group project.........if you want............

 Hi Girls
We have a group quilt design to work on if you so choose.............

Simply Serene by Diana Beaubien adapted by Jo and Chooky.......

This is totally optional like the usual but if you want to play along please join us...........

Quilt centre … 64” x 80” (no borders)

103 x 6.5” squares

40 x 6.5” Half Square Triangles

32 x Side setting triangles

4 x corner setting triangles

To make HST 8 at a time you will need 5 each x 14.5” of your 2 contrasting colours.....

To make the 32 x side setting triangles you will need to cut 8 x 10.5” and cut into 4 diagonally (slightly oversized)

To make the 4 x corner setting triangles you will need to cut 2 x 5.25” cut into half diagonally.

We have added below some colour options to get you thinking.............

The pattern is based on 5in squares....But being Jo and I we have adapted it to 6.5in squares..........

other colour ways below............

you can make it smaller if you choose also............

As I said this is completely optional and you can do what you want with it or do nothing.........

Any questions please leave them on this post or ask Jo or myself......

Hope you join in the fun..........

Chooky and Jo..........

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