Wholly Quilts

Wholly Quilts May Newsletter

G’day

Well I am back from Queenstown’s symposium enthused and inspired by a week of quiltie stuff. I am always blown away about how much I learn from my students - and what a great bunch I had on all five days of teaching down there.

My week got off to a great start with both my ANZAC banner and Barb’s Remarkable challenge entry receiving awards. The latter was such an emotional moment given that Barb has probably won awards at each and every symposium held in this country.

Am now sitting and looking at a quilt I made for the tutor’s exhibition, but didn’t put in cos I was not happy with it, trying to work out what is wrong. I think the balance is out – nothing on it seems to ‘sing’ to me. Will keep an eye on it for a few days and something may come to me. I hope so cos there is a lot of work just to consign it to the cupboard. Don’t you hate it when what is in your head doesn’t translate to your quilt?

The Leaf Project and Turquoise Sherbet BoM are still getting additional names added so they keep me on my toes staying one step ahead of all participants.

I know I have a group of new recipients reading this their first newsletters so need to explain that the Leaf Project is a lesson/technique a month by email and the Turquoise Sherbet is a BoM where I send out a pattern and sufficient turquoise fabric to complete it.

The Pumpkin Patch is looking so green and delicious but I have to rummage in the healthy weeds to find a feed. Funny how the slugs and snails can tell the difference between a weed and bok choy! However my tomatoes have decided that they prefer to be neglected (not weeded and watered regularly) and are giving me a great late picking. So much so that I have been ‘relishing’ and drying even more of them. And now the feijoas are having their time – I have sort of sweet pickled feijoa leather out of the first bucketful but now have an ever increasing heap waiting for attention.

I have such fun telling you of ways I preserve my ‘pumpkin patch’ product that many of you are now asking for the recipe so I have decided to include one each month from the Chopping Block.

The first is how I dry my tomatoes: I cut all (and you can include green ones too) into quarter-inch (just to keep it patchworky) slices and lay out on baking paper covering an oven sheet. I then sprinkle with sea salt, fresh thyme from the PP though you could use dried, oil that I have infused with garlic from the PP (you get the idea) and put into a fan oven at about 70 degrees for five hours.

The tomatoes are reduced considerably in volume for easier storage and can be used as they are or in sauces, on pizzas etc

Regards

Natalie Murdoch

Wholly Quilts

Wholly Quilts April Newsletter

G’day

White rabbit! White rabbit! White rabbit! Isn’t that what we used to say on the first of the month and I think April 1st deserves triple mention.

Last month I spent some quite special time with my good quiltie friend Barbara Bilyard before her passing on the 18^th. What a great loss to quilting in this country – Barb was at the first symposium in Auckland, won an award at the first quilt exhibition in 1990 and has passed on her knowledge to a great many of us over the intervening years. Her quilts and life were full of colour – go well my friend.

These days I am finishing off the year-end books, stock-taking and trying to finish a quilt for the tutors’ exhibition in Queenstown. I can’t believe that is only a couple of weeks away. I must be having fun!

The first of the Leaf Project is out there and the second lesson ready to go early next week. Still time to join in and catch up.

The Turquoise Sherbet BoM is also into the second month and I have quite a few of the first month to cut and catch up on so you can join with that too.

April’s Fabric Special: I have packs of beautiful jewel-coloured batiks – 18 fat quarters (4.5m) for just $70 each including post and packaging.

It’s a sad time in the Pumpkin Patch. In the last couple of days I have picked the last handful of strawberries and eaten them for breakfast; stripped the grape vine and made juice; picked and pickled the last of the main crop of figs; dried the last of the tomatoes; given away the last of the beans; frozen the passionfruit and shaken my head at the weeds. Mind you the feijoas, persimmons and tamarillos – oh and the pomegranates - are still to go so all is not lost – or should I say eaten. And I still have potatoes, carrots, beetroot, aubergine (my spell check tells me this should be aborigine so maybe I had better call them egg plant), chilli and capsicum to go along with lots of green stuff.

Regards

Natalie 

Wholly Quilts

Wholly Quilts March Newsletter

 

G’day

Christchurch and all of New Zealand has been shaken to its core. Quilting has traditionally been a craft that is marked by the sharing and caring of individuals. It is a trait of all New Zealanders that will get us through these terrible days of trauma and loss. Kia kaha, Christchurch.

My sister has been and gone – what fun! How much family, food and giggles can you fit into three days? Lots!

Yee ha! I have had three quilts accepted for the Queenstown symposium. I do love sharing my quilts with more than just the four walls of my studio. Well I wrote that this morning and can now add the fourth quilt I entered – the notifications to me were split in the mail – an extra loud woo-hoo.

 

If you want to join in the Leaf Project any time in the next few weeks just give me a shout. The first lesson is a version of my Ooey Gooey Heart pattern and looks lovely done in the leaf shape. I am planning a not-quite-so-traditional tree of life in the centre and have had fun designing that though it hasn’t made it to the computer as yet. Because this is an on-line project you can catch up. It will cost $65.

 

The first block of Turquoise Sherbet goes out early next week. It is my weekend chore. Do not fret if you are still working on numbers I can catch up with you. Pay $30 for individuals or $25 for groups of six or more to my bank account Wholly Quilts 389005 0972408 00 or by cheque to the address below.

 

The race is on each day in the Pumpkin Patch to beat the birds to the ripe figs – yum! Only trouble is they do not hold for long so now I am pickling and jamming figs, eating figs and giving them away. The damson plum tree was stripped last week and the fruit dealt with. Jared, my lovely son, is convinced it is not real plum jam if it has no pips so I had to scoop out only every third one that floated to the surface J. This year I carefully planted my pumpkins in a garden and thought they would overflow and thrive but not so – each plant produce only a few pumpkins. I have to say white butterflies galore and a lonely rabbit really really like my garden!

 

 

 

Regards

Natalie Murdoch

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Wholly Quilts

Ph 07 867 3085 or Cell 0210 2231 678

9 Church Road, Mangatarata

RD6 Thames 3576

http://nataliemurdoch.co.nz

http://WhollyQuilts.co.nz

http://patchnat.blogspot.com/ - my blog, where you can read the latest news that may or may not make the newsletter...

 

Wholly Quilts

Wholly Quilts February Newsletter

 

G’day

It’s reality time. No more holidays (well apart from today’s Auckland/Nelson Anniversary Day). No more eating and drinking just because. No more putting anything off because it is a nice sunny day. Today I am concentrating on you, this year’s projects and finishing off a quilt for the tutors’ exhibition at the Remarkable Symposium cos yes, I have five days teaching down there – yeah!!

A couple of days ago I was ankle deep in mud that had gone through the lovely café next door to me. It brought home to me what the flood victims in Oz have had to face. Fortunately I had no flood damage at all though it has not a good time for a lot of people.

My ‘American’ sister arrived in the country yesterday and I am excitedly waiting for her to arrive at my place. She is tripping through vineyards and national parks at the top of the South Island for 10 days so my patience is being tested.

Summer Picnic for Quilters

About 30 turned out for the day. It was great catching up after the Christmas break. We did decide on the collective pronoun for quilters - Gillian came up with a binding of quilters. Overcast weather made for a pleasant day of alfresco stitching and chatting.

The Leaf Project is set to launch early March. Each month you are given a technique or class by email. These include piecing, appliqué, foundation piecing and stitching. The finished quilt will be a big single so fabric requirements are down to you. I guesstimate approximately 5 metres of scraps in your choice of colour. I am doing mine in plaids. A minimum of 12 months will cost $65.

Turquoise Sherbet will also start early next month and is a block of the month with me supplying the turquoise fabric and a pattern. It is up to you to choose your colourway but some suggestions would be turq with brown, turq with cream or maybe greens. The final month includes suggested settings for your blocks. The cost is $30 for individuals or $25 each for groups of six or more. You will need to include your full postal address (incl post zone) when you sign up.

Payment for both the above projects can be made by cheque to my address at the foot of this email or to my bank account Wholly Quilts 389005 0972408 00

Pumpkin Patch

It’s tomato time – tomato sauce, tomato chutney, dried tomatoes, fresh tomatoes, giveaway tomatoes – you get the gist? No need to go anywhere near a greengrocer in the foreseeable future.

 

 

Regards

Natalie Murdoch

--

Wholly Quilts

Ph 07 867 3085 or Cell 0210 2231 678

9 Church Road, Mangatarata

RD6 Thames 3576

http://nataliemurdoch.co.nz

http://WhollyQuilts.co.nz

http://patchnat.blogspot.com/ - my blog, where you can read the latest news that may or may not make the newsletter...

 

Wholly Quilts

 

 

Wholly Quilts New Year Newsletter

 

Happy, happy New Year!

It is that time of the year when we reflect on achievements past and future ambitions. It is reassuring to know that my family are healthy and happy, my own health and home are thriving and my quilting continues to engross and delight me. Long may that continue!

Some of my friends have not been so fortunate and my love goes to them with the hope of a better time in the coming year.

The weather right now is far too beautiful to be inside quilting but a pen and paper in the shade is a good place to plan future projects – that’s where I am heading now.

Summer Picnic for Quilters

I know I forgot to tell you the date last newsletter but then most of you already know it is on Saturday January 22. Pot-luck picnic, raffles, give-aways and a 10.30am-ish start should make for a fun day. Share your latest projects with us including the Lime Spritzers.

There is a prize for the best answer to ‘what have you herd of quilters?’

The Leaf Project and Turquoise Sherbet have had some attention from me over recent weeks and both will be ready to fly come March - more about them next month.

Pumpkin Patch

It is now that time of the year in the garden when a salad is just waiting to be picked – plenty of greens, herbs, tomatoes, potatoes and cucumbers there for the eating. I was delighted to make a batch of jam from my own strawberries and boysenberries on Christmas Eve to add to my kids’ hampers. The pumpkins, grapes, blueberries, damson plums, passionfruit and tamarillos are promising many feeds to come.

Wholly Quilts Retreats

I want to welcome all the newbies to my newsletter and give you some information about retreats. Generally they are held over a weekend, Friday night through to Sunday afternoon, and the cost includes all accommodation, meals and teaching. Accommodation is shared rooms; meals are all fresh and seasonal and sometimes I test new recipes on you; and teaching can cover all techniques and skill levels.

The cost now is $175 per person

 

My wish for you is for good health, happiness and that all your dreams and resolutions are realised in 2011

 

Regards

Natalie Murdoch

--

Wholly Quilts

Ph 07 867 3085 or Cell 0210 2231 678

9 Church Road, Mangatarata

RD6 Thames 3576

http://nataliemurdoch.co.nz

http://WhollyQuilts.co.nz

http://patchnat.blogspot.com/ - my blog, where you can read the latest news that may or may not make the newsletter...

 

Wholly Quilts

Wholly Quilts December Newsletter

 

Christmas Greetings

I can’t believe I am saying that – the year has flown. My New Year resolution, and I don’t often made them, is to appreciate every day, go new places, try new tastes and keep in touch with great friends and maybe the world will stop spinning as fast as it has been doing.

Maybe if I do all my future planning this year then the clock and calendar will not feature so prominently in my life. And I have done some:

The Leaf Project is now a happening thing. I have done the basic design on the puter, chosen my fabrics (woven plaids) and even played with a couple of the blocks. Each month you will receive a new ‘class/technique’ and have a large single quilt to show at the end. The cost is $65. The first instalment goes out in March and will run for at least 12 months.

Summer Picnic for Quilters

Pot-luck lunch, raffles and give-aways start the day from 10.30am-ish. Bring your show and tell (I do think that should be called share and tell) and picnic basket to Wholly Quilts in Mangatarata. I am still looking for the answer to the question – have you herd of quilters?

Some answers are already in – a stash, sew and sews, a hug or maybe a giggle.

Turquoise Sherbet

Next year’s BoM will kick off in March. Each month you will receive a pattern and turquoise fabric. You decide on your colour scheme (chocolate brown and turquoise – yum, lime green and turquoise – mmm) and add enough fabrics to make a 12-inch block The price: $30 for individuals or $25 for groups of six or more. When you send the money you must include your snail mail address (incl post zone) and then find out how nice it is to get a ‘squishy’ in the letterbox. For a lot of us that is a distant memory.

Pumpkin Patch

My squash seedlings are in great health and flower and are beginning their inexorable creep across the garden. Last year’s count came no where near the previous best of 21 off two plants so these are getting lots of TLC as I have a great stack of recipes to try out. As much as I love the birdlife around me, I find battling them a daily ritual (I had to get out my newly invented ‘nest destroyer’ tool to haul the makings out of my carport three times yesterday) and netting detracts somewhat from the laden strawberry plants and blueberry bushes but needs must.

 

Pike River Hearts - On a more sombre note I received the following email this week. It is an appeal for blocks to make into quilts for the families of the Pike River tragedy.

Block details are as follows:
Cream background – calico is fine - 6 ½” unfinished size (so they will be 6” finished) -  Pieced or appliquéd heart or hearts -  Any colours or patterns for the hearts.  Some of the quilts will be
for children, so children’s fabrics are fine too.
Please send to the address below:
Shirley Goodwin
51 Charles St Rangiora 7400

 

Once again Season’s Greetings - may all your wishes come true in 2011 – go well!

 

 

 

 

Regards

Natalie Murdoch

--

Wholly Quilts

Ph 07 867 3085 or Cell 0210 2231 678

9 Church Road, Mangatarata

RD6 Thames 3576

http://nataliemurdoch.co.nz

http://WhollyQuilts.co.nz

http://patchnat.blogspot.com/ - my blog, where you can read the latest news that may or may not make the newsletter...

 

Wholly Quilts

Wholly Quilts September Newsletter

 

G’day

I love getting feedback and comment on my newsletters – it is always great to catch up with your news too. Thank you.

My local club has just had an extremely successful exhibition in Thames. It really is a craft that brings us together and was great seeing quilting friends from all over the Coromandel.

Lime Spritzer has two more blocks to go. Already I am seeing some amazingly different colour combinations. I definitely will be repeating this again next year so keep a watch. In the meantime I have designed (well sort of) our next Project (see below).

By the way, no longer are we ‘just’ sewing we can now claim to be working on our PhD (projects half done)

 

Pumpkin Patch

Spring has well and truly sprung, the weeds are riz and I have to say there is nothing nicer than getting the good earth under the nails.

The seed potatoes are happily chitting on the verandah (no, that’s not sitting though it’s not such a bad thing to do in the sunshine J – it is sprouting). Last year I grew potatoes for the first time and came Christmas my son wanted new spuds for the pot and they were all fist-sized. Not your usual little ones! Going to plant several different breeds this year to see how I go.

It is gratifying to see that all my citrus trees, passionfruit vines and the tamarillo have survived the winter frosts. And those weeds … they thrive

Oops – just listened to a rural radio programme while having my lunch and the ‘moon man’ with his long term weather forecast reckons we are not yet finished with the cold wet stuff.

 

Christmas Project

Okay – I have finally found the design mode button and have been working on the Christmas Project.

Initial details are that it will run for a minimum of twelve months (=$60 to participate); it will include piecing, appliqué and some embroidery though I envisage that most of the stitchery will be on the finished wall-hanging sort of similar to crazy-patch embellishment.

The finished size is approximately 50 (long) x24 inches.

Part one will be ready for sending out mid October so you have a month or so to register with me. Everyone that signs up will receive a monthly email pattern in PDF format (or snail mail if that is a problem).

 

 

 

 

 

 

Regards

Natalie Murdoch

--

Wholly Quilts

Ph 07 867 3085 or Cell 0210 2231 678

9 Church Road, Mangatarata

RD6 Thames 3576

http://nataliemurdoch.co.nz

http://WhollyQuilts.co.nz

http://patchnat.blogspot.com/ - my blog, where you can read the latest news that may or may not make the newsletter...