The most perfect Sunday...............

I feel so privileged(and exhausted) to have spent the day yesterday, learning from these lovely ladies, Leanne Beasley and Rosalie Quinlan.  Lesley from Forget Me Knots in Christchurch organised the most fantastic workshop, a Mid Winter Christmas theme, and every detail was perfect, thank you so much Lesley!

The day for me started at 4am, with an hours drive on icy roads to catch the plane to Christchurch.  Not only did Lesley organise everything, she even came and picked me up at the airport - now that is service!

Leanne and Rosie are wonderful teachers, with a great sense of humour, very down- to-earth, and both are very big on doing what makes you happy, if you aren't enjoying a technique or project, find a technique that will be enjoyable.  Our 'mistakes', or what we think are mistakes, make our work original, and keep it looking handmade.

This sweet little bag 'Three Sweet Bluebirds'(the third bluebird is on the needlecase inside) was one of Rosalie's projects, and it was so neat to see how she does her needleturn applique, an art I really admire, but am hopeless at.  Silk thread certainly helped make my own piece look a lot neater, and I will keep practicing,

I am determined to master it.  Rosalie also taught a doll called Poppy, and a beautiful stitchery which can be finished onto a canvas. 

 

Leanne talked to us about designing our own quilt, where to begin, use of colour, keeping it balanced, and heaps of ideas and patterns to get us started.  The blocks above are the work in progress on her own quilt, which as always is going to be stunning.

One of the highlights for me was being able to have a really closeup look at some of the girls original quilts, and other projects, one I really fell in love with is this one, Rosie's 'I Remember' BOM quilt.  I am really going to have to practice that needleturn.

 This is Leanne's latest BOM 'Down in the Garden' and it is stunning.

 Some of Leanne's cute little pincushions.

 

 Just some of the gorgeous bits and pieces that Lesley had set up on display to tempt us.

 

It was so cool to meet some other bloggers, including Shiree, and  Deb, who are both doing the Gardener's Journal Stitchalong, and lots of other lovely ladies who were all so friendly and welcoming.  (One sweet lady who lived near the airport even dropped me back there on her way home - Thanks so much!)

So, all in all, a fabulous day away, great people, great food, lots of new projects to get busy with, and memories to treasure.

Till next time ...............Happy, happy stitching

PS: It really is nearly 1.30am, but I wanted to write this post, while it was still fresh in my head!  After a long day at work today, yesterday already seems like a distant memory.........sigh.

       

Friday Night Finish ..................

 

I saw this gorgeous runner a couple of months ago over on Thimbelinas blog.  I fell in love with the fabric, Verna by Kate Spain for Moda,  and ordered a charm pack from Lisa of Lydias Treasures. Check out Lisa's blog here.  The runner is a Moda Bake Shop pattern by Vicki E of Spun Sugar Quilts. 

It was a really quick wee runner to make, I cut my strips 5 x 1.5 inches as I wanted mine to be a bit longer than the original.  I wasn't confident at machine stitching my binding so, it took me a while to hand stitch the binding down last night.  It was great to get a project finished(not always my strong point. lol)  This was such a fun little quilt, I think I might try another one in different fabrics(maybe my new favourite Martinique by Moda) next time.

If you were participating in the Friday Night Sew-In I hope you had a productive evening too. 

Till next time...............Happy Stitching

Thank you

Firstly thanks to Chookyblue for sending so many kind people to my last post about my Weaveline/Stitchery issues.  I've had lots of kind comments and emails with heaps of ideas to try, thanks to everyone who shared their thoughts with me.  Sounds like lots of people have experienced problems when using stabilisers with stitchery.  Will let you know how I get on with the finished article.

  Tonight is Friday Night Sew-In(link in my sidebar), so although it is getting late now I'm heading off with a big cup of coffee and plans to get busy stitching.  Hope to be back tomorrow with an update of what gets done tonight.    Till then.......Happy Stitching

Stitchery/Weaveline Advice Please???

For a while I have been wondering how to fix this little problem below.  While I was thrilled with the overall look of this stitchery for a bolster cushion for my daughter, I would love some help with how I have used/misused the Weaveline iron on stabiliser.  While I was stitching it seemed to be lifting and puckering off the fabric.  Have I ironed too hot, too cold, stitched too tight, pulled the fabric in my hoop too tight?? Or something else altogether?  I do like how the stabiliser hides threads on the back that might show through otherwise, but now no matter how I press the finished piece I can't get rid of the little puckers and creases.  They are especially noticeable in the photos below in the beehive and in the fairy's wings.

       

This design is from the Fairyland book by Natalie Bird, and it was so much fun to stitch(apart from my disappointment with the stabiliser.  If anyone has any ideas on what I am doing wrong, how I can fix it, or your opinions on stabilisers generally, I would be very grateful.  If there is anything I can do to rectify it, I would like to give it a go before I finish the cushion up.  In the meantime I have been stitching on my next Gardener's Journal block, and have almost completed a wee table runner which I will share next time.

Would love to hear your thoughts, thanks so much for stopping by..............Nicky

A Gardeners Journal May block .................

Just in the nick of time, I finished my May block for AGJ Stitch Along last night.  Nothing like leaving things till the last day is there?  I had to wait till today to get some photos though.

 

 

 

 

I'm undecided whether I will carry on with the plan to do Block C or head somewhere else on the quilt.  Not sure if I am in the right mental state for the huge stitchery(huge to me anyway!) that is scheduled for this month.  Either way I will endeavour to complete one for the month.  This has been such a great way to get motivated to get some stitching done.

It's been a busy time here on the farm, lots of putting up electric fences for the ewes, feeding out baleage to cattle, and weighing the last few hundred lambs.  Our last draft of lambs are leaving tomorrow, so we've been dagging them today.  It will be great to see them on the truck, as the colder weather has slowed down the grass growth considerably, and we need to  free up some of the lamb paddocks for the ewes to graze through the winter.   We have had a couple of hard frosts followed by gorgeous sunny days, not very warm, but at least not raining!

Here is a wee look at what Misses 7 and 9 were making for dinner last night - home made pizzas. They made their own personal ones, and then we did another big one as well - they always eat better if they had some part in making it I've noticed!  Sorry no after photos, they came out of the oven and were practically inhaled by the girls on the spot....... when I remembered about the camera it was all over!

As ever, thanks for stopping by, it is nice to know I'm not just talking to myself ................ though I do a bit of that too sometimes. lol