I’m all Yo-yo’d Out

The dice rolled number 6 this week, which is my “Yo Yo – just do it”  project.  It’s been a while since I looked in this bag.  With a couple of spare afternoons this week, I decided to “just do it” and hopefully finish with these yo-yos once and for all. 

A bag full of yo-yos

I’ve spent several sunny afternoons sitting outside under our shady arch-gola.  Gemma has loved being outside with me – there are bugs to check out in the lawn, nice warm concrete to roll on, but she had better be careful of those bees buzzing around the lavender bush.  I keep her on her harness and lead while she is outside – she is so active she would be up and over the fence in no time at all. 

Checking out new surroundings

Inside my bag were all these different sized yo-yos I had stitched which were to become a snowman.

It took me a couple of afternoons to put the snowman together, much longer than I thought.  And here it is, together with the reindeer I finished earlier in the year.  The patterns used were Yuletide Yo-Yos from Indigo Junction.

And then there were these brown ones, which were to become a gingerbread man.  I found this pattern in a Christmas magazine.

Overall, it took me hours and hours to stitch the hands and feet on, and to thread all the yo-yos together, and I have to say that I didn’t enjoy it one little bit.  And worse than that, I didn’t like what I ended up with.  Sadly, I feel rather like a young Mum who cannot bond with her new baby, and wants nothing to do with it.  That’s how I feel about these three of the yo-yo people I have created – take them away!

Waiting to be adopted

It’s obvious that yo-yos are just not my thing, and I declare that I will never stitch another one!  I’m glad I persevered through to the bitter end, as these could have ended up in the bin months ago.  The best thing to do, I've decided, is to  donate them to one of the local Op Shops and hopefully someone else will love them more than I do.  If anyone would like the pattern, I’ll be happy to post it to you.  Just ask for the pattern in a comment, and give me a nice pat on the back to get me over my feeling of inadequacy!

On a happier note, I’ve started on my Christmas Cake.  Maybe a little late for the purists who seem to  make them months in advance of Christmas.  I’m using a recipe by well known Kiwi cook Alison Holst, known as Saint Holst in our household.  The fruit and a tin of crushed pineapple are  soaking together for a day or two, before mixing all the other goodies together.  Have to admit that I came rather late to baking my own Christmas Cake, making my first one only a couple of years ago.  And there’s no doubt about it, home made tastes so much nicer than a bought one!

Another Stitchery Block completed

I’ve just completed my pohutukawa stitchery block, number six of the nine New Zealand botanical blocks I’m making.  These designs by Jenny Hunter were published in New Zealand Quilter magazine as applique blocks, and I enlarged them a little, and traced them to work as stitcheries.

With it’s glossy green leaves and crimson spiky stamens topped with yellow, these coastal trees really make a statement when they are in flower over Christmas.  Known as the New Zealand Christmas Tree, they are an iconic part of a Kiwi summer.

The pohutukawa grows up to 25 metres (82 ft) high, with a spreading, dome-like form. It usually grows as a multi-trunked spreading tree.  The tree flowers from November to January with a peak in mid to late December (the Southern Hemisphere summer), with brilliant crimson flowers covering the tree, hence the nickname New Zealand Christmas tree.

Mid Week Trip, Taumarunui and Back

We’ve been away on a trip for a few days, and what an exciting time we had.  Our Probus Club had arranged an all exclusive  trip to Taumarunui and back with Forgotten World Adventures, and we certainly weren’t going to be left behind.  We were collected from our home town, traveled far and wide, all meals, accommodation, activities  and travel included, then were safely returned home.

All ready for an exciting trip

Although I'm not too keen traveling along the Desert Road, I do love to see the mountains.  We had a great view of the classic cone shaped Mt  Ngauruhoe, which has  been active for at least 2500 years.

Mt Ngauruhoe

Our lunch stop was at the Lakeland Restaurant, on the edge of Lake Taupo.  A lovely place and a marvelous view over the lake, and the meals were fabulous.  I enjoyed my fish with prawns, and Robin had a tasty steak.

Our lunch was so nice

Well fed and watered, it was back in the bus again for our final part of the trip for the day, arriving at the Forgotten World Motel in Taumarunui, our accommodation for the next two nights.  Our room was nice and cozy, I always enjoy a few nights in a motel or hotel as a change from caravan trips.

 

Our motel at Taumarunui

It was an early start the next morning, when we all met for breakfast in the dining room at 6.30am.  Into the bus we went, to get taken to the start of our day’s adventure, where we were allocated our self drive rail carts.  We were to travel 82kms along a rail line, through 20 tunnels, stopping at long abandoned towns which once were alive and thriving. 

Off we go

The weather was perfect, hot and sunny, and with a guide front and back, we traveled through our first tunnel, the longest on the trip at 1.525km.  Half way through we came to a halt, and the guide told about the history of the tunnel.  Then we were asked to switch the carts off and we sat in pitch blackness, marveling that all these tunnels were dug by hand so long ago.

Some of the tunnels were quite short, so we could see right through them, while others were longer and curved. 

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We went over a multitude of small bridges and under road bridges

Stopping for morning tea and lunch at the remains of thriving townships from earlier years.  There was an unexpected stop was further down the line where there had been a recent rockfall.  Our guides made sure that the rail lines were clear before we continued on.

Our final stop was the historic pub at Whangamomona where we had time for refreshments before being taken by bus back to Taumarunui along the Forgotten World Highway.

This was the most difficult and expensive rail line in New Zealand’s history.  The full length of 142km travels over 98 bridges, and through 24 tunnels, using 9000 tons of rail and 260,000 sleepers.  It was started in March 1901 and finally completed in November 1932.

The following day was just as exciting when, following another hearty breakfast,  we went on a jet boat trip on the Wanganui River.

What a wonderful experience this was – we had already had a jet boat ride previously, but for some of the other passengers it was their first time.  Our guide was so knowledgeable about the local history and we had a great ride, including several “Hamilton Turns” where the boat is turned sharply around before coming to a stop.  The scenery was spectacular and the abundant birdlife showed that the river was in good health.

The group enjoyed morning tea at the local Lavender Farm, and we started the long trip home.  What a great three days we had on our Forgotten World Adventure.

Our Aussie Adventures

The binding is now stitched down and I’ve added the label, so it’s finally finished, a quilt recording our Aussie Adventures.  Made with fabrics showing Australian flora and fauna,  these blocks, together with my Pigma pen,  came with me on our rail trips over three years.   We boarded the Ghan rail trip from Adelaide to Darwin in 2016, and returned in 2017 to ride the rails on two vintage rail car trips out from Cairns.  Then earlier this year, 2018, we returned to Australia to do the other great Aussie train ride, the Indian Pacific, which runs from Perth to Sydney.  Sadly, after several hours on board this train and enjoying lunch in the dining room, our first meal of the trip, it was announced that due to a derailment further up the line, the track had been torn up and our trip could not go ahead. As well as our rail trips we explored far and wide, into the outback, towns and cities, rivers and beaches and the mighty Uluru (Ayers Rock).  There was so much to see in this mighty continent, but with the time available, we only scratched the surface.

The pattern I used was “Dainty Confections” from the book Triangle-Free Quilts, by Judy Hopkins, adding extra sashing strips between the blocks.  And the cute machine embroidered koala stitched by my Aussie pen friend Janet became the label.

There was still quite a bit of Aussie fabric left over, so I pieced it together to make the backing.

The back of the quilt

So here it is, hanging above the sofa, my Aussie Adventure quilt.  Just like a fabric diary, it records all the exciting things we did on our trips.  The plan is to rebook on the Indian Pacific trip next year, so here’s hoping it goes off without a hitch.

Memory quilt

The last few days

What’s been happening the last few days?  All sorts, really.  Starting off with taking the hems up on two pairs of jeans for Robin.  This was a rather long drawn out job, I must confess.  The jeans were purchased some time ago, and I washed them.  A few weeks later he tried them on and I pinned up the legs to the correct length, then they sat and waited some more.  Finally I got around to stitching the hems, quite a quick job really once I got on to it.  All done – although I draw the line at taking up “proper” trousers, they get altered professionally!

There are a couple of local farms specializing in growing asparagus and we popped in to get some.  The packing house was in full swing, and lots of the asparagus gets exported.  But there is plenty left for the local market and consumers and we love it, so tender and fresh.  There is nothing better than cooked asparagus served with melting butter and plenty of pepper, or smothered in a rich cheese sauce.

At the asparagus farm

Our local group of “Pink Ladies” (Breast Cancer Support Group) was invited with other ladies groups to an Afternoon Tea.  It was a very nice afternoon out, there was sing-along music and a wonderful spread.  And very exciting, my number was called out for one of the raffle prizes.  I could choose what to take, and liked the look of the small gift baskets filled with goodies.  In fact. our table was extremely lucky, and took home 5 prizes!

Raffle Prize

Last weekend at the caravan club rally one of our members came along with boxes of spare grapefruit and lemons from their trees, and I gladly took some home.  Yesterday I made some Lemon Honey in the microwave.  The recipe only makes a small quantity, and it has to be kept refrigerated.  It’s so nice and tasty, and I’ve plenty of lemons remaining to make some more later on.  Or maybe  Lemon Meringue Pie, wouldn't that be nice?

Two jars of Lemon Honey

And there was excitement today when I received a parcel in the mail.  This was a birthday parcel from my quilting pen-friend Carol who lives in South Dakota.  As well as a gift and a pretty card, she always sends snippets from the local newspaper, and how-to patterns she collects from her quilt guild.

Quilting pin, glasses case and pussy cat fabric

So that’s been my week so far.  There’s always plenty to keep me busy, I find.

Big and Little

Just finished stitching the binding down on a quilt for my friend’s grand-daughter  who loves pigs.  As it happened, I had a collection of piggy prints collected over the years (and just sitting in my sewing room) so I was happy to use them up, knowing the pigs would be going to a good home.  Using a simple block, I paired piggy prints with others from my stash and this is the result – a happy combination of pink, blue and various shades of purple.

 

Big piggy quilt

This large King Single and much too big for me to quilt at home, so was commercially quilted by Paula of Rabbits Patch Quilting in an all over swirly design.

Happy little piggy faces

I had a couple of extra piggy blocks left over plus small strips of this and that which I had used in the big quilt.  I’m so pleased that I managed to get nine blocks made, just right for a cute little baby quilt.  After using up my piggy prints I made one with pretty butterflies and the lucky last block used up a small piece of a candy print I had.  Sashed with a pale lilac print, and I used a purple print for the border - it all seems to go together nicely. 

.Little piggy quilt

This little quilt was backed with cozy pink flannel, quilted by me with wavy lines, and I used up lots of small pieces to make a scrappy binding.  Not sure if I’ll keep this one in case I need a baby girl quilt, or maybe donate it to a good cause.  Either way, I'm enjoying those happy piggy faces for a while.

Happy Anniversary

My goodness, doesn’t time go.  It’s our anniversary today – 35 years!  And during our anniversary month I like to put a special quilt on the bed.  First of all, off came our cozy cat quilt with the woolen batting, which I tend to use in the winter months.  I washed it and here it is flapping on the clothesline in the Spring sunshine.  Made in the “House Cats” pattern, this was a memory quilt with some blocks made by my overseas pen friends and quilting buddies at the time, to remember our original cat, Misty.  The pale pink background has faded over the years, as have some of the cat fabrics.  But it is full of memories and signatures, and I love to use it on our bed during the winter months.

“Memories of Misty”

We were married on 5th November, Guy Fawkes Day, so Robin has no trouble remembering that date.    I made “Hearts of Love” to celebrate our 25th Anniversary.  The hearts were gathered when I took part in a “Valentine’s Day Block Swap”.  I needed to make some extras to give me the size I wanted, and assembled the top with stars in the sashing.  This quilt also makes an appearance in February to acknowledge Valentine’s Day, as well as our anniversary month of November.  Do you like to rotate your bed quilts for special occasions?

“Hearts of Love”

We’ve just come back from a weekend away in the caravan and of course took our 6 month old kitten Gemma with us.  The weather was rather wet and cold, and as often happens on camping weekends, was lovely and sunny on the day we came home.  Here is Gemma stretched out on the window ledge at the back of the sofa, enjoying the sunshine.  She still had the plastic cone around her head to stop her licking her tummy wound when she was spayed recently.

Gemma enjoying the sunshine

Then this morning we had our final appointment with the vet, who removed the staples from her operation.  The staples were added some days later after Gemma had removed a stitch and her wound wasn’t healing. 

Last trip to the vet, we hope

The vet was happy with the healing process, the staples were removed, and I took her back home and finally removed that pesky cone.  But I must take care that Gemma doesn’t worry her scar too much, or back on her head it will go again.  It seems a strange coincidence, as Gemma had her operation on my birthday, and the staples removed on our anniversary – strange but true!