Bonnets

Remember those convict bonnets? Well, looks like they're going places. Here's a link to a story on ABC about them. Do you see yours?

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-05-06/convict-bonnets-project-unites-women/4670916

Wednesday Group

 Haven't blogged for a while, so it's time to update everybody with what the group's been up to. Some of us went to the AQC at the Royal Exhibition building, which was a lot of fun. There were some magnificent quilts to see, and I for one was happy to see a lot of art quilts this time. The Australian quilters are so far ahead of everybody else - IMHO - in art quilt making, it's great to see so much talent!
A lot of talent here in our little group too : The first photo shows Jenny, Sue's friend who is visiting from New Zealand. She's holding up a little quilt signed by all her friends from the Wednesday group, with beautiful Australian Aboriginal patterns.

This little beauty is a felted bag made by Sue. I believe she knitted  it and then felted it. The bag is quite solid enough to hold a few books. Love the felted flower, too.

 Marg is still working on this very pretty block with the blue birds (of happiness??). It's so dainty and the colours are just superb.

 Jenny is knitting a rug in gorgeous pinks, burgundy and black, and also crochets flowers onto it. Would love to see a photo of it when it's done.

 Sue has been quilting this adorable panel with three fishy windsocks.

 Tracee showing off a third of her new quilt, all pieced and appliqueed. It'll be spectacular when it's done, a great country pattern.

And here's Pauline with her amazing strip quilt. She was going to do our 1600 quilt with her strips, but fate intervened with a badly broken foot, and she eventually used the strips to finish this magnificent quilt.
Yours truly hasn't had much time to quilt, but managed to do a small Ricky Timms convergence quilt recently. Photo to follow when it's quilted.
Some of the group members are also doing a small quilt challenge, so watch this space!

2012 Challenge

Some of the amazing quilts from the unveiling at Gisborne peak.

Marg's wonderful Australian quilt

Donna's wonderful Australia quilt, you just have to touch the leaves, they are amazing!!

beautiful Australian flowers in this quilt

Donna's leaves!!

Poem quilt - fantastic leaves on the trees

"When I am an Old Woman I Shall Wear Purple" most beautiful fabric

Australia quilts

Poem quilts

High Tea Revisited!!

Sorry to be so slow ladies - photos of High Tea at Woodend

Pauline, Donna and Tracee

beautiful table runner made by Tracee received by Donna

Tania, Marg, Amanda,Annette,Pauline,Donna,Tracee and Helen

Tania in full Xmas mode and Marg

Tracee and Helen with her snowman

Tanis, Marg and her Xmas stocking, Amanda

out the front of Campaspe House

Pauline, Marg, Amanda, Tracee, Helen, Annette,Donna, Tania and Sue

Quilting Acronyms

This was sent to me by my friend Irene, thought I'd share it with you -

BOM = Block of the Month
DSM = Domestic Sewing Machine
FART = Fabric Acquisition Road Trip
FOB = Fear of Binding
FQ = Fat Quarter
HST = Half-Square Triangle
LA = Longarmer
LAQ= Long Arm Quilter
LQS = Local Quilt Shop
MAQ = Mid-Arm Quilter
OBW = One Block Wonder
PhD = Projects half Done
PIGS = Projects in Grocery Sacks
PP = Paper Piecing
QAYG = Quilt As You Go
QST= Quarter Square Triangle
RR = Round Robin
SABLE = Stash Accumulation Beyond Life Expectancy
SEX = Stash Enhancing eXperience (or eXcursion)
SID = Stitch In the Ditch
SnW = Stack and Whack = pile up and cut all at once block pattern
Squishy=Envelopes filled with swap fabric or gifts sent/received in the mail
STASH = Special Treasures All Secretly Hidden
TGIF = Thank God It's Finished!
TOT = Tone-on-Tone
UFO = UnFinshed Object
VIP = Very Important Project
WHIMM = Works Hidden In My Mind
WIP = Work In Progress
WISP = Work In Slow Progress
WWIT = What Was I Thinking
WOF = Width of Fabric
WOMBAT = Waste of Money, Batting, and Time
WOW = White On White

Would love to do a FART some day soon!!

High Tea in style!

 Our Christmas breakup was at the beautiful Campaspe House in Woodend. This gracious old mansion has Edna Wallings-designed gardens and is a really nice place to celebrate the end of the sewing year! Thanks for finding this one, Tania!

 Some of the ladies arrive, we were all dressed very colourfully, adding a floral ambience to the place!

Now THIS is the life! I could have easily settled in for the afternoon at - and in - the pool.

 And here we all are! Pink champagne was served quicksmart, and everybody relaxed and had a good time. Merry Christmas Pauline, Tracee, Helen, Sue, Tania, Marg, Amanda, and Annette! Oh, and me, taking the picture (now who's the blog hog?).

 We were reliably informed that the custard brulees were "orgasmic". Well, near enough, they were indeed delicious!

 More sweet delights, and some savoury ones, and I must say the scones were the fluffiest I'd ever tasted!

Blondies and brownies, and berry chocolate mousses - mmmmm!

Will have to come back here next year, it was all very satisfying.

See you all next year!

On 12th December, a few of us gathered to farewell the old sewing year and celebrate the season. As usual, we did so in style, although few of us were energetic enough to sew. So we sat in the dark with some flickering candles and had a natter.

 People had brought food to sustain an army, as always. There were cherries, cookies, slices, Tanya even brought mini pavs along, and strawberries and marshmallows with chocolate sauce for dipping.

 Not to forget the decorations, with Tania's pretty blue baubles,
Santas, and a sweet sparkly owl that Annette brought for Donna's collection. Sue's musical frog of course had to show off his talents.

Merry Christmas to all and I hope the new year brings us many hours of fun sewing, and all things good.