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Tuesday, June 1, 2010

In between posts, Bicheno and first finishes for June

I was so keen to put up the photos of Sarah's laptop bag on Sunday night, that I forgot to make a post about our 5 nights in Bicheno. We didn't arrive till after tea, so it was dark and quite cold - but the next morning was glorious. Breakfast, long walk, coffee in one of the cafés, reading, stitching, snoozing.......... all the ingredients for a great break!

We drove to St Helens on the Tuesday round lunch time and then to Binalong Bay to check out the lovely Angasy Restaurant where the deck looks out over the Bay and north towards Ansons Bay. Well, the view was wonderful but being a Tuesday, the Restaurant was closed :( The Scuba shop next door also served coffee and bits - well, we WERE thirsty, but we won't choose to go there again! 
Called in to Annie's Cottage Craft and Supplies at St Helens on the return trip. Annie is a delight and has a great range of fabrics, patterns, beautiful samples of work on display and some wonderful Christmas ideas all year round. Sadly, I only managed to find a couple of pieces of flannel that I needed this time around - and a Christmas hanger and a Penguin wall hanging that Annie had ordered in last November for me. Must have known I was coming though, because it had only recently arrived as a back order!
Much to my daughter's disgust, I packed my sewing machine and supplies into the car - flannels already cut, ready to be stitched. How happy I was to have the time to make all the blocks and have them ready to assemble when I came home. This morning I took the quilt top to the quilting lady - and yes, I could have quilted it myself, but this year I have made up my mind to FINISH things as I go.
Looks a big orange, but it's deep terracotta.
I still had to work whilst we were in Bicheno and was lucky enough to be able to work at the Primary School there. Having my own laptop, I only required internet access for the time I was working with my online students - so just took up some space in the Library. Had a few students pop by to say hello and check out what I was doing talking to myself, hehehe. SKYPE is a wonderful tool - as long as the internet access is good - you can use it from anywhere really!
So, Hobart was the final port of call - spent a few hours checking out sewing machines with my sister - and YES, finally succombed to purchasing a new Janome machine. I have been thinking for ages about buying one with a wider throat so that I can quilt more of my own things. The deal was so good that I couldn't pass it up - friends collected it for me and brought it through to the coast on Saturday. I've been so busy finishing off stuff, that I haven't even opened it yet - looking like tomorrow at this rate! I just wanted to finish off some other bits and pieces that I had started before I play around getting to know it. PS:  Did you know that Elna and Janome are now made in the same factory. There is hardly any difference between my new machine and the Elna 7300 [except the price!]
Finally, my first two finishes for June! First finish is GD's pink cardigan which I started at Bicheno. The light was dreadful at night, so couldn't stitch at all. It looks a bit big yet, but better than just fitting her.

The buttons are the same pink with a tan and yellow outer ring - different!
Second: the hand-dyed silk yarn that Beetle gave me for Christmas has finally made its way to the top of the pile again - finished it last night when I got home from Material Girls. Beetle was most impressed when she saw it! Couldn't wear it today though - believe it or not, it was too warm for a scarf!

Looks fantastic teamed with the handcrafted shawl pin which I bought from Nicholas and Felice.
Now - I am working out what to do with this finished stitchery -
- Peg and Lynda have both suggested a wall hanging and despite the fact that I don't have incredible amounts of wall space, that is what I plan to do with it. Cup of coffee first, then getting onto it this afternoon! Lynda fell about her computer laughing at my comment that this is the Rosalie Quinlan design which I received at the Quilted Crow Gathering last October at Campania - complete with Vixisms - you know, the bits that you just have to put in to something to make it yours! It's Christmas in July at our place next month for our Material Girls group, so better get it ready to have its first airing!

4 comments:

Melinda said...

Wow, what a big post! I don't know which bit to comment on. Um, lighting at night. My sewing area is set up with halogen lights, so when I am at my sister's house, it's like sewing in the dark.

Peg - Happy In Quilting said...

Vix...wow...love the scenery shots...your quilt looks awesome...(sounds like great packing to me, LOL)....can't wait to see the wall hanging...

Lynda said...

Love the Nancy flannels and your shawl pin, as well as all the other stuff. Bicheno was one of our favourite places on our trip down there.

Bec said...

The flannel quilt looks just gorgeous!
Very sweet cardy....
love your scarf! Your stitchery looks great and a wall hanging sounds perfect for it!