I Got Real Busy.

After feeling rotten at the start of the week, the end of the week turned out to be great.
I finished 3 quilt tops

Quilted a top. I designed this quilting pattern myself for my quilting machine. It worked out really well.

And got a NEW MACHINE!!! How exciting. It was kind of a last minute decision. I got a Husqvarna Mega Quilter. I always said to my boss, Jody, that if ever that machine came on sale that I would get one. In the 4 years I have worked at the shop that machine has never been on sale. I just HAD to have it....

I picked it up on Friday. My boys went to stay with Ma & Pa for the weekend, so I sewed up a storm. While Paul watched the car racing, I annoyed him with the constant whirring of the machine. Because it is an industrial machine it goes super fast. I sewed up 366 HST ( Half Square Triangles ) in no time at all.

When I picked up my new machine, Jody had a little surprise for me. It is my 40th birthday this week and she had a gift for me. A 1/4inch foot for my mega quilter and 3 quilting books. I was from all the lovely ladies I work with at the shop, so Thankyou to you all for my gift. ( I can't believe I am turning 40! )

I am expecting another busy week with customer quilts and some of my own to get up on the frame. I've 2 quilts to bind and another to stitch together. So I better get going.

Happy Quilting
Leanne

Tuesday

After the party, I woke up with a hideous cold. It is school holidays, I have 2 weeks off work and it's like my body goes into meltdown for the first week. It always happens to me.
So here is some fabric I recently got for an upcoming project.

I have been designing quilts a lot lately. I have been inspired by Kate and Ally. I have even been designing my own long arm quilting designs. Sometimes I just dont have the design to suit a quilt so this time I just drew it and I thought "Why haven't I done this before?", it looks great. I will be using it on a quilt this week. ( once I don't need the tissue box anymore )
Hope your week is going better than mine.

Happy Quilting

Leanne

Birthday Celebrations

We had a birthday party for my little man, Archie. This is the first party he has had with friends from school. He only had three friends because once all the cousins arrive, it is a party in itself.

We had lots of fun things to do.

Paul rigged up Henry ( our little blue Ford tractor) to pull the trailer. A bit of safety bunting and the boys loved it. They would have rode around all day on it.

We got a new trampoline! It's the first one we've ever had. With three boys, trampolines aways scared me. This one has the safety net all around, so they can only hurt themselves on the tramp, not falling off it.
( will insert photo once my mother sends them to me- I won't hold my breath)

The giant swing is always a hit with the grown ups.

The boys played all day with just a stop to put food in their bellies and then off again.

Cake time, and I was pretty chuffed with myself. I stenciled a Transformer logo onto the top of the cake. I knew my craft blade would come in handy again one day.

Happy Birthday to you.........................................

Another successful party done and dusted. We are all exhausted and everyone had a great time.

Cheers

Leanne

OH the COLD!!!

I knew that moving to the country we would be in for cold winters, but I didn't expect this. -2 degrees at 7am

It has been bitterly cold. I know it's been cold everywhere but out here on the prairie there is no shelter from it. The cars are completely iced over in the mornings, the grass snaps under your feet and the dams are all frozen over. Our little water pump is having a conniption every morning. I think the water in the pipes may be a bit frozen. It's like a winter wonderland, ( as long as we stay on the inside of the door in the beautifully air conditioned house )  well as close as I'm going to get to a winter wonderland, anyway.

And what's with these kids of mine. No jumpers in zero temperatures. There is something not right about them. NUTS!

Archer having fun snapping the frozen grass.

Back to the air con and some quilting. I can't think of anything better to do when it's cold outside. Making a nice warm quilty to snuggle under.

Happy Quilting

Leanne

No. 73

Just a quick update.
Here's what I'm quilting.

For a customer

Here's what I'm patching.

A big Zig Zag for my big boy Ethan

Happy Quilting

Leanne

Sunday Sewing

Today I finshed a quilt top that I should have done a year ago. I purchased 3 printed panels from
Prints Charming at last years Sydney Quilt Show and I was inspired to get them into a quilt for Archer.
This is the panel.

Isn't it cute? I couldn't resist them for my little boy.

This is the quilt top today. All ready to quilt.

It was really fast to do with all those big blocks

Happy Quilting

Leanne

Our Latest Guild Meeting

On Thursday evening I had a lovely time with the ladies of the Central Coast Modern Quilt Guild. We had a couple of new members and some of the real regulars. Kate came for the first time, even though she has been a member for a while now. It was really great to talk to her about her patterns and the whole designing process. She brought her sister Ellen with her. They are both beautiful girls.

Ally and Kerrie dropped in too. They didn't have time to sew, but they did have a chat for a while. Their enthusiasm is always infectious.
It is always weird sewing with Jody and Ange. We don't get to sew together to often because when we are at the shop we are working.
 Everyone always enjoys their time at the guild. Sarah brought her famous toblerone cheesecake, YUM.

Some of us did an improv star block. It was nice to do something a little different.

See you next time

Happy Quilting

Leanne

Archie is Six

I can't believe my little one is growing up so fast. Six already.

Look at that hairdo

Happy Bithday Archer.
Love Mummy and Daddy xoxo

My Quilt Show Bounty

Here is my bounty from the Sydney Quilt Show.

Hunky Dory

Verna

Hushabye

Hope Valley

Nicey Jane

 

Kaffe is always good for the stash

Good Folks Voile for a soft scarf. Mmmm

Happy Quilting

Leanne

Sydney Craft Fair

On the weekend my Sister, a bus load of crazy ladies and myself attended the Sydney Craft Fair and Quilt Show at Darling Harbour.
The weekend for me ( and my wonderful, understanding Husband ) started with a very chilly start. We went to get in the car and the whole car was covered in ICE. Brrrrrrr. Paul had to use a credit card to scrape the ice off the windscreen.

I met up with the bus at the shop. We headed to the big smoke. On the way Rachel had a questionaire for us to do. It was so much fun. The winners were announced on the way home.

We arrived in Sydney, dropped our bags at the hotel, and down to the show. My sister was waiting for us. Squeal!! Monique and I had a great weekend planned.

Firstly, the first day at the show. We rushed to see a couple of stalls we knew what we wanted from. One was Prints Charming. We really love their fabrics and ideas for printing our own fabric. Monique and I are hoping to do a class with them next year.

Then as we were going row by row we came across a charity stall. We could sew a block to be incorporated into a quilt for battered women and their children. It was a good excuse to sit and have a sew. We each sewed about 4 blocks.

At about 2pm we were a bit tired. We headed of to get tickets for Sex and the City. I was really excited to be seeing this with my sister. We decided to see it before we returned to our hotel. It was a really good movie. It was like catching up with old friends. We laughed, alot, and cried a bit too.
For dinner we caught up with a bunch of ladies from the shop and had dinner on a boat in Darling Harbour. I had the Salmon and Monique had Lobster!

The next morning started with a yummy buffet breakfast. On our way back for our second day at the show, Monique and I took a detour through Paddys Markets. There is some really good cheap knock-off stuff here. At the show we went back to get the things that the day before we had seen and said " If it's still here tomorrow it's meant to be mine", spending way too much, but the high kept us going.
By lunch time we were shattered. Monique had to go home and I just meandered around waiting for 3pm when our bus was leaving.
We had a great time with lovely people. I think we are going to Melbourne next year. Watch out Melbourne!!

Happy Quilting

Leanne

The Rain Went Away

Finally it stopped raining!! The boys got to go to their sport carnival. It was a nice day except for the freezing wind cutting right through us. ( will nothing make me happy ). Oscar & Archer had fun and attempted all the events. I must say that we really aren't a track and field family. We do better in the pool.

This is my little Archer at the carnival. On the start line with his hands in his pockets.

Here is Oscar (in yellow)in his age race. He did well. He didn't come last!

I can't believe how the time flies. I know I say it often, but really, it's getting rediculous. I think it's because I have to fit everything in while the kids are at school. Work, Quilting, Class Projects, Quilt Designing and all the stuff that comes with running a house and after school sport. God, no wonder I'm exhausted on the weekend.

There is always plenty of cleaning up to do !!! Lego, one of my favourites.

Last week I had 3 quilts come to me for quilting all on the same day. I do love quilting but it takes me a bit to get going. Once it's loaded up and the bobbins are wound and the panto is in place, I have to gear myself up to actually quilt. Once I start doing it, I always wonder to myself, why? did it take you so long to get started. I love quilting.

This is one of the quilts that I have to quilt this week.

Last week I said I had to get a class project finished. Well here it is. I really love it. I would love a whole quilt done in this design. It is made up into a cushion. The photo was taken before the cushion was made up.

Happy Quilting

Leanne

Long Weekend Fun at Our Farm

We just had a long weekend to celebrate the Queens Birthday. Any excuse for a day off, right?
The weather is finally beautiful , crispy, winter days.
Paul decided while the weather is good he should mow the paddocks. Unfortunately for him and Henry (our little blue Ford tractor) the ground is still really wet from all the rain. Henry got bogged!!

When Henry gets bogged I have to help get him out. The last time I was in the ute and I rode the clutch to much and nearly burnt it out, so this time I had to drive Henry.I haven't been on Henry since before we moved in. I forgot how much fun it is. Anyway here are some photos of the occassion.

We love being home. At our last house we went out a lot on weekends. But living here in the country just makes us want to be home.Paul and the boys went scouting for a place on the property to build their new cubby house/fort and here is another view of our barn/house. 

My Blue Boys

It really is a beautiful place to live!

Cheers

Leanne.

Rain Rain go away.........

Oh my goodness, what a wet time we are having. The boys sport carnival has been postponed twice already and it looks like it will be wet on Wednesday, the next day it has been set for. The weekend has been lovely though. It gave the boys a chance to get out and ride their motorbike and work off their cabin fever. The ground is still very wet so there was lots of mud. ( Yay, for me the washing lady!)

On the sewing front, I started the week off well but have achieved nothing over the weekend. I did work at the shop on Saturday and didn't feel like doing anything when I got home. Today we spent the morning cleaning the house ( it wasn't really that bad) because my parents came for lunch. I cooked a yummy pumpkin soup and picked up some sourdough rolls and a damper. Add a bit of sour cream and it was delish! I did get some unpicking done today so that will give me a good start for tomorrow.

I have been designing some new patterns lately, one of which is for a special someone. I saw this fabric and new immediately who it would be for. Add some other great fabrics from the stash and I hope to have it underway soon. 

I really need to get my finger out and finish the samples for my class projects. I will endeavour to finish one of them this week. ( New York Beauty Pillow)

Soon I am hoping to be having a giveaway, so stay tuned for details.

Happy Quilting

Leanne