What an amazing lady!

I have to boast (and feel very humbled at the same time) about a special parcel that arrived from Julie.

Inside was this mangnificent Spring time quilt....

It is a stunning piece of work, as the following photos will hopefully show....

I am totally amazed at the care taken with the fabric selection and applique placement, the precision of the machine applique and the intricacy of the stippling and border machine quilting..... I definitely got the better end of the deal, and feel a little guilty now!!

But wait, there's more! (no, not a free set of steak knives)

Julie somehow managed to become my Friendship Bag swapper, and this fantastic set that I had ogled with envy was sent to me also.....

Julie has become a special friend over the last couple of years, even though we have not met in person. She is a fellow member of Scquilers, and gave me some very useful advice when I was starting off my blog. She has been a fabulous ear over the last 12 months and has kept me grinning with emails and in awe of her projects - I'm an incredibly lucky person!

What a fantastic weekend!

I have had such a wonderful weekend....

here are some photos from the conference centre I escaped to - it is in the beautiful Dandenong Ranges

The centre was surrounded by gardens - several plants were in flower and looked stunning in the early morning light:

The staff were excellent, the food was magnificent and the company inspiring...

what more could a girl ask for?

I did TRUCKLOADS!!!

1. I sewed the quilt top for Rob's 21st together - here is a photo of the top mostly completed - I finished it and piecing the backing fabric together very late on Saturday night, so forgot to get the official "top's finished" photo. Sorry!

Chris has taken it for quilting - she plans to use a gold thread, similar to the one used in the corners of the sashing (that aren't in this picture!) in an oriental design - I can't wait to see it!

2. I made another two gift sewing bags.. if you look closely, you'll see that I still need to do the tidying up and thread the draw strings. One day, I'll make one for myself!

3. I started quilting Steven's quilt - the photo doesn't show the quilting super clearly, but you'll get the idea. Steven made me up a template for the spirals which makes them very efficient to mark.

I took a few items I no longer wanted and sold many of them. That meant I had money to spend on this fabulous new book!

The weather was calm and sunny, and the whole weekend sped by much too quickly!

I will look forward to next year.

A flaunt before I run away.....

I'm off for the weekend, on my quilting weekend (I missed it last year due to Steven's illness) so I thought I'd flaunt before I went. I have lots to show you

The quilt from Penny arrived. It is beautiful, and she has done such a lovely job of its construction and quilting - I need to match her quality of workmanship to finish it off, and then Liam is lucky enough to have been given it - such a wonderfully generous act on Penny's behalf.

• I posted my summertime quilt






• Completed Steven's quilt top - I'm hoping to get some of the quilting done this weekend
  





• Made a special bag for Karen based on Leesa Chandler's "Sip and Sew" kit









• Received the wonderful blue table topper from Sandie (more about her to follow!)











• Sent my friendship bag and a label to Claudia in Milan, Italy
  
  
  
  



• Made a proverb ATC - any guesses what the proverb is?
  
  

  
  

• and lastly (I think) made a couple of quick birthday cards..

OK - I'm off for a lovely weekend.... I hope yours is wonderful!