Weekending - The Bloomsbury Quilt edition

My Liberty Bloomsbury quilt has been pulled out of the WIP pile this weekend, and well and truly worked on.  Over the last few evenings I have been hand appliqueing the Dresden circles and their centres on to the solid backgrounds.  I decided to go with the grape solid rather than a contrasting colour, but then while rummaging though my stash, I found this floral fabric (I think it is a Kaffe Fassett print) which picked up all the colours perfectly.  It looked too busy as the actual centre circle, however by making smaller circles I was able to use it as a feature, and I think this has also toned down the grape.  Piecing the blocks together certainly didn't take long, but pressing those seams has been hot work today.

I love how it looks so far, however I have plans to make it bigger than it's current dimensions of 60" square and have some more beautiful liberty strips that I purchased from Polka Dot Tea Fabrics to use.  

Quilt Facts:

Solids - from Spotlight
Liberty  - from Westwood Acres Liberty Club
Pattern - from Bijoux Lovely

Scenes from my Week

From my morning walk 

• beautifully vibrant pelargonium and a rose which I think is called Sally Holmes

From the sewing room

•  my final Christmas placemat is finished - so another goal completed from my Q4 list for the 2015 finish-along.  

From the WIP pile

• another finish - my French Hen decoration for my sister 

From the bedside table

• new books to read and freshly picked, sweetly scented, sweet william.

From the vege garden

• the humid spring weather means my tamarillo tree and beans are having a rapid growth spurt.

Wishing you all a fabulous weekend.

Weekending

Rachael and Mr Chew Chew - pom pom making

Crochet lessons

Got to love my library!!

My beautiful Meadow pillow - photo courtesy of Deb

My beautiful AMH pillow/pouf from Rachel

Button detail

Beaded stitch markers

Today I made the trip from Auckland to Matangi again, for our last sewing day get together for 2015.
I had accumulated over the past couple of weeks a lovely pile of new quilting and cook books, so they were well browsed through.  Hand sewing, cross-stitch, pom-pom making and crochet lessons were all taking place today.  Lots of yummy food again too.

Gwen and I were the lucky birthday club recipients this time. I was very spoiled with the handmade gifts I was given.  From Deb, I received a beautiful Meadow pillow cover, featuring  so many gorgeous fabrics and from Rachael I received a beautiful Anna Maria Horner pillow, featuring her handmade pottery buttons.  I think my family will be banned from using these.

I made Gwen a pouch for her knitting (my first finish in my Q4 finish-along goals) and some beaded stitch markers.

Such a shame we probably won't have another get-together until next year now.

Wednesday WIP

A Christmas ornament for my sister,  from"The Twelve Days of Christmas" collection from mmmcrafts. I have the odd days, she has the even days.  This will be a French Hen!!  The embroidery is done, now I just need to wash away the stabiliser and sew it  all together.

Linking up with WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced.

Weekending

Well it's been a while since I did a weekending post, but here's what I got up to this weekend.

• relaxing on Friday night, after a somewhat manic week at work - a new magazine and a glass of chardonnay, the perfect way to start the weekend
• in the garden - lots of weeding, cutting back and planting new plants  Pleased to see my passionfruit vine has started flowering, lots more buds on it too, here's hoping I get a bumper crop after last years rather drastic pruning gave me a total of about 12 fruit.
• in the sewing room - finally I have made a start on the final Christmas placemat , so nice to be sewing again.  
• in the kitchen - this recipe for school (and work) lunchbox treats

Wishing you all a fabulous week ahead,

Life

I have been getting lots of work at the library lately (which is great) however, it doesn't leave me much time for sewing, baking, reading, even blogging and all the other things I enjoy doing.

Over the weekend I celebrated a birthday, so I was spoiled by my family with a special dinner and homemade birthday cheesecake, bubbly, lovely presents and time with Mum, shopping for clothes, plants and fabric.  The above bouquet was given to me by Mum - all the flowers from her garden The Irises always flower in time for her to pick them for me.

Fingers crossed life starts to get back to normal soon and I actually have time to do some of the things that make me happy.

Have a fabulous week.

Lately

Making : plans for a day out with my sister when she comes to New Zealand in December
Drinking : Rose and French Vanilla Tea as I type this post

Reading:  I am Pilgrim by Terry Hayes
Looking: at lovely sewing, cooking and interior design books
Wasting:time on Facebook(I finally succumbed and signed up)
Sewing: by hand, Liberty dresden plates on their backing fabrics

Wishing: my house would clean itself
Enjoying: going to the movies with a friend - we saw The Dressmaker
Waiting: for my Mum to arrive on Friday for the weekend
Liking: new season asparagus
Wondering: why the birds keep pulling out my lettuce and marigold seedlings
Marvelling: at how Mum's who work full time get eveything done, I find it hard with part time hours
Loving: warmer days
Needing: chocolate 
Smelling: jasmine and clematis  in my neighbour's garden
Wearing: a sari, bracelets and bindi at work to celebrate Diwali 
Following:  the All Blacks and their Rugby World Cup games and results

Noticing: new growth and flowers on plants in my garden
Knowing: that there are only a few weeks left of school
Thinking: that I really need to do some Christmas shopping
Feeling: pleased that I mowed the lawns before it is supposed to rain
Bookmarking: dessert recipes for Christmas Day