Beautiful gifts & Scrappy stars

Last week I was thrilled to receive a surprise gift in the mail from Clare, a lovely lady who I have 'met' through blogging.  Clare started her blog Craftlady in Kiwiland late last year and she does the most amazing stitching and quilting, and now I've been so lucky to be able to experience it firsthand...... a most welcome and very much appreciated gift, this gorgeous bag, and matching blockroll.  The bag is now filled with the little hexies from my recent post, which I have been working on now and then, it's nice to have them close by in this sweet little bag, when I have a few spare minutes to stitch. 

I've never used a block roll before, but what a neat idea, this will keep my little Butterfly Garden miniblocks together and wrinkle free while I finish the rest of each block.

Isn't this fabric so cute, couldn't help but make you smile to read those cheerful words.... thank you Clare, you absolutely made my day, your workmanship is faultless, and I am so grateful to be the recipient of your wonderful stitching.

I have been getting a little stitching done, and have picked up my Butterfly Garden blocks again. Here are some newly finished miniblocks ..........these bring me to 28/81 completed.

Recently I spotted some scrappy stars over at Terry's blog Terry's Treasures, where she is co-ordinating a Scrappy Stars Sew Along.  In a desperate attempt to tame my scrap bin, I have joined in the scrappy fun.  I think there are meant to be two blocks a month starting in August.  I am late joining, so I've made my first four blocks .........each block is 12.5" unfinished.

These are so much fun, a little addictive, and I've decided to have no rules whatsoever, no fabric will be too ugly/loud/wrong for these blocks!  So who knows what the next ones will look like .........

I hope you've had a great weekend............. Nicky

Stitching update

Hello again, it's been nearly two weeks(again) between posts but rest assured I haven't been sitting idle all that time..... here is some stitching I've been working on at nights while watching cricket and tennis, loving the Aussie Open, some great games and very entertaining.  I just wish we weren't 2 hours ahead of Melbourne as it was after 3am when I dragged myself off to bed last night!  (I have to confess there may have been some dozing in the chair at times though.)


But anyway, back to that stitching, this chart and fabric are a late Christmas gift to myself ........ I've made a small start, because of course starting is what I do best........lol.  This is Christmas Garden by Blackbird Designs, I think I am going to omit the wording at the bottom, and make it more of a family sampler than an exclusively Christmas piece.

Below is Secret Egg Hunt by The Trilogy, not much to go on this little one, just waiting on a couple of thread colours to arrive in the mail and I'll be done!

I have also started stitching those hexie flowers down on Janis' Stitching Round the Block, not as difficult as I imagined, the seam allowances stayed nicely creased under and I just used some tiny drops of Roxanne's glue to hold them in place while I stitched............ 4 done, 4 to go!

I think I mentioned a couple posts back that I had done a little Butterfly Garden stitching at Christmas time and here are 5 more little miniblocks done. .................... check out Fiona and her Butterfly Garden stitching, she is on fire, so is Josie, she is now working on her final block.   Oops I've just remembered I still need to get pics of my Gardener's Journal top now that the borders are on - next time!

Tonight I'm going to stitch while watching some more tennis ............. hope you're getting some stitching time today too............. till next time ..................... Nicky

Mondays Friday Night Sew In Results

I know, I know, I'm running a bit late for a FNSI update, but better late than never right!  It's been a terrible weekend of sleet and snow and hail, and so today the sun has finally come out in between snow showers for me to get some quick pics.  I should be at work today but we're stranded here with the snow and I've heard the roads right around the region are treacherous today, so I'm staying put.  Firstly what I finished up on Friday during FNSI, were my June blocks for the Tis the Season Stitchalong.  These blocks are fun to stitch, and I'm about two-thirds the way there now.

Also finished in the last few weeks were another couple of Butterfly Garden blocks.  I couldn't believe that this little 4" section of stitchery could take so long, boy was it slow going!  

I've also finished up the little quilt top in Pom Pom de Paris, not sure if the lattice look to it is quite as effective as I thought it would be, but overall I'm happy with it.  Now to decide how to quilt it??

I've also broken my pledge to myself not to start anything new, and have a little cross-stitch well underway, but I'll share that when it's done.

Well that's it from me today, I'm off to make some pumpkin soup for a late lunch, the girls are just heading out to play in the snow .................... so I'm sure they'll come in ready for something hot soon.

Have a great day ....................happy stitching .................. Nicky

One block left now ....

 After some *gentle encouragement*  from Chookyblue, I have now pieced my second to last A Gardeners Journal block and here it is.................Block F............. but that very last block is still quite a way off finished.

 Over the weekend I also finished up Virtues Sampler by Little House Needleworks.  This is now in my rather large pile of finished cross stitch to be framed.

 And while I was busy on the machine I pieced the first block of my Butterfly Garden, I'm pretty pleased with how it's looking, and I've finished a couple more miniblocks during the last few days.

So now I need to catch up on this months Tis the Season and Birdie Stitches blocks...................I don't want to fall behind ............. again!

I hope you're having a great week, thanks for visiting me today, it's lovely to *see* you ................ till next time ................Nicky

Missing in action

It's been a very unproductive week here for me.  I've had a nasty tummy bug which kept me away from work both on- and off-farm and feeling very sorry for myself.  So far the rest of the family have not succumbed, so for that I am grateful.   

I started to feel a little better yesterday, so finished these Butterfly Garden miniblocks.  The plan for the weekend is to piece Block 1 of this quilt together and also piece my next A Gardeners Journal block.

Grethe is also working on her Butterfly Garden quilt again, her blocks are beautiful - do take a look, and Fiona has some wonderful fabrics ready to go here too.  Cardygirl says she's got one to finish too ...........as does Peg ................ no pressure ladies .........lol ..............and then there's the little challenge with Josie .......if anyone else has one lurking or ready to go feel free to out yourself ..........................

I've also dragged Virtues Sampler from the bottom of the stitching basket and got some more done. It's been quite some months since I did any cross stitch and I'm enjoying it. Both of these projects were on my WIP list from the start of the year, so I'm easing the guilts a little. lol   Sorry about all those wrinkles in these pics!

I am so behind on blog reading and returning emails so will try and catch up over the weekend.

Have a wonderful weekend.......till next time Happy Stitching...................Nicky

Red sky in the morning .........

............. shepherds warning..........or so the old saying goes anyway.  And perhaps that old saying is right as the weather has turned rough this evening!  This morning's sunrise taken on the way home from the school bus drop-off.  I got a new camera recently, so I've been having a little play.  I have SO much to learn though.    

Following my last post Josie and I have agreed to a challenge come to an arrangement which should see us both eventually end up with 2 finished quilts each.  Josie has only a couple of blocks to finish on her Butterfly Garden quilt, and she has bravely offered that if she finishes her BG before I finish mine, she is going to begin A Gardener's Journal quilt by Hatched and Patched.  Now I'm sure she must be very keen to do A Gardener's Journal, because there's no way on earth I'll be finished my BG before her!  You can see where Josie's up to here.  Her blocks are beautiful.  Here is the link to the original Butterfly Garden by Leanne's House.  A little bird told me there's a set of BG patterns on their way here too.   Watch this space. lol  Anyone else out there keen to join us and get their Butterfly Garden quilt finished(or even started)??  I know there's a few lurking out there!. 

I've finished another Gardener's Journal stichery and a couple of Butterfly Garden miniblocks, so I'll get some pics taken soon.    Till then.................happy stitching and thanks for visiting today ........

Nicky

Butterfly Garden

Last July after seeing May Britt and Hanne commit to finishing their BG quilts that they had been working on for a while, I started mine with the intention of stitching one miniblock a week, so that I would be finished 81 weeks later, at the end of this year.  Well now it's nearly June and I had a paltry 9 miniblocks done.  Pathetic isn't it.  The last time I updated a finished block here was in October............ yes I do have a very short attention span...........lol.

In the last couple of weeks some girls have been working on their BG's again, so I dragged mine out to see where I was at.   Nicky..... Bec ...... and Lynda have been busy on theirs.....Lynda has now finished herquilt top and it looks amazing.   It always amazes me how different one quilt design can look in a different colour way or fabric style.  Do have a look at these ladies work, they are incredible and very inspiring.

So here are my 3 new miniblocks finished in the last week or so....................

I love the little french knot flowers on this block, very slow to stitch, but so pretty too!  Below is the block I'm working on currently, gosh there's lots of stitching in them.

Maybe you have a Butterfly Garden block or two lurking you'd like to drag out and get stitching on??  I'd love to have you join me......... but I'm not making any more rash promises on deadlines yet. lol   I'd love it if you'd leave me a comment if you are stitching or have stitched Butterfly Garden, it would be great to see some pictures if you have a blog or a link to a flickr album etc.

Thanks for the lovely comments on my Martinique runner, and for the great tips on quilting at 1/4" spacing.  You gave me lots of ideas for which I am grateful.  I hope you're having a fantastic weekend...................till next time ....happy stitching.............Nicky

Time for a catch up.......

Hi folks, it's been a crazy week or two around here, lots happening on the farm, and busy times for me at work as well.  We have just had a holiday weekend here, the Saturday and Sunday of which we spent getting our lambs tailed.  As we expected it was a pretty disastrous lambing for us, however the lambs and ewes we have are all pretty healthy, so we will do our best with what we have.  On Labour Day Monday we made a daytrip to Roxburgh and jetboated up the Clutha River to Alexandra and then onto the Clyde Dam.  It was a lovely day out, only problem was I left my camera behind, so I haven't got any photos of beautiful Central Otago with the wild thyme in flower, smells heavenly and the countryside looks amazing.  Photos next time!!

In stitching news, some long awaited stash arrived..........some lovely new LHN charts and gorgeous overdyed threads, sitting on some Weeks Dye Works 32ct Linen in 'Straw'

and LHN's Virtue Sampler which I couldn't resist making a start on. Oops - Fallen off the wagon again!

Some cute pins - 'Pink Lemonade' from Just Another Button Co

And because I need another project start like I need a hole in the head, here is the beginnings of my Stitching Around The Block, from Helen Stubbings - Hugs and Kisses.  I am thrilled to be in a little Kiwi stitching group with these lovely ladies Raewyn, Janis, and Leanne.   Raewyn and I 'met' thru our blogs a few months back, our blog address names are very similar, and we are both(obviously) farm girls!  I have my fabrics pretty much finalised for this little quilt, and this centre block needs to be finished by the end of the week and sent on its way North for the beginning of November. 

And just so you know I haven't forgotten my committment to stitch one of these 'Butterfly Garden'  miniblocks each week, here is an update.  These three are finished mini blocks from Block 2.........

..............and these four are prepped ready for applique and stitchery. 

I must confess I am a little behind my one a week target though, likewise I am very behind in the Gardener's Journal SAL.  Thankfully most the others aren't, so you can check out some lovely blocks and quilts over here.  Secret stitching for my SSCS is still happening, and  I am gathering things for my 6 Items Christmas Swap too. All in all, it's going to be a busy countdown to the end of the year - thanks for calling by here today to visit, I appreciate that you have persevered this far. LOL 

Till next time, take care ............. Nicky

Spring Stitching

Here is a little stitching from the last week or so, now that I have sorted out this mornings blog glitches...........

Some miniblocks together to be prepped, some for stitchery, and some for applique........

...and some progress on the big house block from A Gardener's Journal.  Now that I see the photo I notice that my roof has a definite lean on at the top......no worries, there is no way I am unpicking and restitching this block!  I notice that there are a few quilts being finished over at the SAL blog, and many others are getting some blocks joined together.  They are all looking great, so pop on over and check out our progress.

Thanks so much for stopping by today, hope your day is going great..................till next time..............

Happy Stitching,   Nicky

Down on the farm this weekend............

........there was lots of this............shifting sheep.

It was all hands on deck to help with putting up fences.

It really is a dog's life around here!

There was time for some Butterfly Garden stitching on Sunday night, and finally I have finished one of these needleturn daisies ..................

..............and another miniblock from Block One.

Not the most perfect needleturn, looks a bit bumpy round the edges to me, but it will do for now.  I have another 15 of these to try and get my technique right!

Hope you had a fabulous weekend too ................Nicky