Yesterday our patchwork group had it's Christmas outing, and we went off in three cars for a Mystery Tour. Only the two organisers knew where we were going, so we had to make sure we didn't lose sight of their car. After two hours of driving and a couple of hair-raising U-turns when they thought we were lost but we weren't, we arrived at Maggie Beer's Farmshop in the Barossa Valley. Maggie is a renowned cook and food writer, and presents the TV show The Cook and The Chef. We went through the shop and sampled all the lovely local products, and then had lunch on the verandah, overlooking the lake. It was very civilised to sit and enjoy a glass of excellent shiraz, but we made so much noise laughing and talking that no-one else would come out on the verandah with us. Squibs!!

This is one of our lovely hostesses, conducting a cooking presentation on The Actual Set of the TV show; us country kids were suitably impressed.Of course there was a trip to a patchwork shop afterwards, where a little fabric was added to the stash, then a trip to a coffee shop and time for home. We had a fun day with all our friends, and got to know each other a lot better; we have all seen one of our number in a G-string (thong) now, although there was a lot of debate among the older ladies about whether she had it on backwards or not, and as it was over the top of her trousers anyway it lost some of the effect.

My big printer that I use to print pantos is called Gilbert, and he and I have spent a lot of time together the last few days, filling orders. My workroom was swamped with 10' lengths of paper, but now it's all parcelled up and posted, so I am allowed to sit in my sewing room and play. I made this trial block, called Chain of Arrows, that I want to make in some of my delicious Civil War greys.
Then I sewed up a storm, and finished the last of my Pretties blocks; I'll have to think of an official name for this quilt. As you can see, I am in the process of joining the blocks together now, and getting excited to see the final result. I just love the way it's turning out.While I was away Mereth 'organised' my sewing room. She's very good at that, and I don't mind her doing it, but it's a bit disconcerting when she says 'Now don't be mad at me, but...' My mind whirls at the prospect of what I'm about to see. But she had just moved a few pieces of furniture and stacked everything neatly in baskets and sorted out my tottering piles of fabric. I was not the least bit perturbed by any of it. I'm sure she could have a career as a Stash Elf; she could just appear each night and put a sewing room to rights as if by magic.