BOM's will be back when I am

I have sadly fallen behind on my BOM's. (My blogging too, but I have such iregular internet usage that I'm actually just pleased I can blog at all).

This is the March Carol Doak Block of the month.



I still have November through to February to do!! But on my return I hope to make them in the same colour scheme and then put them together as a table runner for our home. I just love this fabric and I found out that it's made by a lady called Glenda Kirkiridis and her company is called Amafu. Glenda tells me that she has just sent some more of her gorgeous fabric to the Hilltop Quiltshop in Swellendam! Oh no!, this means I shall be tempted to make a detour on our long drive to Cape Town!!! I shall have to see how the kids handle the trip before committing to a visit...

When we get home (less than 2 weeks now!) I will also have to catch up on my Quilterscornerclub NYB BOM's!!

For the family in the UK who suffer through the sewing bits here are some gratuitous kiddy pics on a sewing/knitting related theme...

DS1 getting in the BOM picture...


DS2 asleep while photos being taken. Blanket made by Granny. There is another blanket (one each) which looks a lot more patchworky.



And on another note: DS1 and Mummy with her new haircut.



** - newsflash - ** A new haircut and now I need new specs too!! I went to see an optometrist today. I have to ease up on the contacts. My specs are so bad he was surprised I see anything. I had to admit I don't see much, but hey, I'm shortsighted, I don't expect to see much LOL. He asked if I knew why I was shortsighted. It reminded me of Little Red Riding Hood: 'Why, what big eyes you've got' he said. Turns out because my eyes are more open than 'normal' it means I am naturally shortsighted. You learn something new everyday. I went for a very funky pair of specs. I hope not too funky for me LOL.

BQL Bag challenge(d)

Here is my March BQL Bag Challenge made from some recently purchased fabrics from the Hilltop Quiltshop in Swellendam. I was really proud of myself that I have used fabrics that I recently bought instead of just 'stashing' them away for another day. These dyed fabrics were such fun to use! I don't think they'll last long. I will have to start dyeing my own fabrics (I must I must!!)

I was a bit challenged making this bag and so a bit of reverse sewing was unfortunately required :O(

Oh, well at least it's made an I'll enjoy taking it to the supermarket with me :O)

On the road again

We spent 2 days and nights this week in Oudtshoorn which is famous for the Cango caves and Ostrich Show Farms, but somehow we didn't manage to visit any of those places LOL.

We stayed at the most amazing place called Red Stone Hills near Calitzdorp. It offered bird watching, hiking, swimming and horse riding (or my kids case 'horse-sitting')




((Calitzdorp is known for its great Ports so we stopped for a brief tasting - very good))

We wanted to take the kids to an ostrich show farm, but managed to miss it (luckily there were ostriches at the farm we stayed on) and so we ended up at the Cango Wildlife Park. On our way there we saw a tortoise trying to cross the dirt road.


DH picked it up showed it to DS1 and then popped it safely on the other side.

This sign seen on our travels should have had a tortoise on it!


Here are some pictures from our visit to te wildlife park...

This guy was nicknamed 'The Undertaker'...

And this White tiger was a beauty!

These were the biggest bats I have EVER seen!


I have another new hobby:


Appliqueing (by hand) names of my friend's children on little bags...

More travels, a quiltshop and road trip ramblings...

We have just returned from 2 days and nights at the hot springs in Montagu.



It was wonderful and because DS1 gets up pretty early I took him for a pre-breakfast swim both mornings. (DS2 came along on the second morning) We were always among the first people there besides the pool cleaners. Nothing like a warm dip before the sun comes up!





It's quite a drive to Montagu from Knysna and there are 2 routes: the R62 which is much longer, but more scenic or the N2 which is quicker and not so scenic. I convinced DH that if we went the N2 as he wished we would have loads of time to visit a quilt shop I had read about on the SA Quilter's Guild website. He obliged so off we went to the 'Hilltop Quiltshop' in Swellendam (a roundabout way to Montagu, but not too much out of our way). Sorry no photo, but this is what I bought. I did remarkably well as Carool who owns it doesn't stock a lot of fabric, but she did have these fabulous African prints...


(...and a few rose prints too)

The next day we strolled around Montagu, but a lot of the shops were shut (being Saturday afternoon.) I had read about this little fabric shop called 'Lapland'. It had this gorgeous hand made sign outside...



Inside they were stocktaking, but kindly let me have a little look. It stocks mainly dressmaking fabric, but I found this cute African fabric and a few iron on badges for DS1's clothes (Just had to get the Union Jack!)



Also in Montagu... an art gallery with a Christmas tree


decorated with teapots and teacups



Security is an issue in South Africa, but here's how to do it 'Montagu-style'




I came home to discover the cleaning lady had thrown one of the boy's quilts in the machine. It washed remarkably well according to DS2's inspection LOL


This quilt was made by my friend Ria and the boys both love it.