This is the last day of 2011.I have decided to post a few photos of my much loved furbabies to end the year.

This is Daisy who turned out to be a Dude but is adored regardless

Teddy on the left also hid his gender under long fur for quite a while. Poppet, his brother, being short haired, could not play such tricks

This is a delightful wall hanging I was sent all the way from Canada. Thank you Barbara for such a beautiful gift.

I am uploading photos of blocks I have received in swaps this past month. The first is from the Christmas block swap.

This next one is from the 12" block swap

These are from the 6" block swap. I asked for any pattern in creams and purples

Christmas has been and gone for another year. Presents given and received and now there's a lull before we usher in the New Year.

I received some awesome gifts. One online group I am in has a Xmas present swap each year and I was overwhelmed at what I got in my parcel.

I took part in a Christmas swap in one of my on-line groups. I enjoy these swaps and spend time collecting bits and pieces for my partner through the year. When I was told who my partner was, I emailed her and found out that she liked paua shells. I found paua shell material and made her a mug bag and a coaster. I included some of the materials I had used, added a small body form for her to dress and a small pattern. then I added a thermal mug. I find my cuppa's get neglected and go cold in an ordinary mug. I filled it with chocolates and posted it off. My box from her arrived today but I only have to wait a few days to open it and I can be strong for a wee while.

I am not very good at keeping this blog updated. I am including the photos of 2 blocks I made for swaps I am in. When i first saw I had to make a Log Cabin block, my heart sank. I have always admired them but after spending ages with a pen and ruler and trying to make one - mainly by hand - back in the 70's, they were firmly put in the "too hard" bin. However I had joined the swap and was not going to pike at the first block asked for. Off I set. What a difference it is with a rotary cutter etc. It took me 40 minutes to make the block and frankly most of that was going through my stash of Christmas material and finding pieces I had forgotten I had.

I don't think I will rush off and make a quilt of them but I can see one or two getting made in the future.

It's time I updated this blog. I am going to try to post a photo of a quilt top I made from one of Bonnie Hunter's free patterns on her site Quiltville.
http://quiltville.blogspot.com/2005/06/simply-strippy.html

When I first saw it up on her site it was called 'Fiesta" and shown in beautiful batiks. I got carried away cutting the strips and have almost finished a second quilt op in blues. I also made two in greens. I just got carried away with cutting strips for some reason. this is a simple, easy to make quilt and looks terrific when sewn up.