It was a fantastic day.....Girls Day in the Country 2012.....

Well what an exciting start to the day.......a few weeks ago myself, my Mum and friend Jenny woke up soooo very excited......we were heading to the hall in Nundle for my second Girls Day in the Country hosted by the ever-lovely Kerry Swain.

.............. just entered the hall and found our table.........yippee, we're sharing a table with Jenny, Trish and Alison again...............................(the fever of checking out our goodies in the bag!!!)

 ................"oooh look I got a red spotty mug for my cups of tea this year"...............

 ..................my goodie bag.........I am very excited at this point.....................I had pre-ordered Sue Daley's new book and can't wait to check it out.........so lucky to have her sign it for me later in the day.....

 .............Jenny hiding behind Kerry's lovely hexagon table decorations.....how else would you decorate a table for an English Paper Piedcing event???????.....how clever is our Kerry!!!!..........

 ............the hall was beautifully adorned with all of Sue's quilts........................

 ...............our special projects for the day.....a clamshell Sewing Keep and the Hexagon Box...........

 ............bloggy friend re-unite..................

 ...........the oh-so-special photo of all the blogging girls from near and far as we come together each year to Nundle for a catch-up 'in the real'. It's so nice to see the beautiful ladies that provide inspiration and regular like-minded contact all year thru blogging......it truly reminds me why I am glad to have found the blog world (thanks Chooky!!)

......and this stunning quilt was popped in amongst Sue's quilts in the hall on display....Kerry, inspired by Sue's EPP, made this stunner for her recently married daughter......I think it's beautiful.........

Well I know I'm suffering a bit of jet lag getting these piccies up in a post.....seems like ages ago now since GDITC, but life does get hectic.....hope you enjoyed the reminder of a great weekend girls........counting down till next year now............

It was a wonderful weekend......

Oh dear, it seems like ages since the big weekend in Nundle to attend Kerry's Girls Day in the Country. I have been so busy chasing my tail since returning home....does anyone else find they come home and 'pay' for the joy of the weekend with the catch-up?.....doesn't matter....... it was well worth it...........

I had a pair of passengers on Thursday when we left home.......my Mum and a friend of ours, Jenny, from our local craft group. We decided to have an extra night at Nundle for the sole purpose of shopping, and taking in the sights of Nundle before meeting the ladies for a pub lunch.

 Lunch at the pub.......We had spent a few joyous hours in the morning at Kerry's Cottage on the Hill, soaking in the sheer pleasure of Kerry's shop, and also having the pleasure of meeting our guest tutor for the weekend, Sue Daley. Sue jumped in the car with us as we headed to meet up with all the other girls for lunch. It was a lovely way to begin our weekend........

 ....a visit to the Nundle Woollen Mills.....very interesting...........

 .....here we all are on the lawn having happy hour before dinner.....there was lots of show and tell  (I loooove seeing everyones work)

 ....my special bloggy friend, Jenny with a Natalie Lymer creation.....really lovely......

 ....check out these My Garden quilts, designed by Anni Downs........I'm thinking I need to do this quilt (slap face!!!).....no you have enough on your plate.....silly girl!!!

........beautiful bright hexies........

 .......more beautiful bright hexies, I mean girls!!!......here we are at dinner.....loads of chatter, laughs and good cheer....

 After dinner we were treated to a trunk show. It was a real treat to see Sue's quilts  'in the real'....so much more texture when you get up close and personal with quilts....I could have pawed over them all night long, checking out the details..........Kerry in the picture was the ultimate host for the weekend....an amazing lady who I admire heaps......

 I was particularly interested in seeing Sue's It Takes Two quilt after just completing this one myself....

 My next project, this lovely quilt called Icy Nights.........I felt so lucky to have Sue choose the fabrics for this quilt on Friday morning at Kerry's shop....so this will be a special quilt indeed.....( I started it the other night....no hope for me!!!!!)

.........oh, and I need to confess that I bought the pattern for this one titled Lancaster........do you think I'm addicted???.......I really am hooked on the paper piecing.

I'll be back soon with photos of the Saturday at Sue's workshop. In the meantime I'm busy finishing the project we began on the day.....just needs assembling now...........I can hear the sewing machine beckoning me......lol............hope your sewing machine is beckoning you!!!...............

The 'So' Post....SO long, SO busy, SOOO excited!!!

Oh golly it has been far too long since I last posted....sorry my friends. I have lots of excuses, including technical issues and being very busy writing my school program ....but they are excuses......naughty me!!

So......I have explained the SO long (between posts), and the SO busy (work), but why am I SOOO excited???
Yes, you guessed it!!....my trip to Nundle to the lovely Kerry's Girls Day in the Country is only less than 2 weeks away. I am taking Mum and my sewing friend Jenny and we are making a 4 day getaway.....we are all very excited, especially Jenny as this is her first GDITC and she has heard all my stories of fun and laughter and good friends from last year..

Soooo....the rush is on.......the rush and sewing fever to try to finish my show and tell. As I've said before, Sue Daley, the English Paper Piecing "Queen" is our tutor and I'm trying desperately to complete her 'It Takes Two' quilt to share. It has been a slow work in progress to do all the EPP, assemble the quilt, add some hand stitching, and now to quilt.....and if you know me, you'll understand the slow speed....I agonise over all of it .!!

Here's a sneak peek....can't give away too much as most of my readers are coming to Nundle and I'd rather they see it in the real......

....I had a bit of a scare today...thought I'd run out of thread...none of the right colour in the drawer.......then I found it on the bench, remembering it had been set aside all ready to go!!!....whew!!  ..and I live 1 hour from the nearest store to get any, and wouldn't make it till Thursday.......

Sooo....must get that machine whirling.......got lots to plan and organise too....does anyone else leave meals for their crowd left at home????...that's the worst part about going away............

Counting down!!

Hi everyone...

You will see that I've followed Chookyblues clever instructions and added the countdown gadget to my blog.......I am counting down to Kerry's Girls Day in the Country at Nundle in March!!.....Oh, I am so excited to be going again this year, and taking Mum with me too (she had a ball too last year), and also taking Jenny, a friend from our local craft group.

.....here is a photo of all the lovely ladies at our table....4 of whom I keep in bloggy contact with now....

 .......one of the girls having lessons from the ever-so-talented Anni Downs, our tutor for the day......

.....one of the projects for the day......lots of girls on the day began this lovely purse, and some even completed it!!!!!......

 ........and one girl amongst us (using her time to socialise!!!) managed to complete this little number on the day........this caused great laughter on the day, yet at least it IS A FINISH!!!.....and without the social skills of this wonderful lady, our weekend would be lacking......you will be pleased to know that she has now completed one of the projects from the 2011 Girls Day in the Country...I have seen it on her blog....

....so all in all, considering all the fun I had last year, and the special friends I happened to meet, and have seen since, this year is set to be doubly as much fun......

I am busy, busy, busy finishing a quilt of Sue Daley's, this year's tutor, ready to take to Nundle. I would like to share piccies, but techno probs with the camera means there'll be a slight delay!!!....

I hope you are all keeping the needles busy, and planning fun times for yourself.......

I have twins!!!

Well now I have your attention, I must confess these twins are not of the human variety!!!

...........Check out these little treasures.....

Mrs Willy Wagtail has made her nest right on my washing line!!!

If I am hanging washing out quietly on my own, she is quite happy to sit on her nest with me nearby.

The babies are so cute and growing very fast. Here's Mum......

 ....and even happy amongst the flapping washing......

The nest is so exposed, I am worried as we have lots of Kookaburras around. So....fingers crossed these babies will fly from the nest soon.......

........isn't nature wonderful?.......

.....I'll have some sewing to show you soon.....

Hello.......I'm home......and back in the sewing room........

Oh wow, what a lovely family beach holiday we've just returned from. My time at our caravan at Evan's Head worked out to be one day short of 4 weeks!!!!!.....so I was well ready to get back to my sewing.......I always plan to stitch while I'm away and usually bring it all home untouched, and that's what happened this time too. I find I never feel clean enough....too much sand and sunscreen......and we're flat-out busy all the time....swimming, sunning, bike riding, walks, shops, talking, a few drinkies and major socialising, not to mention the bowling club is just over the grass from our van!!!!!!!!

Here are a couple of piccies so you see where we've been.

The river on the left and surf on the right, so there's loads of swimming choices. My mum and my daughter on the breakwall.

Looking upriver at very high tide towards the camping area.

.......and now what's happening in the sewing room, I hear you ask!!??.......

Remember my English Paper Piecing rings , well I am finished all 16 rings for the central part of the quilt, and am adding the applique to the centres.

Oops, meant to crop this, and get rid of the thready edges....must have forgotten!!!!!

Next job is to whip stitch a scalloped design just inside the rings with a decorative thread......this should be interesting as I've never done whip stitch before.

Here's an image of where I'm headed.....the whole quilt......I would love to have this completed before I head off to Kerry's Girl's Day in the Country at Nundle in March, as Sue Daley, the designer of this quilt will be the guest tutor for the weekend......so I'd better get those fingers working fast......

....and to all my bloggy buddies, it's been a long absence and I have missed the contact with you all, so expect me to be leaving you a comment or 2 very soon.........

My lovely SSCS gift....

 What a lovely time I had on Christmas Day opening my SSCS gift. Kaaren had made these gorgeous pillow cases for me with beautiful redwork stitcheries and a crocheted trim......really pretty. I will need to find a special time to use these. Here is a closer look at Kaaren's super-neat stitching......just so perfectly worked....

I just love this gift, Kaaren, and I thank you heaps......also thanks to the Chookyblue Christmas Elf for organising the swap in her usual super-dooper organising fashion......this was my very first Christmas swap....so much fun.....how many days till next year????....lol....

My family and I are on holidays at the beach at the moment and I have some lovely photos off my son's new camera (Xmas pressie)....needless to say we have every moment of Xmas on record...well what else happens when you give a 10yo boy a camera!!!!!!

So I will have some photos to share when I work out how to transfer them to the daughters laptop!!!.....I am posting this from her laptop so I am crossing fingers as I hit the 'post' button right now!!!...lol.....hope you are all enjoying the holiday season......

Secret Santa Christmas Swap.........

.........I was doing a big happy dance yesterday when I popped into the PO on the way home..........

..........How exciting to see a parcel from Canada!!!!!.....My SSCS parcel had arrived.........

Trying hard not to poke and press this one too much, as I am NOT ALLOWED to open this one till Christmas Day!!!!!.....what torture, but I will look forward to this special surprise as I don't often get too many surprises for myself.........

I was however ALLOWED by the Chookyblue Elf (she's the special elf who has organised this swap and set the rules!!) to open the accompanying gift, or should I say gift S......thankyou Kaaren, you have spoilt me with many gifts, and I love them all........look at this absolutely stunning ornament for the tree......so cleverly folded....

.......but wait there's more!!!!!....check it all out.........chocolate from Canada....yum!!!...gotta hide this from the 11yo son!!!!!.........and a lovely pen which I am closely guarding so the 15yo daughter doesn't take off with it!!!......a really cute bobbin decoration , and a needle holder purse made from lovely red/black fabric....

Aren't I the lucky one......I love them all, Kaaren, thanks so much.....

I hope everyone out there is getting festive in spirit, and planning some special times with family and friends this season.......

A Secret Santa Christmas Swap............

I was delighted to post off this special little gift today. I joined in Chookyblue's fun of a Secret Santa swap this year, my very first swap like this........I post to someone overseas, and someone else from overseas posts to me!!!!.........

............Soooooo...........I wonder where this is going?????????...........and who is to get to open it on Xmas Day???????????......That's right......it must sit under the Chrissy Tree till THE day!!!!....such temptation!!!....

  

                             .........Oh, and I nearly forgot, this parcel has a littler friend...........

........and inside is a little Christmas something that can be opened as soon as the parcel arrives.....phew!!!.....that may satisfy the 'pressie opening' urge for a time!!!!

I hope you are enjoying the start of the Christmas Season at your home.

Our family will spend this Christmas in real Aussie style, at our caravan at the beach, BBQing, surfing, canoeing, beach walking, reading, socialising, etc, etc

How will you spend your Christmas?

There's been a lot of talk about thread..........

As all the Stitch-Along ladies begin their needleturn blocks for the latest quilt, Some Kind of Wonderful, there's beeen a bit of debate over the thread to use and why..........

I have enjoyed doing needleturn applique for some time now, and was always an avid Guterman cotton only woman, mainly because of the old argument that the thread type (cotton) should match the fabric type for similar wear and tear qualities. I did find though that cotton thread is not as strong as I would have liked and I did learn of an alternative, which I reluctantly tried (I say reluctantly because it is a polyester thread and it didn't match my cotton theory!!!)  But one try and I was in love with it..........I justify allowing a polyester thread on my needleturn quilts this way.. 

 1..... a needleturn quilt of mine won't hit the washing machine on a weekly basis, so I'm not so worried about the fabrics wearing at varying rates                                                   

2......the stitches are completely invisible, and my work in turn looks more professional                                    3..... the thread is strong and does not fray to nothing as I work with it 

4......it is cheaper as the thread is sold as bobbins so I can have many smaller amounts of lots of colours for variety, which is really essential for applique

........so you may ask what is it called??????.......

It is from the Superior Threads range, more particularly their Bottomline Polyester thread......a 60weight thread (fine), and you can buy it like this..........

 ....it's called a Superbobs Donut....how cool is that???????.........

......every colour to suit.................................

Just ask me in the comments and I can let you know where I got mine and how much I payed.......as the saying goes....."I think it's the best thing since sliced bread!!!!!!".

Oh and I have made a start on my first block, the patty cakes.....here's the proof.........

Anyway, I hope this may be of help to some of you as you gather everyone's ideas in order to make your own decision on the issue of thread............

I hope you are all keeping your hands busy with fabric........