October GTG

This month seven of us met at OFBC while others from our group were gallivanting around Europe. No food photos as I was late (surprise), so missed morning tea and lunches were mainly salads.
Apologies for the poor quality photos - must remember to check camera settings BEFORE taking photos.

                                   Chris, Cinzia, Trish, Denise, Joan and Margaret.

                                         Chris knitting in anticipation of one day
                                                    becoming a Grandmother.

                                                      Cinzia cutting scraps.

                   Trish's Sashiko style dish cloth - gift from a Japanese penfriend.

                                       Joan's beautiful country style embroidery.

                                              Cinzia with her scrappy hexagon.

                       Margaret intently working on some embroidery for Chris.


It was a quiet month as far as show and tell (none to speak of), monthly challenge (there was none) and work being done. We did however solve many if not all, of the worlds problems.

November's challenge is to make an item for Mums Like Me Memory Boxes.    http://www.mumslikeme.org/Home.html

Apologies for the wonky text under the pictures, it appears correct when composing but goes haywire on publishing.

Meet Poppie

This is Poppie.
She has found us at OF Bowling Club as we sit and sew and this month she brought along some of her handwork to show us.

Poppie told us about how she learnt to sew and do cross stitch as a girl in Greece.
This little sampler she made when she was 10.
She said her mother was very strict and always checked the back of the work and made her unpick any stitches that weren't perfect.

These runners were just exquisite, some with metallic threads and the crotchering on the edges was done by her mother.
They were made for her Glory Box.
I found it difficult to tell the front from the back!

She also described to us the 'special' biscuits she makes and their aphrodisiac powers!
She says she will make some for us next month but wants to know the outcome of us eating them!
I wonder what she grows in with the tomatoes?
It's a worry.
What a lovely lady with many tales to tell.

September GTG ...

I'm not sure what happened to August but here we are in September.
Christmas is fast approaching!

'BLANKETS OF LOVE'
Last month members exchanged FQ's and our 'Challenge' was to create small  quilts to be used to wrap babies who have died for the 'Blankets of Love' project.

Here is Helens ....

We always seem to have an over-achiever and here is our over-achiever this month - Denise has made 5 little quilts - well done Denise.
Helen is embroidering across the one in the lower right hand corner.

This is Stephanies ....

Denise is checking out one of Robyn's tops - she has made two little tops to be finished for next month.

 

We have decided to carry over the challenge until next month as a number of us were not in attendance today.

Here's July ...

Helen is rightfully proud of her 'Pies and Tarts' quilt.

Trish has received her completed Hearts quilt from us all - looks great with its red rick-rack - thanks Marg!

Margaret has been busy with her embroidery again - check out these cute little bears soon to be incorporated into a grandchild quilt.

Cinzia entered this beautiful quilt 'Raconteur' in the Sydney Show last month.
It made second prize in the Viewers Choice category - well done Cinzia.

Here it is up close - amazing eh?

Stephanie was off to her daughters' birthday bash / come housewarming in Nowra.
The theme was 'Obviously Opshop' - here she is in her outfit.

Who remembers wearing these 'Country Creations?'
I do!

June GTG at OFBC

Our good friend Trish lost her eldest grandson nathan in a drowning accident at Easter time.

So, we got together and made her a quilt of hearts in her favourite colours, red, black and white.

She only got a chance to hold it briefly at the meeting before Margaret whisked it away
to take it home to sew on the binding

.Don't worry you'll have it for keeps soon Trish.

Here is Margaret's S&T

She had a collection of bags - a little cross stitch calico bag, a trendy black carry bag with yo-yo's

which she said would qualify for last months challenge - NOT

 and one from Alaska that I think was courtesy of Chris ( we missed you this month Chris).

Her owl quilt (for Lilly?) is looking good with it's borders on and more Elvis memoribilia

 - some fabric and a bath towel - is this a bit much????

We'll wait and see the quilt Marg!

And, her ribbon / yarn garland - who is going to make one of these?

Robyn's S&T
Our Robyn has also been very prolific in the last couple of months.
On the far right is her 'Something old, something new, something borrowed
(a print of the the tread of Ray's shoe) something Blue challenge.
Then her small travel quilt series depicting ...
Nepal, the Peruvian Nasca Lines, Cambodia and Vietnam.
The last three are experiments in design that she made in a weekend workshop
with Newcastle Embroiderers in Kurri Kurri.

What the rest of us are doing......


Helen has a trendy new leather bag


                       and is sewing a quilt for her next grandchild - due in a weeks time                         

Robyn B is doing some Japanese embroidery

                                                                       
Stephanie is knitting a jumper
for grandson Kaelan.

                                                Trish is knitting a textured scarf ....
                                              
                                   This is Robyn B's cute little pin cushion T-cup

                                         
                                  And Margaret knitting a baby's jacket

                                             
                                               Here are Cinzia's Cathedral Windows ....

We had a lovely time just chatting, sitting, sewing and knitting and watching the bingo people going by.
Until next month .....

Entry for May .....

 

To be updated soon ...

APRIL GTG at OFBC

Today our numbers are down with travellers absent in far away places - Lucy is in Japan and Robyn B on the Oodnadatta track! Robyn W is at Mogo zoo with grandchildren and others are busy with life.
But the rest of us had a nice time stitching at OFBC.
Here are some of the projects people are working on ....
Our embroiderer Margaret has been busy with this two dimensional cross stitch.
This is the back layer and what you can see.... thru the windows.
 
And this is the front of the flower shop.
When it's finished it will be mounted in a frame.

Marg is also working a commission quilt.
The teddies are worked in a varigated thread on her embroidery machine.

And these owls, again done on the 'machine' will be part of a pretty baby quilt. She has been busy!

Then it was time for the revelation of last months challenge to make a bag.
Who can resist a bag?
This is Helen's bag in the making ...... very soft and pretty

 

Stephanie made a bright tote bag for her new great nephew Bailey (not the spotty one - LOL)

Joan - another hand worker extraordinaire made this lovely applique bag with lots of lovely flowers with bees, bugs and caterpillars

 

 
This is a cute little bag that Joan brought along for S&T - it was given to her by Nic.

Trish's bag is black white and red - surprise surprise!
Lovely flowers on a black backgound.... nice

Here is Chris' bag.
She is also into the embriodery machine - lovely white ladies on black.
She has also made a carrybag for her son who has been carrying his bible in a plastic bag!
He is studying religion at Moore College in Sydney.
Chris has just upgraded her machine to a bigger model - anyone want to buy her old one?

Of course the 'piece de resistance' - Margaret decorated a plastic bag - very eco friendly!

Rhonda arrived a little later with her lovely yellow bag with frills and flowers!

Here we are stitching - Helen is checking out Rhonda's bag ....

Here is Rhondas first 'Miniature of the Month' - nice eh?

No food pictures this month - Trish did have a nice piece of Citrus Tart but it disappeared before I could get out the camera.

Our thoughts are with Trish as she and her family grieve the loss of her grandson Nathan who was drowned at Easter time.  Our challenge this month is make some bright hearts for Trish to put into a quilt for Nathans's parents.