Dunedin Stitching Retreat

Three weeks ago I went to the Dunedin Stitching Retreat with some of my cross stitch friends.  

On arrival we were each given a goodie bag and included was a pattern and threads for the Retreat design which was this very cute wooden cottage on Baldwin Street, Dunedin - the steepest street in the world.

Examples stitched by the organisers

My version with a purple door

Baldwin St showing the exact cottage we stitched

It just so happens that I took a photo of that very same cottage when I climbed part of Baldwin St in January 2021 and here is my photo.  What a coincidence.  I'm not sure what I'll do with my piece yet, but I'll think of something.  

About 60 ladies from around New Zealand met up for a fun weekend of stitching and chatting.  We all took along our own projects to work on, but we also enjoyed seeing what everyone else was doing, and admiring the objects on the Finishing Objects table.  

It was the weekend of King Charles' coronation, so we had a bit of fun and wore crowns on the Saturday.

I worked on Shades of Indigo by Northern Expressions Needlework.  This one has been a work in progress for a few years now, and I knew the retreat would be a good time to decide on colours for the next border.  I got quite a bit done in my hotel room in the evenings - especially as I stayed up until 1am to watch the coronation!

The retreat was held in the Hanover Hall on Hanover Street, just a short walk from Otago's best quilting and stitching shop - Stitch Witches! 

My good friend Sue Lucas is one of the owners of Stitch Witches, and I must have visited the shop five times over the three days that I was in Dunedin.  I blew my budget on quilting fabrics so I didn't buy many embroidery supplies.  

On Sunday I went for a walk to the University of Otago.  I knew that the trees would be beautiful, and it was a lovely clear day. 

I really enjoyed my time at the Dunedin Stitching Retreat.  It was great to spend time with people with similar hobbies.  

Now it's time for the Peacock Party.  Feel free to link up a recent blog post below.

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Club Tropicana

I've finished my Swatch quilt and I've called it Club Tropicana. 

A while ago I started naming my quilts after my favourite songs from the 1980's and I loved Club Tropicana by Wham.  Here's link to the video in case you need a reminder.  This quilt does have some palm trees it in and the bright yellows remind me of pineapples, so Club Tropicana seemed appropriate. 

This was a quick and easy quilt to make and it will be perfect for my older son.  I won't have to worry about it living on the floor!

I'm proud to say that I made this one from my stash.  I got it quilted at Busy Bee Quilt Shop in Wellington with a modern design.

It's quite a big quilt, and I didn't want to have to piece a backing, so I chose this wonderful Kaffe wide back and I love it.  My son can use it either side up now.  

Finished size 60" x 72"

I cut my blocks at 5.5" x 9.5"

Now it's time for the Peacock Party.  Feel free to link up a recent blog post below.

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

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Hand Quilted Sampler

My Hand Quilted Sampler quilt has a long and chequered past, but it's finally finished.  

I started this quilt in a class with Kaffe Fassett in Wellington, New Zealand in January 2018.  Yes, five long years ago!!

January 2018 in Wellington

We set out to make the Green Diamonds quilt from Quilts in Ireland, but when I got home and started to piece my diamonds together I found they my cutting hadn't been very precise, and it was going to be difficult to piece the quilt top.  

I don't give up on things easily, so I set it aside for a while.  Then when I was at Tote and Gloat in Palmerston North in 2019 I had a good long chat with Racheldaisy from Australia, and it dawned on me that I didn't have to make Green Diamonds if it wasn't working out.  I could take the pieces that I had cut and repurpose them into something new.  

So that's what I did.  I pulled out all of the red and green fabrics I'd bought for the Green Diamonds quilt and I designed my own pattern.

Then I decided that I could turn it into a hand quilted sampler and use it to show people all of the options that are available with hand quilting.  So I quilted each section with a different thread and a different design.  

quilting along the lines in the fabric

using the lines already drawn in the flower

following the fabric design to fill in the area

1/4" inch from the edge for the triangles

I took this quilt to Stitch Witches in Dunedin and they can display in the shop until I next visit Dunedin in 2024.  

Finished size 47" x 47"

Now it's time for the Peacock Party.  Feel free to link up a recent blog post below.

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

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Mariner's Compass

On Monday I went to a class with visiting Australian tutor, Chris Jurd.  We spent the day making one big 18" Mariner's Compass block.

I'm really pleased with how my block turned out, especially as I made it all from stash!!  I didn't have enough of my favourite green for the background, so Chris encouraged me to alternate it with another green and it's worked out well. 

The fabrics I used were all left over from my Endless Lockdown quilt made back in 2020. The kit I had purchased was very generous with the fabrics, so I could make more Mariner's Compass blocks with different animal centres if I wish.  The fabric was designed by Monika Fosberg for Anna Maria Horner's Conservatory Craft.

Here's some finished examples Chris showed us at the class.  I'm not sure how I'm going to finish my block yet, or if I'm going to make more to make something bigger.  

Now it's time for the Peacock Party.  Feel free to link up a recent blog post below. 

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

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