Today instead of going to Patchwork at our club rooms, 8 of us piled into 2 cars and drove almost 100 kms west to the little community of The Willows for a sewing day with the ladies there. The 20 or so ladies we met with were what we in Australia call Grey Nomads, retired people who travel about in the caravans for periods of the year. These women come with their partners to the Willows area to go fossicking for gems. Well their partners go fossicking. The women spend a lot of their time crafting away. They usually meet for 2 half days a week, once at the caravan park we met them at, and once at the other caravan park. One of their members spends most of the year finding new patterns and techniques which she then shares with the others during their sojurn at the Willows. I met most of the ladies last year when we went out to have the day with them although I have to admit at the time I was suffering from Barmah Forrest virus so wasn't as energetic as I usually am.
Anyway we had a lovely productive day. They provided us with a scrumptious morning tea and later a lavish lunch. I have come home several kgs heavier I am sure. (I can resist anything but temptation) Not long after we arrived we had the obligatory show and tell which was very interesting. I didn't take anything (most of us didn't) although Dawn had her quilts. Dawn is our connection with these ladies. She used to live out at the Gemfields and would meet regularly with them when they were up. (they come for 1-3 months it seems each year. Some of them are already preparing to head south again. Not sure why. Its just getting really cold down south. Its chilly enough here now)
I managed to leave my phone in my car when we all piled into the 2 cars to travel out. In the interest of saving space I didn't take my handbag. Just grabbed my wallet and car key. Not very smart I know. It meant I didn't have a camera with me at all. I had my camera and my iphone in the handbag I left in the car. So no photos of our day or the lovely things we shared.
I managed to get some work done whilst we were there. I finished the baby quilt top - Teddies and pinwheels. I put a border on it complete with mini pinwheels in the corners. I have a lovely bright check which will look great as a binding I feel.
I also managed to get the first of two borders on the Disappearing 9 Patch with a Twist. I opted for a brown inner border and royal blue outer border. I am tossing up between having a royal blue or a mini checked binding. I will audition both when I get it pinned.
Still no progress on the Black and White Trip Around the World quilt. Got an email to say the special ruler I have ordered has been shipped so that is a start.
No progress on Disappearing into the Blue. It did come for a ride out to The Willows and home again but it wasn't as suitable a project to work on as it is so big and white. We were in rather more cramped conditions out there today and not as clean an environment as some of the areas were open to the elements. Maybe next week it will get an outing. Hope so. It will qualify as a UFO rather than a WIP if I don't make some progress on it soon.
Thats my WIP Wednesday. How have you gone this week?
Linking up with WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced
Teddies and pinwheels looks great and I think the binding you describe will tie it all together well. What a great sense of community you have there, sounds like fun. Like the disappearing nine patch too - very productive!
ReplyDeletehow bright and pretty both of these are! :)
ReplyDeleteYour day at The Willows sounds very fun. It's nice that you have so many quilting connections. Glad your special ruler is en route!
ReplyDeleteSuch sweet bright quilt tops!
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