Graduation Day and Progress

A very special day for the young ones.

With caps  and gowns, medals and certificates,

they celebrated the end of their time as Preschoolers at Childcare.

4 year old Grandie, Charlie loves his teacher.

  One day he saw some goods being sold to raise money for an African country.  He saw a doll for sale, and had to have it, because he said it was Miss R.  She was in tears as my daughter told her the story, because of his understanding and acceptance, and that he thought of her even when not at Childcare.

Special memories, and special times.

I have now joined all the blocks of my Christmas ornament runner, apart from a little tweaking in some of the corners.  It has gone together surprisingly well considering there were 20 blocks from 20 quilters.  Now to work out some borders for it, and have it quilted before Christmas.

Bloggers meet

Beautiful location:

Gorgeous view:

Wonderful company:

Friends:

(Michelle and Maree)

( Joy and I)

Yummy food:

A very enjoyable day.

Using the Leftovers

I had a piece of this left over after making the Christmas Card Compendium.

This is what it has now become - a matching journal.

Next UFO

My weekend stitching - 3 years ago I took part in a swap of Christmas ornament blocks, and also a Christmas fabric strip swap. (these were 4 1/2 inches by approx 20 inches).  I have 20 of the ornament blocks, so put together they will make a good sized runner or wall hanging. 

The swap included quilters from USA, UK, Canada and Australia - all of us were members of a quilting forum.

I am using the strips for the sashings and cornerstones.  There should be enough for a pieced border as well.

It was a change of pace yesterday, when we went to our Son's property, which we share the caretaking of, for Hubby to do this

while I made these.  (well I did weed some gardens also).

Never forget.

So organised......

A couple of years ago at Sewing Club at Sew This and That we used some of the 1 inch grid iron on base (I dont know what it is called).  To make it up required what seemed like hundreds of 1 inch squares.  It was good for using up the little pieces of Christmas fabrics lurking in my scrap drawer.

These little squares finish up at 1/2 inch.  At least using the base made the stitching much more accurate.

 I have now finished the project I decided to make using the piece.

The class project was a Christmas stocking.  I decided that was too much cutting and sewing - after all I couldn't make just one when I have 6 grandchildren could I?  So mine became a Christmas card compendium.

Now there will be no excuse for lost addresses, no stamps, which card to choose.  It is all in one place.

I swapped ...............

This

for this

That is - this

(yes there is proof - dust on the pedal, mess behind the machine)

for this

(yes, dust on this one too, but that is because it HAS been used.)

I have just spent over 2 weeks away, mostly at my Son In Law's and Daughter's new sheep property down Lightning Ridge way (a 9 or 10 hour drive from here.)  Not a stitch of sewing has been done while there, but we did work hard, as well as spending lots of time on the quad bike exploring the property.  I hadnt been on one before then, but fortunately it is not difficult at all to drive.  Such fun.

Now it is back home, and catch up time. 

Tonight these fabrics will be cut up and a table runner will be under construction.