A Slow Week

It’s been rather a slow week here, as far as stitching goes.  No rolling the dice, and sadly, no chance to start assembling one or other of my Rainbow Scrap Challenge projects.  But…… I did get one out, my little spool wall-hanging I’m making for the sewing room, look at it to see how I want to arrange the spools, and that’s about it.  Does that count for anything?   The only actual stitching I’ve done is for a secret squirrel Christmas project, and you know I cant show that just yet.  Or maybe, just a smidgeon.

Secret Sewing

Actually, our last week has been rather trying, as we had to rush Gemma to the vets.  She had been sick multiple times during the night, so something was obviously wrong.  After a check, the vet suggested we leave her there for the day, while they took blood for tests, rehydrated under the skin and gave her an ultrasound.  We collected her later in the day, paid the princely sum of $700 for her big day out, and waited several days for the results.  Luckily she didn't have pancreatitis as suspected, so that is a great relief.  One of her tests came back slightly elevated so  will be monitored in the future.  Poor little Gemma was rather stressed during her stay at the vet’s we were told, and happy to return home, shaved tummy and neck and all.  Thank goodness she has bounced back nicely, so we aren't really any the wiser what was the cause of all the upset.

Recovered and just chilling out

Tomorrow we are heading north with the caravan for three weeks, so that will curtail my sewing time again.  Mind you, I’m taking some hand quilting, plus my knitting bag, so hopefully will get some of each done.  Plus taking my Colourpoint Cats quilt top up to Linda in Taupo to work her magic, she does such beautiful free hand commercial quilting.  It will be lovely to see her and her sister Peggy again, it’s been a while.

Secret Sewing Finished

My secret sewing project is now finished and given away.  You may remember seeing it like this when I was hand stitching the binding down.  This quilt was being made for my friend Eileen’s older grand-daughter.  I had previously made a piggy quilt for her younger sister.

Binding time

I had a pile of bright blue and pink floral squares, so I made a whole lot of pin wheel blocks, adding fabrics from my stash, pale pink, blue, cream.  The pinwheel blocks were then sashed in white and I bordered the quilt in bright peacock blue.

And here is the quilt, hanging outside, blowing in the breeze.

The quilt was commercially quilted using a butterfly and flower pantograph, nice and girly.  Being a large king single quilt, it was too big for me to quilt at home.  I do hope she likes her new quilt.

Butterflies and flowers

Scrappy Bindings and a Pocket

With two quilts dropped around to Paula, the long arm quilter, I decided it was time to get the binding ready for when they return.  Luckily I took some quick measurements earlier so I knew approximately how long to make them.  The bindings have been draped over the back of my chair in the sewing room, getting sat on, and falling on the floor – not a good way to store them at all.  So then I had a brain wave, why not roll them around a cardboard roll?  With a safety pin to keep them in place, it worked out well, and is so much tidier.  Why had I never thought of this before?

Two scrappy bindings all rolled up neatly

You may remember that I have also been doing some "secret sewing" working on an apron for a Sew Wot Christmas gift.  Helen sent me a blog comment saying, “Hi Jenny. Don't forget to put the pocket on the apron & pop a fav recipe in the pocket! I'm making mine next week. Dear wee Gemma is full of life!”.  Well, I had forgotten about adding a pocket to the apron, so was grateful for the reminder.  Better get on and finish this today. 

Secret Sewing and a Kangaroo

I’ve been catching up with some secret sewing this week.  It’s for the Sew Wots group Christmas outing.  Each year we get given an assignment to make something specific  for a Christmas gift, which is then wrapped, placed in a basket and we all get to take one home.    I can remember us all making mug rugs and toilet bags over the last couple of years. 

This time we have to make an apron – something I’m quite happy to make.  Don’t know about the other Sew Wot ladies, but I’m a bit of a messy cook, and always wear an apron in the kitchen.  So a new one will be a nice addition to my collection.  I’ve been cutting out, pinning, stitching straps, and the apron is almost done.  Much better to get on with it now than leave it till the last minute.  No pictures yet as it will be a surprise gift at our Christmas outing.

Our kitten Gemma has one of those play tunnels to run through, with a make believe mouse hanging down which regularly gets pounced on and chewed. After all that attention it is starting to look rather worse for wear.

All chewed to pieces and the stuffing is falling out.

So I have replaced the mouse with Kanga, a little soft toy kangaroo which we purchased in Sydney.  Here’s Kanga, hanging by his neck, and next in line to be attacked by our energetic kitten Gemma, as she plays in her tunnel.

Poor Kanga is getting a beating

Another favourite toy is this strange looking creature, a cross between a mouse and a bird.  Gemma has just started pulling a cushion onto the floor, and hiding her toy underneath.  A mighty pounce as she finds it again,   tossing it in the air, and hides it again.  She certainly can keep herself, and us, amused for ages.

Gemma playing hide and seek with her toy under the cushion

With this bit of sewing out of the way, hopefully next week I’ll be able to “roll the dice” and continue with my UFOs.

Now I’m back home……..

It’s only been a few days, but it’s certainly great to be back home again.  To sleep in our own bed, have more room to move around instead of just a caravan sized dwelling, and to be able to have my own washing machine again without sharing!  And as I said in the comment section of my last blog post – thanks for all for the comments and good wishes, and I’m pleased that so many of you came along for the ride with us on our trip.  The South Island of New Zealand has stunning scenery, and of course, we who reside here are well aware of what a beautiful country we live in.  And it’s always good to catch a glimpse of Kapiti Island on the drive up the coast on the way back home.

Kapiti Island in the distance

After all that hot summer weather we have been enjoying, the clock has now ticked around to Autumn.  So down came my Christmas quilt which has been hanging up in the lounge since December – to be  replaced with my Autumn toned Baskets of Blessings wall-hanging.  To be honest though, we don’t see a whole autumn colour here in New Zealand.  Our native trees are evergreens, and it is the “exotics” (from the Northern Hemisphere) planted in home gardens and parks  which change colour and drop their leaves.

Baskets of Blessings

So what else have I been doing this week?  Some secret sewing, that’s what.  Although, as a secret, I can’t really show much until it is gifted in a couple of weeks.  We arrived home to find an unexpected Big Birthday  invitation so my mind went into overdrive thinking about a gift.  Here is a tiny sneak peek.

Secret sewing has been happening

I’ve been playing around with my New Zealand themed fabric holiday memory patches and have them all laid out on the floor in my sewing room.  As “something I prepared earlier”, I took a whole lot of these away, and each evening I would mark where we were staying, and places we had visited.  Not sure if it will become a wall-hanging or maybe a table cloth yet, but it’s always fun to look back and reminisce.

Holiday blocks

And lastly, I’ve done a tiny bit more hand quilting on my “Winter Quilt Festival” panel, stitching around the snow people. 

And a little hand quilting

So that's been my week so far.  Dare I say that we are off on another caravan trip on Friday – just a short weekend away with our caravan club buddies.  And….. we have to sneak away from the rally weekend for several hours to attend a Family Reunion!  So it’s all go, again.