"The final finishes for 2015."

Hello,

Christmas has been and gone, it was a lovely occasion at Kainga with family from overseas and interstate.

There has been a bit of sewing, I finished the top of the scrappy quilt.

I will have to wait until the craft shop re-opens to pick up some wadding and backing.

This was certainly a great scrap buster, even got to use up some machine embroidery and applique bits and pieces that have been in the sewing room for ages.

This little bag makes a great present, this one was for my niece. I filled it with sunscreen lip balm etc.

Miss Mary Mack has been back from the framers for a while. I am so pleased with the framing on this one. I tried a new framer and I am very impressed with the detail of the framing.

The embroidery machine was working overtime before Christmas. I made a couple of sets of coasters. Using the same pattern but changing what goes in the middle of each one. These were all made in the hoop.

This has been a year long project, finished part two of the Paris Stitch Along. Hopefully the next two parts won't take as long to stitch.

 We are getting some lovely sunsets here at Kainga.

 I would like to thank each and everyone who reads this blog and those who are regular commentator's I truly appreciate you dropping by to see what is happening at Kainga. May 2016 be a fantastic year of finishes and gardens that bloom and lots of Happy Days to you all.

Happy days.
Bev C

"That's the first week of December done and dusted."

Hello,

How did your week go? Ours was a busy one, we celebrated our Wedding Anniversary with a day out. It was decided to spend sometime looking at the amazing old paintings dating back to the 1500's at the Museum and Art Gallery at New Norcia. You don't need to travel to Italy to see old paintings they are here in Western Australia.

New Norcia Hotel.

Then it was time for Lunch at the New Norcia Hotel. We had a delicious lunch but as the tables were fairly close as is the case in most restaurants these days we couldn't help but hear the lady  at the next table arguing the whole time with her Husband. It even came to tears by the time their meal was served. She must have forgiven him because she ate his leftover pizza!

After lunch it was a wander around the town looking at the array of buildings and cemetery. Nothing like a cemetery to find a rich history of the past.

I couldn't get over how tall this gum tree was, it was so tall I couldn't fit it all into the photo. I bet this tree could tell some stories.

St Ildephonsus College.

The style of buildings is just stunning, they certainly have stood the test of time. We then drove onto Bindoon to have a look around there and enjoy a cuppa and cake at the Bindoon Bakehaus. This is where Prince Harry called into earlier on in the year and purchased some cake. I can certainly see why he chose to eat there as the service was fantastic. After we got home we found that Lucy had put up our Christmas decorations while we were out. Thanks Lucy, then she cooked tea for us. Wonderful to come home to a meal of our choosing and no cooking involved for us.

 During the week I did manage a small finish. I put together the fabric samples and made a table runner. As the fabrics were a bit stretchy I used a stretch type fabric for the backing.

 Teddy seems to like it.

Friday I joined in Friday Night With Friends the last one for the year. I worked on a recently started project. Adding lots of fabrics to strips of calico. I need to make 27 strips that are the Width of the Fabric ( 44 inches), I had some extra wide calico so one strip makes two of the pieces required.  I am half way there. It is a good project to use up those skinny pieces of fabric that you save "just in case"

It was so lovely to hear the rain during the night and this morning. A very rare occurrence for this time of the year.
I will be attending a Thermomix party and playing with the Grandies this weekend. Are you doing something you love?

Happy days.
Bev C

"Snow White makes an appearance."

Hello,

Happy Monday,

I was searching through some drawers in the sewing room  recently and came across a panel that had Snow White on it. She didn't take long to make up.

 Snow White is all dressed in her pretty skirt with some yellow ric-rac and she even has a cape. Her little friend Fawn is her best friend but no sign of the Dwarfs.

I made up a little drawstring bag to put her in as the panel came with this extra picture. Snow White will be gifted to a little one this Christmas.

Happy days.
Bev C

"It's all about Pirates and Christmas."

Hello,

You know when you walk into a fabric shop for just some small item and you come out with a lot more, this happened to me about a fortnight ago. I was after some tearaway for doing machine embroidery when I noticed the sign fabric on sale for $7.50 a metre. I didn't need anything but it couldn't hurt to buy some and then I discovered a fabric panel which I thought would be most suitable for some little boys. Oh and I did get the tearaway and some pellon. The bonus was the fabric panel was half price, I didn't know this until I got to the counter.

 The panel had a soft toy pirate and pirate themed bunting. Perfect for Christmas presents for the Grandies. I even sacrificed used my big blue ric-rac for this.

I then remembered seeing a pirate themed machine embroidery design on the net so made up a bunting for Jude and Jacob to match.

Late last week I received this gorgeous Christmas hanging from Bobbie Lynn. Plus one of her wonderful handmade cards. This hanging will be hung up on the 1st December. Thank you so much Bobbie Lynn for your kindness shown throughout the year.

 The weather has started to warm up so blooms like this Day Lilly brighten our garden up a treat. The bonus is these plants look so ordinary them bloom into such stunning flowers.

I celebrated my Birthday earlier on in the month. Ainsley made the cake, it was so delicious. Catering for Vegan, Gluten Free and Sugar Free she came up with a recipe that suited everyone. Amazing how cakes that are more natural taste so much better. That is Coconut Cream on the top of the cake. It has been a rather social month with a trip to the cinema with Ian to watch The Dressmaker. We can highly recommend this movie, in fact I hope it comes out on DVD rather quickly as I can see it being one of those go to movies for a bit of relaxation. Last week as a Birthday present from David I got to see Stephen Fry. Lucy came along too as she is also a fan. We had 2 hours of the most amazing facts and gossip from him. We wondered what he was going to talk about but the topics were  different and interesting. At the start he said he had one of those new watches that measure your steps by the end he had walked 5.17 kms back and forth across the stage.

I will be linking this post to Christmas Through the Year kindly hosted by Anthea.

Happy days.
Bev C

"Hello November."

 Hello,

Happy Monday.

With all this gorgeous Spring weather we have been blessed with blogging has certainly taken a back seat here at Kainga. I have hardly turned on the computer at all over the past couple of weeks. I have spent a fair bit of time in the garden prepping for Summer vegies and looking after the roses that have been in full bloom for the past month or so. I can see a few hours ahead spent on deadheading.

Now do you believe in the Quilt Police, I know they would be horrified with the mix of cotton and poly fabrics in this table runner. I don't care though, using up bits of fabrics from dresses from my girls has been a absolute pleasure. So many memories in this table runner. There are four Dresden plate sections to join up and then the centre piece is done separately and sewn on after. It was all done in the hoop and sewed up very quickly. I cheated a little, deciding not to put a border on and simply placed the backing fabric over the top of the runner then sewed and turned it all through.

 

 The good thing about doing it in the hoop the wadding is placed in the hoop at the same time so no fiddling around with getting wadding the right size. I was able to use up some of the scraps of wadding. Since taking the photo I did find my missing yellow thread and quilted the centre of the flowers to hold it all together. The Dresden Plate embroidery design is from Sweet Pea Embroidery which is based here in Australia.

 I was recently given a bag of fabric to use up. So Jacob got some new Pj pants. The pattern I drafted from a Enid Gilchrist Baby Book. Do you remember those books, I made heaps of clothes for our children drafting up the patterns. The original price on the cover is 50 cents. Can you imagine buying a new book with heaps of patterns for that price now.

 The other fabric was quite a bit of check fabric. The brown check fabric was actually a very quickly made table runner (by someone who is not a sewer) so I decided to cut it up and make tea towels. I did think about making pants or clothes for the Grandies but as the fabric was a bit faded in places, tea towels were made up. I also made the green check fabric into a tea towel. A inhabitant of this home seems to delight in using up every tea towel in existence so they will certainly come in use.

Can you spot the ladder that is being hugged by the rose?

My roses are making me happy this fine Monday, what is making you happy. I would love to hear.

Happy days.
Bev C

"A Day in the Country."

Hello,

I just love a day in the country being a tourist and driving down some back roads. You never know what you are going to find.

Yesterday we had morning tea by the river.

Avon River Beverley

 The water was lovely and clear. I can imagine a few people having a swim in the river even though there was a sign saying no swimming.

Avon River Beverley.

 This was the view in the other direction. We were on our way to Narrogin, visiting the smaller towns in between. It has been a couple of years since we have done this.

 Just like the back roads the back of a table runner can be just as interesting.

 I joined up the charm squares from "A Day in the Country" by Moda. I purchased this tin a few years back from The Country Yard in New Zealand.

 I added a couple of the iron on blooms that my Sister Chris sent from Hong Kong. I used the country designs from the Brother Embroidery Card Number 65 for the embroidery.


We stopped at each town on the way and on arrival at Narrogin we had a walk around and had a lovely lunch at the Narrogin Nursery Cafe and Garden Centre. We have been at this centre several times before for lunch and have never been disappointed with the meal. This time I went exploring the garden centre out the back. No photo's I was too busy enjoying myself. I would have to say it is the prettiest stocked up garden centre I have been to. I did come away with a dwarf plum tree. I also visited the local patchwork shop called Patch 'n' Paint for pleasure and came away with a cross stitch kit. The best shop we went into was a wonderful surprise, I was enticed by the Wisteria that was in full bloom outside the shop and the small tricycles that were outside the shop. It was called Fabulous finds past and present. What an amazing collection of home wares etc. The lady intends to open a old fashioned lolly shop and serve afternoon teas in the near future.

Please note each of these business's have a Facebook page if you want to get more information. I do not have any affiliation with any of the business's but would recommend them for service and a damn good time.

 On the way back home we called into Cuballing. This community is very small but has the best oval with white picket fence and equestrian centre for miles around. I love that the old buildings have been looked after and the small town was very neat and tidy.

 You could even by the bank. I would love to look inside to see what it looks like now.

 The old post office has been turned into a home.

I loved the garden around the home and shed out the back, it actually reminded me of a garden in England of MidSomer Murders or some show similar to that.

All in all we had a lovely relaxing day out in the country. Have you been out exploring your part of the world lately?

Happy days.
Bev C

"Spring at Kainga."

Hello,

I took a wander around the garden on Sunday with the camera. There are lots of Roses in bloom and plenty more to come. The bees are active and I have seen a few ladybugs already.

Enjoy the wander...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

At the end of September our total rainfall was 293 ml for the year, not a great amount but very much appreciated.

Happy days.
Bev C