

11.Your fear. Snakes

12.Where do you want to be in 6 years. Here

13.Where were you last night. Home

14.Something that you aren't. Bilingual

15.Muffins. Blueberry

16.Wish list item. Holiday

17.Where did you grow up. Jennacubbine

18.Last thing you did. Breakfast

19.What are you wearing. Nightie

20.Your TV. New

21.Your Pets. Chooks

22.Friends. Happy

23.Your life. Full

24.Your mood. Cheerful

25.Missing someone. Elvis!!

26. Vehicle. Kia

27. Something you aren't wearing. Showercap

28.Favourite Store. Dymocks(Bookshop)

29.Favourite colour. Pink

30.When was the last time you laughed. Yesterday

31. Last time you cried. Winter

32.Your best friend. Ian

33. One place I go to over and over. Garden

34. One person who emails me regulary. Lyn

35.Favourite place to be. Kainga

So to pass this onto six blogs was very hard. Everyone I visit on blogs and visits here are friends I never had a year ago. So this was a tough decision. I chose the following blogs in no particular order.

Vickie from Vickie's Crafting Vickie is a real down to earth person who joins in a lot of swaps. So I have been able to find lots of new blogs from her swaps. Vickie leaves such quick witted comments it makes me laugh. Thanks Vickie.

Bobbie Lynn from Why I love to Garden I found Bobbie Lynns blog after I googled the words I love to Garden. I found a fellow gardener on the other side of the world who has much the same gardening climate as me. Bobbie Lynn I very much enjoy visiting your blog. Thank you.

Simone Simone and I have been blogging about the same time. We have exchanged some wonderful emails and I have gained so much information about her country that I didn't know before. I think this is one of the wonders of blogging. Thank you for your friendship Simone. I truly treasure it.

Dzintra , Queen of the Armchair I think I met up with Dzintra after reading her comments on Simones blog. Well I think I have found another friend here along with JoJo, Dzintra's beautiful daughter. Dzintra put me onto a place I would just love to go to one day. I did buy the book so that will have to suffice for the time being. I love reading your emails Dzintra I know my cooking skills will improve if I keep reading your food blog as well.

Lyn Moore I have been reading Lyn's blog for a long time. I enjoy reading her updates on things like the latest book Lyn has read to her knitting. I cannot knit(I have tried) and Lyn does the most beautiful knitting. I was extremely lucky to win one of Lyn's patterns earlier on in the year. It was such a beautiful stitchery about gardening. Gardening is something I do enjoy so to get to stitch it is even better.

Janelle from Threads of Friendship Last year Janelle sent me an email before I was a blogger and asked when was I going to start my own blog. This was the nudge I needed. I did what I was told and here I am today. I have since met Janelle and she is a beautiful lady. Plus she works in a great handy shop that I need to go to sometimes. Thank you so much for the email and our friendship since Janelle.

Happy days.

Bev C

The big reveal---The "Beach Quilt" has arrived.

Hello,

I can give the full reveal of the "Beach Quilt". I got the call that it arrived in New Zealand safely this morning. My sister Chris wanted a gift with a Beach theme for Roger and Lucre who had a housewarming back in the middle of the year. Chris sent some of the material to me,this is used in surfboards that Roger makes.

I used patterns from this great site, I spent several hours drawing cutting and appliqueing the seahorse. I purchased the yellow for the seahorse and when I walked into the patchwork shop I eyed the lovely sea material that is used in the background. This is a nutex material originally from New Zealand. Chris sent me the paua shell material which is from nutex as well.

Being a "Beach Quilt" we had to have a palm tree. Originally this block was much larger but to suit the size of the quilt I reduced this to 12.5 inches.

I included sun fish,angel fish,dolphin and a turtle. All these have been done with button-hole stitch around the edge. I even got to use my "Wavy Edge Ruler' which has been so handy.

I wanted to add a personal touch to the quilt. So I sent Pauline and Chris on a search of lighthouses that are near Lucre and Rogers. With Cape Reinga being the closest and being white I got them to search further afield in Argentina where Lucre hails from. Lucre grew up in an area that was landlocked so I chose one that was black and white as I already had the block together. So I chose to name if after the one that is at "Querandi". For the border I had purchased the "Surfy" type material as a remnant at Textile Traders. I left it for a day or so to see if it really went with it. Chris loves this material. The final measurements of the quilt is about 1280 wide and the length is 1380. This in inches is about 47.5 wide and 51.5 inches in length. I thoroughly enjoyed the planning and making of the quilt. As Chris wanted it for a wall hanging I added a sleeve to the back of it as well as a label. I did use a cotton wadding so it can be used to snuggle under if needed. The backing material has different types of sea shells on it.I bought this quilting material a while ago at Good Sammys. I knew one day it would be handy for a backing material at least. I machine quilted it myself and surprisingly it only took a couple of hours.Roger has a blog,you can see some wonderful photo's of the surfboards being made. I loved the one with paua shell in it. Lucre is presently on holiday in Argentina and will be back next week. She sure is going to get a great surprise. I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend.

Happy days.

Bev C