My Kawandi project is done ready for 2026

 So here you are. I’m sure you are interested to see what I did with my Kawandi fat quarter that was in our gift bag at the 2025 retreat. I made 2 pouches with diagonal zips.

Then I sewed in some dog ears so they would stand up and not just be flat.

If you want to see the steps of me making them go  HERE

Hope to see some finished projects in April 2026

2026 Special dinner theme............

 Ahead of the game this time...............

You can't say I am not giving you enough notice this time..............

I have quilt a few ideas on my list but this year we are going to go with

"Your favourite book character"

This really is very broad and up to your own choice............

Bring the book that you are the character from.............

So many options..............

I hated book week so I am taking one for the team......

Actually hate dressing up except for Scrub Stitchin'......

My kids only ever won "most effective least effort"...........

Maybe you might like to choose a kids book............

the options are endless............

so you had better get planning............LOL.........

Catch you later.............

Chookyblue.........

2025 Kawandi project

 Okay, so I know it is hard for people to get inspired about this project.

Kate got hers done during the week. What will it end up being? A placemat, table centre or ?

Well I am travelling atm in our caravan and I took mine along to stitch. I have not added the pula flowers on the corners because they won’t work for the project I intend it to be. Here it is atm..

I will get this finished by the time I get home and will do something with it.

What will it end up being?

Watch this space. If you want to make what I do I’ll let you know what you need and can show you at the next retreat 2026

Scrub Stitchin' day 2......

 Scones on retreat are mandatory.............
so 10am Thursday they were delivered perfect timing for morning tea.............

Served up with jam and cream..........the only way to eat scones...........

the gorgeous bottle brush were from the garden at Camp Cypress and I did get permission to pick some............

the other blossoms and leaves were from mine and Brenda's gardens...........

it worked well together...........

&&&

here we are having lunch..........

today was all about food................

And then later we were enjoying nibbles.............

sorry got some weird colouring across a few photos............

lots of happy faces...........

and that brings us to the end of day too.............pretty mild on the photo front................

Catch you later.........

Chookyblue......

Scrub Stitchin' day 1..........

Lets start with Scrub Stitchin' posts........

wow what a year.........this year I decided to set up on the Sunday before the retreat which was great that the dining room was not in use........the final touches I added on the Wednesday morning and I must say this made life so much easier.........

huge thanks to Di (and Rusty), Mary, Brenda, Mum and Mr Chooky for helping with the setup.......

AND this year I decided that we would set up for the theme dinner before the retreat started........it takes time the last few years and I thought we could enjoy it for longer............

The theme for dinner was "Winter Wonderland in the Warrumbungles"...........

Di sourced the bags for me and I am not sure where she got them but they looked fabulous on the tables.........

Slowly the room filled up and more quilts got hung on the walls............

Unfortunately the power went out in the afternoon.........turned out to be a major black out for about 3 hours for the whole town so in the end we headed up early to the Bowling Club for dinner. 

Lucky we had planned the Bowling Club for dinner this year as they have an emergency generator so they could still cook our meals........

Of course we went back to sewing again once dinner was completed.............one of the girls won a meat raffle.........and we put a bit of money into the club..........

Just realised i don't have very many photos from day one so that's day one done....

Catch you later.......

Chookyblue......

2025 outstanding tribe..........

I really cannot say any more then thankyou...............

As I said I am honored and grateful that you all choose to hang with this wonderful tribe........

It is a joy to organise a retreat for you to play with fabric, chat, eat, drink and be inspired with me.........

Its been a hectic week but a wonderful time with friends................now to hang with family so when I get a chance I will do some blog posts..........which are way over due...........

Catch you later..........

Chookyblue........

💙💙💙

 

Scrub Stitchin Surprise Kawandi project

 Hi everyone 

Well I had an impromptu road trip and stopped at scrub stitchin. 

Held a quick Kawandi class for this years project. Kate has started hers.

So exciting 

Claytons Cyber Scrub Stitchin' Linky Party

If you would like to show us what you are stitchin' on or how you are joining in for our Claytons Retreat, do your blog post and link it below.

Looking forward to seeing your work!

Just ignore #1 below...I was testing.

If there are any problems - leave a comment.

Quilting.......

 Hi girls

Annette from Armidale is happy to take any quilts back to Jackson for quilting.....

Just bring them and your backing to the retreat. Labelled in a bag..........

Chooky

Setup and weather.......

Well Scrub Stitchin' is pretty much all set up thanks to Mary, Brenda, Dianne and mum.......(Rusty and Brian)

Can't wait to see everyone from 10am Wednesday......

Sunset yesterday..... The light was beautiful...... The weather has been delightful....... Autumn is finally here...... This week looks like mid teens to mid 20's so great weather to enjoy a sewing retreat...... With the recent rain Camp Cypress and the showground is nice and green.......

We've got the massage lady booked for Thursday and Friday so there are still some spots left of you haven't told me yet......

2 sleeps...... 

OMG can you believe that.......

I know plenty of you are on the road already.......

OMG I'm so excited......

Lou and Janice should be here tonight.......

See you all soon..... 

Travel safe.....

Chookyblue xxxx

Claytons Scrub Stitchin'

You can find the Linky Party by clicking here.

Who really wishes they were in Baradine, sewing along with all the ladies, sharing the fun and food, not to mention some retail therapy?

Well, we can't all be there, so I am hosting a Claytons Cyber Scrub Stitchin' Linky Party.

For those not in the know . . . .

Where did the term Claytons come from?

In Australian and New Zealand usage, largely illusory; existing in name only. The expression comes (in the 1980s) from the proprietary name of a soft drink marketed using the line 'It's the drink I have when I'm not having a drink'.

So, for us - the retreat we are having when we are not on retreat.

The idea first occurred to me last year and if you look here you will see I did the same thing last year by myself.

I will do a Linky post here on the 9th April when the ladies start arriving at Baradine.
You can add a post each day, or whenever you like.  Just keep going back to the original post.

If you can, put aside some time from the 9th April to the 13th - maybe all the days??, maybe some of the days, maybe just a few hours here and there.  Whatever you can manage.

Start organising now - as if you were at the retreat.   Plan projects, maybe do some cutting, clean the machine....all those things you would do if you were going.

And if you'd like to participate in the "Gala Dinner" night - the theme is:

Winter Wonderland in the Warrumbungles

Who wants to come along?

Guess Who?

 Lets have some fun of a different kind while we are Scrub Stitchin' this year.

Dig out your toddler photos and bring along a photo of yourself as a youngster. Say age 2-6.

A good clear photo, full facial, black and white or colour.

 Pop them into a ziploc bag or cellophane baggie to protect your precious photo and allow room for a pin so that your images don't get pin holes. 

Give it to Chooky hidden in an envelope, and she can pin them to a board, then we will have fun guessing who is who. 

See you all soon. 

Lou.  

Ramping up for 2025 - community quilt

 Hi everyone!

As Scrub Stitching gets closer, I thought I'd better get busy and get the ball rolling for this project I discussed with Chooky a few weeks ago.

I'm sure that most of you know that Chooky and family and friends recently ran the Worrell Family appeal to sponsor ROOM 38 at the Macquarie Home Stay. 

Anyway I thought it would be cool to make a quilt for the room - something that visitors can snuggle under, etc, etc, rather than a bed quilt.

Chooky said come up with an idea and here we are.................................

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE

If we make 2 blocks each (an A and a B) then there will be enough to assemble a quilt by the end of retreat.

Without further ado - 

BLOCK A

Use 4 x (2 ½" squares) to make a 4-patch
(This will measure 4½" square)

From a white or light cream fabric, cut 2 x (2½" x 4½") strips AND 2 x (2½" x 8½") strips.

Sew the shorter strips to opposite sides of the 4-patch, then sewer the longer strips to the remaining 2 sides.

Block will measure 8½" square.

That's it.

BLOCK B

THEN please make a second block....Instead of using a light fabric to frame the 4-patch, use a coloured one.

Colour choice - whatever works for you is great but I think it would be best to try to use colours that are suitable for all ages and genders...maybe no hot pink but I guess anything will go.

This will be the finished quilt - 

Finishes 58" x 69" minimum (depends how many blocks we get).

I will get something for the setting triangles on my travels and put it together at SS.

This quilt is from this book - 

Please spread the word if someone you know is coming might not see it!!!

SEE YOU SOON

Raewyn

Last report...........

 Last report......onto the goodie bags............

Floral mug - I always try and find something floral, bush, birds or stars..........

chocolates........

Cherish Each Day Sewing Case by Hatched and Patched..........

thanks once again for the amazing kits Anni..........

Brenda made us each a bag of coconut ice - to die for

also the smiley faces..........thanks heaps Brenda

Di made the Scrub Stitchin' mug rugs........

Deb @ The Crafters Cottage gave us all a Purple Thang

close up of the kit..........

it's got some lovely wool applique on it also..........

Here are the mugs for this year........I got a yellow one............

Massive thanks to Deb @ The Crafters Cottage for trusting us with her shop..............

Its is greatly appreciated.............

It fits beautifully into the corner...........

SO that's it.........another one done

I know Scrub Stitchin' makes my heart sing.......

It's a great part of my "tribe", "community", "social connection" but I know it's important to me and I appreciate the distance those who attend travel to get here..........

Thousands and thousands of km's...........but we all come for the special time with like minded people..........friendships are made, strengthened and deepened.........

I always breath a big sigh of relief once I know everyone is home safe and sound..........

see you all next year.......

Would love if others shared a post of their time this year also at SS2024.........

 

Catch you later.........

Chookyblue.........

Group Fun @ Scrub Stitchin'

  Everyone chooses if they want to play or not..........

this year I found a ruler.............almost everyone now has one........

lots of fun pics seeing how long we could get...........its over 300 inchs long when all joined up...........

I did a quick demo on how to use them.........

pretty scary as Janice did a video........OMG

Lynda mixing up a jelly roll.............

Stephanie changed hers a bit and downsized it............

I kept making progress............

like a big long snake...........

playing games...........

Betty worked out a table runner.............

Kylie's such a soft pink, cream and brown............

finally got the strip together.........

its not hard to work with it all stacked up..............

finally Sat night I had the rows cut.......and started adding borders.........

I think this was Raewyn but it brought on a big show and tell.............

the tables has to be moved etc........so we could lay more out for a photo.......

all the different ones being worked on.............

Everyone is always interested in seeing what everyone else is doing.......

it's your own personal cheer squad............

After lunch on Sunday Kylie got her row finished and cut into sections before leaving...........

This was great to do on the dining tables.........

Brenda making great progress considering she only started Saturday morning..............

but we did have it all cut up ready............

I had the rows joined before I left Scrub Stitchin' but had to do the border................

Its looks like zigzag below but above it reminds me a giant ricrac...........

i'll refer to it as the jelly roll ruler or the zigzag/ricrac quilt......that should cover it.........

It will have a red or navy binding depending on what I find to back it with...............

not sure which way I like it hanging.........thinking running crossways........

Kylie came to stay for a few nights and she got her top finished on Monday............she is putting a border on and has found some fabric to match and it is on it's way in the mail.......

Would I do this again............

Absolutely..........

It was fun........you could use a jelly roll or cut your own strips or scraps..........the stronger the contrast the better.........what size well that's up to you...........mine is about 63x65??? sorry can't remember but I pulled out a solid black strip also.........

if you want it bigger or more rows just keep adding more pieces on..........

Not sure if Georgina will be getting that sewing machine back.............

perfect way to finish our day together sewing, champagne and nibbles..........

the one thing the Chookshed is always good for...........

Lianne's pickled cucumbers are amazing..........

Betty made the quince paste and it was sooo good also........

Now all the planning starts for 2025.........

OMG blink and I am sure it will be here..........

In the meantime I will look back at all the photos and enjoy the wonderful memories..........

Catch you later........

Chookyblue.........