Chookshed Stitchers 2024 Challenge

 

I'm a member of the Chookshed Stitchers run by Chookyblue. 

Deana from Dreamworthy Quilts has come up with a great idea 

for a Chookshed Stitchers 2024 Challenge.

 

We each make a list of 10 sewing related projects. 

From January to October, on the first of the month, 

Deana will be draw out a number and everyone will work 

on their project corresponding to that number. 

Then each month we do a blog post about our challenge projects.

 

These are my 10 projects. 

I'm not aiming to finish each project within the 

month, just to work on them. If I do finish a project, 

that's a bonus. I have a couple of secret projects, 

so you won't get to see them until later.

 

 1.    Secret project #1

2.    Secret project #2

3.    Tilda hexagon quilt (work on)

 

4.    Heart Strings stitcheries (work on)

5.    Christmas Blessings felt ornaments (work on)

6.     Make tea towel aprons

 

7.    Santa sack (for new baby girl or boy due in family)

8.    Make Ready for Christmas stitcheries (work on)

 

 I may change the order of my projects around

if the number drawn out by Deana doesn't work for me.

You are welcome to join in on this challenge but you need to be a blogger.

Head over to Deana's blog to read all about the challenge.

Merry Christmas!

 

Wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas

from all of us here at MacDonald's Patch.

xxx

I'm back!

Urquhart Castle on Loch Ness

 Finally, a quick post! Noel and I are back from our

amazing big adventure with six weeks in

Scotland and two weeks in England. 

We had a motor home and spent our days looking at 

castles, palaces and the most beautiful scenery. 

We've been back a couple of months now but have been 

very busy. We took over 4000 photos each and

 are still sorting them all out. 

Once that's done, I'll share more about our trip.

I fell in love with the Hairy Coos (Highland Cattle). 

I think I may have become a little addicted to them! 

In fact, one even came home with us! Meet Hector!

Hector

 

 

I've been doing some sewing and made some Santa sacks. 

 I have also been doing a bit of secret sewing. 

You'll have to wait for those.

For Erik, the newest baby in the family.

 

First time I'd seen dinosaur Christmas fabric.

We have 6 month old twin boys living next to us. 

They were born while Noel and I were on our WA trip. 

We've been spending some time with them 

to give their mum a bit of a break.

More cute fabric.

 

Well, that's my quick catch-up. Hopefully it won't be too long 

before I can share our fabulous trip with you.

2023 WA Road Trip Rug

 

On our recent road trip over to Western Australia, 

I found that the roads were just too bumpy

 to stitch in the car. So when we got to Port Lincoln, 

I bought myself some wool and a crochet hook. 

It had been nearly 40 years since I did any crochet. 

I still remembered how to crochet which was amazing. 

I checked out a couple of YouTube videos to refresh 

my memory on how many chain I needed to commence

my granny square and also how to join the squares together. 

I also looked up how to do a scalloped edge. It was so easy.

The colour doesn't really show up very well here. 

You can see I made it a bit like a quilt 

with squares, sashing and borders!

This is the baby rug I made back in 1984. 

When I pulled it out I was surprised to see that 

I had done a scalloped edge on it!

I really enjoyed making my rug.  Pretty sure it's not 

going to be another 40 years before I make another one!

WA Road Trip (Part 3)

We had never been to Broken Hill before. 

There was so much to see and 

we ended up staying an extra day to planned.

The famous Palace Hotel where 

"Priscilla, Queen of the Dessert" was filmed.

In the foyer where there were murals covering all the walls and 

even the ceiling! That's the stiletto that was on top of the bus.

Sunset overlooking Broken Hill from the 

Miners Memorial, Broken Hill, NSW.

We visited the Pro Hart Gallery. 

Here is his famous dragonfly painting that is actually painted on carpet. 

Do you remember the paint ads from all those years ago?

"Oh, Mr Hart. What a mess!"

Bells Milk Bar. First became a milk bar in 1938.

 Has been like this since the 1950s! 

There was even a jukebox playing.

Silverton, about 40km from Broken Hill.

We went on an underground tour of 

the Historic Day Dream Mine.

 It is amazing what the miners did in awful

 conditions back then. This is a silver mine.

After our tour we enjoyed some 

Cornish scones with jam and cream.

Silverton Hotel seen in many movies.

 

Wild donkeys that just roam around town!

Silverton Gaol Museum. There was so much to see here. 

Lots of vintage household things that I love.

 

 This sampler was made in 1848 by Mary Ann Mortimore, aged 8.

We stopped overnight at the Hay Showgrounds and Racecourse. 

The manager told us to park under this shed. 

Was great as when we had to pack up next morning 

it was raining but we stayed nice and dry!

Our last stop was Chiltern to spend a few days 

with Noel's brother Ian and Beverley.

Noel and Ian outside London House which was built in 1879.

Beverley and Andrea (their daughter/our niece) 

are doing this shop up like a 1950s milk bar, 

just like the one we saw in Broken Hill. 

They are hoping to have it all ready by November 

so if you're visiting Chiltern please visit them and say hello.

 

Well, that is just a quick (even if it did take 3 posts) 

snapshot of our big road trip. As you can imagine,

 we took hundreds of photos and videos. 

We saw many places and lots of wildlife.

I hope you've enjoyed it.

 We now getting ready for our next exciting adventure - Scotland! 

I'm sure I'm going to have lots to show you when we get back.

WA Road Trip (Part 2)

 

Rottnest Island, WA. 

The weather was perfect the day we chose. 

Lucky we went when we did as from then on it rained!

We hired bikes to get around the island. 

Neither of us had been on a bike for years. 

My legs were fine the next day but I had a sore bum for days! LOL!

How cute is this little fellow!

Some of the quokkas were very cheeky!

 This one had a good look in my bag.

This one got up nice and close to Noel.

 

View of Perth city from Kings Park. 

Fremantle Markets since 1897.

 We spent two weeks in Perth, staying with my cousins, 

one in Kalamunda and one in Bullsbrook. Mum also flew over

 so we had a bit of a family reunion. 

We were also planning to visit Maria from Life On The Block 

as we were only 300kms away instead of 3662km from here. 

Unfortunately Maria and her hubby were both unwell and 

we weren't able to go. Maria and I were so disappointed 

as we had been looking forward to catching up in 

person and giving each other a real hug, not a virtual one!

Oh well. We'll just have to go back 

or they'll have to come over here - or both!

Wave Rock, Hyden. 

I used to watch "Nature's Walkabout" when I was a child 

and this was on the introduction. I always wanted to go there. 

This is the second time I've been but a first for Noel.

Sunset on the top of Wave Rock.

Halfway across Australia, Kimba SA.

One more post to come!