War quilts.... (photo heavy)

I recently went to a very interesting quilt exhibition ...... photographs were allowed which i much appreciated since I remember so badly and its great to share ...

If this comes near you I recommend visiting - so much research and diligence has gone into it and the craftsmanship is amazing....

I am assuming a blog is social media????? and it's ok to share these pictures.  If anyone feels I shouldn't be please tell me as I really don't want to.  The work Annette does collecting and documenting is amazing... there is also an Australian quilts book which I lust for.... hmmmm

Here we are standing next to one of the amazing quilts....

information about it...

the print that was used for the centre embroidery...

... a little bit of close up detail...

.. and a bit of history....

Wool mosaic....

another incredible piece ....

so effective with the stripes...

stars.....

I loved the applique in this one..... just amazing...

another, quite different but also great designing....

A selection of what there was..... I have more!!!!

Righto, coffee time...... Not sure if people are interested in these.. there is nothing like seeing them in real life though, and especially if you enjoy a bit of history.

Clearing things up....

This bunch of strips has been hanging around for at least 5 years....

I'm thrilled these strips are all together now.  Personally I don't find it beautiful, but it appeals to my need to use scraps ....

Whilst digging around to see if I had some appropriate backing (which I did) I found a selection of minky fabrics....

... the weather is cooling here.... so of course I joined them up....

My trusty overlocker got a dusting and use..... and all done in 20 minutes....  I overlocked the edges too

AAAAAAAWWWWWWW..... yes, my little dog hates the cold, the minky is so soft and snuggly, and very light weight....

She hates her picture being taken but she wasn't about to move! haha...

Another block of Gardeners Journal is done - this one of course is Watering the Garden....

Anybody else got this quilt waiting to be started, or maybe started and not finished?  Already Michelle and Cheryl have discovered theirs and we are sewing together and encouraging....  wanna join?

Righto, Gotto Go.....  I'm going to roll up that scrappy quilt with it's backing and put it in the bottom of the cupboard for one of those quiet days ....... (I'm not revealing how many are already there!)

manly quilting....

A quick message to Kathleen - thank you for your comment... so kind.  It's coming through as no reply so I'm sorry not to answer but I do appreciate hearing from you.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Amongst my UFO's was a bunch of Snail Trail blocks (I was donated them in a scrap bag years ago!)  The little blocks were 3 1/2" and scrappy and I wanted to use them up.

This is my masculine mug rug which now lives in Hubz's office

... and my masculine table topper which lives next to his lounge chair.  I had a bit of fun with the quilting in this one...

This months Rainbow Scrap challenge colour is Multicoloured - all those fabrics which don't fall predominantly in one particular colour....

I found I had quite a few of those fabrics... can you see my fussy cut wording?

This the fullest of all my scrap baskets..

I have stitched up another block for Gardeners Journal... this one is Watering as you can see

Amongst my UFO's I had a whole bunch of 2" x 5" pieces so I have been putting rail fence blocks together for a while when I had a few minutes spare.....

they are now in strips and getting sewn together - when I have a few minutes spare... 

Had a lovely road trip and met up with Michelle and Susan yesterday.... we sat in a corner at a cafe and stitched... and had coffee and lunch and there was a little bit of chatting

Of course the time went far too fast.  Both special friends I met via blogging and it never feels like I see them often enough!

Righto, Gotto Go - woke up at ridiculous o'clock, so I find I have a few minutes spare so I'll go and sew those strips together....

A start on April

I made these cute little baby shoes last month for my neighbour and friend ... totally forgot about sharing them on my blog but they can go into the April finishes...

Made in some sweet Tilda fabric and in Size 1.  Very cute, but I really don't know how practical they would be.  Babies are very skilled in kicking things off.

There is a lovely botanical garden just 10 minutes from us where we like to go for a wander - dogs are allowed too so little fat one comes with us...

Every time we go something else is flowering, or seeding, or got new growth and this last lump of rain has given so many plants a boost...

I am hoping some of the non Australian readers might enjoy some of our unusual plants...

Velvet Beauty-Berry (I can't find that this is in fact an Australian native) but I did love the colours of the pink flowers with the very purple berries...

This wattle is flowering, a lot of the wattles have little round puffs... they have a lovely soft scent and remind me of my childhood....

there are a few different coloured hybrid flowering gums.... the flowers are quite big...

... and I just love the gum nuts they produce... perfect houses for gumnut babies, fairies and elves....

This banksia doesn't flower from the stem but from the ground... its like a big church candle and 8" tall... so much detail in those hundreds of little tendrils...

This hakea flowers come off the main stem like the leaves.  A delicate round pom pom amongst very thick leathery leaves....

There are very interesting and unusual plants and animals here.

I seem to seldom bake these days but I did send Hubz off to work on his birthday with this double sized chocolate cake covered with sprinkles for a bit of fun.... apparently is was yum!

I got a couple of gifts last week... Christine found these cute little clips and made labels so they can be used to number and hold blocks when you get them ready in rows....  not only are they very sweet but useful too and you can see they are already working for me!!

Lyn visited Tasmania recently and brought back this cutest little 3 dimensional tree made from Tassie timber... (that's a small size cup it is next too)  It looks so delicate but its actually quite strong and sturdy.

I have been sewing.... this is my latest group of Dutch Treat blocks.... funnily enough I was sewing that bottom right one just when Cyclone Debbie was hitting up North (the block is called Hurricane)

Today is sewing with the girls day... and we will be doing Rainbow Scrap Challenge houses..... it is multicoloured.... all those pieces that don't fit into one particular colour.... I even have a scrap of multicoloured thread....

Righto, Gotto Go.... time to put the kettle on and build little beach houses...