Reporting in again....

 Once again it seems to be days since I reported in. I feel like time is whizzing by just too fast, and I am forever playing catchup.

Once a year our patchwork group has a lunch to celebrate the birthdays of any of our members who have a special "0" birthday. Last Friday we celebrated with 4 members that are photographed below. It is always a lovely social catchup day with lots of chatter and laughs.

Late Friday afternoon I received some special visitors for the weekend.  My cousin Helen, and her daughter Kristy, (and lets not forget hubby Harold), came so that Helen could learn how to make a quilt. Kristy has been doing patchwork for awhile, but this was Helen's first time. Harold spent the weekend working on his computer, writing his life story, and helped out with some jobs, and cooked some yummy meals for us. It was also a special time of fellowship with fellow believers, and breakfast times were times of Bible study and shared discussion.

We spent some time making sure that Helen's seam was 1/4", and then she was sewing. 

Kristy had a work in progress, although it was quite some time since she had done anything, and spent awhile working out where she was up to. For someone who is self-taught, and worked out her own pattern, she has done an amazing job. 

Harold and I spent time in the back yard on Saturday and had a few "little" fires to clean out some of the rubbish, before it rained again the next day. The heap was far too large to light up as it was, so we dragged stuff off to the sides and burned it in smaller sections. There is still some left, that was too wet underneath to burn, but I feel much better knowing that some is gone. 

Gypsy the cat also got some attention, and I am sorry this photo is blurry, but I took it through the kitchen window, so as not to disturb them both.

This is Kristy's quilt in progress. Very pretty and delicate, and made with fabrics that are not all cotton.

This is the finish on Sunday evening. Now there are some decisions to be made about the quilting of this. The question is, do you quilt "allover" it, and will this spoil the effect of the stitching that you can see on the fabric in the photo above??

And this is Helen's quilt, ready for the borders to go on. Sorry I did not take a final photo, but it is still here waiting in the quilting pile, so I will show you again after it is quilted. Helen went home with a cutting mat, and ruler, lots of old magazines for inspiration, and some scrap fabrics. I think there might be some more patchwork in the future, although Helen's garden is a big priority in her life, and she is not sure how to fit it all in!

Sunday morning I had another couple of visitors when Miss Bridie and her mum called in. Poor little girl (Bridie that is), was not real well, but still managed a smile or two. It was so cute to watch her walking. I had only seen this on a video, so real life was good. Grandma's quilting room is not very kid proof, so she needed watching.

I am working my way through another custom quilt this week, and got out of bed about 4.30am this morning, hoping to make good progress on it today. The weather this week has been very COLD, and very windy. Some places in the state have had snow, and strong winds blew down trees, and there has been one death from this. I have spent a bit of time sitting by the fire, as I am trying to ward off a cold. The Vicks Vaporub is my constant companion along with a few Cold and Flu Panadols. Life has too much going on for me to get sick at the moment.

As it is now just after 6am, it is time for me to get working on Max. I hope to get finished today, or close to it. Be back in a few days.

Keep warm,
Blessings, From Jude