12" Summer Mini Has Arrived

My 12" mini has arrived from Sue over at A Stitch In Time.  A you can see the theme this time was Summer and Sue said she grew up in Wairoa about and hour from Gisborne and summer up here reminds her of bright flowers.

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Very nice Sue and thank you very much

12" Mini Quilt - Summer

The last of the year and what a fun year it has been.  My mini quilt was finished last week but have just not had time to send it till now so off to someone special it is going.  

A big thanks to Cheryll for organising this fun swap

Lets Get Stitched Hokitika Weekend

Over the weekend I finally made my way down to Hokitika to attend 'Lets Get Stitched' which the lovely Michele' Armstrong of 'By Hoki Quilts' organised.  The weather wasn't that great, but it is a normal trait for the West Coast of the South Island and did not deter us from having a great time. I stayed at Stumpers Bar and Cafe and wow that was great with yummy food and coffee - which I had plenty of.

The first day there we had a look around the town ship and we were lucky enough to get a nail done by Jamie at The Beauty Spot with some real gold in it.

We also done a few more things like visiting the Sock Factory and got shown how it is all done.

Some of us even got to see a seal on the beach

Again I had more coffee at Stumpers Bar and Cafe

And then we had tea at Fat Pipi Pizzas and if you are in Hokitika you just have to have one.

The next day it was road trip time and we went and panned for gold and got some for ourselfs and then off to the Tree Top Cafe for lunch and again coffee.

Then off to Montieths we went, and got a tour of the brewery with some free tastings

And on the way Home went to Michele's Quilt shop By Hoki Quilts and then out for tea at Stumper Bar and Cafe where I could not even finish my Icecream Sundae as it was huge.

Sunday was stitching day and we made a variety of things with the help of Michele', Darlene and Joy

And a fab goodie bag filled with lots of things to take home and a new cutting mat

I also won a couple of things

Then on a blustery Monday morning I left home for Gisborne and going between Christchurch and Wellington it was beautiful weather, but not for long it appeared.

I do miss Stumpers Bar and Cafe coffee to.  Was some of the best I had tasted.

Some Redwork Stitching

Over at Our Craft Group I hosted a Redwork swap recently.  My partner was Laurie from here in NZ.  Great minds must think alike as we sent each other a needlecase, but different designs.  Lauries was her own pattern.

And what I sent her came from the Cinderberry Stitches blog and was a free pattern called Sweet and Spotty Needle Wallet

FNWF

In between writing and studying for my assignment I managed to stitch up this little stitchery.  It is block 1 of WendyB's 'Lets Start Christmas' stitch-along.  Go here to find out all the details.  Block 2 is traced and all ready to stitch up too.  A nice little finish for FNWF.

It Arrived, It Arrived, My Christmas In July Parcel

For some strange reason my CIJ parcel got sent back to sender, no idea why but at least it was not lost in the system.  So last weekend it finally arrived. My partner was the lovely Barb from Barbs Creations and she sent me these lovely items.  The chocolate items did not last long at all obviously.

 Everthing is so festive, and come Christmas they will look fabulous when on display

A Late FNSI Post

Late last week I joined in with FNSI.  I was just about to start my night shifts again so just didn't get around to posting about what I done, but here it is.

This is from the 'Patchwork Loves Embroidery' book by Gail Pan.

I have also joined up to a Sew Along to over at Sunshine Quilting to stitch more of these lovely designs

Another 'Christmas In July' Swap

Over on 'Our Craft Group' on Facebook I hosted a Christmas in July swap.
I was lucky enough to swap with Trish for this swap and gifts were received fast from the postal system.
I sent this mini wall hanging to Trish

And from Trish I received this gorgeous decoration in a box of other little bit and bobs.

I am now taking sign ups for the Christmas Advent swap so go on over to 'Our Craft Group' and join up if you like.

Santa Maybe Running A Little Bit Late For Me, But Not My Partner

I have recent participated in Cherylls Christmas in July swap.  My parcel is still on its way to me and I will post about it when it finally gets here.  Mail delivery can be so erratic sometimes.  I can get an envelope from Australia in three days or three weeks, or even here in New Zealand it can be one day or one week.  Fustrating it is.
Any way I will post about what I sent to my partner Christine from MacDonald's Patch in Australia. We had to make three things using letters from Christmas.  I chose R- Reindeer, S- Snowman and S- Stockings

First I made a little bag made from stocking fabric

Then a little snowman wall hanging

And finally a mini reindeer hanging

Here they are all together