April Roundup

 

Time for the April round up before this month is over!!  Firstly a bit more from Scrub Stitchin ..... while there I made a start on the wonderful project that was in our gift bag - now I've finally unpacked I can show you!  More about it when I pull it out next month to work on.

Also need to show you this lovely gift that Christine left with me before she headed home ..... I sure hope we get to enjoy another road trip together next year .......Yep, I'm fully hooked and have put the dates aside for Scrub Stitchin next year lol 

Janice shared this quilt during show and tell ......... it got me thinking (always dangerous lol)

Yep, I have been wanting to make a "travel" quilt for a couple of years - having purchased some

appropriate material when Pete bought a camper off people when we were in Maryborough!  I was super excited at the time, thinking we would actually go do some travelling and camping ...... yeah right!!  The boat is the only thing worth towing apparently but since we will be doing some travelling in July/August (all be it in "pet friendly" cabins) - I've decided to use this pattern and the materials to make the travel quilt!!!  It will then become  "MY" Travel quilt for all girly weekends!!  I made a start with the help of Janice (via messages, phone calls and lots of pictures lol) ........ then I realised I wasn't going to have enough of the background dark red ........ I've had to wait to access some material shops to try getting something close enough to use so perhaps in the next week I'll get back to it!

Of course hand quilting on the "Down the Rabbit Hole " continues ...... its almost like a saga now! (so I don't think a photo is required lol) But it is my number 9 on the Chookshed Challenge list so its certainly being attended to!   Unlike the Rainbow Scrap Challenge which is sitting in the corner .... waiting ...... don't worry - it has LOTS of company lol

While Pete has been off for the weekend fishing with mates, I had to get busy with the needles and hook ..........

Another little Beanie for Mila - such a quick and easy pattern .... Melange Baby Beanie

On the needles below is Artus  _ I'm loving the way the waffle pattern looks and I've just completed the first small section of colourwork .... charts are yet to come and I'm not sure how I'm going to find those ...........

On the hook is a cot sized blanket requested for Mila, so it's having to take a step forward in the production line as the temperatures here begin to drop ....... I'm trying to incorporate a range of colours into it - although Lucy from Attic 24 always uses 15 colours in her blankets (this may end up with a couple more ???) ..... and yes, it's one of her patterns  - The Dune Blanket  ....... I'm not sure yet about how the colours are progressing ........ What do you think??

Well that's it for the moment ...... off to do more hooking lol 

Take care, 

Sharm

Scrub Stichin Retreat

 Sew Much Fun!!!!!  This was my first time going to any stitching retreat so even more special to be
heading to the Scrub stitchin retreat  in Baradine, NSW……. finally, after only being able to read about it for so many years!  So I’m afraid you’ll have to deal with me telling you all about it!!!  Thanks to Christine from MacDonalds Patch, who had already planned to drive up - I was able to catch a lift with her.  Although we've been corresponding via the blogs since 2010, we had never actually met in person until she turned up in the driveway to stay the night before we set off on our little 2 day road trip!  

Day 1(Tuesday) we left here making our first stop at Junee - checking out the chocolate and liquorice factory  ..... definitely worth a visit

Such a beautiful old building and so interesting inside ..... can you see the large copper mixers there behind the glass ....... and the gardens were just as interesting with so many places to sit and enjoy a drink

How decadent does the "real" hot chocolate look?  And they came with little chocolate covered licorice beside them .....Yum!!!

This was followed by  a very late lunch in Forbes ) before stopping in Dubbo the night.

 a very late lunch in Forbes ) before stopping in Dubbo the night.

(Day 2) We had decided to make our way via Manduran but on arrival we were really only able to get a coffee and the cheese factory was viewed through the window as we decided it wasn’t really  worth waiting for it to open - although we did enjoy a bit of walk and took a couple of photos 

……..so onto Coonabarabran where we found 2 delightful patchwork shops and had quite a bit of fun picking up a few goodies lol  Little did we know that this was to be the "pop up" shop at the retreat - very handy as a few of us ran out of items that were needed and managed to find other "needed" items lol

Finally we arrived in Baradine where Scrub Stichin was being held …….it was just like meeting up with old friends - many bloggers I’ve “ known “ through the blogs over the years but never met in person!  ……. What a fun few days we had!

Wednesday afternoon was dumping our gear into cabins and sewing stuff into the large room that had been beautifully set up together with a goodie bag for everyone with our name tags - then it was off to the local Pub for dinner and finally snap a photo with "Chooky" and a few of the other girls

Looking up the main street of Baradine from the hotel verandah

I know you are hanging out to see what was in the goodie bag ..... A beautiful Mug, handmade items and a specially designed kit by Annie Downs  

From Thursday morning right through to Sunday lunch time there was plenty of food, fun, laughter, sewing, sharing, sunsets, walks and getting to know each other that bit more .......

Nothing better than Scones with Jam and Cream lol ......  We all had been given places to sit  which meant I got to know Trish - such a fabulous lady and she is now a blogger as well! Click on the link to visit her and say hello!

Christine and Janice were on the same section of tables so we had lots of fun and Janice was very patient giving me plenty of ideas and help for upcoming quilts to be made.

On one of our walks checking out the sunsets I met this beautiful boy I knicknamed "BullyBoy" - he came right up to the fence to say hello to me

Christine, myself, Janice and Raewyn   - we thought we had a great sunset till the sky changed and we caught the next pic

Show and Tell was on Saturday arvo before we went for drinks outside - here is Jenny behaving herself  ...... you might catch  a glimpse of her "misbehaving" further down lol

and it was time to get ready for the Star themed dinner ...................

I'm pleased to say that the beanie I made for the swap part was warmly received by Sue and I received a lovely bunch of fabrics I'm looking forward to playing with.  I also received  a prize of some lovely blue fat quarters.......... Sunday morning finally loomed - last minute sewing, and frivolity and a bit of scull duggery to add to the fun as Jen tried to hide some cute little toys that had been made lol ........ 

All up we had 28 girls attend Scrub Stitchin

13 of these are bloggers - with 2 newbies to blogging 

Front Row - Janice (Jannimary), Jenny (Bird on the border), Christine (MacDonalds Patch)

Middle Row: Annette (Jindi's Cottage), Maureen (Pink Sunset Cottage), Me, Trish (Coming Home)

Back Row: Raewyn (Stitching Farm Girl), Chooky (ChookyBlue), Sue (Kiwikids), Betty (Raindbow Connection Quilters), Lianne (Lianee Makes Stuff), Lynda (Heavens to Bettsy)

Raewyn, Myself and Sue just before it was time to say goodbye ........

Thanks Chooky for putting on such a Fabulous Retreat - I loved every minute of it and have soooo many photos!  It was sad to say goodbye to everyone ....... maybe again next year ????

Sunday after lunch - time for Christine and I head off ...... we took the scenic route via a dirt road to hook back onto the Newell Hwy after Coonabarabran 

Stopping at Parkes overnight where we had a nice breakfast before the last leg back to Corowa where Christine stayed the night.  

She came walking with Lucy, Bella and Deb and myself before heading back the 3hrs to Melbourne.  I felt like Christine and I had been great friends forever and I enjoyed every minute of our time together - such a great travel companion - Thankyou Christine xo

April Update and Countdown

 In between sorting out things for Dad, I've been trying to stay on track with some projects ......
unfortunately the Number 4 item for Chookshed Stitchers Challenge in March didn't get very far and instead was replaced with me working on a woollen blanket for Mila - its quite some time since I picked up my woollen embroidery threads but I made up a little design - to begin all I knew was that I wanted a Duck in gumboots holding an umbrella .... google gave me a pic which I traced and I then made up the rest as I went ..... Just have the ribbon edging to finish it off which joins the nice bunny flannelette fabric to the back of the wool blanket........ Well before I got this post finished, I managed to finish the binding - but I won't get it delivered now till after the retreat so it will come with me for some show and tell I've just found out we need to take lol ..... how convenient!! I backed it with some lovely  woodlands bunny design flannelette to keep her toasty warm.

I've also been working on a little knitting project which is to be kept secret for a bit longer ........ and I'm packing up projects to take on my very first sewing retreat ....... with the Chookshed Stitchers at Scrub Stitchin in Baradine!  It's about 9 hours drive from here but thankfully Christine is also going and she will be driving from Melbourne up to here on Monday and staying here the night before we head off Tuesday morning on a little Girls Trek making our way to the retreat.  We plan to take our time and are stopping over in Dubbo overnight before heading to the retreat the following mornings.  I'm sure we will be having a few stops along the way to check out various bits and bobs ...... the countdown is on with just 4  make that 2 sleeps before she arrives!!!!  I'm taking my Down the Rabbit Hole Quilt to try getting the quilting done (its Number 9 on my Chookshed challenge list which is the number for April). 

 I have knitting and crochet and other sewing packed up as

well!!! And then it rained yesterday arvo and drizzled today with cooler weather ..... oooohhhhh how my fingers were itching to cast on something ..... so yesterday I went searching for something else to cast on and I decided on this wonderful mosaic shawl ...... I started trying to plan colours yesterday, but this morning on my walk with Lucy and after the heavy rain last night ...... I found my inspiration with the kangaroo standing in the grasses and this flowering native with the wet dry leaves under it and trunk wet from the rain ...... I'm not totally sure if I'll use the yellow or the red (or both) ...... but my itchy fingers have cast on in the green and I'm loving the way it's knitting up with various shades of green showing.  You will have to wait to see the progress till after I get back from Scrub Stitchin (lol - how appropriate for the photos I just put on here!)

But if you keep scrolling you will get to see the yarn I've chosen and the name of the pattern which can be found on Ravelry .... my only concern now, is that I'll be able to put down the needles and pick up the sewing at the retreat lol

 

Sooooo excited for this break away and getting time to just sit and stitch .........  although, little Lucy has not been so keen watching me pack my bags, since she now knows what that means .......

Until my next post,

 take care my friends 

Hugs Sharm xo

Update on Dad

A bit of an update on Dad who had a fall back in mid March and ended up spending 3+ weeks in hospital.  Although he didn't break any bones, at 95 years of age the fall really threw him as he had previously had a few minor falls but this one was quite bad and combined with him having a chest infection.  

The result of being in a hospital bed for 3 weeks and unable to go for walks unless a physio was with him meant that he declined from using a walking stick to the need of a 4wheel walker and somebody with him to assist and give him confidence and directions.  Luckily we were able to take Lucy in for visits which he really enjoyed .......

  He therefore needed to go to respite for 2 weeks - just before Easter it was evident he was not getting back to his independent self and after discussion, he made the decision to go into permanent care.  He was enjoying respite as they had him doing things he wouldn't be doing otherwise .......

 Luckily he made this decision because 2 days later he was back in hospital with another infection and had to spend Easter in hospital, mostly sleeping off the infection.   Yesterday he returned to the Nursing Home which he is really liking.  He has a lovely room with a view over the paddocks which sometimes has the cows wandering past.  As you might guess, this has meant I've been busy trying to get his unit packed up, sorted and furniture moved out of the place ....... a work still in progress, and stuff moved up to his new room.  The care staff and nurses up there have been wonderful and he seems to like having their company and help which is a big bonus!  This is his new room ...... we are in the process of getting it set up to be a bit more personal with some photos and such ..... but it has a little sink, small fridge and cupboards, built in wardrobe and shelves and his own big bathroom.  He feels quite comfortable in it which is the main thing!