Ripples on a quilt

 

The pattern on this reminded me of when my Grandmother told me about playing “ Chucky stones in the Clyde” this was back so many years when she lived in Scotland. I have tried to do what we call Skipping Stones, but didn’t manage to get many skips at all.

This was another stunning pattern from Sandy at

 Upstairs Hobby Room 

and we are so lucky to have her share with us the BOM tutorials. I did a trial with 2 blocks, quilted it,and didn’t like it at all, so tried this with a spiral .If I said I was happy with it, that would be an understatement. This is maybe the one I like the most of any recent sewing and quilting projects. I started the spiral by having the centre printed onto paper, then stitched through the paper with no thread. This gave me a good start, and with the  guide bar, managed to keep the width between the rows fairly even. The walking foot was so good, and not a pucker on the back.Wow, maybe that is a first.

An inside shot , and a second one outside on the lawn, in a sheltered spot, away from the southerly wind.

I wanted to do an OOB, or Out Of Bounds, but have run out of time.We are already into the 30th April,and the link is for the 29th, so  I am very happy NZ is a day ahead ( almost).

Quotation of the day, author unknown,

The greatest challenge in life

is discovering who you are….

the second greatest

is being happy with what you find”

Greetings from Jean

Lest We Forget

25th April, 2016.
Dawn   Services  are being held  in so many places, cities, small towns and villages throughout New Zealand this morning. We remember those who served, those who gave their lives, those who came home, and the families of them all.
ANZAC,  the acronym from the initials of Australian and New Zealand Army Corps, the formation of Australian and New Zealand soldiers who were grouped in Egypt before the landing on Gallipoli in April 1915.
The Red Poppy is the symbol of remembrance, and the poem by  Lieutenant John McCrae “ In Flanders Fields” was written  after the burial of a  fellow officer  during the second battle  of Ypres in early May, 1915. Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae, MD was a Canadian poet, physician, author, artist and soldier during World War I, and a surgeon during the Second Battle of Ypres, in Belgium. He was born in Guelph, Canada on November 30th, 1872, and died on January 28th, 1918, in Boulogne-sur-Mer, in France .  
Quotation of the day,      ( Courtesy of Internet)

from Lieutenant Colonel  John McCrae,

Greetings from Jean

Fairy Tales and other things

 

All Good Fairy Tales have a wonderful ending. My laptop is back, Open Live Writer is installed, some quilting blocks have been sewn, and all is good in the garden .

A frost the other morning gave the lawn a magical look, with icy crystals adorning every stem of the grass.

I have been busy sewing the April blocks for One Block Wonder,  some more stitching needs to be done. Another stunning pattern from Sandy at  Upstairs Hobby Room.This is 6 blocks, pinned, and maybe I will make another 3 to square it up,Border fabrics auditioned at the right hand side. That little flash of lime green to “zing” it up!!!

 

Joyce cannot resist the local Garden Centre at Mitre 10, and this is the second stunning Streptocarpus plant she  has arrived home with. These photos were taken outside, about 5C, and no frost today.

 

Happiness is having your very own laptop, sending home baking to Josh at Vic University, knowing Danielle did so well with her horse Joey the other day, and having the fire lit on a cold morning.

Quotation of the day, author unknown

“ Be happy with whatever unfolds in your day,

accept changes, and look always

for the good in everyone you meet”

Greetings from Jean

One Plus One block for March

 

March seemed to fly past, daylight saving has ended, April Fool’s Day had no dramas at our place, and the  March block is all finished. Late afternoon  photos, a little breeze, and Boris on standby for any assistance he could give.

The One plus One block went together so well. NO points this time, easy seams to match, and as always Sandy from Upstairs Hobby Room  gave us another stunning  design. No snow to use as a background, just trees or green  grass. And Boris had to put in his usual “ paw’s test” and passed it as OK.

 

The beautiful Brunsvigia Josephinae is blooming again this year.It needs a hot dry summer ,“tick”, lots of sunshine ,“ tick”, and resents being moved, “tick”.This was a bulb from our dear friend Hec in Rotorua, it has been moved 3 times, but has stayed  put in this part of the garden for a few years.

Quotation of the day,author unknown

“ Nature provides us with glory,

all by herself”

Greetings from Jean

Laptop Problems

I have been missing my laptop so much, the dreaded error message, " Critical Issue Died" came up, so it is away being fixed, and I hope back this morning.
I  am using Hugh's, but a larger keyboard means I hit the Caps Lock so often.
I am slowly catching up on all your news since Monday, lots to read.
Meantime a photo from the past of a tulip in our garden.

 

Quotation of the day, from an elderly aunt many years ago....

 

" You don't miss the water  till the well runs dry!!!"

 

Greetings from Jean

Burning the Midnight Oil and daylight hours as well

 

There is nothing so motivating as a  deadline for a finish, to make you sew till all hours  of the night!!! The last day for our Midnight Mystery Quilt with Cheryl, over  at     Meadow Mist Designs  was  10th March, but I was determined to get it finished, with at least one border, and a decent photo posted. Well, first, make sure of the extra dark purple fabric, add the border, press, and do a photo shoot. It blew, there was lots of wet grass, wet branches, and it ruffled in the wind. A cat scan with Boris ensured all was OK.

The purple is the border, the paler blue is fabric under the quilt top, to prevent grass stains!!!

I posted off the photo, there were 111 entries from all round the world, one wonderful marvelous lady has done hers while on a boat!!! Some great places for quilts to  hang  or lie, on snow, on  ladders,  in front of tall men with long arms ( hidden behind the quilt), trellis fences, balconies, railings,  and so much more. Prizes had been sponsored, but with so many entries, Cheryl was so generous and added from her own goodies, to make a total of 16.

In came all the quilts, one by one, stunning is nowhere near enough praise to say how  amazing  every one was, all different fabrics, some made larger, many were already finished and donated to family member or a charity.

Then…I had an email…I was one of the prize winners, random selection, and get to choose 2 digital  quilt patterns from Cheryl’s designs. Thrilled does not pass muster for my excitement.

Generosity in spades Cheryl, so many thanks from me,  and I’m sure we all send heaps  of thanks for this great quilt-along, encouragement, comments galore on the Facebook Group page, and  lots more.

Then, yesterday, Hugh’s cousin phoned to say another cousin was in Invercargill hospital. Daylight hours were  gobbled up as I made a bag, with  flowery fabric, rather than send an  unknown  selection of flowers from a florist so far away. The pocket was embroidered by Joyce, the flange binding from a tutorial.Side gusset with ties, to allow for more or less to be stashed inside.

Two little kittens holding hands, and words…” Start each day with a smile”

I hope Jan continues to get better and go home soon.

Quotation of the day, author unknown

“ Be prepared, as you do not know 

what a day will bring to your doorstep”

Greetings from  Jean

Pinks of all shades, with some purple and green, naturally.

The last few weeks have been busy, but  with some wonderful help from Heidi and Liv  the outdoor load was lightened  immensely, well, pretty much totally.  The wood sheds are full, right to the front doorways , the other painting was all done, how could we be so fortunate to meet them? Their 2 days  stay stretched to several weeks . They flew back to Germany last Tuesday, but we hope to have them back again in a few months. Meantime, we send lots of love and caring  thoughts  for you Heidi, your Dad  in hospital, and your Mum and family. Liv, we hope you manage to catch up with your family in the UK while you are over that side of  the  world.

The One Block Wonder has been sewn, joined together, even quilted, and bound. Whew!!! This was another stunning design from  Sandy over at

  Upstairs Hobby Room, and is called O’s and X’s.  I used some favourite batik fabrics, and some of that purple made its way into the backing. As well, a label down at the lower edge.

In  the garden, pink Nerines,  Alstromeria, Naked Ladies, Begonia blooms, Japanese Anemones, they continue to flower, even though we had a few mornings of 5 Celsius.  cold  enough to make me think is Autumn coming in suddenly with full force?

this Begonia is flowering continuously, outside in a shady area under a shrub, getting  a little late afternoon sunshine. A delightful gift from Joyce a few weeks ago.

 

Josh is now at Victoria University, Danielle continues to do so well on Joey, water jumps are the latest achievement, and  tomorrow Annette has a birthday. Was it all those years ago I was at Middlemore Hospital? I remember the doctor muttering something about  hurrying up as he had a party to go to at 4 p.m.??? 3.30, and she arrived. The first grand-daughter for both my and Hugh’s parents. They were overjoyed, and I guess suitable celebrations followed.

Quotation of the day, author unknown

“ A true friend is one who walks with you

until the end of the road”

Greetings from Jean