Butterfly Garden - Block One

Yeah ... have finished block one tonight - fingers are a little sore from the needle - I just can't get the knack of using a thimble - it feels all cumbersome to me - I've tried metal and silicon thimbles, and the good old masking tape - though I can't find anything that doesn't feel alien and awkward - do any bloggers out there have any suggestions - or is it plain perserverance that I need??



My applique is starting to look a little neater - the daisy is my last one to applique and is definitely the best on this block... it's all a learning curve and am enjoying the challenge...



I also pieced together a variety of fabric's that I won't be using on any future projects and 5" squares to make the backing for the "Swirling Leaves" quilt top - ran out of puff to tape the backing down and pin the batting and top together - that can be another nights project LOL :)



Back to work tomorrow... the weekends go much too quickly, I just feel I'm starting to get back into the groove of relaxing by Sunday afternoon, and then its almost time to wind back to full speed to get ready for the week ahead... tomorrow is a day of interviewing prospective candidates for an admin role we have vacant in our Wellington city office.


Have a happy week.
Hugs

Cupcake & Tea Swap goodies on their way...

Boxed up my cupcake and tea goodies (Rachael Rabbit's swap) to send away on a Jet plane to US of A today. I hope my recipient likes the kiwiana flavour...

Here is a wee sneak look, will post a better photo once I know it has been received safely.

Quilt Club day today - for a freezing cold day we had lots of members arrive for a catchup with all their quilting friends, over a cuppa, refresh their night time reading from our awesome club library, and listen to a couple of our members speak about their recent trip to Canada that included lots of visits to quilt shops and a cruise to Alaska!

Have just about finished Block 1 of Butterfly Garden - am applique-ing the last flower into place then will sponge off the marker and give it a press before I take a photo to show you...

Oh, I've added some bright letters and numbers to the quilt that I'm putting together for my friend's baby - just need to blanket stitch around them - thinking will cheat and do this on the machine tomorrow - so much faster... still needs something else I think...

Off now to check the other blogsites to see what everyone has been doing this cold Saturday :)

PS: Go the Aussies! Terrible I know - though Robbie Deans is now their coach - and it would be such a hoot (I'm not that passionate a rugby fan you can probably guess) if he won against the All Blacks!!

Happy stitching, hugs

Catching up on some WIPs...

Today has been a great day for making some decent progress on some quilts in waiting ...

First up is the "autumn leaves" this is based on a pattern called October from Keepsake Quilting

Finished making the scrappy border out of all the bits...

...then finished cutting out the leaves, threw the leaves onto the quilt and then moved them around and sought Kait's artistic eye for placement, pinned then ironed the leaves down ready to machine stitch...

Holly cat has given her approval, so the top is now ready to make a backing and sandwich before I start machine stitching the leaves then the fun part of quilting...

Next in line was the Blue Star blocks that I won from Club yonks ago (April 2007) in the monthly BOM... I've joined these together and am about to search the free font sites for letters & numbers to enlarge to then 'stick' onto the quilt top ready for stitching (am going to turn this into a baby quilt for a friend who is expecting)...

Yay feel like am making some progress.. so tomorrow fingers crossed the rain will still be pouring, the housework can wait just a little longer, and I can keep working on these... Oh I have been working steadily away at night on the Butterfly Garden BOM that I've started - will post pics soon as nearly completed all the applique on Block 1 - phew applique is hard work - for me who is usually a fast and furious machine quilter...

Nite, hugs

Kait's Birthday

My darling Kait turned 14 yesterday... my how time flies. I woke her early so she could open her presents before I headed to work (the girls are still on holidays) - Zebra print is a major 'thing' for her - and she wasn't disappointed with some of her gifts...



She then promptly went back to the land of nod for a few more hours before her friend Pheobe came for the day/night. Fishpie & salad was on the birthday menu as that's Kait's favourite - along with a delicious deluxe chocolate mud cake for birthday cake! Unfortunately the photo I took of the cake just happened to be the side that I'd banged against the side of the packaging - doh...





Hugs

Ooh a lovely parcel in today's post...

My first order from Hancock's of Paducah arrived in today's post ...



- ooh the fabric is delicious - I ordered from their website, trying to match more chocolates, teals and limey green for my Butterfly Garden BOM - well am most pleased with the chocolate and teals - the paisley and white/lime fabric aren't quite what I thought they would be - but hey - I can definitely see these being used in a future project... they are now being washed, so can dry and iron and put them in their respective project boxes... was thinking the large print chocolate rose print will be a perfect border and binding for the 'swirling leaves' quilt that I am working on...

The Moda charm pack is rather cute too - is called "Flutterby"- perfect for a butterfly mad quilter... And to lure/tempt me even more they included their Volume 45 order book - aargh...

What a frosty morning we woke up to today...



Sun was rising lovely over the hill until mid morning and the rain returned along with the temperature dropping...



Hmm my tummy is rumbling DH Chris is busy cooking our dinner tonight - and it smells delish - it is so good to see him up off the couch LOL - his knee is healing well and hopes to start physio this week...

Hope you've had a happy day
Hugs

What a "cool" day Saturday was...

I had a fantastic time looking after Yvonne's Sawmillers Quiltery yesterday afternoon. I did some cutting, ironing and folding of fat quarters - lovely new fabrics that have come into the shop - check out Yvonne's blog for an update, meeted and greeted customers, drooled over the fabric's and displays (I did make sure to keep wiping my mouth so not to damage the fabrics LOL)... and of course made a wee purchase for myself... three fabrics to include in my Butterfly Garden BOM, and some longer nosed scissors for cutting out the applique shapes...




Then I did a little more work on a 'secret 50th birthday block' - here is a sneak peek - am using the designs from the Butterfly Garden BOM as I just LOVE the butterfly's. I have blanket stitched the large applique pieces for this block....




All too soon it was time to pack up and switch off the lights... Thank you Yvonne for entrusting me with your gorgeous shop for the afternoon, I hope the ballroom judging went well and the hall you were in wasn't too cold.







Then evening came and after dinner we decided to go visit my sister and her family in Te Marua (just up the road from Yvonne's shop actually!) - it is a very rare sight for us to get snow in Upper Hutt - yes on the ranges around us and on Mt Climbie - though never on the ground - check this out! It was so cold and so much fun just to get even a relatively thin layer of snow - Beck's and I even had a bit of a snowball fight - crickey that was cold when they hit - obviously didn't move fast enough!

Here's Beck's mini-snowman !


It was even snowing in Whiteman's Valley - my girlfriend Les sent though this pic!





Today is a chilly day, perfect excuse for catching up on the blogs, sewing, working on quite a few WIP's and then plucking up the courage to go to the supermarket to get our groceries...

Have a happy warm day.
Hugs

51st Post...

My goodness, my 51st post already...

To celebrate here is the recipe for the Curried Kumara Soup that I mentioned in a previous blog - this is delicious. Kumara is a sweet potato and comes in Red, Orange and White - the soup I tried was made with White, the recipe has used orange - it would be interesting to make this soup in each colour to see if there is a difference in taste - though I would think it would be only slight...

Curried Kumara Soup
(from Flash Food Fast – Steamy soups – Julie le clerc)

Serves 4-6

2 T oil
2 large onions, peeled and diced
2 tsp Thai red curry paste
600g (4 large) kumara, peeled and cut in chunks
6 cups chicken or vegetable stock
165ml can coconut cream
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2tsp black sesame seeds, to garnish

Heat oil in a large saucepan, add onions and cook over a medium heat for 10 minutes until softened but no coloured. Add curry paste and cook for 1 minute more to release flavours.
Add kumara and stock and bring to the boil. Simmer gently until kumara is very tender. Add coconut cream and salt and pepper to taste.
Puree mixture in a blender or food processor until smooth. Gently reheat before serving and adjust seasoning if necessary.
Serve in cups or bowls, scattered with sesame seeds.

Chef’s secret: Its good practice to save vegetable cooking water to use as stock base for soup, as it contains vitamins, minerals and flavours from the vegetables.

Wine match: The thai red curry flavours together with the kumara give this soup a delightful sweetness as well as spicy hints, so the best match is a sweeter-style Riesling.

Enjoy :)

Hugs

Saturday at Sawmillers Quiltery...

Yvonne has asked me to look after her shop for the afternoon, while she is judging a ballroom competition ... how cool is that !!! Isn't it every quilters dream to have an opportunity to work in, look after or own a quilt shop in some stage of their lives... I see it is going to be quilter's sensory overload today - heaven...

So if you happen to be in Upper Hutt (Plateau Road, Te Marua), why don't you pop in to see me - I'll be there from 1.00pm (getting handover instructions from Yvonne and shop assistant Barney) then on my own from 2.00pm until 4.30pm - so would love to show you around Yvonne's gorgeous shop - encourage you to make some wonderful purchases and of course catchup on any news :)

Hope to see you soon
Hugs