Wednesday 28 September 2011

swap parcel farewelled and some pics

My swap parcel is finally on it's merry way to Peta in WA.
Bon Voyage and speedy journey!

On the weekend we went to Portland, (Victoria) It is a beautiful little port town. It was the first European settlement in Victoria, settled in the early to mid 1800's.
It was used as a whaling port too. In the maritime museum they had a huge skeleton of a sperm whale that had been washed up, already dead, on the beach there. It was amazing to be up close to something so huge.
Dh and no 3 son did some of this....
while I did...
(this is for a quickie gift that I need to finish but only started on the weekend, talk about leaving things to the last minute.
It was beautiful to sit and stitch looking out to the sea. They fished from the break water which you could drive out onto quite far.
When they were fishing in the morning...
I did this...
gosh my feet look big! .

there is a lighthouse on this cliff just behind the last tree to the right.
this is the view from the lighthouse, You can see the start of the breakwater, it extended out  at least  1 1/2 times again and we were at the end of it.

I walked around town looking at all the beautiful old bluestone cottages and old wood houses. They were just gorgeous. I made my way to the lighthouse and then back along the beach, back to town.
There were heaps of antique, bric a brac places along the way to Portland and we visited most. I bought some lovely depression glass milk jugs. My new passion it appears. There was a gorgeous Patchwork shop in town but it was shut by the time we got there and it wasn't open by the time we left on Monday. Them's the breaks.

I have decided that October will be quilting month!
I made a start on quilting my hexie flower garden by hand. Who's dumb idea was that?..... While stitching away I told DH that I want to be buried with this quilt because that's probably how long it will take me to hand quilt it!
He replied...'why don't you get it quilted by machine?'
Takes a man to reinvent the wheel doesn't it. I told him I want it quilted selectively and not just all over, willy nilly and to get that done by a quilter will cost a mint. So I will keep stitching away till my arm drops off or becomes the size of the Incredible Hulk's arm......... I have nearly finished two rows. I regret having been so enthusiastic making all those flowers, now that I have to quilt around each one! lol.
It definitely won't be a quick quilt to finish.....

If it's worth doing, it's worth doing well....

Slap the 'man' who came up with that quote!

Hope you are having a great week...
cheers
Marina

ps because we went away my Christmas goodies weren't finished... Hopefully something will get completed in between all that hand quilting.

13 comments:

  1. I am still laughing Marina......I love making hexie flowers, but I do hate sewing them up in the quilt, let alone quilting it by hand!!
    I love Portland, we had a lovely couple of days there a few years ago...

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  2. wow how pretty is that bag!!

    wow all by hand will look fabulous though!!!! i wish i had the patience to craft by hand .
    HuGs
    xo

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  3. Such a lovely weekend! Now, I like that quote, so keep on stitching!!

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  4. Haha - I brought my kids up on that quote... tried to teach them to make me a decent cup of tea!! You went for a looong walk... lovely... I just love walks on the beach... happy hexie quilting....
    Hugz

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  5. Glad you had a lovely time away. Good on you for quilting your quilt by hand, it will be worth it when finished...

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  6. I bet it will go quicker than you think. And it will look so lovely!

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  7. Your parcels look gorgeous! I am sure Peta will love them. Your hexie quilt will be stunning when you have finished even if it does take you the rest of your life. LOL! I don't machine quilt so I would be doing the same. I am glad you and your family had such a lovely time. It is very nice to be stitching watching the ocean. Lucky girl.

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  8. How nice to get away to the sea for a short break. Your task seems daunting at the moment but with every stitch you are closer to the end. And what a spectacular quilt you will have.

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  9. Are you posting about your glass cos I'd like to see it - have quite a collection myself - all green!

    Don't think you get big arms by hand quilting? Unless you are doing it in a different way. Just set yourself lots of little targets - I'll just do this section this week - and you will get through it!

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  10. Lovely place for a holiday.
    Nice hexies and bag.

    Great quote.

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  11. Beautiful photos, I love beach holidays! Your hexi quilt will be an heirloom when finished.

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  12. Looks like you had lots of time for a little relax and some exercise.
    Such a beautiful spot.
    Enjoy the flowers all over again while you are hand quilting.

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  13. Hello Marina,

    Portland sounds like a beautiful place to visit. Thanks for the info. Good luck with the hand quilting,you will truly own your quilt. Happy days.
    Bev.xoxo

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Time is flying....

 Seems like my blog has become a little neglected again, this doesn't mean a lack of crafting though. Progress has been achieved on most...