Bear Family Album quilt

This is a block-of-the-month queen-size quilt that I ordered from Whichcraft in Invercargill in about 2003?  Finally got around to hand-appliqueing the blocks in about 2008 and 2009? Am not sure exactly.

Have had the frames/sashing/border fabrics and the finished blocks sitting in my UFO box for the past two years and have decided (an early NY resolution) to get it done!

7 Jan 2012: quilt-top completed! Now just waiting to be quilted and bound.

Was hard to get a good photo as the quilt is so big (and my handy helper hubby is off bowling!)

24 Dec 2011: So yesterday I framed all the blocks (except for the Mama and Papa as I didn't have enough of their framing fabric so will hunt out some more) and have sewn together the 'children' photos into rows ready to put altogether once the Mama and Papa are done.

Is a pattern from The Stitch Connection by Lynda Howell.

Tessie the teacher

Mama

Papa

Earl the engineer

Rosie the runner

Quillan the quilter

Sam the sports enthusiast

Gus the gardener

Cornelius the computer techie

Nora the nurse

Daisy the dancer

Fred the fisherman

Quilt for...Anna!

Have this week delivered this to our young friend Anna Harpur as a gift for her 11th birthday (just after Christmas) - she is a lucky girl as I found it hard to part with as I just love the fabrics/colours so so much! (But I still have a layer cake in those fabrics so will get onto making my own quilt in the new year!)

I started this back in October using Moda's Amelia design - a charm pack of 5" squares -
created my own design and added yardage, including the black on white polka dot - to make it single bed size.

Has been quilted by Barbara Joyce Quilting at Otautau - she has quilted all over in a daisy design.

Backing was made using extra yardage and a tiny pink and white pin-stripe bought at Spotlight.
Has my 'trade-mark' heart label in bottom corner. 

Close-up of the centre blocks.

Christmas lap quilt for Michelle

Made this lap quilt as a thank-you and farewell (from work) for my awesome friend and teacher aide, Michelle Wallis. 

Michelle and I were very good friends at Longford Intermediate School (many moons ago) and it was really cool to be able to reconnect nine years ago when we moved to Edendale and Michelle invited Kieran and I along to the local playgroup, and Brian joined the fire brigade (where Michelle's husband Bob is a member too).

Machine-patched and quilted; fabrics from a range sold at Kits'n'Things in Invercargill.
Pattern was called 'Christmas Cheer' by Jacky Hens and was from magazine 'Patchwork and Stitching' Vol 3 No 7.

Michelle and I have been working together at Edendale School since 2004 and having Michelle working with a special needs child in my room this year has been fantastic so I wanted to create something special for her as she gives so much to the community in so many ways.

The special needs child Michelle has worked with will be moving on to college next year, so Michelle will no longer work with us at Edendale - she will be working with adult special needs clients in Gore.

12 Days of Christmas

Bought this set of 12 baubles from Ezibuy a few weeks ago, found half price ribbon at Spotlight and spent last Friday night tying the baubles to a ribbon-wrapped hoop so they can hang together. Has added another element to the 'Christmas corner' in our lounge!

Two new giraffes! 7/20 + 8/20 in my goal!

Made these two giraffes for my colleague Jodie (who is expecting a baby in January) to choose from - at the baby shower for her today at work Jodie chose the orange coloured giraffe for her new baby.

I have the pleasure of keeping the blue one for a while - I just love the colours!  Only 12 more to make to reach my giraffe goal - I have 4 pink giraffes sewn and cut out just waiting to be stuffed and put together.

See giraffes 2 - 6 in the series here.