Friday Night Sew-In ................

Tonight is Friday Night Sew-In hosted by Heidi, you can click on the link to head on over and sign up.

It's been a very non-stitching week for me so far, so I intend to put that right tonight with some hand stitching while watching the rugby, All Blacks v Fiji.  When that's over, I might reacquaint myself with my sewing machine and get some borders on my June Tis the Season blocks.  If you're joining in with FNSI, have a wonderful evening stitching and I'll look forward to seeing your progress over the weekend!

Cheers .......... Nicky

Chilly days

Greetings!  It's been a slow week here, the girls have had a couple of days off school while we were snowed in.  We've also had no landline phones in the whole distirct for the last couple of days so it's been very quiet, not sure if that is snow related or not but I hope they fix it soon, as we don't get mobile reception here either.  We've just been crossing our fingers there would be no emergencies!  Last day of school today, so we're all ready for a couple of weeks break.

Not much relaxing in this chair this week.......

And we've all been having fun in the snow ..............

I have finished the long-lost bag for my friend, I hope she'll feel the wait was worth it. lol    One more thing to cross off my WIP list!  I've also pieced the little charm pack quilt I showed last time, and started piecing the back for my niece's Abracadabra quilt in Bliss fabrics. 

Angel Pin Carry Bag - Rosalie Quinlan Designs, from Homespun # 21

 Finally thanks for the comments on my last post about the Silver Ferns sadly losing the netball World Champs final.  I can tell some of you (Kiwis) are feeling my pain. lol  When our eldest bought home this gift on Monday from her cousin/best friend who has just been on holiday to Australia, I couldn't stop laughing!  So appropriate, a kangaroo with boxing gloves on ready to give someone a hiding. LOL   I love it!   

                                  

 I have a little something in mind for Chookyblue but she might regret saying there's no hurry......... that's a dangerous thing to say to me.

Hope you're having a great week, take care ........................ Nicky

Tomorrows headline ....

Check out the headline in tomorrows edition of the  "Chookyblue Times"    ........... after opening my big mouth and challenging Chookyblue to a little wager over the result of the World Netball Champs held tonight ................ looks like I'm going to be the one doing the stitching..... lol

It was an absolute nail-biter, all tied up at full time with those Diamonds sealing the victory in the last few seconds of extra time ............. virtually a repeat of the Commonwealth Games Gold Medal match, only Aussie pipped us at the finish line this time!

I have to confess to being a bit of a sports nut and almost certainly a very sore loser, but I guess us Kiwis will have to take this one on the chin, and congratulate your Aussie girls on a hard fought win.

So Chooky, any special requests???  

Long time no see........

Hi again -  I'm back, and after my last record of  3 posts in 3 days............. I didn't intend to be away this long.

I have been getting a little stitching done, but have had some busy days on the farm and at work, with lots of school and sport happenings for the kids too.  Below is the beginnings of the charm pack quilt using Pom Pom de Paris, and the new pattern book I purchased a while back.  The fabrics are so pretty and it's coming together pretty nicely so far.

These are two halves of a bag I started making for a friend about eighteen months ago, and I threw it away in a hissy fit after I sewed the strips all together in the wrong order.  I finally dragged it out and and have got it to this stage, half the quilting is done now so it won't take long to finish it off now.  She did say there was no hurry when she asked me but I don't think she ever suspected it would take this long. The bag is Angel Pin Carry Bag by Rosalie Quinlan, and it is such an easy bag, this is the third one I've (nearly) made.

 It has been a terribly wet few days here, which then turned to snow last night and most of this morning.  The sun is out now though, so the thaw is on.  Still cold though, so I might get that bag finished yet!  Or maybe even catch up on my Tis the Season stitching .................

It's been a big sporting weekend here with the World Netball Champs to watch each night, our Silver Ferns have made it through the quarters and semis and tonight is the big final against the Aussie Diamonds.  What a battle that will be - hope we come away with the spoils!!!    And then there was the Super 15 final last night, which sadly the Crusaders lost to the Reds, but is was a very close exciting game.

Hope you're enjoying a lovely weekend, take care .............. Nicky

An Angels Story Table Runner

I quilted this little runner on Sunday and got the binding sewn on this afternoon.  This is from An Angels Story by Anni Downs and has been in the flimsy stage for several years.  It is meant to have hearts appliqued around the cream border, but when I dug the pieced runner out from a drawer recently I knew if it was going to wait for those hearts it might never get finished.  Perhaps if I knew how to I should have quilted something pretty in that border. But plain it is!  This should have been Number 31 on my list of WIPs at the beginning of the year, but I couldn't even find it at the time! lol 

Thanks for stopping by to visit today ............ this must be a record for me, 3 posts in 3 days ................see you again soon ................... 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

Southern scenery

 Last weekend we went out to a lovely little cafe for lunch to celebrate a friends birthday ........... followed by a drive home around the Southern Scenic Route on the south coast. 

The ash cloud that was causing havoc for travellers in New Zealand and parts of Australia made for the most stunning sunset that night.  This photo makes it look pink, but the sky was the most amazing orangey pink colour, like I've never seen it before, simply beautiful.

I have done some stitching and sewing over the last week, and hopefully the sun will come out later today or tomorrow and I can try and get some pics to share.  I hope you're having a great week....................till next time.................happy stitching..........Nicky