A girly day out.

Yesterday Debs and I headed out for the day. We visited three different quilty stores.

First stop was Annies Country Quilts in Ashburton. I have visited several times but this was a first for Debbie. I picked up a few bits and pieces, well most of what you see here in this photo. Debbies pile was much larger! 

After that we went on to the Bernina center also in Ashburton. That was a first for both of us. It is also where I found the red quilt hanger in the photo.

The last stop was a chance find.

Material Time used to be in a building we would not have seen, but is currently in a temporary home and we spotted it just by chance and had to stop and call in.

They had a great selection of fabrics and we will be making a return visit. 

It was a lovely day out, we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves.

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Work in the garden continues. Tony and his dad have managed to pull out a good sized tree stump.  

The front garden is slowly clearing.

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I have a pinched nerve in my back, which is preventing me from doing the things I want to do, like sewing! But I am enjoying the rest and doing a lot of reading.

Patchy progress

Very slow progress I have to say. It took two sessions to get just 16 blocks made into two thirds of a top!

I seem to remember thinking as I made the blocks that the jelly roll wasn't a very good one and I needed to slow down and pay more attention to what was going on. I wish now I had listened to myself. I might have less tweaking and tidying up to do now!

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I got fed up wrestling with the batiks yesterday and spent the afternoon cross stitching with sleepy. 

No such frustrations there, she was a dream to spend time with.

Sadly no sewing time today, I spent the morning doing chores and writing a letter. There are still one or two quick jobs to do, then off to work.

A Tale of Four Projects!

First up, one you have all seen before.

Sleepy has slumbered quietly pretty much since we moved in here, just over a month ago!

I did get to spend two brief afternoons with her over the holidays and hope to find more time for her soon. I'm still working on the first page of six. 

The next project is from Anni Downs book, a Christmas Story.

I'll be working away slowly at this one during the year as Debs and I planned a block a month project.

Following the block system in the book.

Block one is in the top left of the picture below. So, the Partridge, the Angel Choir, the three baubles and the candle holder. Along with all the little joining/sashing squares.

 Debs is waaaay ahead of me and has all the appliqué prepared and ready for stitching!

Our fabric selection has needed a bit of tweaking. We shared a fat quarter bundle of neutrals for the back grounds.

 And a fat eighth bundle for the images 

 And we have both added other elements from our stash.

 And our scrap bins!

 Although our projects are the same pattern and use pretty much the same fabric collections, there will be differences. 

It will be fun to work on a project together. I just need to find the time to get on with it.

Of course I've had time to shop!

I've been back in to Sandys quilt shop and found some more foody fabrics, for my third project. This one is still very much in the plan and collect stage! The plan changes almost weekly and the collection is growing slowly.

Chocolate, coffee and a bountiful harvest! 

My batik quilt remains as you saw it last, all spread out on the floor behind me here!

Maybe now that Tony has gone back to work, I'll find more time for some stitchy pursuits.

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I still have two weeks of extra shifts to get through, before I go back to my normal shifts, I have to say, I'm looking forward to that.

Two hours before I have to get ready to go into work today. What can I get up to?

Creativity and destruction.

The batik chain is still lying spread out on my floor, however, I have whittled away half of the blocks and played around with those that remain.

I'm happy at last with placement and just need to neaten them and get them stitched together.

Not too sure when I'll get time for that, but hopefully soon.

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I finally remembered where the photos were, that showed more of my Christmas gains!

Still on the SD card!

My pal Maxine is South Australia sent me this collection of kits and patterns for Christmas.

Lovely.

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My Hunney not only bought me the quilting frame, he also picked out a kit for me.

 I wonder if it will be stitched before next Christmas?

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I've been spending a few pennies here and there over the last few months and have collected together some rather delicious looking fabrics.

Fruits and Veggies. Yum.

Some are fat quarters and some are off cuts.

I have a plan......

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Speaking of edibles, when we first moved in, Mother and Father in law gifted two tomato plants to me. I opted to keep them in our side porch rather than outside.

 That seems to have been the correct decision as they are growing like mad, there is plenty of greenery and flowers and even a few fruits appearing too.

 Another gift also from the in laws is this beginners herb garden. I plan to expand on this, but need to do plenty more clearing out before that plan can take shape.

 And beside the herbs, another gift, I don't recall the name of this bush, Tony's mum says it will attract Monarch butterflies as they like to eat the nectar.

Oh good!

 More edibles, my beans are also producing!

Hopefully it will be worth waiting all that time for them to germinate.

Well, that's all the creation, now for the destruction!

While I was at work the other day, Tony and his folks got stuck into the back garden.

This huge pile filled two trailers to be carted away.

But under the trees at the back of the property now looks so much better. There is still a lot of work to do and they only managed one half.

 The other side, beyond the gravel (Where we plan to put in a green house and a raised bed) has not even been touched yet.

See why I have so little time for sewing?

The week that was!

Phew! Time to sit and rest!

I intended to get back to my blog before now, I have so much to show and tell, but we have had such a busy week!

As you know I scooped up a bunch of extra shifts over the holidays, (There are plenty more of those in the next couple of weeks too) and we have had more gatherings and get togethers with special people. It's been wonderful.

I think Joe is enjoying the new lifestyle too!

 As well as all the working and partying we have been busy in the garden. Remember how overgrown it is? 

Especially around the sewing room window?

 I didn't ask him to start here, he just decided.

 An hour made a huge difference.

I went off to work shortly after taking these photos.

But the Mr kept on going.

 By the time I got home after an early shift the following day there were more huge changes.

 Look, you can see my window!

You can see all the way down the drive!

Tonys Dad came along with his truck to cart everything away to the green tip, where it will be mulched and composted. There were two loads, and that is just one small area of the garden partially tidied!

 There is still a lot of work to do, we have more to dig out on the other side of the tree and several big stumps and roots to remove, before we lay a new path, install a flag staff and replant.

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A job I couldn't help with was the cleaning of the gutters and soffits. Bruce came to help with that one. The two of them took seven hours taking turns, scooting up and down the ladder to clean everything. They said it hadn't been done for a long time. Lots of things were growing up there.

 We are so lucky to be surrounded by such wonderful, loving and helpful people.

Speaking of lovely people. Debbie and I have gotten together and planned a sew along. 

We both want to do 'My favourite things' by Anni Downs, but Debs particularly asked if we could do the Christmas Story quilt first. 

No problem. 

She went online and sourced the fabrics, we ordered a lovely fat quarter bundle which we plan to share, then we will stitch a block a month.

Hopefully by the time we finish it, we will both have had a chance to get in plenty of practice on my new quilting frame and feel ready to tackle something special!

So, while I'm on the subject of quilts and quilting.

Do you remember this one? I have posted it before, it was in a similar state at the time. Spread out all over a floor back on the Isle of Man! Well I spread it out here about a week ago.

I let it soak for a day or two here then a plan formed.

Instead of making a quilt that is too big to go in the frame, I thought I might make it in two halves then join them. But then had another think and decided on a smaller quilt for now. At first it was to be double sided, with both sides the same, then that plan changed too. So now only half of the blocks are currently on the floor, the other half went back into the box. Hopefully some time soon I will get a chance to finish squaring these up and get them put together, then I just have to make up a back.

All of which of course will lead to having to watch the instructional video and read the manual that came with the quilting frame, and actually getting on with it!!

I must admit to being a little nervous about using it! 

LOL