Work on Wed 27th March

Haven't posted for a couple of weeks as every spare minute has been spent working on my Forget me Not quilts. Have posted so many photo's to the group that only one I am showing  here is my blue quilt top finished.

I love the layout Esther designed and it did make putting the top together so easy
But today I am not sewing!!!!
I was, but 4 lots of unpicking of the same part of my next sashing across bottom of my Retro quilt  has seen me say give it away for the day.
Has been my sunflower block frame, fabric is cotton polyester and it moves so easily. doesn't show in this photo but the stripe  is quite pronounced and it kept moving and was in my face every time, but finally I am happy. 
However I went and bought batting  ready to quilt and have now discovered I could have bought it cheaper elsewhere, plus I missed the courier delivering my new (second hand) mobile phone while I was out. so it's not my day.

Decided to clean  out the spare room wardrobe as still have lots of quilting bits in there.
I found this.

My first ever attempt at machine applique -a table runner - never finished - and no wonder, here is the closeup. I thought at the time I will never master this technique!!!

It just proves that you have to start somewhere, and practice is all it takes, but a good machine does help
This was an old borrowed machine in 2006 - and I broke it !!!
Next up was this unfinished piece.

Fantail on Pohutokawa

About 2009/10 when I started stitching then padding my applique before putting it on my background.

This might now get finished as I still have pattern for a Tui to match.

And delving deeper in the wardrobe, this I think is where my talent, if that is what it is, comes from.

A 36 x 36 luncheon cloth hand embroidered by my Aunt, Tatted edge by my grandmother.
They tried to teach me both skills - I was a D-  grade student LOL

My Aunt's unused dress fabric's are my sashings and borders  for Forget me Not so guess this is a tribute to her and her talent. My Mum still has the work which my Aunt won first prize for New Zealand  Hand Embroidery with c1960. Mine one day!!!

This is the reverse of her work, and I think awesome describes it best.

My Grandmother also embroidered, but she also painted. Some originals but loved mainly coloring the black and white photo's of the day. I found this treasure in the wardrobe as well. A Damask linen tablecloth which she has hand painted the border of..
Well I can't hold a needle to handstitch  but I hope they both are happy with how I am finally able to follow their footsteps, They must have laughed secretly at my embroidery attempts.
Cheers everyone, Jenny

Late Post for WOW 6th March

Thursday here but think Esther's link might still be open, hope so anyway.
Has been a busy week as Steve kept bringing me produce from the garden so have been making pickles  and relishes so it doesn't go to waste.

Not a huge quantity as I use a hot pot not a preserving pan, but there is only the 2 of us and we've already given some away.
My crowning glory was my first attempt at Grape Jelly from green grapes. After I had mushed and boiled them and let them strain overnight I had this horrible grey/green cloudy juice and thought throw it out, we can never eat that, but I carried on and WOW

Beautifully clear, apart from the lemon zest I couldn't resist adding, not in the recipe only lemon juice and such a pretty golden colour. There was lots of scum that I diligently skimmed and it has set beautifully and tastes delicious!!!

Have finished my Pomegranate quilt top, need my next days off to quilt it and add beads to the open flower center. Had just enough fabric to cut all my leaves as each half  had to be cut from opposing swirls in the fabric.

And yesterday and today has been Esther's miniature wall hanging Easter Blessings.
It is a lovely pattern, thanks so much Esther.
I was going to enlarge the pattern but then thought I have never made a miniature so why not start now.

The heart's are the first applique as I got so carried away with my leaf stitch I also used it for my buds, but double stitched them, out and then back which has made them nice and plump, couldn't resist adding extra petals to the bottom left as so much fun. Then experimented and reduced my stitch width and stitched 6 slightly overlapping petals for my flowers.
The details of this leaf stitch are under my photo on Esther's Yahoo BOM group.

Finally, much to my delight my prize for Heart's Desire turned up in the mail on Tuesday.
4 fat quarters of handdyed fabric from pale blue to purple.

Thanks so much Michele at quiltinggallery.com they are lovely.

That's it for this week time to go back to Easter Blessings.
Cheer's Everyone
Jenny

WOW on Wed 13th Feb

What a week, think I am still coming down to earth after Heart's Desire - My Christchurch Commerative Quilt  winning The Show and Tell at quilting gallery .com.
See my sidebar to visit the site and join in the fun, as there are some amazing quilts to view and vote for each week. Enter your quilts, you could be as surprised as me.
I was so happy just to be 3rd in the viewers choice but for a guest judge to give me all her points, just blew me away.
Thankyou everyone that voted for me, and thankyou Esther for such a beautiful design.
I am now starting to realise how much more I have learnt being part of Esther's BOM Group.
have not put up another photo as you must be tired of it by now.

Made Pickled Red Cabbage this morning, Not sure if we will even like it but Steve wanted to grow some and we now have a surplus, so will be giving some away to workmates as well.

Am off to Pahia with Steve this afternoon, we are taking a truck load of furniture to help stage the house he has been renovating as first open home is this Saturday. Several of my quilts going as well as need something for the walls!

Last for this week, I have made a start on Esther's wall hanging Pomegranate.

Colours not quite true as the leaves do have a lot more burgundy/red in them and the background is the same as my Cherry Thieves Table Runner, which is going to Pahia this afternoon.
This a stash busting exercise - almost- as my stash is not great, but these are nearly all early fabrics from before I fell in love with Batiks. I cut a piece from the fabric I bought for Cherry thieves for the vase centre, and think I have enough to use as a border, I didn't use it to bind the runner as I wanted it for this.
The pomegranate itself will be interesting as still looking at my fabrics, I may just have to buy something!!!
Have a great week everyone.

WOW 6th Feb

Waitangi Day in NZ, a public Holiday to celebrate the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi, between the Maori and the European settlers. Goverment is still settling issues with various Iwi over over land, water and air rights.
We are having a laid back day as I don't have to work and the sun is shining after several drizzly days bringing much needed rain.
Yesterday I finished stitching my binding onto Cherry Thieves table runner.

I have only edge stitched around the applique as I love the texture of the vines on my background fabric, plus my freemotion is terrible. may add some beads yet to the flower centers.
It is square, it's my pinning that wasn't LOL
Have started mug mats this morning to match, reduced the bird pattern for some and used the corner flower for others.

While relaxing in bed with coffee and old copies of APQ magazines theother rainy morning I found this pattern  in Vol 19 No 3 Pomegranate  by  Esther Aliu

First in a traditional  motif inspired Vase Series - Esther, is there a series?
Must be from the time of  Red Delicious. I think I have found an accompniant for my table runner, and I also started this, this morning.

If you voted for Snowdrops on quiltinggallery.com last week, thankyou.
There were some fantastic winter themed entries which you should go and see. I got to double digits in voting so was very happy!!!

This weeks theme is Commemorative Quilts so I just had to enter Hearts Desire - my Christchurch Quilt.

An unfinished quilt, which is always still on my mind, and the 2nd anniversary of the ChCh earthquake on Feb 22nd 2011 which claimed the lives of 185 people, is not far away.
For those of you that don't know why this still remains unfinished, after all my dreams to raffle it internationally and donate the proceeds to the rebuild, we COULD NOT get past red tape.
Steve talked with every possible Govt agency, but to run an  international online raffle from NZ  is seemingly impossible, hence I felt I could not ask anyone to donate their custom quilting time.
For any Raffle "or game of chance" the only payment formats allowed in NZ are cash or eftpos.
A Credit Card payment is illegal!!!
One Day!!!!
Cheers everyone, enjoy your Wednesday.
Jenny

Work on Wed/ Thurs

Hi Everyone,
Thursday in NZ but can just scrape this in thanks to Esther's generous time frame.

Firstly a huge thanks to everyone that voted for my Evolution Wallhanging in the Quiltinggallery.com
Show and Tell last week. Have added a link on my side bar to this site as it is so much fun and although only 14 entries  there was some wonderful work on show.
I was so happy to be lying second with my very first entry - but to have the two guest judges award me enough points to win for the week, prize is Michelle's two Quilters Cookbooks in PDF Format.
I was astounded and thrilled to pieces!!!!!!!!!
Thankyou Judges if you visit my blog.

EVOLUTION

Have just had two days away in Paihia with Steve and Kelly.
Steve has been house renovating for a friend and Wed the carpet went down and he had to be there to let them in and rehang all the doors when they finished so really it was a busman's holiday for him.
Strong onshore breezes meant no swimming for us, and being high tourist season Kelly was not welcome anywhere - extra signage - NO Dogs till end of Feb.
Paihia is in the Bay of Islands and really survives as a Holiday destination so guess this is understandable, she does enjoy the car thankgoodness.

We did find an area we could wander with her to see the Haruru Falls

This is looking down the river from the falls towards Waitangi, just around the bend.

We have a public holiday on the 6th Feb, Waitangi Day to celebrate the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi between the first Europeans and the Maori People.
We have Maori land right issues continuing to this day from the treaty.

Had dinner with friends Steve had made while he was renovating, wonderful night and just had to take a photo of this paintingof a Vietnamese Lady on their wall.

Will have to work around the flash but think I feel a wallhanging comiing up.

Lastly have been thinking about the Show and Tell up at Quiltinggallery for this week. 

I can enter every week if I want to, but if I am lucky enough to win again within a month, the prize would be awarded to the next highest votes which I think is very fair.

The theme is winter landscapes and I am thinking my Snowdrop block with it's snowflakes will qualify as it does not have to be a finished work.  

I am going to enter so check in after Fri 8am EST to see and vote for what you like.

Now I have to go through my completed quilts / wallhangings and see what might be suitable to help stage  open homes in Paihia as our friends want to sell.

Have a great week everyone.

Jenny

On line show and Tell

A new experience for me this week.
Found this site after Bunny posted about entering her Heart's Desire quilt in the "show and tell" section on this site.
http://quiltinggallery.com/2013/01/25/vote-now-new-beginning-quilts/
And yes!!
I have just learnt how to paste a link, learning something new every day is good for you.

I uploaded a photo of my Evolution quilt for this weeks "show and tell " themed "New Beginnings"
Not many entrants this week, only 14 but if you like my quilt pictured below please place a vote for me before Monday.
The leading quilt is just beautiful and I had to vote for it as well as my own.
Here is my quilt.  

EVOLUTION

Details about the quilt I have put up on the site, but in more detail
It is obviously a drunkards path block design - from an old APQ magazine.
I had just bought 4 fat quarters of fabric because i loved them, and suddenly they spoke to me.
The Brown was our world, Green was new growth, the Orange flames ,and the Red embers.
Added the Sun, Sky, Moon, Water and two greens for Spring and Autumn around the edges.
Fire destroys but leaves embers and ashes, then eveything regenerates as shown by the centre.
The very center is  the scraps from my foundation piecing cut into tiny  fragments and caught under net.
From ashes to ashes, dust to dust come new beginnings!!!
If you like this, please vote for me.
Cheers everyone, Jenny

Work over Two Wednesdays

What a marathon to even access my blog this week, but finally I'm  up and running. 

Had problems uploading photo's last week and ran out of time to figure it out so left it.

Read about Esther's problem and thought - oh same problem as me so I downloaded Firefox, thinking all set for this week, but NO, couldn't even sign in to blogger, error kept saying redirecting and cannot complete.

Steve is away again this week so it was up to me to solve it and hopefully not crash the computer!!! 

Updated IE and set it back as default browser, yes I had access but NO I still couldn't  upload photo's.

Last resort, I am using Google Chrome as my browser and finally photo's Hooray!!

Last week we managed a day for ourselves, they don't come often at present.

This hidden paradise is well known in Whangarei, only 100 meters from our home as the crow flies.
We should go there more often, especially for the exercise as the first walkway is only a couple of hundred meters circular loop, down hill for one half and uphill the other - great for the calf muscles.

At the lowest point a bridge crosses this idyllic stream and looking back 

The Whangarei Falls

only 4km's from the center of town

on the climb back to the carpark you meet these ancient giants.

On Christmas Eve we sold our old car and bought a new "toy"

so it was Happy Christmas to us

Not brand new of course but we now have three of these Rover Tomcat's as they are nicknamed.

The first is Steve's restoration project, the second the "donor" and this,the one I will drive to work until the restoration is finished, then this  becomes Steve's and I get the red one sitting in the garage.

Think I am getting past a sports car - but!!

So after the Falls it was Steve's time to enjoy a 30 minute drive north to this gorgeous spot.

Church Bay, very secluded on the Tutukaka Coast, not suitable for holiday makers to camp so a lovely quiet place for a stroll on the beach.

Back home this Hibiscus is stiill in it's pot waiting for a home in the garden

This is the second of the old standard roses that Steve rescued now flowering happily in the garden

Flower's somwhat damaged by recent winds this magnificent Jacaranda is the view from our lounge.

And this week I have been making Esther's wonderful Forget me Not Block's

 This was a very fiddly block to make but I love how it finished up and seeing it now in a photo image of the framing fabric's I am very happy with it.

Much simpler in design, but how stunning it is in real life. this shows the centers beaded .

I have lost count of the layers in very center but I broke two needles and  my thumbs ached but it was worth it.

Cheers everyone, enjoy your Wednesday.