Family Birthday Lunch and Gifts

 I met my daughter Nicky and son-in-law Robert for a birthday lunch.  We were meeting at a favourite cafe, Robert Harris at Foxton, about the halfway point from our homes.  On the way up I called in to Lewis Farms, it is asparagus season again, and the sorting belts were clattering away as the workers did their thing.  Some of this asparagus is exported overseas,  and some of course is for the local market.

Clatter, clatter, noisy while they are sorting and packing

The freshly picked asparagus is sold in kilo bunches, I always like to buy the thins.  Lewis Farms also grows strawberries in huge tunnel houses, so I bought a container of these as well to take home.

 

Asparagus for sale

We hadn't booked a table for our lunch, so I made sure I arrived early at the cafe, just in case.  There was no worry, there were plenty of tables available when I arrived, but this popular cafe does fill up very quickly.

At the cafe

Nicky and Robert arrived, bearing a gift box and some flowers from the garden, so nice.  We pondered what to eat for lunch, ordered coffees too, and settled back to enjoy our meal and each other's company.  Son-in-law Robert was off work with a pulled muscle, so it was so nice he could join us too.  There is always plenty of news to catch up with, chatting about this and that.  Ooops, nearly forgot the photo, Robert took one of us outside the cafe.  Nicky is not too keen, but kindly obliges her old Mum, the things you have to do to keep the family happy!

Nicky and me at the cafe

We said our goodbyes, they drove North, and I headed South.  Once back home, I admired my beautiful hand stitched gift again.  Nicky had made me a wool needle case/sewing kit with butterfly accents, full of pockets containing sewing goodies.  Such a lot of work.

Wonder what's in here?

Appliqued butterflies

Tiny scissors with a little fob so I don't lose them

Sewing goodies plus one of those tiny fold up thread catchers

And a beautiful bunch of hand picked flowers from her garden

I had a lovely day indeed.  My son Michael had phoned me from Christchurch, in the South Island,  to wish me Happy Birthday.  And it is always so nice to catch up with Nicky and Robert again.

Still Quilting

 I'm still working away on machine quilting my RSC bordered four patch quilt, I had hoped to get it finished this week, but no.  If I'm honest, I've been out every day this last week, so not much time at all sitting in front of the sewing machine.  Never mind, perhaps I'll get this project finished next week.

Not finished yet

Gemma still seems to find any quilt in progress I've left on the sewing machine cabinet at the end of the day.  It's so thoughtful of me to leave the quilts out for her to snuggle up on, she thinks.

So comfy, thanks Mum

Remember the pile of fabric I  got from Jude recently?  I've washed it in the tub, just as well I washed it by hand as the colour from a couple of the solid fabrics ran everywhere.  The pieces were dried outside in the sunshine, and are now ironed, folded, and put away.  I've got plans for a couple of these fabrics, but not for a wee while yet, watch this space.

All washed now and ready to use

I went to see the movie "Sense and Sensibilty" last week, and really enjoyed it.  Although I had read this book previously, I couldn't quite remember it so I looked it up on Google to get a quick overview of the characters and plot.  I do love a good period film, and really enjoyed the film.  So much so that I will re-read my copy of the book again, when I get though my current library books. 

I loved this film, and recommend it 

Day out in Waikanae

 I had a day out in Waikanae yesterday, climbing aboard the bus (free for oldies like me) for the 40km trip down to Waikanae. 

On the bus and heading South

I was meeting up with my friend Trish for a birthday lunch.  She collected me at the station and whisked me back to her home for a most welcome cuppa and home made shortbread.  So yummy, nothing beats home baking.  Trish live in a retirement village, and she took me over to see the recently completed Hub, where all the activities take place.  It is beautifully furnished with seating areas to meet with friends, or if you just want to relax in peace and quiet, a cafe, billiards tables, piano for entertainment, and an exercise room.  We had a peek inside the pool area with the adjacent gym for those who want to keep their fitness levels up.

Then it was time for lunch.  Trish had  booked a table for us at the very popular Relish Cafe in Waikanae, this is a real favourite of both of us.  Mmm, what to have.  I decided on Pate, and Trish ordered Lambs Fry and Bacon.  And just because it was my birthday lunch, I couldn't resist a piece of lemon roll, I love anything lemony.  With coffee of course to finish.

Birthday lunch at Relish

Then we went on a Tiki Tour down to the Waikanae Estuary.  Trish likes to come here now and again and do some of the many walks available.  No walking for us though, I don't think I would have been able to manage going very far at all.  But we enjoyed the lovely peaceful environment.

It really was beautiful, although the wind had a bit of a nip to it.  There was plenty of birdlife to see, and elegant black swans bobbing about.

Such a pretty place to be

This area is very closed to the sea and look, there's Kapiti Island close by.  Kapiti Island was the stronghold of Warrior Chief Te Rauparaha back in the 1820s who used the island as a base while he undertook raids on other Maori tribes.

Looking out to Kapiti Island

This is a beautiful place to visit, calm and peaceful, and back to nature.  I really enjoyed our short time there.  Then it was time for Trish to drop me back at the station to get the bus back to Levin.  Such a pleasant day, and always so nice to meet up with an old friend.  Thanks Trish.

Sew Wot Tuesday

It was a smaller Sew Wot morning today, with two of our ladies enjoying overseas holidays.  Five of us met at Jude's home, and we were warmly welcomed by the family dog, a beautiful merle grey/blue border collie, with stunning blue eyes. 

There were two birthdays to celebrate, starting with Jude's from a couple of weeks ago.  She received a beautiful floral storage box from Carol, so pretty, to put a sewing project in maybe, or whatever she wanted.  And there were all sorts of interesting little parcels to open from Mary, plus a bag of sweets.

Wonder what this is?

I received some gifts too, for my upcoming birthday.  Pretty cards, a tiny little bag to sit beside the sewing machine, a reel of quilting cotton, a lovely quilting badge, gift card, and some fabric.  So kind.

Exciting birthday goodies

Just a little show and tell today.  Mary's quilt was so pretty in purple, lilac perhaps, and she had joined the blocks together with crochet.  Such a great idea.

Mary's pretty quilt

And I had taken along my recent finishes, lots of black draw string bags, and the chickens.

My show and tell

We had all brought our knitting along, the needles were click clacking away as we chatted.  Then the tea trolley was wheeled out for morning tea.   There was even a cake with a candle on, to celebrate my birthday.  Mmmm, delicious, with lemon honey, so tasty.

Morning tea is served

And that wasn't all.  Jude had been given quite a lot of fabric pieces from the family of someone who had passed away, and it was looking for a new home.  I had a look through, and some of it went home with me.  Like most of us sewers, I probably don't need and more fabric, but.......there were a couple of kid friendly prints, and solids are always handy to have.  It is now washed, on the clothesline, and wafting in the breeze.

These came home with me

It was a lovely morning, as always.  Thanks so much to Jude for being the hostess, and many thanks for the birthday cards and gifts I received.

Whale of a Time

 I attended my quilt club''s monthly stitching day on Saturday, its always a nice relaxing kind of day.  Morning tea is provided and we take a packed lunch along.  One or two of the members take their sewing machines, but I don't bother, it's much too difficult for me to unhook my machine from the cabinet, and it is so heavy to carry into the hall.  So  it's always a hand stitching project for me.

We hadn't been in the hall long, and had  barely got settled when we heard an extremely noisy "whup, whup, whup" overhead.  It was a large grey helicopter and we watched as it hovered then landed right on the large grassy area outside the hall.  What on earth was happening?  It seemed there was a Search and Rescue taking place, several people with high vis jackets and back packs ran across to the helicopter and climbed aboard.  It took a while for them to be buckled up, and eventually the helicopter door closed, and it took off into the sky.  That was an exciting start to the morning.

Excitement out the hall window

We finally settled down and got on with our sewing projects.  The iron was plugged in for those who wanted to use it, and there was the hum of a sewing machine.  A couple of the ladies took advantage of the rotary blade sharpener which the club has purchased, so they had newly sharpened blades to work with.  

 Busy working

Elaine was slicing away, cutting strips for an African quilt, she is making this in memory of her recent African Safari holiday.  And Jude was busy cutting out pockets for the Advent Calendar she was making.

The start of Jude's Advent Calendar

What was I doing?  Doing more slow stitching on New Zealand Land and Sea panel.  I hadn't worked on this project for a while, but that's OK, it was always going to be a long term project.  I spent some time happily stitching around a large whale.  Oh look, there's a giant squid swimming close by.

Hello, whale

The helicopter arrived back, and the Search and Rescue team disembarked.  As there was no ambulance waiting for them, and no one offloaded on a stretcher, we presumed it had been a training exercise.  We stopped for lunch then back to our various projects.  Susan had a finish, this lovely blue and green donation quilt.  Simple but very effective, an ideal combination for donation quilts, I always think.

Susan's quilt

We finished our stitching day at about 2.00pm, and all helped tidy and pack up the equipment, before heading off on our way.  I do enjoy these stitching days, working away in a comfy room, with pleasant company.  And it is always so interesting to see what the other ladies are working on too.

More Black, and RSC Quilting

 I've had another busy week, and got several more black drawstring bags completed, using donated fabric.  Plenty for the  boys this time, featuring ghostly heads, aeroplanes, and baseball.

Then several more were completed, an arty one, funky cars and two musical bags, from donated fabric again.  I'm pleased with them, being a good assortment for boys to choose from.

Four more black bags

Then with the black bags completed, I turned my attention to a RSC quilt top I had put together in 2025.  The blocks came about when I found a bag of 2.5in squares, and decided to stitch them up each month into four patches in RSC colours, and then I put borders around them.  Then I put this girly quilt top together, and pinned the three layers, and left it on a chair in the sewing room.  Looking back on my blog it seems I stitched enough for two quilts using these blocks.  You know what that means, there is another similar block set lurking away in a crate in the wardrobe, waiting to be discovered again!

Folded up and waiting on the chair with other quilt tops for a long time.

I had forgotten what the blocks looked like

How to quilt it?  No surprise that I used my favourite Serpentine stitch again.  I like to use plenty of pins in each quilting row.

Pinned and ready to go

This is a single bed quilt so there is still quite a bit of quilting to do to get it finished.  Gemma discovered it when I had finished quilting for the day and decided it looked a nice place for a snooze. It doesn't seem to concern her that  I've put pins in the next couple of quilting rows.

Laying on the quilt, pins and all

I've got a busy week coming up, but hopefully there will be time for more machine quilting.  Wonder if I'll get the binding stitched on too?  I'll just have to see how the week goes.  With projects, every bit helps.

Two Gingers Stitched

There has been a bit of slow stitching going on, working on a couple of small Christmas Stockings.  These came to me in a package sent by Jo (ButterZ) from Australia a few months ago.   The package included about a dozen small felt stockings, cut out with the decorations fused, waiting to be stitched together.  Jo told me she had them for 10 years or so, and was more than happy to finally pass them on.

Christmas stockings from

 There was no promise made that these would be finished in time for Christmas 2026, but I would work on them now and again.  After all, these things take time, and I have to be in the right frame of mind.  But two little gingerbread men took my fancy, they shouldn't take too long, I thought.  The blue one first, giving him eyes and mouth and adding a button to his tummy, and I completed him a wee while ago.  Not sure if I'm doing the blanket stitch correctly, perhaps not as neat as it could be, but overall I'm happy with my effort.  So cute, I love his happy smiling face.

Ginger on blue

Then I worked on the pink stocking over the last day or two, this one had two tummy buttons.  I do have a bit of trouble finishing off then joining in a new strand of Perle cotton, but hopefully I'll get neater at that.    Another happy smile looking at me.

Ginger on pink

I think they must be brother and sister gingerbread people.  Don't they look happy together. 

  

Hello Gingers

I keep all the pieces together in a pretty blue and yellow draw string bag, and have decided I will probably stitch two at a time.  What two?  Perhaps the top two, then there will be no arguments on who or what comes first.  I know there is another gingerbread man hiding in the bag somewhere.

And there is a little secret stitching happening too.  My quilt club is having a Christmas Stocking Challenge, which must be completed and brought along to the November meeting, where they will be displayed and judged without knowing who stitched each one.  This stocking will not be donated but will come home with the owner.  I'm really excited as I've never had a Christmas Stocking before, so I'll be keeping this one for me.  I'm working on mine, but it has to remain a secret till mid November.