After missing the previous get-together because of getting Covid, it was lovely to catch up again this Tuesday.  Sandra was our hostess today.  Everyone arrived, and we settled down, chatting away.  There were magazines to look through and take home, and plenty of Show and Tell, lots of knitting to start with.  I had taken along the blue jacket I had made for baby Jack, and Helen had knitted a lovely shaded blue and brown little vest. Baby knitting by me and Helen Sandra had knitted this pretty pink cardigan This interesting design was knitted by Heather Carol had ..read more

 There's a new baby in the extended family.  Robin's siter Kaye recently became a grandmother for the first time, when baby Jack arrived.  That was exciting news, making Jack our great nephew, I think.  I had already sent the new Mum and baby a colourful baby quilt, and then decided to knit him something.  Time was moving on, and babies grow so quickly, don't they. I decided to knit the cozy little Jessie Jacket, designed by Kiwi Stitch and Knit Co..  This is knitted in a combination of stocking stitch and garter stitch, and has a little rolled edge collar. What ..read more

 It's time for a little yellow sewing - according to the RSC rules, yellow is the colour of the month.  I'm stitching several Rainbow Scrap Challenge projects, so out came the bags.  First up were the pirate blocks.  These aren't going to be done in every colour of the rainbow.  Rather, I'm picking out several colours which are featured in  the pirate fabric, and so far have done green and red.  This month is yellow, and I have light and dark blue to go, when their turn arrives.  That was easy.   Three pirate blocks Also easy was the four patc ..read more

 It's time to see how I've  been doing on the Chookshed Challenge for April.  The number chosen this month is number 9, which in my case is my House Blocks from some years ago.  I've looked back through earlier blogs and just can't find any mention of these, probably made back in the mists of time.  These were made from 2.5 inch strips with flip and sew roofs and are my own design.    There are heaps of them of all colours, just made from strips, and they have  been hiding in a basket all this time. House blocks I also made a few pieced tree blocks, f ..read more

This month the RSC colour has changed to yellow, but I'm not quite finished with purple yet.  I decided if I didn't keep plodding away on this project, it would be put away, out of sight, and forgotten about.  I know I've mentioned my former neighbour Dorothy many times, and the fact that when she moved away to go into a rest home her daughter gave me a couple of boxes of quilting fabrics.  Tucked in the bottom of one of the boxes were a pile of nine patch blocks.  I  assembled these blocks using white sashing, left over coloured squares for the corner stones, and some ..read more

 You know what it's like when you set off on holiday - you seem to have all the time in the world and then it's all over.  We were attending our caravan club rally in Napier, with plenty of plans, people to see, things to do, plus a little shopping.  It didn't all fall nicely into place though.  On my "must do list" was a visit to Skeinz, a local company which spins their own wool.  I had found a pretty 6ply cardigan pattern for myself and was after some yarn.   Of course there were several lovely colours available, but I couldn't resist this soft blue, nice ..read more

 My Chookshed Challenge for March, number four on the list, has been completed.  Some of the participants had chosen to work on a panel for their number four, and I was happy to do this as well, as I had a couple of panels waiting for me in a bag.  I chose to work on my wild horses panel, and mid way through the month  I had added borders simple borders. The finished top The next step was pinning the layers together, and luckily I found a piece of cream calico just the right size for the backing.  I safety pinned the layers together out on the patio table, making the ..read more

We are not great movie goers, but now and again a film grabs our attention, and we just have to go and see it.  The Great Escaper, starring Michael Caine and Glenda Jackson was such a film.  This film is based on a true story about pensioner Bernard Jordan, who absconded from his Care Home in Sussex, UK in 2014, to attend an event in France marking the 70th Anniversary of the D Day Landings.  Bernard missed out on getting a pass to join one of the official groups, so decided to go it alone. It was an excellent film, with plenty of early scenes  when the young couple met ..read more

 Over the last several months I have been stitching away, and had accumulated a bag of donations for Foster Hope charity.  The nearest drop off point was on the way to where we were heading for lunch, so that worked out well.  I collected the bag, and we were ready to go. Ready for the donation drop-off So what did I have ready to donate?  A red and blue boy's strippy quilt, featuring helicopters and planes, and road construction machines.  As well as some draw string bags for the foster kids to put toiletries or pens and pencils in, beanies, and a little baby's str ..read more

 I've finished all my RSC blocks for March, but I found  another purple project to work on.  When I received several boxes of fabric when my neighbour Dorothy was moved into a rest home some time ago, I came across a pile of nine patch blocks she had stitched.  These blocks sat around for a while, and I finally assembled them into a quilt top, using white sashing.  A length of lilac floral fabric found in the boxes became the borders.  And there the top sat, waiting, and waiting.  I laid it on our bed to check it out.  It doesn't look too bad for a donat ..read more