Chicken and Sunflower Quilt

I love Chickens and I love Sunflowers, so I have been collecting loads of Chicken and Sunflower fabrics for my fabric stash. This pattern seemed a good way to use them up. I am quite into squares at the moment and would like to use the same pattern for a larger quilt, this one is just a lap quilt size.

Napier Rose Quilt
This quilt was started to use up a charm pack of 1 1/2 inch squares that my mum gave me. It had been lying around in my sewing basket for years. As usual with my quilts it kind of grew organically from there and I ended up using up loads of scraps and having to buy fabric to finish it off. It is based loosley on a Kaffe Fasset pattern. Originally I was going to machine quilt it, but there were problems and I could not stop the back from slideing around no matter how many safety pins I used. So it is my first hand quilted large quilt. The design inspiration for the quilting came from Rennie McIntosh's Glasgow rose and the stain glass roses of Louis Hay, who was one of the art deco architects that rebuilt Napier after the earthquake.

This is yesterday's completed project. A patchwork fridge. Our old white fridge was looking a little battered so I have given it a new lease of life with a few flowers. Much better than a boring old white fridge.

Another daisy from my garden, this one is a little past its best (just like me).

And a picture of the mountains with snow from yesterday. If you look very carefully you can spot mount Ruapehu, one of the few active volcanoes in New Zealand) way in the distance looking like a fluffy white cloud.

Here is a pic of my wonderful hubbie Peter, who wondered why I was publishing pics of daisies and not of him! And just to be fair a pic of me too. Though I think the camera is lying, I am sure I do not have that many chins.

Today's daisy lives at our front door.

Two projects finished today, such a good feeling.

The bag was done this weekend up at the quilters cabin and finished off today. I am feeling enthusiastic about the pattern and would like to try out smaller squares for a smaller bag.

The hibiscus flowers were a weekend course run by Mary Transen. If you ever have the oppertunity to attend one of her classes do, it was brilliant fun. Loads of techniques I will use again.

The first daisy pic post.

I took this in our garden in the Scottish Borders, before we moved to New Zealand

A couple of recent quilts.

Callum's quilt below which did not end up anything like the original idea of space ships. I liked the stars to much. And a Thimbleberries bird house, I actually managed to stick to a pattern with this one.

Some old quilts

My family quilt

I did this one a couple of years ago. Pre Callum(my youngest suprise). So he does not feature on the quilt. But there are elements representing the rest of the family and the pets we had at the time. One day I will have to do a new version that includes Callum.


The bottom quilt was inspired by a morrocan tile design.

Leadlight

Just completed my first leadlight window, which has been installed in our front door. I am really amazed that I was able to do this as it is way out of my comfort zone. I did one small practice window first then moved on to doing the door.

Hello all,

My first entry to my blog! How long will this last?

Things I am excited about today,

Summer is on its way, well it will be in a couple of months we have just past the shortest day.

I have tickets to see Eric Clapton at the Mission Concert next january only 7 months to wait.

My son is over his stomach bug and I can send him back to school.

I have started a blog again!