Numbers Growing! 25/1/18

Yes, quite a few more members coming back from extended holidays and grandma duties. By next week we should be back to normal strength!
Susan D was on the job chasing members to finalise the kitchen duty roster for the year. Not too many gaps, but make sure to check if you’ve filled it in. Remember to fill in the dates and the second quick-check column for having done so. Thanks Susan.

Kerry has sent out the email regarding the AGM, which will be Thursday, 15th February at 12pm.
Thanks Kerry.

The next Show Meeting will be held on Thursday, 22nd February at 9.30am in the Baby Health Centre room as always. Thanks Meg.

Only one quilt top for display at Show and Tell time this week, but I’ve included a few ‘around the room’ shots as well.

Moina showed us a completed quilt top which she has called her ‘Hexigon Baltimore’. A very appropriate name and a gorgeous design Moina. Very tiny pieces indicate the delicacy of the work, and the overall effect is wonderful. Moina intends to have it quilted and ready in time for the show.

Around The Room

Here is work being done on one of the many community quilts being completed each week.

Here’s a very cute block of a triple-decker ice-ream cone, designed by Susie, and destined for a position in a quilt for the show I believe! Cant wait to see the rest of the quilt. Go Susie!

This is the makings of a Wagga Sensory Mat being designed by Doreen and Gil (of course). It will be a very different look in the show display indeed! Looking amazing.

Well, believe it or not that’s all for January! See you next week in February everyone.
Enjoy your weekend and the cooler weather soon to come.
Cheers, Elva

School Holiday Numbers

The only explanation for our comparatively small turn-out today was the fact that grandkids are still on school holidays! In any case we worked on, and in fact welcomed a new member. Actually Jonquil is an ‘old’ member from some 10 or 12 years ago who now finds herself ready to get back to serious quilting again after recent retirement! Welcome back Jonquil. We’re very glad to have you aboard!

Speaking of grandkids - Meg has just become a great-grandma for the first time! Congrats Meg.

Not a lot of news so early in the year, but a few bits and pieces of Show and Tell.

Jenny showed these two lovely little baby quilts for the Grace Centre. Very cute designs and nice backs as well. Thanks Jenny.

Jenny has the dye cutter for this Holly hobbie design if anyone’s interested. Makes it a lot easier.
And the back.......

Second baby one......

And the back........

Sheila showed us a lovely quilt which isn’t destined for anyone in particular. Just a design Sheila liked and wanted to have a go at.

And the backing is very interesting also. Apparently it came from Quiltsmith, but was purchased quite a while ago so it may not be available there any longer. There was quite a bit of interest in it from the group.

So there you have it for another week folks. Stay cool in this nasty heat!
See you next Thursday.
Cheers, Elva

Welcome Back! 11/1/18

On a sectacular January day members returned to Fairland Hall to start another year of stitching fun and friendship. It was wonderful to see so many faces fresh from holiday breaks and travel stories.

This is going to be a Show year, so there’s no time to lose in starting preparations. Both raffle quilts for the August Show are well and truly ready, with many hours of work during last year from all members.
The Show has now been listed on the official Hunters Hill Council 2018 Activities Calendar, and thankfully there are no date clashes for the period of the exhibition. This means it’s more likely we will attract plenty of local visitors and those from nearby suburbs as well.
The next Show Meeting for committee members will be Thursday, 22nd February at 9.30am in the Baby Health room across the road.

Our AGM for this year will be on Thursday, 15th February at 12pm in the Fairland Hall for all members.
Kerry will send out an email regarding this very soon.

SHOW AND TELL

Iris showed us a gorgeous quilt which she has made from fabric donated by Hayley and with some of her own as well. Perfect Iris colours! She also did the quilting herself. Very beautiful Iris, and this will be donated to the community quilts collection. Iris has called it “Bluebirds”

Jenny S showed a quilt she has made from a Bonnie Hunter Mystery Quilt project. It’s fabulous! Jenny says they are not ‘her colours’ but they certainly made a wonderful quilt! Well done.

Judy S showed us a gorgeous and huge (king size bed) quilt she has made. The colours are wonderful, and Judy says it will be for their king-size bed which has never had a quilt big enough to go over the sides!
Well, by the look of this that problem will certainly now be solved, and in spectacular fashion! Well done Judy, and beautifully quilted by Grace.

The back is also well worth a look. A reversable quilt perhaps!

Grace showed two little baby quilts for the Grace Centre, one of which is made still from Vi’s stash!
Very sweet quilts Grace.

Carolyn D has made 44 bags for the Days For Girls organsiation! Well done Carolyn! They need all the help they can get. Great to see so much enthusiasm among our members for this charity, and as always Carolyn’s fabrics are outstanding!

Last of all, Robyn J showed us a very interesting and usable box within a box, full of handy sewing equipment. This was brought back for her from London by her daughter. I believe Robyn is now searching for a pattern of how to make these. Stay tuned! (We all want one!)

Well, it was a fun-filled day with lots of catching up to do. It looks like a busy and interesting year ahead.
fasten your seat belts everyone!
See you next week.
Cheers, Elva

Christmas Party ! 14/12/17

A wonderful turnout for our final get-together at HHQ last week at the Christmas Party. As always there was a long table groaning with the weight of a splendid spread of delicious food. Plenty of liquid refreshments on a very hot day, with Christmas cheers and wishes to all.

Traditional Christmas flowers by Grace 

Some fun 'publicity' shots  ...

Thank you to June for holding yet another session of her famous game, and to Iris for providing prizes.
The two 2018 Show raffle quilts were mounted for display, and really added to the festive look of the Hall.
Members were overcome yet again at the beauty of the two quilts, and discussion always turned to the belief that this next show’s raffle is going to do very well indeed. Probably a record!

Admiration society ....

Traditional quilt 

Contemporary quilt

Iris told us that she had been contacted by Stepping Stone House requesting more quilts, and she showed six which will be delivered soon (see pictures below).

The stash delivered on Thursday afternoon :  four quilts and 2 waggas.   I suggest, if you haven't already,  it is time to check out the huntershillnsw Instagram page.   Alison has posted details of all these quilts

A reminder to everyone that we return on Thursday, 11th January 2018.
Have a wonderful holiday season and a very merry Christmas.
Enjoy every minute.
See you next year.
Cheers, Elva

Last week of stitching 7/12/17

Yes, we had our last stitching day for 2017, and look forward to celebrating with a Christmas Party this week. We will start around 11.30 or 12pm, with those who are helping set up getting to work around 10.30am. Akiko will not open up the hall till then, so don’t get stranded outside waiting!
Bring a glass or help yourself to one of our plastic ones from the cupboard.
Bring a small plate of something yummy, but make sure it’s not too much.
We don’t want to be throwing away good food.

Thank you so much to Susie and Helen for the fabulous workshop devoted to Denim Waggas. We all learnt so much, and many will go ahead and try out the process themselves. Very do-able, and very portable to complete over time. Great to see our Aqucutter getting a workout also. It really does impress when we see it in action. Start collecting old jeans from family and friends to share.

The process ...

Speaking of sharing, a share and swap table will be set up at the Christmas Party with bits and pieces for Sensory Mats. Please help yourself and bring along anything you’ve found that is surplus to your requirements. It should be full of fun surprises!

Enjoy the Show and Tell pictures below courtesy of Iris!
See you all at the Party on Thursday.
Cheers, Elva

Grace  has been working on another wagga ...  simple and very stylish 

Helen has got the 'foxy' bug :   two quilts - a big one for mother fox and a little one for baby fox (sorry !) 

The prolific Carolyn has added another 3 cot quilts to the  Grace Centre stash

And in the spirit of Christmas,  Heather shared this fun garland of Christmas Trees

Party time on Thursday  ...   cheers Iris

Last November Meeting 30/11/17

As the year quickly slips away, we continue to go about quilting business.
A very successful and stimulating Show Meeting started off the morning, with Meg ably leading her crew! Planning is all on schedule, and early next year things will really start to move. I hope everyone has their show quilt well underway, and I know some people have theirs finished already!
Don’t forget to start working on your sensory mats for the special challenge display at the show. We will have a share and swap table at the Christmas Party (our last meeting day) on December 14th. Bring along any extra braids, baubles, interesting pieces which you won’t need, but which someone else might find useful.

Latest examples on show on Thursday

This coming Thursday Susie M will be leading a workshop on ‘Denim Waggas’ for us. She showed part of one in progress to demonstrate what’s to come. It’s a ‘quilt as you go’ project, so very portable and fun. Bring along any spare denim you have lying around or old discarded jeans which can be chopped up! You might also have some corduroy or thick wool fabric which could be used for batting. Thank you so much for undertaking to do this for us  Susie. It certainly looks promising.

The Template magazine arrived, with a small article about the new retreat venue we are considering. Our previous place in Blackheath is operating no longer as a venue in the style we require sadly.
The Kurri Kurri one sounds very nice however.

We had feedback from Community Services that the quilt we donated to them to raffle at the local art show made $850. They were thrilled with that result.

We also heard from Hunters Hill Council that our Community Grant Application was successful to the tune of $400.

I’ll handover now to Iris who will cover the Show and Tell section of this blog
Enjoy the rest of the week, and see you Thursday.
Cheers, Elva

Show and Tell   ...

A community quilt from Marie G:  I've called it 'Marie's Blue Diamonds'. 
Hand pieced and quilted  using mostly fabrics from our stash cupboard.

Marie K just can't stop producing  ...   latest top is a 'Beryl inspired' design using black and white:  I understand that others are on their way using the cut out circles.

Marie K also finished  this cute baby cot  quilt to add to the growing stash for the next delivery to the  Grace Centre.

Walking round the room,  I spied this wagga in progress on Doreen's table ...

and just as we were packing up,  I saw this from Marie K ... a kitchen essential !

Enjoy your week, keep sewing,    Cheers Iris

Stitching and chatting

Elva was visiting family in South Australia,  so Judy was our leader for the day.   And she had lots of news:

• Reminder of the Show Committee Meeting next week at the Baby Centre:  Kerry has distributed the agenda for the meeting.
• After many years, Redleaf is no longer operating as a suitable location for our annual retreat, so our booking for the May retreat has been cancelled.   Judy is working on an alternative in Kurri Kurri and has 'penciled' in the last weekend in May.
• Colleen has had to cancel her visit to our Christmas party.  However,  the celebrations will still include,  good food, glasses of bubbly, fun with 'June', and all the good cheer of the season with good friends.
• Sue reminds us that the morning tea roster is ready for next year - don't forget to add your name.
   
• Meg, her daughters and her granddaughters featured in an article in last week's Sunday Life magazine about girls' weekends:  'The Moodie Girls Weekend'.   Good reading.  I liked the bit where granddaughters had to wait until they were 21 before being allowed to join.

Show and Tell  ...   and there was lots:

Beryl's Circles:  worked on at our last retreat and now at quilting stage

Laurel showed us her latest finished top:  a scrappy Japanese design made for a friend.   Delighted to have a visit from Laurel after her move to the Southern Highlands.

Sheila had this beautiful quilt to show,:  check out the fabulous fabrics,  use of stripes and the detail in the quilting.

Lindy has just finished this cute 'Rocket to the Stars' design

Not a quilt 'show and tell',  but a fashion show:   Doreen rescued this cape from the wagga wools and decided that it was perfect for Akiko.    

and just as everyone was packing up, I spied this block by Narelle.   A simple way of making an eight pointed star without the dreaded multiple seams in the centre that never seem to line up properly.

Have a fun stitching week  ....  cheers Iris