A Day in the Country

Triple P girls were invited to Bev's home at Cedar Vale near Beaudesert for the monthly meeting - we had a great lunch & chatted & sewed & enjoyed the day in the country.  Almost makes one want to move from the city.........almost!

Party, party, party!

I can feel the kilos being added to my hips - all these Christmas break-ups & last Saturday, my group, Triple P (Purple Paddo Patchers) had a Birthday Bash.  We celebrated Christmas in July.  Four of us have our birthdays this month - hence the four cup cakes. Just a couple more to go then a quiet week before Christmas.  What a season!

Finished quilt tops

I was really pleased with work achieved at the Retreat - this top is ready for a couple of small bits of applique, then it will be quilted .............

Well - this one - PPP (Purple Paddo Patchers) girls asked me to give instructions for a sampler quilt.  I had never done one so thought I had better do the blocks as well, grabbed a bunch of coordinated fat 1/4s - was not really happy with the resulting blocks - they looked so boring.  However, now that the top is finished - I quite like it, it turned out much better than I thought (perhaps a bit like teenagers - you give them sound building blocks, maybe boring blocks, let them mature a bit & voila! you have a pretty decent adult...... one day!) Next step basting & then quilting.

Retreats - Aaaaaaah!

Aaaah - the serenity!  The mist rolling in - but it wasn't cold - it was great at James Byrne Centre, Highfields (just north of Toowoomba)

This is a Catholic Conference Centre - was Jen seeking divine intervention or asking her muse for inspiration?

Aina finished this from go to whoa on the weekend - when they turned the lights out to go to bed on Friday night, they found that the orange in the middle of the quilt - glowed!!!!  This is for a baby - we're not quite sure what effect this will have - who knows, it might even be calming.  The find caused lots of laughter & we all witnessed it after dinner on Saturday night. Wonderful weekend with a great bunch of girls!

Christmas Break-ups

It's that time of year - Christmas break-ups!! For my OS readers - here in Australia it is now summer & most everything stops for a month or so - all groups that meet monthly will not meet over either December or January depending on what week meetings are held.  So - tradition demands that we have our break-ups - golf (HofM) at a Thai restaurant on Thursday night, Inner City Circle Quilt Group on Saturday breakfast at the Red Hen and yesterday (Sunday) brunch/morning tea for Purple Paddo Patchers at Forget-me-Not Tearooms.  This was my dessert - delightful mornings (both of them) with all my good friends.  Merry Christmas, everyone (there, I've said, ONCE!)

Suzanne showed us the Hawaiian quilt she has been making for a niece - it's a Christmas present so it has to be kept under wraps - this will be the lable.  It's hand appliqued & hand quilted - defintiely a labour of love. I think Suzanne will heave a sigh of relief once it's handed over.  The other niece has not been forgotten, she's getting a beaut hexagon quilt (large hexagond in purples) - again all hand work! You'll have to believe me when I say they are beautiful.

Aaaaaaah Retreats!

What a wonderful weekend away.  Six of us from Purple Paddo Patchers (PPP) Cottage Group travelled  to Highfields, just north of Toowomba,  for a weekend retreat.  It was freezing on Friday night, so a fire was called for. Glenys & Hilary gathered kindling & using their vast Girl Guide knowledge, lit the fire.

Yep - it's alight!

Success - we were lovely & warm in the sewing room thanks to the girls.

Aina & Suzanne toasted their success - they also found the wine helped their sewing skills! Jen & I took our sewing more seriously than these two........

Desert - nothing was missed, candles with dinner & wine, of course.

Sunday - time to head home, but we just had to make a stop at Precious Time www.welcometoprecioustime.com.au in Toowoomba - the wisteria was beautiful and the extensive range of fabrics beckoned.  We did help the economy of the district - just a little.

Lunch was at Forest Hill in the Lockyer Valley - about an hour west of Brisbane.  This is the Lockyer Hotel in the main street.  The Forest Hill Post Office www.foresthillgiftscafe.com.au is also a cafe & lovely gift shop.  The food was just great and it was fitting way to end a wonderful weekend with special friends.



PPP July Feast

So, here is the story of the Sunday Afternoon "Christmas in July" gathering of the Purple Paddo Patchers' (PPP or Triple P) girls.  Dulcie's husband (the one man allowed anywhere near us on such an afternoon) took photos.

Sorry - food's gone but it was wonderful - the girls alway do themselves proud.

Suzanne also took photos of us all.

We are making two charity quilts this year for Angel Flight http://www.angelflight.org.au/ & will raffle them  when they are finished to raise much needed funds for this charity.

We made angels of all different sizes & the colours, they had to be bright AND there were a couple of boy angels (we know there are not too many of them!)  Next job will be the sashing & putting the blocks together.  Will keep you posted on their progress.

One of our members, Bev, is an over-achiever and made gifts for everyone - this is what I picked.  They were all wrapped & placed on the table, so it was a lucky draw - love this.