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,

Mid-month catch-up

We have just returned from a beautiful weekend away. The MOML and I plus ED and her family had a jaunt up north. Houhora is a small settlement in the Far North of New Zealand. The area is only about 10kms (as the crow flies) from coast to coast. It's quite far north, but still about an hour's drive to Cape Reinga, at the very top of the country.
The map's a bit blurry but the best I could find (not many of them had Houhora on the map!).

It was incredible to walk along the unspoilt, peaceful beaches with no-one else as far as the eye could see and think about this crazy world we live in - we were still reeling from the tragic and horrific mosque killings that had happened the day before.
No, I was not directly affected.
Yes, I live at the other end of the country.
But still it hurts.

Looking for dinner

The only family photo we got - without ED

I needed a car project so started a cardie for Lily. It's the same pattern as some of the wee cardies I made when the babies were newborn (*here* on Ravelry). I'm not sure whether I'll carry on and finish it now, or leave it for our next road trip in a couple of weeks time.

My sewing machine has been a little idle the last week or so, but yesterday I stitched up some heart blocks. These are in response to the call for blocks to make quilts for those affected by the Christchurch killings. The facebook group Kiwiquilters is hoping to make at least 100 quilts.

A small thing to do, but a something all the same.

Greens were asked for, plus some coloured blocks for rainbow quilts.
A few minutes sewing will see the bottom ones finished.

Angels in Gumboots is also involved in this drive. *Here* is the link to them and a pattern for the blocks.

After finishing my first two Foxley Village applique blocks I have spent some of my evenings lately catching up on my mystery quilt stitcheries. (Not Even A Mouse).

Block Two

Block Three

I have two weeks before the next clue is released so I'm feeling rather good here!

One last thing to do before I sign off and carry on my day {it's Ganma day for me today :-)} and that is to announce the winners of the draws from my previous, book bloghop, post.
Julie was the winner of the book, Test It! by Sherri Noel.
Cecilia was the winner of the Aurifil thread.
Congratulations ladies, and thank you everyone else for visiting and your sweet comments.

A final photo from the weekend —

'til next time, 

Love one another,