I've been stitching

Vicki at 3 Creative Studios is running a Journal Quilt Challenge. It sounds like so much fun I thought I'd have a play tonight and see how I got on.

I love this format because it allows me to play with all the colours I love, without having to live with a giant quilt made from them.

Happy New Year

And so in the blink of an eye we have rolled into 2011. The New Year is always a time to reflect back on the year that has been, to celebrate its passing, and all you’ve accomplished, and to look forward to what you want to achieve in the coming year.

I am one of those odd people who feels more Christmassy after Christmas Day. I suspect this is because I am on holiday. So combining my New Year refections with my festive feelings, I have decided I will be organised with my Christmas gift giving this year, and in particular I will be organised with my Christmas gift making.



To kick this off I made lavender bags yesterday. I found a great tutorial online and did some trial runs. We visited a lavender farm on Friday when we were out for a picnic and bought lavender. It was such a beautiful sight, the bushes in full bloom in the late afternoon soon. The owner was telling me that they stay open until 9pm at this time of year because people love to come and see the lavender at sunset.

I enjoyed my Christmas swaps*** so much in 2010 that I have joined a Christmas Stocking Swap through Southern Cross Quilters... this one is going to be so much fun because you make your partner a stocking, and then each month you send gifts to put in the stocking until Christmas. Isn't that cute?

***I found the blog of Carol, the recipient of my Christmas parcel. She has a picture of her present - I forgot to take one - here.

I have also found Allie's Blog and she is organising Christmas Through The Year, a series of monthly projects to get everyone stitching present early for Christmas. Check it out and join in.

A WIP and a Finish

I've spent some time on a Work in Progress this week, Double Delight from Bonnie Hunter's Quiltville website. This was last year's mystery quilt so I'm a bit slow, but I'm over half way now. I love these quilts with lots of little pieces.



And this is the baby quilt I finished up before Christmas for my friend Melissa's second little boy Christopher. With the exception of the green, these are my own hand dyed fabrics.



We are enjoying a very relaxing Christmas holiday here at The Quiltery, good books, stitching, holiday food... and some very chilled out pets.
Cheers for now!

Merry Christmas

I hope all my quilting frinds are enjoying a lovely Christmas. I took part in a couple of swaps this year that have added to the fun of Christmas Day.

The first swap I joined was a "secret" swap organised by Maree - each person was assigned someone to send a Christmas parcel to, and they received a parcel from a third person but no one knew who was who until today. There was a list of 5 things that had to be included in the gift - something handmade, something smelly, something to eat, something Christmassy, something for the studio. My parcel came from Marina at Maisie and the Boys and she has really spoilt me. This parcel contained the most beautiful Christmas wallhanging, a very cute scissor keeper (I think I might have to work out how to make these), a cup cake pin cushion, chocolates, a magazine (this is next on my to do list with a cup of coffee).




One of the little extras in this parcel is an old wooden cotton reel. What Marina couldn't have known is that I am collecting these to fill a vase, and she even sent my favourite brand, Sylko. One of the things of love about these old threads is that the colours have names. Marina sent "Coral Pink" which I will add to my collection below.




I had had so much fun putting together my first swap that when Kiwi Quilts announced a Christmas Swap I signed up for that too. This one was a little easier - a quilty item, fabric and something Christmassy, and it only had to be posted in New Zealand. My lovely partner was Elaine and she must have had some sort of sixth sense because she she sent an enormous pin cushion with pockets, and tucked into one of this was a beautiful pair of scissors with a tiny little version of version cushion attached. I must have said a dozen times this year "I love pincushions". The chocolates in the parcel even had 2 Golden Retreiver puppies on - now my boys are well into middle age but she couldn't have chosen a more appropriate image. And she popped it all in a stocking, which is wonderful because I've been looking at stockings lately... theres a 2011 swap you see ;o)




My friend Carolyn popped in yesterday and surprised me with a gift. She has made this clever little folder which contains an ironing mat and cutting board.



In receving all these lovely things I am, as always, overwhelmed by the cleverness of other people! Everyone's work is so beautiful and it is such a pleasure to receive.

On a non-quilty note we had the most delicious asparagus at lunch today.



Merry Christmas everyone.

12 x 12

Kiwi Quilters is running a 12 x 12 challenge after the success of the 12 x 12 quilt exhibition at the Hamilton Quilt Show. The original 12 x 12 quilters are publishing a book next year and their work - here - is fantastic.

The November theme was "home". I wanted to use an old embroidered piece to convey happy images of cottage living - reflecting the fact that we are now past the horrors of the major renovation work on our cottage. I do have to say that our house, and more particularly our garden look nothing like this pretty stitched scene!!

I did intend to stitch it in a grid, like Philippa Doyle my inspiration for incorporating embroideries into quilts... but I whimped out. I might still do it if only I can get brave enough.

Isn't this pretty?

This makes me feel like Christmas is coming.



I know Christmas is on the way because today I packed up my parcel for the bloggers Christmas swap. It's a secret swap so I can't say who it is going to, except that it is going to the cutest address that a quilter ever had!

How do we mourn?

New Zealand is in mourning for the 29 miners who lost their lives at the Pike River Mine this week. At times I have wondered if we know how to mourn.

This is in several places on the internet. It moved me.

The church bells rang 29 times
so we knew it was final and the end of the line.
Now 29 miners are at Heavens gate
with coal silt dirty faces asking is it too late?
When God replies with half a grin
"no my children, come on in"
They place their mining lights gently down on Heavens floor,
when God said
"job well done- leave your boots at the door"

Repost in memory of the 29 miners that died at Pike River Mine

At the U2 concert in Auckland Bono says "People deal with grief in all kinds of ways... anger, sorrow, silence, in Ireland we sing".

Flags fly at half mast... on Government buildings, at the occassional private home, and at McDonalds. Some of the flags are ratty tatty old things - we're not big flag flyers and some of the flags come out of the cupboard just to fly at half mast.

Councils around the country have Condolence Books for people to sign. These will be consolidated in January and sent the Mayor of Grey District.

Shirley Goodwin is organising quilts for the victims families.

Wednesday, Prime Minister John Key says that national memorial services are usually held at the nearest large centre and so in this case that will probably be Christchurch. I cringed. On Thursday he announces that after discussions with the Grey District Council the service will be held in Greymouth and I feel hugely proud of and relieved for the people of the Coast.

I hope all of this helps people.