The Same But Different.

I had thought maybe I had made my last felt embroidered ball, but as I have lots of felt and threads left, why not make another?   
# 28 !  
  It's something I can still see fairly easily, compared with other projects, so maybe one more? ( It is a good portable project.) 
 I then had the idea to vary it a little. Instead of 12 different coloured pentagons; just one colour - blue (in different shades ) . I could make it for a grown up instead of a small child. The idea grew. I decided to use fabric motifs using Broderie purse style. I found a fabric with many different teapots or services, that were about the right size. I reinforced them with iron on and cut them out. Using cotton machine thread I blanket stitched them on.

 I then inserted the wound batting inner leaving some seams open to get it in.

 Using a contrasting thread from my left overs 

 I tacked / laced  firmly the last seams shut.

 I then proceeded to blanket stitch (with a double wind that stays firm )  the final seams - from the outside this time. ( undoing the tacking as I got to it )  

This is how it looks all sewn up.

 I then chain stitch over the seams 2 rows on either side and it covers the seam stitches.

 The rows of chain go in opposite directions. I will vary the colours used but stick to those appearing in the motifs. Just the straight forward easy part to do now - the rows of chain around each of the 12 pentagons. 

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 ( the eggs have hatched - more on that when I get photos!)

But Wait.

But wait. There is 4. I climbed back up with the camera to check on progress and found 4 thrush eggs. I also googled how long it takes for them to hatch. It seems 13 - 15 days after the last eggs is laid.

 So that could be any time soon. We saw her this morning and its possible she is feeding something.( time wasting activity! but when they are so close out the window I can't help noticing ) 

 Some bright spot in the garden. pink Gazanias  and yellow Geums ( Lady Strathenden ) just beginning to flower.

 On the kitchen bench , my favourite carnations ( pinks ) ( Dianthus Dancing Queen; Sugar Plum and Memories )

 The Graham Thomas rose was broken out by the wind. It is tied up tighter now.

Still Complaining about the Weather.

I suppose its cause we both like to garden that the relentless wind is so frustrating.
 But still we try. Some success too. 

 5 caulis have so been eaten by the family. One yet to mature.

 Finally I'm getting a reasonable pick off the red flowered Broad beans.

We have been eating petals and leaves off the nasturtium in salads. They are thriving despite the wind turning the plants upside down again and again.

 We have also been watching Mrs. Thrush valiantly struggle to make a nest on top of the wooden beam in our BBQ area. Finally it stayed there. I climbed on a seat and held the camera above my head to see into her nest.

Fabulous coloured eggs.

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 My sewing has consisted of hand sewing a different type of felt ball and machine sewing little dresses for Dress a Girl Around the World, project , that we were asked to help with. So far I have done the skirts of 2 but need help on how the sleeves are done.

 Some ladies are going to work on them on Saturday when we have a UFO day. I might go and get some assurance that what I am doing is what is required.( its a good way to use up fabric from my stash!

Fickle Spring Weather.

After a fabulous warm weekend, (that I could become very fond of ) the weather is certainly throwing everything at us today. There will be a brief spell of sun then the rain pours down the wind rushes through lifting things in it's path including these avocados that I collected from under the 2 Hass trees.

 From the house I could see them swinging  like pendulums so no wonder some just snapped. Some fell stem and all some had their stems ripped out.( I so hope we don't loose the avo trees themselves )

 These windfalls may be a bit bruised but at least they are mature enough that we will use them when they ripen in about  8 to 10 days.

 The sun popped out again so both of rushed to do some garden jobs, BUT then had to rush for shelter a short time later. I got stuck in the old poly house for quite some time....no weeds left in there now...finally I made a dash for it. Too windy for an umbrella today.

 The first of 5 Unique Rhododendron is flowering. The wind doesn't seem to be trashing that.

 We both decided that the rest of the day most definitely was an indoors day.

 I have been knitting ( beanies ) and sewing an adult type felt ball and sorting my fabric stash to find material suitable for little girls dresses. We are being shown this Friday at P and Q what is required. In an all boy family that will be fun for me.

Even More Quilts.

Here are some other quilts and hangings I liked from our recent Exhibition.

 Jan Nicholson's Taste of the Orient. It was the colours and the fabrics I liked.

 Karen Livingston's My Secret Garden, made from a pattern by Geta Grama from Romania .

 Also by  Karen and the cushion made from old blanket wool by Melanie Martin.

Rae Champion's, A Handful of Scraps was hand pieced and machine quilted.

 There were of course many more lovely pieces of work but I don't have photos of . This was just a selection.

More Quilts.

Dorna's beautiful fun quilt has toys in pockets and things to play with.She made the toys as well of course. Clever lady.

 Muriel Brown's  Puzzle hanging.

 Helen Mckeon's beautiful quilt of Kaffe Fasset fabrics is on its side ( sorry )

 3 brilliant vibrant hangings.

My Carmichael Walkway hanging at the front of this row.

A Selection of Quilts from Our Show.

Our Exhibition was well attended and the Sales table did very well. Here are just a few of the photos I took to share here.

2 members had made this same pattern. Christine McIntyre made this one. Some of the flowers are felt and there is a lot of hand embroidery.

She also made this fun tuffet out of French General fabrics. 

Rosemary Hancett's travel bag was so well finished, right down to the matching luggage label.

Muriel Brown's Wonky Houses were  very bright.

As were Sandra Bentley's,  Feathers . Such excellent workmanship in this.

A quilt made by the same lady ( Sandra ) for her son. The fabrics were nicer than they look here. She is a professional Quilter and many of the quilts others put in the show were quilted by her.

Helen Purllant's Seaside wall hanging was hand stitched and machine quilted. Lots of small detail in this.

Denise Lee's hanging is tiny .The blocks are miniature. It is foundation pieced from a kit she got in USA.

 Some more to come in my next post.

Exhibition Starts Tomorrow.

The Tauranga  Patchwork and Quilters' 30th Anniversary Exhibition starts at 10 am tomorrow at the Tauranga Racecourse. It's all hung and ready for viewing.
 10am  till 4pm Friday and Saturday. Adults $5 entry.

This  is a quilt made by members that is being raffled.

 Raffle Quilt.

 There are other great raffles too.

On display are members work. From large quilts like Valerie Blight's  quilt here

To tiny thread paintings of pets.

 There is also on display Aotearoa Quilters'  Exhibition, " New Zealand Through Our Eyes."featuring Canadian and NZ quilts.

 A huge Sales Table has a great variety of gifts and novelties and small quilts .

Royal Spoonbills.

I am still trying for that elusive close shot of the Royal Spoonbills. This is where I walk  by when I go right around our small sub division. The ponds were made especially for nesting purposes.
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 There are many bright Spring flowers out in my garden and on my kitchen bench. Freesias in 5 colours. The best perfume from my old potted Burtonii ones.

 Theses white flowered ones are from the bulbs Grandson planted.

White Dutch iris are standing tall along the back retaining wall.

Around the base of a flowering cherry.

 Today I have used my time well. It is somewhat of a relief to know I can still knuckle down when undisturbed and finish a project. I made the hanging sleeve with a velcro strip and hand sewed it on. Usually we just safety pin the hanging strips on but my hanging is very light and I thought the weight of safety pins might just make it keep falling off the wall - so I sewed it on. I left the ends open so it is also a hanging sleeve into which a rod could later be put to hang on my wall.

 I sewed a matching label on too. So all ready to exhibit. ( ( Feeling relieved it is totally completed )

Exhibition Happening Soon.

It is just less than 3 weeks till the Tauranga Patchwork and Quilters Group Exhibition to be held over 2 days ; Friday and Saturday the 13th and 14th of September at the Tauranga Race Course. (Cameron Road )  10 am till 4 pm.

My Walkway wall hanging is going in the exhibition. It just requires a label on the back and a velcro hanging strip.

 This is the original photo I took about 2 years ago and used as the subject for my hanging.

 I have been working on small items for the Sales table. I made a fat quarter apron ( and forgot to take a photo ) and these  3 page felt needle cases.

 It is 2 years since our last quilt show but we don't seem to have more entries. I think members have given away quilts they made as up to 2 years is a long while to keep them if they have been made for someone else. This is a different venue too from recent years. About 10 years ago we used the racecourse ( which has since been done up ) so we will see how it goes. There is lots a free parking so that's a plus and only 2 days instead of 3.

 I am helping with receiving the quilts and the hanging and set up so the Thursday will be very busy for me.The rest of the jobs and time on the Friday and Saturday will be fun.

 There will of course be plenty of shopping available as well as food and drink on site.

Refusing; Recycling and Re-purposing .

          Just to add some brightness on a chilly windy day.

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 Refusing Recycling and Re-purposing.
 I have been meaning to write about this for some time now. I am trying not to bring home any plastic. That has meant I have had to change my habits and how I shop and where. We are fortunate that we grow loads of our own fruit and veges. 
 The "take your own bags and containers," is working well for me with fruit and veges at the supermarket or Fresh (fruit and vege ) Market. Getting meat at the butchers is good but more expensive. There are things I want but they come in plastic so I try for an alternative packaged in paper or loose if practical. Some examples are I love Vogel's bread but it comes in plastic. I also like sourdough but it is twice the price. It can be put straight in my bag at a deli but needs a paper bag and sticker at a supermarket.  Yes I do have a bread maker I use too.

 I like to buy frozen peas....haven't found a solution for that yet ( tinned or  dried - no )

 Ball point pens? Pencils or ones that take refills ( still plastic ). ( don't fancy a fountain pen in my handbag. )

 We have always done our own recycling - never had a rubbish collection. We sort and recycle glass, paper flattened, card board, tins and a small amount still of plastic. We take it there ourselves.

 On the recent TV News we saw NZ now has a problem with the amount of recycled paper. There is an easy solution. Forbid paper advertising leaflets - our mailbox bulges with them..

 NZ has more glossy magazines than most countries.. Reduce this.

We try to buy metal or wooden kids toys for the grand kids. There we have re-purposed lots that I kept. . ( Lego is the exception being plastic )( I kept all our boys' Lego )

 What plastic we already have I now treasure. I will use it again and again and again.( in the freezer in the cupboards etc. )

 Consumers who care are trying hard to not get plastic or any sort of needless packaging. There is heaps of that. I think manufactures now have to step up and take more responsibility. Get new ideas more quickly,! Old buried rubbish. is now coming back to bite communities who unwisely just dumped and buried  in the past.. This is going to be a major cost all round the country to clean it up before it goes to sea.

 If you have got some good ideas to share on this subject I'd  love to hear. I know there is lots to read on the subject - some ideas are a step too far.

Winter or Spring?

         The first 2 cherries think it is time to  begin flowering.

Celebration.

Today I have been to a luncheon along with 37 other patchwork and quilters to celebrate 30 years - Pearl Anniversary  - of our group, the Tauranga Patchwork and Quilters Group.
 Started by a small group of ladies back in 1989 in a room at Tauranga Boys' College, the group has grown in numbers and skill.( see my right side bar for info about the group ) 
 One founder member my friend Nan and the other Alison cut the cake  made by our current president Helen. It was a ( moist chocolate ) bed with icing patchwork quilt and pillows. We had lunch in a side room at the very busy Nautilus Cafe on the waterfront in Tauranga.
 Not a stitch was sewn . We are all pretty good at talking and eating so we did that. Fun was had by everyone.

This Surprised Me.

Yesterday I gardened as fast as I could as the weather forecast said today would be very wet. It is now, but only since mid day. While I was planting seedlings I had purchased on Thursday I found this. The first daffodil ( proper ) for 2019. Later I found a second one in another spot. I was putting pale pink polyanthus beside yellow flowers as I quite like that colour combination.( Under one of the soon to be pink flowering cherries.) I got everything planted I wanted to and didn't water them so the rain is now doing that.

                                                                      *******

 I finished the 4 ply wool  vest I was knitting for elder Grandson. He doesn't like wool much so it will need to be over a long sleeved top. It is a versatile pattern and has no front and back or inside and outside so however he puts it on is the right way!

Ted tried it on but it was far too long for him...he's toppled over.


***     I am now working on sales table items for our Exhibition which is creeping up on us.
 I have a fat quarter apron to finish and a hand sewn felt needle case partly done. ( that's not forgetting I have a wall hanging to finish too.) 

This coming Saturday ( 20th  July ) our Tauranga Patchwork and Quilting Group are having a celebratory lunch for our 30th ( Pearl ) Anniversary. I will report back with photos.

 R has been rebuilding the garden shed with a concrete floor and shelves and facilities for cleaning fish.

Chilly July Days.

It's an inside sort of day. Not rainy but dull cloudy with a bit of a chill to it.
 Before I forget, Yes Pam those Jonquils were flowering outside on the shortest day. We have had 4 or 5 frosts but not enough to spoil anything. Some of the cherries are trying to flower too.
 As we have now lived here for one year ( moved 4th July ) I was looking back in this blog to see what had changed in that time. Lots of trees have been removed. The latest 2 to go were the large untidy palms on the driveway.The stumps have been ground down so we can replant there or near by. We have the 2 persimmons heeled in the vege garden till the site is ready.
 Everything I have planted, bar one  has grown and thrived. ( one Calla lily rotted off ). I have not yet got myself a Daphne plant or found where to put it but I will.( I want to see it in bud/flower and make sure it has a really good perfume. )

 My sister gave R the seed for these red broad beans. We planted half the packet last year and had to leave them flowering at the old place so it is good these ones here are doing well. There are some tiny ( 1" long ) beans set but they are slow - I guess its too cold.

 I see freesia buds appearing and tulips pushing through.

 Bad news we still have rabbits digging!

                                                                 
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Altho I have been knitting since I was a small girl ( 7 or 8 )  I still have some things to learn...not about the knitting but the sewing up / picking up neck stitches / finishing type things so I have been googling it and watching some u tube short videos and I am pleased to say I did pick up the odd pointer. At the moment I am doing the neck on a ribbed vest for elder Grandson and I will try a new method.

 I have done one session on my wall hanging.

 I think I am reading more than before.  I must update mt sidebar list and do a few book recommendations.
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 The very good news is the Grandsons and their parents have moved to BOP this last weekend. 20 plus minutes away from us , so no more trips to the big smoke to see them. Smaller grandson is now 11 months and elder Grandson 3 years and 9 months.