Happy New Year albeit a bit belated, we hope you have had a great festive season and summer holidays too, they always seem to go so fast though.

So, we don’t have long to go now to the Outdoor Quilt Festival on Sunday 5th February, the volunteers have their final meeting prior to the festival  next week and then it will be case of wishing for fine weather but not as windy as the past few days!, should it be postponed as was the case last year I have already drafted an email to send out to all those who are on our data base.

We have already received  registrations, so don’t linger too long before you get yours in, all the forms are available for registration on the right hand side of this page, the challenge is called ‘Through Cottage Windows’ and you can do whatever you wish, the question is which way will ‘through the windows’ be, looking out or looking in?

The final date for registrations to be in is Sunday 29th January at 4.30pm, we are going to have to adhere to this date this year as it has become very difficult to get the catalogues set out and printed if we leave it later, you can scan and email your registrations or even fax them through to 04 5266838 and then once we have your quilt which has to be no later than 4.30pm on Thursday 2nd February you can pay the fee then.

We are having Wellington Sewing Services here as well, so if you have any queries about your sewing machine or are looking at purchasing another you can come along and see Glen and the girls, also this year we have Elizabeth Fisher who will be selling threads, the proceeds from these sales go to the ‘Shut In Stitchers’

I shall be posting more updates as time goes by, but if you have any queries you can always phone or email me.

Until next time.

Can you believe it is getting to that time of the year again when  plans for the Quilt Festival are underway once more.

The volunteers are getting very organised and we can now give you details of what we are having.

First and foremost is the date, the 2012 Outdoor Quilt Festival will be held on Sunday 5th February 2012 10.00am – 4.00pm should the weather be against as was the case in 2011, the festival will be held the following Sunday 12th February 2012, but we have ordered wonderful weather, with just a light breeze so that we can see the quilts fluttering in the breeze.

We have expanded the categories this year to allow for new piecers and quilters, so if you are new to this lovely art and you have the first piece you have made, why not enter it into the festival, there is also going to be the usual visitors choice category too as well as the challenge.

This year the challenge theme is ‘Looking Through Cottage Windows’, the details for all category entries will be available the first week of December, and will be found on this site as well as in Sawmillers.

So now you have a taster of what is happening, I shall keep you up to  date with the progress, don’t forget to get those quilts finished or look at the ones you have completed that you might want to enter.

Until next time.

‘Safari’ by Jenny Hall

‘Crazy Boxes’ by Anne Read

‘Purple Passion’ by Helen Boynton

‘Scrappy Log Cabin’ by Libby Thomson

‘Strawberry Fields’ by Lynda Johnson

‘Sweet Dreams’ by Doreen Badger

‘Eureka – My American Lap Quilt’ by Judy Betts

‘A Spin On Nature’ by Shirley Mooney

‘Blues 4 You’ by Libby ThomsonNumber Indistinct !

‘Autumn Potpourri’ by Berice Green

‘Renaissance’ by Sylvia Lambert

Heather Harding welcoming visitors

‘Spikes for Sam’ by Jenny Hall

‘Under American Skies’ by Maureen Adams

‘Meet The Moonbeamers’ by Beverley Dixon

‘Snowflake’ by Sheren Gallen

‘March of the Penguins’ by Janet Evans

‘Dragon Quilt’ by Jenny Hall

‘Charismatic Choir’ by Helen Boynton

‘Bluebirds of Happiness’ by Silvey Bishop Group

‘Happy Days’ by Janet Evans

‘Joan’s Quilt’ by Beverley Dixon

The Volunteers and Helpers

Finally, it happened, the 3rd Annual Stonestead Quilt Festival on Sunday 13th February, the day dawned a little cloudy but as the day progressed it became a beautiful sunny day, and was a huge success with 75 quilts on display, an increase on last year.

I don’t need to tell you that this type of event relies on all those volunteers, friends and local businesses who freely give of their time and resources to make the day the success it is and we are very appreciative of this.

This car quilt was a great success and a big thank you goes to Toni Waygood for allowing us to borrow it for the day.

I have been a little slow getting the placegetters names published, but didn’t want to do that until I had spoken to them personally and congratulated them, and like all quilters they live very  busy lives so it took awhile to make contact.

So here goes

1st Place called ‘Old Friends’ by Camilla Watson.

2nd Place to Lorna Newsome for ‘Village Green’

3rd Place to Judy  Betts for ‘Fruhlingsmorgen’

Stonestead Challenge.

The criteria for this was the wallhanging had to depict what a Devonshire Tea at Stonestead meant to them using the fabric enclosed in the challenge pack.

Judges Choice Ronelle Serfontein Letter J

Viewers Choice Robyn Burch for ‘Summer at Stonestead.Letter B

We have lots of pictures of the quilts and the day and we shall be publishing these regularly over the next weeks, keep coming back and have look, I shall endevour to have the name of the quilt and quilter too.

So until next time

Hi Everyone,

Well, after the tree issue yesterday all is well now and Kevin is readying Stonestead for the Outdoor Quilt Festival, he has been busy tidying the gardens and mowing lawns with special attention to where the quilts are being hung.

We have received confirmation that Glen from Wellington Sewing Services will be with us along with a range of sewing machines and lots of advice, so go along and see him.

We have also heard that Peter the Scissor Sharpener will also be with us, so don’t forget to bring your scissors along to be sharpened, might be an idea to have your name on them somewhere too, to eliminate confusion.

Don’t forget you can also have a Devonshire Tea with a variety of Home Made Scones and Jam too, Carol and Rebecca & Hannah will also be there to look after you.

I have heard from Lee one of our volunteers to say the long range weather forecast is rain except on Sunday, but if by some chance it is a rainy day, don’t worry as the Quilt Festival will be held the following Sunday 13th February. Let’s hope this isn’t the case!If in doubt just phone and we shall help you. Tel: 04 526 2517

Come and say hello to us and we hope you have a wonderful day.

Well, the quilt racks have been collected from Capital Quilters, who look after us every year, thank you. The donation boxes from Te Omanga are here too and also lots of lovely quilts, what a great variety we have, but if you still want to enter a quilt, download the registration form email, fax or phone Sawmillers and we will get it registered for you and in the catalogue.

The volunteers have done a great job and next weekend they will all be here during the day to help you, please go and say hello to them, they will have name tags and most will be wearing aprons.

We shall also have Natalie Willcox here strumming her guitar and don’t forget to look at the car cover made in quilt blocks kindly loaned by Toni Waygood

I shall do one more posting before the big day.

Until then, Happy Quilting

email:enquiries@sawmillersquiltery.co.nz

Fax: 04 528 3470

Tel: 04 526 2517

Time is marching on, where do the days go, so if you haven’t registered your quilts yet get the forms to us as soon as you are able, we have had some emailed through via scanning and also faxed through on 04 528 3470, this means your entry will go into the catalogue which is important.You can get the quilts up to Sawmillers no later than 4.30pm Friday 4th February we have extended the date as we all know that quilters always leave the binding to the last minute!

We want to donate as much as we can to Te Omanga so make sure all your family and friends know about the Festival, we have lots of exciting quilts on display amongst the trees as well as as an extra quilting surprise.

If you have any queries just phone Sawmillers 04 526 2517 email enquiries@sawmillersquiltery.co.nz

So until next time.

We are all hoping that the chilly weather we are currently experiencing will not occur on Sunday 6th February, we want it nice, fine, sunny and warm so everyone can enjoy this great day.

The volunteer ladies are all organised and there will be  a group sitting and working on their projects as well as being available to answer any questions, the bouncy castle is ordered so the children will have somewhere to use up that excess energy, don’t forget Kevin has some lovely chickens and doves to look at and of course you can also get your Devonshire Tea too.

Continue to register your quilts and challenges so we can get them into the catalogue and don’t forget just because  you think it isn’t good enough, others will think it wonderful, so share it with us all.

If we can be of any help just phone 04 526 2517

Until next time

Keep sewing

We hope you have all had a great holiday, it seems to bit of a dream now doesn’t it?

Well the time is now marching on towards the main event in the Stonestead calendar, The 3rd Annual Stonestead Outdoor Quilt Festival, this is being held on Sunday 6th February 2011 10.00am – 5.00pm.

We have already received some entries so don’t delay and get your entries registered, you don’t have to bring them in yet, so there is still time to finish the quilting and put the binding on, just let us have the registration forms which you can download from this site, as a reminder we have changed the criteria for entries, we wanted to ensure that all levels had an opportunity to display their quilts, so this year there is only one category and that is Viewers Choice, of which there will be 1st, 2nd and 3rd places all with prizes, certificates and ribbons too.

So don’t be modest, let us have your quilts, we know that we are very critical of our own work but there are budding piecers and quilters who use this festival to see what can be achieved and give them encouragement and confidence to create more projects.

It is hoped we shall have Wellington Sewing Services with us on the day, as well as a scissor sharpener.

Devonshire Teas will be available so you can sit and relax and just soak up the wonderful atmosphere and make new friends too.

If you want more information you can always contact Sawmillers Quiltery Tel: 04 526 2517.

Until next time, Happy Quilting