Gum Valley Patchwork

Still practising

I was able to quilt another class sample this afternoon and the results were a little more pleasing than my first attempt. The stitch length is better…….however my control of the sewing machine needs a lot more practice…….I was going to attempt some free hand daisies but I am struggling with nice flowing curves so I resorted to a different design this time round.

A few new arrivals at the Shop that I forgot to mention yesterday: the raspberry chenille has finally arrived – it has been on back order since about October last year. So if you have been waiting - it’s in and is $26 / m. Also in is Chalkboard Cloth. I will be using it in one of the Christmas Club projects but I will also be selling pre-cut smaller pieces as it is $52 / m.

Hope the rest of your weekend is great.

Linda   :)

Seemed like a good idea at the time

Almost two years ago I bought this…….

Thinking that I would get lots of quilts finished. But that wasn’t to be as the arm of my sewing machine just couldn’t accommodate the roll of the quilt and my machine didn’t like it – the tension was shocking to say the least. So after two dismal attempts to finish some quilts the frame was left to gather dust.

Then in June I decided to buy this……

A longer arm machine that I had been told could take a quilt up to about 2 metres…….perfect…..so I thought.

Well the speed controller I had had a different plug, so I had to buy this……..

Then my darning foot would fit so I had to buy this…….

Well finally I got it all organised

 

and today I managed to finish off a quilt. Not the best quilting job…..lots of long stitches…..but I have another ready to go on tomorrow and I guess that practice makes perfect. But one thing is for sure I definitely wont be any threat to Margaret and Wendy at Clever Ducks….there’s no way I’m taking this on as a job!

Linda    :)

Happy Birthday Mum

It has been cold and wet here today. We have really had enough rain for the time being……I wish I could send it off to somewhere that needs it more than we do – but alas it doesn’t work that way! I guess in a few months time we will be complaining that we need the rain…….we farmers are ‘never’ happy…….lol.

I spent a few hours with my Mum today. It is her birthday. When I called in to see her this morning she was waiting to go out for lunch with one of her friends – so I asked if I could gate crash her ‘party’ and tag along. It was lovely just sitting, eating, talking and just forgetting about all of the work at home that needed to be done – that can always wait until tomorrow, or the next day or even the next…….(but not too long as the BAS is due soon)! My Mum is a real joker…….just ask the grandkids…….lots of pranks, fun and tall stories. One really funny one that I’d love to share with you goes something like this. Mum was the spider killer / relocator of our family……..if there was a huntsman spider (the big brown hairy ones) in the house it was always Mum to the rescue – never Dad. Well one night a few years ago there had been one in her bedroom and armed with the broom she dutifully disposed of the intruder. Later on as Dad was getting changed into his pj’s, Mum armed with the broom reached over and tickled his bare leg with the bristles. Dad jumped (and yelled) thinking the spider had returned and was heading north up his leg and when he turned around there was Mum in a fit of laughter. We all thought that it was hilarious – Dad on the other hand wasn’t quite as amused!

So Happy Birthday Mum……..thanks for all the happy memories with many more to come.

Linda    :)

The three C's

These 3 C’s have kept me away from my blog for so long that I fear that everyone will have forgotten all about dropping by….Cows…..Calves…..Catering. It is just such a busy time on the farm but at long last it has settled down enough that we can stop and take a deep breath……and then wonder why we do it all! We had a few sick calves and that certainly took extra time out of the day. The calves are going along great now………here are a few waiting to be given their afternoon feed of nice warm milk…….

Don’t you just love the big ears on the brown swiss calf….….they are so cute!

On the catering side of things I have been busy with quite a few functions, including a lovely wedding on Saturday night – the Mother of the groom is a good friend and student. A casual wedding, but everyone really enjoyed themselves which is lovely to see. And the wedding cake was a beautifully decorated pavlova…….as requested by the groom!

I'm off to catch up on everyone's blogs.

Be back soon.

Linda    :)

Calves and a little bit of stitching

My my where do the days go? We are busy on the farm at the moment with calving and this seems to take up most of my time when I’m not at the Shop. We haven’t had a good run of heifer calves this year but I have promised myself that I won’t worry about it as worrying cannot change the outcome. So at the moment it is 4 heifer calves to 16 bull calves. So being the optimist I am……the bright side is that at this rate we won’t have many heifers to break in to the dairy in 2 years time…….lol.

On the stitching side of life I have been busy making up the samples for the Christmas Club (details will be included in my next class newsletter due out in August). This Club was heaps of fun last year and will be on again from September thru to December with a morning, afternoon, evening class as well as by mail order. Here is a photo one of the projects we will make……..Christmas Penny Pockets.

These are quick and easy to make and can be personalised to suit any occasion not just Christmas.

The Jelly Rolls, Layer Cakes & Charm Packs for the new range by Minick & Simpson – ‘Wiscasset’ arrived the other day and will be in the shop tomorrow.

They are even nicer in real life than in the catalogue and I can’t wait to use some in a class sample. Don’t forget JR & LC are only $59.90 and CP are $20 (mail order available).

Better fly as I can hear the motorbike and cows getting closer to the dairy.

Linda    :)

Pattern of the Month - July

The new pattern of the month for July is Lenora's  ‘Send a Christmas Wish’ Quilt pattern.

It would make a great winter project all ready for hanging those Christmas cards on come December …….. or earlier if you have a friend like I do who sends his out in November!

As the special bonus this month if you purchase the kit you get 30% off the price…….normally $108.50 but for July it’s only $75. The kits are made up from the ‘Peace on Earth’ range by 3 Sisters. Purchase the pattern only and receive a free fat quarter of Christmas fabric to use in the quilt.

Linda    :)