August Stonestead Stitchers

We had a good group gather as we met upstairs in the Stonestead Tea House for our fortnightly meeting.  We pushed two tables together and moved chairs around to give us plenty of room.  As it was a nice morning, there were plenty of other customers sitting outside enjoying their tea and scones in the sunshine.   Several of our group brought along finished items for our “Show and Tell”.   Vicki had not attended the group for some time so the regulars were pleased to welcome her back.  She brought along a lovely bright child’s quilt she had just finished.

Vicki’s quilt

Vicki had used a lovely ABC print to back her quilt and stitched together some of the left over fabric to make a set of soft baby blocks.  What a great gift this set of blocks and the quilt will make for a new baby.

Baby blocks

Vicki-Ann brought along a big bag containing several UFOs with the hope of getting them all completed. Ambitious - but that never happens, does it?  She worked away stitching some binding onto a pot holder, and had bags of prepared fabric petals to make into flower brooches.  She proudly showed us one of her completed brooches, nicely finished off with a flower button.

Vicki-Ann’s flower brooch

I was very taken with her beautifully beaded velvet glasses case, featuring the New Zealand pohutakawa flowers.  This was made by Caroline Mitchell.  Sadly this talented designer has passed away with cancer, but her family are carrying on with her business with the aim to “emulate her creativity and passion”.

Beaded glasses case

I remember Ruth stitching away at her bright island inspired wall-hanging when I first joined this group, then she put it aside to work on other projects.  As there was not much left to do on it, Ruth said, she set to and soon had it all completed.  This is a Jennifer Pudney kitset, called Island Dreamers, and is stitched on felt.

Island Dreamers

Mary’s Christmas Angel wall-hanging in country colours is finished too, in lots of time for Christmas.  The black plaid fabrics are brightened up with the felt flowers, hearts and stars.  Here is Mary hiding her face as she trying to be incognito behind her little angel.

Mary’s Christmas Angel

Cheryl was busy hand quilting her Christmas quilt, but also had something finished to show us.  She had made two soft kiddie’s books out of fabric panels, the Flopsy Bunnies, and ABC New Zealand.  Perhaps she has made them for future grandchildren?  Not just yet, she assured me, her girls are much too young.

Two fabric books

ABC New Zealand book

At the conclusion of our stitching time I popped over to the adjacent Sawmiller’s Quiltery to see what was new.  Lots of wonderful fabrics of course, and class samples on display.  A large display of novelty buttons caught my eye and I just had to buy a packet of sewing themed buttons.  And yes, I have just the project to use them on – a gift for a friend so it will have to stay a secret at this stage.

A collection of sewing themed buttons