Sew Wot Tuesday

It’s no secret I can be navigationally challenged, especially when I have to travel somewhere new - as I did today, off to a rural property just outside Shannon.  I carefully wrote down the address, plus the phone number in case I got hopelessly lost.  Checked the map, and Robin called up Google Earth on the lap top to show me where to turn off the main road.  So off I went.  My only problem was that I missed the turnoff because of a big truck following much too close behind me and I didn’t want to risk crossing the road in front of him.  No trouble, I went to the small town just up the road, turned around, and finally made it onto the narrow country road.  Up, up, up I went, driving up a single lane,  mostly unsealed road, hoping that I wouldn’t meet a big stock truck coming the other way.  Finally found  Heather B’s house up on the hill – whew, arrived at last.

Driving up the unsealed road

Mary started off the show and tell when she produced a lovely Jacki Karl design kit she had recently finished.  The pretty embroidered blocks have been finished with yo-yo flowers, with the quilting design echoing the flower shapes.

Mary’s pretty quilt

And just to show that nothing need be wasted, Mary took apart these Holly Hobbie framed stitchery blocks, gave them a good soaking, and made them into pretty “girly” bags for her two little grand-daughters.

Also by Mary, special bags just for little girls

A donation of plaid fabrics was just the thing for Carol to turn into a little boy’s quilt made up of sailing ship blocks.  A lovely charity quilt indeed.

  Sailing ship quilt made by Carol

Our other Heather had just celebrated her birthday and she received all sorts of birthday presents from the group, lots of fat quarters of course, and I even spotted some chocolate being unwrapped.  And just because it was her birthday, Heather made all of us a gift too, a pretty hexagon bag filled with a few first aid items.  What a great idea – thanks so much, Heather.

It’s Heather’s E’s birthday, and we all received a gift too

I was intrigued by the star shaped crocheted wool blanket gracing one of the arm chairs.  It was made by Heather B’s youngest daughter, we found out.

Cosy woollen rug on the arm chair

Our hostess then took us into the guest bedroom to show some of her beautiful work.  We all loved her beautiful doily quilt, started a staggering 21 years earlier, we were told.  But it is finished now, and lovingly hand quilted.  This beauty is going to Heather B’s eldest daughter, and will become a treasured heirloom, I’m sure.  The photo does not do it justice, but take it from me, it is just fabulous.

Heather’s doily quilt

I had previously been shown a couple of the other Sew Wot ladies Round Robin quilts, and Heather showed me her version, “My Blue Heaven”.  There was much discussion amongst the ladies as to who had done which row, they weren't quite sure after all this time, but this was finally sorted out. 

Heather’s Round Robin quilt

And lastly, I had a peek at another Sew Wot challenge, the Japanese quilt, made with silks and brocade.  Heather’s version features Mt Fuji on the top, and lightly stuffed koi fish on the bottom row.  Isn’t it wonderful!

Heather’s Japanese quilt

It was a wonderful morning, amongst good company, and a lovely morning tea, of course.  This  was my first visit to Heather B’s home, and it goes without saying that the drive home was so much easier than my arrival – and I’ll know where to go, next time.

 Our hostess’s lovely hill top garden