Another chapter in our lives is over.................

It is so hard to believe but Sebastian along with his mates finished their school lives yesterday. Schooling in Australia (NSW) goes through to year 12, and yesterday was the final day for all year 12 students, they have a couple of weeks break and study time before returning for there final school exams. Sebastian attends a boys boarding school about 1 hours drive from home.

Geoffrey and I attended the senior sportmans dinner at Sebastian's high school on Thursday evening, Sebastian was lucky enough to be named the Best and Fairest player for the 1st 13's.

Then we attended the Graduation assembly at school yesterday morning before helping to set up the function centre for last night School Formal. This is always a big night on the school calendar and last night was no exception. Sebastian being the out going child he is, decided to wear something a little different then the rest, he worn a baby pink suit with black shirt. Believe me he looked great, he is just one of those kids that can get away with doing something like that and it was good as he was very easy to spot in the room of 450 people, 99% of the blokes worn their black dinner suits. Geoffrey, Alicia ( his partner) and I all colour coordinated especially for the photos and this is the result.
I am sure all the boys had very mixed emotions, it is a big change in their lives, and another chapter of ours over, we shared the last couple of days with Sebastian's mates parents which was a wonderful time for us to remember. Nicole was home on uni holidays so it was special for her to be able to join us also.

Now that our school days are over we look forward to the next chapter in our lives where ever that may take us.
Until next time thanks for dropping by and sharing my life
Kerry

The Most popular quilt in store at present................

Well what a big weekend we all had, I some how over booked with my retreat this weekend and ended up with 13 in the class, after shuffling around the tables we made room for everyone, I cut all weekend, they all worked very hard and we ended up with lots of gorgeous quilt tops. I didn't manage to snap a photo before they all left so I decided to post a photo of the quilt that has been the most popular over the past few weeks.

The quilt design is called Past Times, by Lyn Wilson, my sample is made using a mixture of fabrics, alot out of the Siennna range. 3 of my group on the weekend made their version of this quilt, while a couple of the other ladies purchased kits to take home and make in their own time.

It was a fun weekend, all the ladies joined us for a local Prawn and Chicken night in the town hall, this is a annual event to raise money for the local pre-school, some of them danced into the wee hours of the morning and still turned up to class bright as buttons.

Melinda, Anne and Kathy stayed an extra night and re visited me this morning to take a trip up to our other property to visit Geoffrey in the shearing shed, as they hadn't had the opportunity to see sheep being shorn before. Shearing is part of running a sheep property but fasinating to the out sider. In my next post I will share some photos of in side the shed.

Until then take care

Kerry

Spring is in the air...................................

After a burst of cold air yesterday, today is another gorgeous spring morning, as I was walking this morning I just had to stop and listen to the wonderful sound of all the different birds playing in the trees, they sounded very happy that the sun was shining and that there was no wild wind blowing. My garden is also enjoying the spring weather with lots of new shoots and flowers appearing daily, how I love this time of the year. This is a photo of my very first rose for the season, "Pinky" with some of our cattle and their babies in the back ground. Also just behind the rose are evidence that the white cockatoo's have been around before I woke this morning, they take great pleasure in breaking off plants at ground level, bitting off new flower heads and just destroying my garden. I think I will have to built a scarecrow to keep them away.

Anyway thanks for dropping bye, hope it is a beautiful day at your place where ever you are in this wonderful world.

Kerry

Another batch of happy patchworkers

Just a very short post to say thanks to my lovely ladies that join me this weekend, they all left with big smiles and a new quilt top each, well done, there was lots of sewing as well as lots of chatter and laughter. I look forward to seeing you all again soon, if not before at my Christmas Gathering in December.

Kerry

Are we mad or what..........Dear Jane here we come

All year a small group of us have been talking about starting the Dear Jane Quilt, so yesterday was the day, Wendy, Vicki and I got together in the shop to start cutting, Helen couldn't make it but I am sure she will catch up. With lots of interuptions we did manage to cut out 13 blocks each, row G. I had decided ages ago that I would make my quilt out of Thimbleberry fabrics, so I pull out a few scraps and started cutting, then last night I just had to sit and stitch one block together. I am please with the result and look forward to adding these blocks to a long list of projects on the go. I will keep you all informed with my progress.

This is a photo of block one completed and the other 12 neatly cut and packaged in their own little plastic bag.

If anyone has any tips or tricks with this quilt that they would like to share I would love to hear from you.

Kerry

Aren't all these quilts fantastic..................

Just a very short post to share a photo of this weekends retreat ladies, all of their quilts looked great, Megan the little whiz completed two very large quilt tops in the two days, very simple "Le Jardin" Design but hey there was heaps of sewing in both of them. They both looked great and so different, that's Megan standing up behind everyone.

Pam( 2nd from the left) with the Quilt made from Fresh cut fabrics by Heather Bailey, was here with her sisiter, Jan, celebrating her 60th Birthday, what a great way to spend a special birthday. Hope you enjoyed your special weekend away Pam.

Hope you all had a great weekend, looking forward to seeing you all again.

Have a good week

Kerry

Look who has found some time to sew............................

Well just a couple of quick photos to prove to you all that I have found some sewing time this week.

Spent a few hours Sunday morning working on 3 paper bag quilts that had been sitting around here for a little while, can't share them as it might spoil the surprise for those involved.

Then I managed to write up a couple of weeks on my 365 Challagne quilt and sew on 3 more rows, this is a photo of how it is looking. I am very pleased with the result so far, its not a very good photo but I am sure you can get the idea.

Then last night I made up this flannel quilt using a pattern called Log Cabin Star by Kansas Trouble Quilters, great quilt for a man, and so so easy, from start to finish in less then 2 hours. Thats my type of quilt. I am actually thinking I might put another 6" border around the quilt just to add a bit of size, I will share a finished photos of it soon.

I ve also been working on a doll for my very good friend Tanya for her Birthday that was last Monday, will share a photo as soon as I finish her.

I love weeks like this, when I can sit and stitch, life runs smooth without a hitch.

A weekend off ------------So what will I do?????

Well after another busy week in the shop I actually have a weekend with no retreat, it is Fathers Day here in Australia tomorrow, so I always keep this as a free weekend.

Wednesday/ Thursday this week I had 10 lovely ladies join me on there first 2 day retreat, they all had a wonderful time and did extremely well with there sewing, this photo was taken just before they departed. I look forward to seeing them all again soon.

It is a really hard decision what to actually do this weekend, I stayed up late last night and finished off the border on a quilt I have been working on for 10 years. It is the 1997 Times and Seasons quilt from Peace Makers, I started it with a group back in 1997, hand appliqued all the blocks, hand painted all the skyes, appliqued the flowers onto all the border panels then came to a stand still. After being inspired by a photo one of my groups showed me a few weeks back I dragged the quilt out and make the other border blocks, then last night whipped up the 4 star blcoks for the corners, they are meant to represent the 4 seaons. So now I will send it off to my lovely friend Betty to quilt so will share a full photo of it completed very soon.

This is just a small section.

The weather here over the last week has been so nice, Spring has sprung, or for a short while anyway, so I might spent some time in the garden as well as try and work on a few more outstanding sewing projects, I will let you all know if I do achieve any sewing.

Have a great weekend, thanks for dropping by

Kerry