Catching up again!!

I had another comment this week about my lack of blogging, so this morning I thought I would try to catch up with the newsfromjude before the little people in my house wake up. DD2 and family are here for a few days, so not a lot of quilting is happening this week. Yesterday we spent some time in the garden and I had some little helpers, (as well as their mum), which was great. I have more family coming this morning, and was hoping to see DD1 and her children, but unfortunately those plans have changed.

I mentioned in a previous post that I was expecting special visitors, so thought I would post a photo of them that I took before they left. Lovely to see you both Faye and Kim, thanks for calling in.

Last weekend was the Anzac UFO retreat, and there were some who stayed, and some who came and went for various days, and those who popped in to visit. Tuesday morning my house was empty for the day, when clean up happened, the beds were remade, all ready to be occupied by DD2 and family who arrived that evening! It is school holidays here in South Australia.

These were the early birds, who got off to a start of their projects on Friday afternoon. One lady was knitting, and the other (who never does projects!!) shocked me and worked solidly all weekend and made a quilt!! 

One morning we had "brunch" of bacon, eggs and tomato with toast, out in the pergola.

 Paper plates were the preferred option, so there was no washing up, but unfortunately plastic cutlery just don't work very well to cut bacon!!

Some had already had brekkie before they arrived.

The resident cat was very spoiled by this lady.

I took this photo of the action inside the sewing room, while standing outside, and you can see the reflection of the car parked in the driveway.

I posted a photo from the Statler retreat, of one lady multitasking, and in this photo Raelene was trying to outdo Niki, by multitasking 3 things at once!

Erica's progress on a UFO, which is finally getting borders.

Pat is determined to get this quilt put together soon.

Another early morning brekkie in the pergola.

Julie came for another day working on her Embellished quilt.

Pamela was unable to come the previous weekend for the Embellished quilt class, so chose to work on her quilt this weekend, and was very happy to make some progress after not touching her quilt for a long time!

Pamela's centrepiece is being trapuntoed, and here she is tediously, carefully, cutting away the wadding.

The centre is now appliqued to the background and work will continue on this at home.

Margaret was very happy with her progress on the knitted jumper.

And Raelene was very happy to piece this quilt for a friend. And the quilter even loaded it on to Max and quilted it for her. And then the binding was even sewn, to result in a very successful weekend.

Hope you have enjoyed the photos of our weekend. It is almost 7am now, so I better get to the shower, before the little boys wake up. I can hear some rain on the roof, which is nice, because the country is so dry and desperately in need of moisture.

Be back soon,
Blessings, From Jude.

Quilt Show

Once again another week has gone by and no blog posting! I had good intentions last night, but when I sat at the computer I decided it was all too hard, and could wait until this morning. When I went back to my photo files, I found over 20 photos of recent quilting that I had not shown, so I will try to catch up a bit this morning. My blog seems to have been about lots of "other stuff" lately, and not much quilting news, although I have still been keeping Max busy! I have also had another couple of road trips in the last week, so no wonder the week has gone fast. It was lovely to have a very quick catchup with some family for a birthday and I will include another photo of Miss Bridie, who is growing up so very fast.

I have a lovely group of ladies here for the weekend, and some who have been coming and going, and I will update you on that in due course. And I have been making progress in the garden too, and have been taking photographs for a post on that.

This dresden quilt was made by Barb, and custom quilted. I love the colours of the fabrics that Barb used. It is such a pretty combination.

This quilt was made by Di, in one of the Mystery quilt retreat that was held last year. Another group of colours that worked really well, that was quilted with an allover pattern.

This was made by Kaye for a special gift, and featured photos, which was custom quilted.

This quilt that was made by Sue, and was very large, I took the photo while it was draped over the rollers of Max and it was quilted with an allover flower pattern.

A scrappy quilt, made by Kath and quilted with an allover pattern called Dandy. Kath, who is in her eighties, is a very prolific quilter.

I loved the piecing in this quilt that was made by Suzie. The blocks were rather cute, and featured quite tiny pieces, and included chooks, pigs, cows and sheep. It was quilted with an allover meander. I loved the red triangle border around the edge.

This fun quilt was made by Kerry as a prize for the raffle at a Strawberry Fete. The pieced strawberry's all had strawberry's on the fabric, so of course it had to be quilted with an allover strawberry pattern!

This was finished by Pamela, from something her mother had started, and quilted allover with a modern pattern.

I hope you enjoyed the quilt show this morning, and I will be back with more photos later.

It is Anzac day here in Australia today, and we remember all those who sacrificed for our country.

Blessings, From Jude

A summary of my week.....

It was a week ago that I posted, and I can't believe that time is going by so fast. It was a short week, due to the Statler Gathering, which did not finish until Monday afternoon. Half of the contingent went home Monday, and the 3 that came from the other side of Melbourne left early Tuesday morning, so they did not use "retreat" time to travel home.

This is show and tell of a TShirt quilt that Elaine made for her grand daughter. 

The results of a few days at retreat for Alison. Lots of projects completed. And there was another quilt pieced which I showed in the last post.

These blocks were made from a bag of scrap flannel fabrics, and not a lot of scraps are left in the bag now, and lots of blocks to make into a few quilts are the result.

Even some clothes making, most of which I did not photograph.

This was the "last supper", which was lunch on Monday, before some had to leave.

And a final cuppa before departure for these 3, 2 back to Adelaide and one to Eaglehawk, Victoria.

Tuesday it was washing and remaking the beds day, and Number 8 is all ready for the next guests. Wednesday it was back to quilting day. Thursday it was Angels day, and this month we had about 10 "angels" here to sew quilts for others. It was a very productive day, which validates that saying that says, "many hands make light work". Although, sometimes it is "interesting" with many different opinions!!

The girls managed to piece 2 quilts, make bindings, prepare backings, and quilt 3 quilts which was a pleasing effort. It seems that we no sooner get quilts made, that there is a need and out the door they go. We get some lovely letters from people that have received a quilt.

Friday it was back to the quilting machine again, and also to do some shopping. In between all this activity, I have been doing a little bit each day in the garden. After my marathon effort a week or so ago, when I overdid it, I have been doing smaller stints. I am making a new garden bed on the laundry side of the house, where there was previously a tree that was cut down. The roots had spread where they shouldn't, and it had to go. New dirt and manure is being carted in by the barrow load, and a brick edging is being laid. I am making progress slowly, and hope to finish this bit this week, so that I can move onto another job inside that needs my attention. Soon it will be too cold and hopefully wet outside, so I am trying to beat the weather.

Saturday was a sewing day for the girls that have been doing my Embellished Quilt classes. I have not done this for awhile, and am hoping to get back to it. It was a small gathering, but was good to catch up with each other, and get motivated again to finish our quilts.
This is Helen's that is being made for her daughter, and she was surprised just how much had been done.

Julie has not worked on hers for ages either, and has reworked her quilt plan, and now knows where to go forward.

Lyn is working on grey and whites, and the blocks are coming together slowly.

Faces of concentration as they work steadily.

I had intended working on my "Embellished Ladies" quilt, and even got the boxes out, but then decided to finish this bag, that had been started 18 months ago. I had purchased handles for it, and put them away in a "safe" place, and then could not find them. When I got the box out with all the threads and braids etc for my embellished quilt, I found the handles!! Now it is done! I also managed to sew the binding and hanging sleeve on my cross colourwash quilt, and I shall photograph that when it is hanging on the wall, sometime soon.

I think I might have mentioned that DS was coming to finish the drawers and a few other things in the kitchen last weekend, when the Statler gathering was on. Well, he came, and completed a few jobs, but did not get the drawers done, because the backs had been cut the wrong size, AGAIN!! I have to say that today, the owner of the business that supplied the kitchen, came 3 1/2 hours from where he lives to install the drawers. I have finally unpacked the last few boxes into my drawers and can say that it is finished. (Except for the bits which go from the top cupboards to the ceiling, and that might not be done for awhile yet).  But I am very happy with my kitchen.

Today, has been a little bit of lots of things.......I  went to church this morning,.....been in the garden.... mixing soil for potting plants......, laying more bricks,.......little bit of sewing....... buying some plants.......few phonecalls.......and this and that.  A nice relaxing day.

Tomorrow it is back to another quilt on the machine, doing some stock ordering, and I am excited to be looking forward to special visitors in the afternoon. And another week starts again.

Be back soon,
Blessings, From Jude