What Are Quilters Blogging About Today?

Yesterday eight members of my quilt club met up for a quilty day out, organised by the committee.  We headed north in two cars, ready for anything.  Jude was our driver, together with me, Mary, and Elaine.  First stop was to Aimee's Homestead Quilts, in Palmerston North.  It had been quite some time since I had last been here, so it was good to make a return visit again.

Here we are at Aimee's

We gathered in the classroom and Aimee told us about her various classes, and "block of the month" which sound a lot of fun ...

 My quilting club had a "Stitching Day" and I tool along this big bag of slow stitching to do.  I made this bag in a class  many years ago when we lived in Upper Hutt, and I think it might be called a pumpkin bag.  I can't manage my heavy sewing machine these days, it's much too heavy for me to unplug, put in the case, carry it to and from the car, then the return trip home.  So I always take some hand stitching along instead.  Plus a packed lunch - that's most important too.

 I had to make sure I took everything required for our final quilt club meeting of the year.  Into my bag went a wrapped fat quarter, batik blocks stitched for the block draw, an item for the food bank, and something for show and tell.  I hoped I had remembered everything.  We were welcomed to the hall with a glass of bubbly grape juice, that was a nice touch.  There was a basket for the fat quarters, and a box for donations for the food bank.  Raffle tickets were purchased, and our batik blocks were handed over and hung on ...

I had to make sure I was up bright and early on Sunday morning, because I was going to a quilt show, how exciting!  My quilt club had hired a mini bus  and 11 of us climbed aboard, settled down, and we headed south to Otaihanga to Southward Car Museum.  The morning started off well when the bag of lollies was passed around.  "Lollies at this time of the morning?", someone asked.  And why not!

We've arrived, and that's our little bus in front

The ladies taking our entry fee warmly welcomed us, and then we checked out ...

Last year mt quilt club announced a secret challenge.  We were to bring in some fabric in a jam jar, with our name under the lid so you didn't know who it belonged to.  The idea was for another club member to take your jar home, make whatever they liked from your fabric, adding one other fabric if necessary, and bring it back on the last club night of the year.  This is the anonymous jar I chose to take home, it had an interesting mix of colours inside.

Wonder what's in here?

Tucked inside was a lovely ...

 This time Sew Wots was held at Helen's rural property.  There was a bevy of cute heifers looking over the fence at me as I came up the drive, watching me with their big soulful eyes.  It was nice to see Sandra again, she hasn't been feeling too bright lately.  We spent the morning chatting away, as we got on with our various knitting projects.  Heather received a couple of belated birthday gifts, so it was exciting seeing the parcels being opened.

So.... what did we have for show and tell.  Carol had been busy again, with more ...