Wednesday 1st June 2011

Finally I 've got the photos up for our June meeting. It was the first day of winter, the sun trying to warm us a little, but not having much luck. But is was beautiful and warm in our room at the Lyrebird Community Centre. With our roving reporter Helen in need of rest and attending to family matters, I was the apprentice for the day. (thanks Fran for taking notes while I took photos)

Laurel's version of Leanne's House BOM Down in the Garden.

 Rose made this Chickidee Quilt. It represents her girlfriends who surrounded her during her time of of need.

 Rose also had this stunning quilt, they've called the Doctors Wife, as it belonged to a Doctors wife some 60 years ago. It was given to one of Rose's friends who had it in her garage for 40 odd years and she passed it on to Rose 10 years ago to finish. ( I think I have that sort of correct?)

 Virginia started this quilt waaaaaay back in 1998 and completed earlier this year, a workshop at the QuiltersBarn, it's a Mary Ellen Hopkins Row X Row.

Sue is doing the McKenna Ryan BOM Faith Hope Love

 Sue also made this stunner of a table runner from Beautiful Botanicals, for a friend of her DH. This friend is meeting with his childhood sweetheart, from Poland(?) and this is a gift for her. (If you've seen Postcards from Juliet this is the same story)

Fran's blocks from her class with Lessa Seigal

Bar's on going hexagons

Sally has put all her Dear Jane blocks together. Just gorgeous. Commenced in 2003, she now moves onto the border triangles.

Some beautiful fabric art from Wyn's recent trip to Tanzania.

 Here we have Wyn modelling her stunning 'Kanga'.

These beautiful fabrics were donated by Wyn as a lucky door prize - the winner was Fran

Cheryl Billing Smith dropped in these are Carol Beattie Mug bags, and also spoke to us about some classes coming up in term 3 in Frankston. (apologies, but details fail me!!) 

We had the pleasure of having the second Traveling  Suitcase - Jasmine.
These art quilts a just fabulous.

 Till next time, when the fabulous Helen returns.

Take Care, Happy stitching and stay warm

Ramona

Up Upwey way



Wednesday 4th May 2011

It was a busy day at Carrum Downs last week at our monthly get together. Not only were we holding our Biggest Morning Tea to raise funds for cancer research, but we were also sewing kits for the Breast Cancer Comfort Cushion organisation.

Show and tell was fabulous – as always:

Here is Hermione – she brought herself as show and tell and a wonderful project she is! She was also knitting something in rather riotous colours – not sure what it was, but it looked pretty bedazzling!

A beautiful version of Esther Aliu’s Red Delicious BOM from Marilyn. I only hope I can do it justice half as well as Marilyn has.

 

Laurel has made this gorgeous cover for a block folder to hold her “Farmer’s Wife” blocks. Personally I think there is no such thing as a farmer’s wife – there are amle farmers and female farmers – as a gal of the land I don’t know of any farmer’s wife who wasn’t a farmer in her own right – however, I do love the quilt and know that Laurel will make a wonderful version of it!

 

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Ginny amazed us with her work from an AQC class with Beth and Trevor Reid. She has called this marvellous example – and here I am trying to read my scribble - In another world the flower will be cheese…. oops no I think it should be  coral.

This is Sally’s 2nd last Dear Jane block – congratulations for seeing it through. We can’t wait for the finished quilt now.

 

Kate has knitted one leg of this cute doll – the colours are fabulous!

 

Not sure what Maggy had to show us, but it was “This big”! Good on you Maggy!

And that’s it for another month – your roving reporter,

Helen Evans,

Devon Meadows, Vic

Wednesday 6th April

On a beautiful, dare I say perfect autumn day, we Scquilters got together for our usual monthly gathering at Carrum Downs. Many of us had been to the retreat and compared tales – some even true, and told new ones of personal shop hops all the way from Melbourne to Kiama and back again – another route so more shops could be emptied of their stock! Now, think of all the shopping we could do on a shop hop to Townsville next year! Better not – flying will be much cheaper.

We were blessed with a very interesting speaker – Dianne R’s friend Norma. Norma is a lovely lady, originally from Holly, Michigan, but has lived hear for over 40 years – something to do with a husband I gathered – anyway Norma collects thimbles. When I say collects, I mean COLLECTS. We all told her she should be on the Collectors show on the ABC. (Which reminds me – my sister Sandra, the one who lives in Tassie and is engaged to Wolfgang – yes that sister, went to an opening in Hobart where Gordon Brown the Scottish member of the collectors team spoke. Apparently he is absolutely gorgeous in real life and has so much charisma (I think she really meant sex appeal) that she almost fell off her chair and ditched the Wolf man, for G.B. on the spot. I had always thought that he batted for the other side but apparently not, AND he is newly single……) oops, where did all that come from? Sorry, back on track now!

Anyway the lovely Norma, who I am sure would like G.B. as well, told us about how, on her travels she decided that thimbles make a great collectable, because they can be stuffed into shoes and other items in the suitcase.

Norma’s collection is now in the thousands and she brought along some of most interesting ones to show us, as well as her collection catalogue and various thimble books, including one on Australian thimbles and one on South African thimbles – of which she has many.

This was my favourite – as you can see the thimble wears the crown. It was a commemorative thimble from the coronation of Queen Elizabeth the 2nd.

Even those of us, not riveted by thimbles, found Norma’s talk very interesting and we all admired her thimbles – so much so that Norma insisted on frisking all of us before she left. Make sure you enlarge all these pics so that you can see the beautiful detail on them, including the Australian thimbles, including a Ned Kelly one and the crocheted thimbles.

Thank you Norma.

Show and tell was terrific, as always:

Cynthia –progressing well on her stitchery quilt. The fabric beside it is Fran’s – she is after more of it – if anyone can help, pleas let us know. It is called Age of Innocence – you can see the full details on the selvedge.

These are shots of Sue’s magnificent “Tail feathers” BOM from Cinderberry stitches.

Sue also has completed the “Bluebird of Hope” BOM quilt. Sue purchased this pattern from a friend, once she had finished with it. As you can see, Sue used her left over fabrics for the backing. Sue quilted both these quilts herself.

 

Lyn, Sue’s sister is almost finished  “Rose Garden” from Thimblestitch. What a talented pair!

Wyn was lucky enough to receive this beautiful bag from her Kiama Angel, Barbara from Geelong. Lovely!

Dianne R, unlike many us us, was productive at Kiama. This is her finished Vintage sewing pocket. She did a class with Vicki Porter. Gorgeous!

Laurel’s block #1 from the “Down in the Garden” BOM by Leanne Beasley and Kate’s slightly larger Bedford mystery quilt – Kate couldn’t help making it a tad larger than the original, but the effect is just as pretty and scrappy. Also a very happy big 0 birthday to you Kate!

Sally’s Shashiko – also a class in Kiama – lovely neat stitches. And another of Maggy’s QAYG placemats. Beautiful and such lovely neat binding. Maggy assures us that her binding improves with every placemat – perhaps that is what I need to do??

No comment – but many thanks to my lovely angel Geraldine from Tassie – if you see someone around northern Tassie wearing a frog version of my cow shower cap – that will be Geraldine! Also note the Adelaide ‘99 retreat polo shirt – I finally found it!

Next month is our Biggest Morning Tea to raise funds for Cancer. We will be working on Breast Cancer bags, so will need sewing machines, overlockers, small ironing boards and irons as well as power boards and extension cords. Please bring what you can. The morning tea will be worth it!

Until May,

your roving reporter (note, some of this report is accurate)

Helen Evans

Devon Meadows, Vic. 15 minutes from Carrum Downs.