Gifts and giving

I keep on discovering more to talk about after my trip over to Baradine for the Scrubstitching retreat.
We all took a gift along for a swap....the rule was 'make it or fake it' (great rule!).
I received a lovely gift from Sandy -

I pulled out my design mirror gadget the other day to have a bit of a play; it will be interesting to see what I end up doing with these.

Thank you Sandy, and also thank you Sandie for the mirror :-)

I was able to squeeze in a day in The Palace before leaving and  managed a gift of the Make It kind. As soon as I saw this sewing organiser I knew I wanted to make it as it's the sort of thing I've wanted for myself. It was a fun make and I was really happy with how it turned out. Lynda received my gift and she said she was delighted, so I was pleased about that :-)

My photos don't show it well enough, it a wee pouch thing to stow your sewing bits in when you travel. You can zip it up for safe travels —

and then fold it down to use. Tho photo below shows the top folded down and another zip pocket on the outside.

I found the instructions really clear to follow and will definitely be making this again. 

Sandy, Sonia and Carol all had pop-up shops there at retreat so I may have also gifted myself with a couple of goodies—

I said in a previous post that I spent a day piecing some healing hearts for the Christchurch quilt drive. I took the blocks over that I had made, and added to them blocks made by fellow scrubstitchers. I had enough to piece two quilts!
I wish I'd taken a photo of the piles of blocks that I had but was too busy sewing up a storm to think of that.

Making a start

One completed quilt top. Sue and I explored the grounds to find some interesting photography spots.

Once I got home I pieced the second top. I decided to vary my design a little bit and used a less subtle green in it, which gives a totally different look.

I used both pieced and appliqued hearts in both quilts - combining
them worked better than I thought they may.

I wrote in a previous post about the terrible drought that is ongoing in Baradine and (other parts of Australia). The local Country Women's group has set up a Drought Pantry to help feed the community. A lot of our group donated goods for the pantry and we went along one morning to sort them. It was sobering to drive through the drought hit countryside, more sobering to listen to the talk about the effects of the drought by the Vice President of the CWA, and even more sobering to visit the Drought Pantry in person. Amazing the support and goods that have been given. 

I think this is my last photo to share about retreat - look at the tribe! A fabulous group of women ♥

'til next time, 

happy stitches,