Modern Quilt Guild- First Meeting

We had our first meeting of the Central Coast Modern Quilt Guild. We had 8 members come and sew for the night. It was good to be able to sit and sew with the girls from the shop. We never get to do it any other time because we are all busy with classes and the day to day running of the shop. We are really looking foward to the next sew day as it is on a Saturday, All Day! Yay!

Happy Quilting

Leanne

Learning to Crochet

The thing about having boys is that I thought I wouldn't be able to pass on all the things I love to do most because they are too "girly". Well I was wrong! My boys have watched me craft their whole lives and to them it is natural for anyone to be doing it. So when I pulled out my crochet the other day I was surprised be asked "Can you show me how to do it Mum". "Of course, I can" . The concentration on Oscars face is intense.He did really well. I don't think he'll be doing it full time, now he knows how hard it is and I'm not just a "Grandma" doing an easy blanket. My Grandma taught me to crochet when I was about Oscars age ( 10 ) and it's something I've always loved to do.

Happy Quilting & Crocheting

Leanne

What Have We Here??

My Sister and I were looking through the boxes under my quilting machine and look what we found. I kind of knew they were there and I was ignoring them until I had time to finish them.

This one is a Texas Star done with Half Square Triangles. I did it as a sample for class and it never got finished. It's only a wall hanging size. I don't know whether to add some more borders, maybe pieced, or just finish it as it is. Any ideas??

This is a top my Sister did out of here left overs from this quilt. I will quilt it for her one day, promise:)

I did this quilt to test the pattern. One of my students was having trouble with it.I did find a problem with the size of the pentagon in the middle of the star. It is quilted and the binding is ready to go on.

I LOVE this quilt. The Half Square Triangles are about 18 inches square. I saw it done at the Sydney Quilt Show and just had to do it. It was the simplest, quickest big quilt I've done.All I have to do is quilt it. (same old story)

Out in Blogland the Hexagon craze has hit pretty bad. I started this gorgeous Grandmothers Flower Garden quilt about 10 years ago. It is so close to the top being finished. Then I will be hand quilting it. The whole quilt has been done by hand over paper pieces. When we pulled it out today I couldn't believe how it felt like a vintage quilt. It was the first time I had someone hold it up for me and I was really proud of how beautiful it was.

I started this hand pieced quilt 4 years ago. It is my project that I take everywhere with me. I don't necessarily get anything done when I take it but it's always waiting patiently for me.

Best get onto these. If only I had an extra 12 hours in a day.

Happy Quilting

Leanne

Toasting Marshmallows

The kids couldn't wait to get their mashmallows in the fire.

Oscar is just like his Dad. He loves an open fire.

Yum. My Sissy enjoying a really toasty one.

Blimey what a mouth she's got!

He"s my Main Man. My firestarter. He was always meant to live in the country. He is a hillbilly from way back. Ha.

Cheers

Leanne

Awesome Autumn Sunsets

Cheers

Leanne

Life On The Farm

Archer just loves horses. Since we went to Cobark all he want to do is pat the horses. We have two horses on our property. They are actually on the neighbours property but as we don't have fences yet they are on ours too. They love it here because we mow our grass and they like the fresh green shoots. The young one is like a puppy. He is always looking at us wanting us to play with him. He is a bit of a pest though. He licks the dew off our cars in the morning, he comes on the verandah in the rain. Although, I have stopped him doing that now.

My Sister called to say she coming to stay for a few days during the holidays. In the last week all of our kids have had the vomitting virus. We thought a country break was what was needed (even though we are permanently on a country break). Paul, Oscar & Archer went out collecting wood for the campfire to toast marswhmallows in.

Yep, I think that ought to do it.

Cheers

Leanne.

Easter Camping

Easter Friday we headed off to the Barrington Valley (northwest from Newcastle) to a property called Cobark on the Cobark River. We set up camp and found out that the toilet was a 2klm drive away. (I like roughing it, but I still need a loo). The tent on the right is us and the rest are our friends. Carl & Niki were a bit posh. They had a portable hot water heater so we were able to have a hot shower at our camp site.

The little blue tent on the left is the shower tent.

As soon as we got there, Archer kept asking to go in the river. He was in for a shock when he did get in, because it was freezing. I'm sure they had mild hypothermia after they had been in for a while.

Boogie boards are always fun in the rapids. Oscar had a ball.

Ethan having fun in the blow up raft.

Paul standing guard over the kids. Making sure they didn't float down stream.

Poor Horsey!! I went for a horse ride. It's been about 20 years since the last time I rode. I used to ride all the time with my girlfriends when I was in High School. It all came back to me. Yes, all of it! The sore butt and legs. Niki, Phil & Bluey rode too. It was Bluey's first time on a horse. He did really well. The horses don't really do anything unexpected because they do the same thing all the time. They do get faster as they get close to home though.

Easter Sunday Morning. CHOCOLATE TIME!!!

How exciting. Being able to eat chocolate for breakfast. What more could a girl (& my Boys) want.

Poor Pauly! He broke his finger canoeing down the rapids. Ouch!!

Me cooking pancakes in my pink gumboots.

On Sunday we went 4 wheel driving on the property we were staying at. Some of the views were spectacular. The photo does no justice at all. 

When we got to the end we were at the Barrinton River. It had heaps more water than the Cobark River. There was a rope swing that all the kids had a go on.

Oscar 

Ethan

Archer

Before we left on Monday, I took the kids for a ride on a horse. They though it was great and Ethan & Oscar want to go on a trail ride with me next year.

We had a fantastic time. I was sad to leave. I could have stayed for another couple of days and we will be going back next year.

Thanks Cobark

Cheers

Leanne

Still Busy

Boy , have I been busy ( still ). I have been doing patterns of my designs to put in the shop

This is a sample of a Stack'n'Slash Quilt-as-You-Go that I designed for my classes. I can't wait to start it with them. 

Oscar doing the school cross country in the park at Mulbring.

Archer at the same cross country. The little ones just did a walk and ball games. So cute!!

Cheers

Leanne