Christmas Rally and Christmas Barn

This weekend we enjoyed our last caravan club rally of the year, which was held at Rangiotu School, now decommissioned and gifted back to the local community.  A soon as we had arrived, Gemma ran from the car to the caravan, plopped herself on the bed, and was totally relaxed for the rest of the afternoon.

She’s happy to be a caravan cat

After lunch we had to make a mercy dash into Palmerston North as one of the arms had snapped off my reading glasses – a bit of a disaster as we were travelling down to the South Island in a matter of days.  Luckily Spec Savers saved the day, they had a spare piece needed,  so I was very appreciative of that.   You know the silly season is approaching fast when the sound of bagpipes playing Christmas carols fills the air.  The musicians were playing their hearts out in the square, just a little too far away for us to see clearly.  But what we did see was a statue of a fine looking fellow.  Is he a Christmas Elf, or maybe he is a gnome, who knows? 

Spotted in Palmerston North

We enjoyed a shared meal on Saturday night and had the use of a classroom at Rangiotu School.  The tables were set up and members came in with their cutlery, plates, glasses and table decorations.  Elegant place names had been provided, they looked rather posh, we thought.  We pulled our crackers, donned our paper hats, read out the silly jokes,  and had a great time.  Some people had brought their musical Santas along, and they were competing with each other, belting out festive tunes.  Everyone brought their own mains, and the club provided strawberries and ice-cream for dessert.  Flo very kindly made us a couple of pavlovas as well, thanks so much.  Some of us had bubbly, wine, or soft drink to sip, whatever took our fancy – what did we care when the rain came down once again in the evening.  We were well fed and happy, and those dratted musical Santas kept right on singing Christmas songs until they were finally silenced!

Here we are

A trip to the Christmas Barn was a real treat for the ladies in the afternoon.  The car park was packed, and the barn was full of happy Christmas shoppers.  This was wonderfully set out, and there was such a lot to see and admire.

Inside the Christmas Barn

Yes, I’ll admit I did pass my credit card across the counter, I had discovered a cabinet full of Jim Shore pieces.  I have several of these, all gifts sent from penfriends in USA, and I found a small piece which related to a group of small snow people at home.  So I really couldn't resist.  My new little snow person is safe and sound in it’s carton, and as we are going away again very soon, won’t be out on display till next year.

Isn't it pretty

I found Robin and Owen sitting outside at a picnic table, and sat down to join them while the other ladies were still looking around the barn.  Unknown to us, a  chicken had got tangled around  Robin’s feet.  What a racket, the chicken let out an almighty squawk, and rushed away, flapping her wings and loudly voicing her displeasure, giving us all such a fright!

Do you remember the cat cushion I made for Dot recently?  Dot has  a Birman, called Honey, who doesn't go travelling with her in the motorhome.  So the cushion fills the void and I popped in to take a photo of Honey the cushion in situ.

Dots cat cushion

The club provided Christmas fruit mince pies for Sunday morning tea, we seem to have been eating all weekend!  Also on offer were the remaining strawberries and ice-cream, from the night before.  Everything got eaten, except for a little ice-cream which no doubt got taken home by someone.  It was a great weekend, many thanks to the Committee for all their hard work in organizing his rally.  A great rally to finish off our year.

Birthday Cushion for Dot

It was our friend Dot’s 75th Birthday today and a several of us were meeting her for a birthday lunch.  Now, where was that parcel I had wrapped and carefully put away?

All wrapped up and ready for gifting

We met in a local café, four of us.  Dot as the guest of honour, Thelma, Annette and myself.  Sadly,I forgot to get a group photo of us all.  Here is the birthday girl with her goodies.  Dot was a little overwhelmed but as I said to her, turning 75 is certainly something to celebrate!

Happy 75th Birthday, Dot

So what was in the parcels?  Annette had given her a pretty lace covered coat-hanger, just the thing to keep those slippery clothes hanging nicely.  It was interesting that most of us commented that we had the knitting pattern for this, but had never got around to knitting one yet!

From Annette

From the size and shape of the parcel, Dot had guessed that I had made her a cushion, but didn't really know what the design was.  It was a cat cushion depicting her Birman cat Honey – this was made for her to use in her motorhome.  Honey is a seal point Birman just like our Gemma.

Birman birthday cushion

This is the same design I used in my Colourpoint Cats quilt, and had the idea to make an extra block in dark brown for Dot’s upcoming big birthday.  I completed the cushion a few months ago so it has been ready and waiting for a while.  We had a lovely lunch together, and it was wonderful to celebrate Dot’s big day with her.

These cats were stitched each month during 2020 as part of my Rainbow Scrap Challenge sewing.  They were a little tricky and time consuming,  but stitching one each month made them achievable.  My quilt was beautifully machine quilted by Linda Bishop, and I just love the texture of her wonderful hand guided quilting.

Colourpoint Cats

It must be in the Genes

I’m delighted that my daughter Nicky has taken up sewing with a vengeance lately, and also enjoying doing some hand work.  Now that she as a light airy dedicated sewing room she has been doing such a lot.   She is happy to take any sewing related items off my hands, she said, so I have passed over all sorts of things, buttons, beads, lace, balls of crochet cotton I had accumulated, even feathers which I had purchased for goodness knows what, some time ago.  Plus quite a few crochet hooks which I had gathered up over the years and never ever used.   She likes to make dress up items for Art Deco weekends so I’m sure she will find a use for these items.

While rummaging around recently I came across four white hankies with fine holes stitched around the edges (I'm sure there is a name for this) to do a crotched edge.  Nicky recently taught herself to crochet so I asked if she would be interested in taking them off my hands.  My mother used to do this many years ago and I was always going to learn…… someday.  Within a couple of weeks the hankies started arriving in the post.  Here are the first two, such beautiful fine work, and she is self taught by watching videos.

Two hankies done

And seemingly in no time at all, number three and four arrived, with the message that she had really enjoying doing the edges.  I’m really thrilled that she did this for me.

Edging on four hankies done

But that’s not all, included in the items I had passed on her her a while ago were four stamped cross stitch table mats.  Once again, something I was going to get around to doing.  Probably highly unlikely as I have only ever attempted one cross stitch item before, and that was about 30 years ago!  At our pre-Christmas family lunch last weekend she presented these table mats to me, all finished.

Four cross stitched table mats

If I’m honest I would have to say that Nicky didn't inherit her crotchet and cross stitch skills from me.  She does some dressmaking these days, but is not interested in knitting or quilting.  In her younger years she made gorgeous smocked dresses for her girls, and stitched me a lovely smocked nightie for my 50th birthday.  She has tried her hand at Hardanger, woodwork, and stained glass too, and makes her own soap and cleaning products.  OK, I’ll admit it – she is much cleverer than me!

Happy Blocks for RSC

During the year I’ve been stitching the easy Happy Blocks using a pile of donated squares from my neighbour.  Dorothy had such a lot of 5 inch squares that I sorted them into colours, and separated any designs I could use for donation quilts for children.

This quilt features blocks which would appeal to a young boy – wild animals, dogs, sport, music, boats, travel, that sort of thing.  I had to find a few extra squares from my stash to give me the required number of squares.  Each month when the Raibow Scrap Challenge  colour of the month was announced, I selected suitable squares, rummaged around to find some co-ordinating strips, and soon had them stitched up.

Red and yellow/gold Happy Blocks

This week I’ve had all the blocks laid out on my design bed, rearranged them several times, then got stitching.   For once Gemma didn't jump up on the bed to help, she must have been snoozing somewhere and didn't realize what I was getting up to. I really like using the webbing method, I know it’s been around for a while, but as usual, I was late to the party.  In fact it took me a while to get it clear in my head, but now I know what I’m doing.  With the blocks all webbed then stitched together, I added borders, and the top was complete.

The top is done

I always like to get the binding done early so it is ready and waiting.  Scrappy brown and tan binding I decided, using up a fat quarter of an unloved cream and brown print which I knew I would never use.  Then I added several scraps and strips to make it long enough – a good way to use up some of those small pieces hanging about.  The binding is pressed and neatly rolled up, joining other bindings in a basket till required.

Scrappy binding done

I've really enjoyed making these Happy Blocks this year, and have found enough kiddies prints to make one for a boy and a girl next year for my Rainbow Scrap Stitching sewing.  I’ll be starting a little later than usual next year as we will be doing a long caravan trip and I won’t be taking my sewing machine with me.  But I’ll certainly be reading the RSC link-up each week in the New Year to see what projects everyone else is starting.

Sew Wot Christmas Lunch

It’s that time of the year when all the end of year functions happen.  We gathered at The Emporium for our last Sew Wot get-together of the year, our Christmas Lunch and gift swap.  The Emporium has a pretty little gift shop in front of the café, so we all had a browse around, looking for a bargain or two.

 

Lots of gift items on display

It was so nice that everyone could make it on the day, and we also welcomed former member Moira who joined us for lunch.  The menu was studied, we made our choices, and there was plenty of chatter going on while we waited for our meals.  Helen had brought along some Show and Tell, made from a kits she purchased at Symposium.  These clever little race tracks had pockets for little cars and rolled up for ease of carrying.  She had made two, one blue and one green, just the thing for the little boys to take on a car journey, Helen declared.

Helen’s race track and cars

Then the food arrived – as usual I had dithered long and hard over what to order, should I have the hot cakes, macaroni cheese, or maybe the quiche?  Why oh why is it so difficult for me to decide?  In the end I chose something completely different, leek and potato soup, plus a piece of chocolate cake.  My reasoning was if I was “only” having soup, I really needed a piece of cake too!  As it happened, my soup was so nice and thick, and served with toast, I didn't have any room for the cake at all.  That came home with me to share with Robin after dinner. 

My lunch, soup and toast

Not so Jude, she had no trouble at all eating her ice-cream sundae.She didn't let it beat her!

Just look at that!

With our meals over, it was time for the gifts.  The basket was passed around ad we each chose a parcel, how exciting!  The theme this year was to make a serviette holder.

Pass the parcel

And this was in my parcel, made by Sandra, thanks so much.

Thank you Sandra

Heather picked my parcel, I made the little pouch from a black batik fabric and found some pretty floral serviettes to pop inside, plus a little chocolate, just because.

For Heather

Most of us used the same pattern, but with our individual fabric choices, they all looked quite different.  I gathered them up and put them on a side table for a photo op.

All beautiful

Our friendly café owner came and took our photo for us, I always appreciate café and restaurant staff doing this request for me.

Standing – Carol, Sandra, Helen, Heather, Jenny

Seated – Mary, Jude, Moira

Mary handed us each a calendar of our Sew Wot meeting for next year, starting again in late January.  Robin and I will be on a long South Island holiday so I won’t be joining the ladies till some time in March.  We have all enjoyed a great year of friendship, show and tell, and tasty morning teas, thanks so much ladies.

Pre Christmas Family Lunch

Last Sunday we drove up to Palmerston North meet the family and exchange gifts.  We will be away on a long caravan trip at Christmas so won’t be able to see them during the festive season.  But first we had a stop at Lewis Farms to buy some fresh asparagus.  With only a short growing season of this delicacy, we like to buy it from the grower when we can. 

Shop and Packing Shed

As well as purchasing some asparagus, we needed a little something extra.  A usual, it was a coffee for me, and an ice-cream for him.

Sitting outside while enjoying our morning treat, we noticed a steady stream of customers.  They came out with boxes of strawberries, bags of asparagus, ice-creams and coffee too.

Very tasty indeed

Back in the car again, and we continued on the Palmerston North to Joe’s Café.  It may have been Sunday morning, but parking was in short supply.  We drove slowly around the block, and lo and behold, a car was ready to pull out just a few spaces from the café.  That was a lucky find.

The family were seated inside, waiting for us, daughter Nicky, her hubby Robert, and the two grand-daughters Emma and Megan. 

Robert, Megan and Robin

We had dined here before so knew the food was great.  A quick look and the menus and we were ready to place our orders.  I chose fried potatoes, eggs, smoked salmon, and spinach,and it was delicious.  Robin enjoyed a beef burger and chips.

Our lunches

The friendly waitress saw my camera on the table and offered to take a photo of us all, how kind was that.

Here we all are

When it was time to go we swapped parcels and gift bags, with instructions they were not to be opened till Christmas Day.  The exception was a jar of Nicky’s home made Russian Fudge, which needs to be kept in the fridge, and home made fruit mince pies from Megan.  Wonder what's in the other parcels?  It was a lovely day out catching up with them all.

Hello Spring

My slow stitching lately has been working on Hello Spring.  I wanted to stitch a small seasonal wall-hanging – I already had one for Autumn and another for Winter and they hang on the wall by our front entrance.  The words were originally stitched in a springy yellow colour, but it didn't really show up enough.  Nothing for it but to remove them and re-stitch with black thread.  The stitching is done on a pale green fabric, which doesn’t really show up in the photo at all.  This design is an adaptation of something similar which I found on the internet, but I changed the words to suit myself.

Just started

It was fun to chose the different colours for the tiny flowers, and it didn't really take too long at all to get these stitched up.   Now then, what shall I choose for a border fabric?  Several colours were auditioned, and I chose a sunny yellow sprinkled with lots of pretty flowers.  Then I machine quilted this small project in a diagonal grid, using a very pale variegated thread, and finished off with a striped blue binding.  It measures 16 inches square.

 

Ready to hand stitch the binding down

And ta-da, here it is all done, both the hanging sleeve and a small label have been added.  Spring is just about over here in the Southern Hemisphere, with Summer knocking at the door, so this will be put away until Spring clicks around again, next year.  So to my mind, I’m not really late, just nice and early for 2023.

Hello Spring