I can’t believe it’s Sunday again!  This week has just flown – but I have worked about 30 hours this week in between  a School Dinner, Work Party, 40th birthday, Music Concert, organising the craft for a Christmas program at church, having good friends who now live about 4 hours away stay for the night and spending a morning in the city with a lovely friend who is back in Australia from Germany and meeting her gorgeous baby!  (But I did manage to squeeze in that fun relaxing day visiting some patchwork shops).  And that’s where I picked up today’s Sunday Stash.  These two fabrics are from a gorgeous range that Julie has designed herself.  Her quilt made from them is on the front cover of the current issue of Quilters Companion.

I was thinking of some cushions for the back bedroom at Sewjourn – will match the yet to be made quilts for the beds and the small quilt hanging on the wall.

Happy to be posting Sunday Stash on the correct day this week – for a list of other players head over here – thanks Tamara for hosting.

The start of December tomorrow signals the start of getting ready to celebrate Christmas at our house – decorations, cooking, cards, gifts and (hopefully) taking the time to reflect on what Christmas means to us.  Our decorations will go up over the next few days so I plan on sharing a few of the special ones with you……would love to see what special decorations anyone else has to share.

……..and they just seem to get better!  Accompanied by lots of fun, chatter and laughing we set off again today, our aim to visit some lovely patchwork shops and spread the word about Sewjourn!  First stop was Patchwork Passion in Cranbourne – we even arrived before the shop was open but the lovely owner let us in.  Then we headed to Craft Quarters at Koo Wee Rup.  Here we also discovered the gorgeous Something Shabby Something Chic which was a treasure trove of goodies – we were well behaved though with only one little jug coming home with us.  (Note to self:  need to go back here one day soon!) 

And last but certainly not least was the always divine Quilters Barn at Loch.  What a great way to spend a day…..and have a few more things to show in Sunday Stash!

A big night at our house.  4pm………….

5 pm………

HINT:

She’s waited a very long time to have her ears pierced and is VERY excited!

Unlike Lara and Bronwyn I didn’t manage to post Sunday Stash on the correct day this week!  Partly because I didn’t get back from Lancefield until after 10pm last night.  Had a great weekend though – while Mal went on a Golf Weekend with 15 other dads from school a friend and I (and 6 girls) took advantage of the fact that Sewjourn was free this weekend. 

The plan was to make (and write) all our Christmas Cards – and the girls were so keen they were over in the studio in their pjs on Sunday morning.

Well, I didn’t get all my cards made but did make some good progress………

As for my stash – here’s a pretty one that I bought from Foothills Fabric and Threads a year or more ago.

My girlfriend is organising this market for the school she teaches at (dedication!!!).  It’s on tonight so if you are able, pop along because there are over 40 stalls and it’s sure to be a good place to pick up a few Christmas presents.

ASHWOOD COLLEGE GAS LIGHT MARKET

FRIDAY 21st NOVEMBER

7-10PM

ASHWOOD COLLEGE HALL

Vannam Drive, Ashwood

$5 entry includes glass of champagne or OJ

Wide range of stalls, raffles, coffee and cake.

For further information phone 9807 1333

A few weekends ago a group of talented ladies who call themselves the ‘Calico Cats’ stayed at Sewjourn.  Each year they set themselves a Challenge Quilt to work on and unveil their finished products at their retreat.  This years challenge was to make a quilted article with an ‘Ethnic’ theme – no particular country, just not your own and this is what they produced.

Top Row – Maureen’s Japanese Lady – Diane’s Japanese Hexagons – Tricia’s Amish – Judith’s Japanese Lady

Bottom Row – Leslie’s Tahitian Tifaifai – Linda’s – Civil War Underground Railroad Signal Quilt – Fiona’s Tahitian Tifaifai

Good work girls, can’t wait to hear what your challenge is for next year……….

From Swell by Urban Chicks.  It’s the only fabric I have although I love their whole range.  Lots of the decorating at Sewjourn is based around their previous range, ‘Blossom’ and their newest range ‘1974’ is gorgeous too.

Here’s some more photos and inspiration from The Evening with Amy Butler – if you are in Sydney and don’t have tickets yet it’s well worth the effort!  She talked us through a slide show of what inspires her and then answered questions and even signed books and chatted.  As usual all the goodies made from her beautiful fabrics were gorgeous.

Just spent a lovely night with Amy Butler.  What an inspirational lady!  She is so down to earth and nice!  Not to mention talented, beautiful, creative, motivated……..I could go on.  She even took the time to sign books and chat to people.

Here’s a quick photo or two that a friend sent through (thanks Kerry) – I’ll download mine tomorrow and post some more.

It was a bonus to meet a couple of lovely bloggers, Lara and Nicole, too.  Now to use my motivation to get sewing again instead of just reading about it on blogs…………..

Whoops – late two weeks in a row! 

It has to be  Amy Butler fabrics this week as she is in Melbourne and I am going to see her on Thursday night – can’t wait!!!!

These are recent additions to my stash from her Daisy Chain range.

This one is for a lap top bag.

And these two will probably become cushions for our bed – the quilt on our bed is made from Amy’s first range of fabric Gypsy Caravan and these match in nicely.

Sorry about the poor quality of photos but a busy weekend and rotten cold mean I am too tired to play around to get better photos!  I will try to post Sunday Stash on the correct day next week girls.