Well and truly winter.

Cold wet, miserable weather here. I have been working on my boy's t-shirt quilt, should have a finished pic for you in a few days. The only other main finish is this pot holder and bag for the local tea rooms' 7th birthday party. The lovely owner has a party and then closes for a few weeks winter holiday. She always had these ladies as paper serviettes but can't get them anymore, i found the fabric at Hancock's and surprised her.

This quilt is on loan to me from a friend. I am organizing a Church ladies day, the theme is "Finding Jesus in the Everyday" and this quilt is the central image for the advertising. Isn't it amazing, I will be sorry to give it back!! They are tiny little inch blocks!


It is a cold wet winter that is suiting no-one.... except the swans. There is always a silver lining for someone....they have been nesting constantly for 9 months...well, different ones I presume! Making up for many years of drought.

These photos are from sunset tonight, and you will see i found a nice surprise to justify my damp toes...

And then on closer inspection...what have we here?

Aren't they beautiful? I am pretty sure they will be added to the slide show for the Church day. Which is your favourite? I can't decide.
....Have a great day, Tracey

Colourful Friday- blue and orange

Back for a colourful Friday, I love this game, hosted by Daisy Quilts. I have gone back through the archives again for photos that (sometimes loosely) suit the theme. Some are chosen just 'cos they bring back good memories really! Give the pics an airing, I say. Then the last 2 flowers were taken today, turns out I did the Church flowers with orange last Sunday...lucky because flowers are thin on the ground here this winter.The log cabin above was sewn for my "Summer" four season s swap a few years ago.

This was a good-bye gift for a minister's wife.

This is a friend's Bird of paradise, i just love these flowers.

A blue kenworth at sunset, I love harvest time!

A little boy that seems to belong to a world away...he lived in orange and bright colours as they helped me to find him when he escaped...which was often!

Blue with autumn leaves, they grow up far too fast...probably 7 years ago!



Same day, running up our driveway. I loved that bright blue on my girl. As much as I loved orange on her brother.

Poser! The light only does this down our driveway for a few weeks a year.

Dancing the night I got my first digital camera, a little kodak that I thought was marvellous!

Last ones are oriental lilies, (I think) taken today. can you pick a favourite today?

If you follow the link to daisy's blog you can visit all the other blogs who participate today and see their take on orange and blue..it has made me want to make a quilt in that colourway.

Cheers, tracey

Some quilts from quilt retreat.... and winner announced.

Safely home from quilt weekend, so back into normality after 46 hours of patchwork bliss....and two winter ocean swims that seem to have really helped the dermatitis on my hands. I got a few things done, the tops I showed you last post, and also the Madeira throw pictured in the middle of the very sunny picture above, and most of my boy's 11th birthday t-shirt quilt. Can't see them all that well here, I might show some closer pics next post.
Also, forgot to announce that the winner of my week of blogging prize is Quilting fitzy, she will get some fabric, some cards...and hopefully a nice surprise! Perhaps I should hold her to ransom and say she doesn't get her prize until she resumes her blog, I miss her. After all these years of blogging I miss my friends when they disappear...that goes for you too, Dawn formerly of Korea, you make me laugh!

Robyn got her horses together, very fiddly blocks but they look fantastic, her girl will love her horse quilt.

Lise, the Chocolate cat, got her quilt top together. Great colours, her S.I.L should love that.

Janine stitched all weekend on these blocks.

Helen finished hand quilting her first grand-daughter's quilt.

The gorgeous Kerrin is full of energy after her recent health hiccup and finished her quilt top and got it pinned. She should be justifiably proud.

Jane finsished her quilt top, from the Awesome range, I think! Kerrin is helping display it. (Hope that is Jane and not Lise' range, I can't keep up!) Also, Jane informs me I gave her the credit for Lise's stitched apron gift, it was made by Anne.

And here we all are after cleaning up and before a closing lunch down the street. We have booked the same house again for next year and I am looking forward to it already!

Quilt retreat progress.

Hi from the winter wonderland of P*rt fairy. I am on quilter's retreat with another 10 girls, The chocolate Cat included. I am up early blogging after a light night working on a new quilt for my boy. I have taken a few progress photos up until last night, and will take final pics for you this afternoon.

Here is me and Lise, the Chocolate Cat at friday night's birthday dinner, Lise is wearing her fabulous birthday apron from Jane, here's a close-up...it would suit all of us I think! She better make sure that is packed or she may not see that again.

I had been looking at all these twister quilts before I went, I think Dawn was doing them. I couldn't possibly get hold of a ruler between Thursday's discovery and Friday's departure, so i made my own and had a play. I just marked a square ruler and worked my blocks accordingly!

Robyn is working on her sheep... and some great hoses I'll have to put in next post.

Lise was working on her SIl's quilt. Fabric range is Simple abundance.
Jane is working on this, will have to check the name when she gets up.

I finished this little cot size pink and cream.

I love this painting of P*rt fairy in the passage way...do you think anyone would notice of it were gone?

I got warmed up on Friday by sewing this jelly roll together, playing the jelly roll game I think it's called. 3 hours exactly.

This was originally going to be what the twister quilt was cut from..liked it too much to cut it up!

heaps more progress overnight but have to run...no animals to feed and sewing to be done...bliss! Dh is worried I wont come home!