Lovely to see returning faces, new friends and all the regulars.

57 ladies (yes, eight years in and we still haven’t had one male enrol!) braved the cold to make 57 unique celebrations of fabric. 

We saw new heirlooms hatch before our eyes. We learnt the word “unsewed”, bound to be useful for those who find the spirit willing and the eyesight weak, and revelled in the fine food prepared by Maree for our lunches, Rhea from the Merino Cafe for our dinner and Pat at the markets for our morning and afternoon teas.  Margaret supplied fresh scones for Sunday afternoon tea and the team at the Old Hume Cafe pumped out a good few coffees across the weekend as well.

Yes photos follow, but for now it’s off to bed to dream up more treasures for GPW11.

Peta, Margaret & Maree

Maree, Margeret and I have been hard at work - Maree in the kitchen and on logistics, Margaret on the requirements mailout and I’ve been finalising venues, heating and competitions. 

You’ll all be impressed by the new kitchen in the Shire Hall and while you are at the markets on Sunday morning, take note of the freshly painted Courthouse. 

Dinner this year is at the Merino Cafe, if you haven’t let Margaret know that you want to attend, please do so promptly as she needs to confirm numbers soon.  The Merino Cafe serve excellent coffee and breakfasts as do the Old Hume Cafe, so swing by and give Rea or Mel a boost through the cold winter, with your important business.

Last year, more than 75% of GPW participants shopped at local businesses or the Markets, giving those businesses and the Lions Club of Gunning a vital boost - thank you very much.

Here is the “Don’t forget” list of extras-

   - Label everything you bring
   - Check your sewing machine is in good working order
   - Pack spare sewing machine needles etc – there are no patchwork shops in Gunning!
   - Wear warm comfy clothes and flat walking shoes
   - Bring your reading glasses and sense of humour!

Class times are 9am –5pm. Morning and afternoon tea are at your classroom.  We provide food, tea, sugar, coffee and decaf coffee and Lite White milk.

Lunch- is strictly at 12.30.  Students and tutors need to be at the Gunning Shire Hall Supper room at 12.30!  Prizes for competition and spot prizes will be awarded during lunch.

Venues are NO SMOKING inside and cigarette butts are to be picked up and placed in garbage bins. 

We only have spaces left in the Tessellated Windmills or Chelsea Garden/Cactus Flower class. Class requirements have been mailed, and also uploaded to this site within each workshop page.

Here is an updated photo of the windmills design:

Check out the classes by clicking the links starting with “2010″ to the right of this page.

Information about how to enrol, cost etc is in the “ENROLMENT” link.

Click on ENROLMENT for the forms and information on costings etc.

Some of the quilts require pre-cutting this year - so make sure you are happy with doing that before you enrol in one of those quilts.

Looking forward to welcoming old friends and new back this year,

Peta, Margaret and Maree

PS Remember the black and white blocks from last year?  Here is what they look like stitched together.  They are off to be quilted and will be the prize for this year’s raffle.

Nomination as the Australia Day Community Event for 2010 was indeed a great honour.  Imagine then, how delighted Margaret and I were to receive the award at today’s presentation. Here is a photo of us with Mayor, John Shaw and Australia Day Ambassador, Marie Kay.

The Gunning Patchwork Weekend has grown in numbers and popularity over our eight years of events and while Margaret, Maree and I do work pretty hard at making it a success, it is because of your continuing support that we keep running GPW every year.

The Upper Lachlan Shire, and Gunning in particular, is a wonderful place to live and raise a family and we are so proud to be responsible for the GPW.  We see it as one patch in the quilt which is our wonderful community.

Thank you all for your ongoing support.

Here is another snap of Marg and I with those shiny awards:

Over the next few weeks I’ll be adding photos and information to the various 2010 project pages (check out the fabric painting which already has photos), working with Margaret on the raffle quilt and planing a great new block challenge for you.

Some exciting news for us, the Gunning Patchwork Weekend has been nominated as Upper Lachlan Shire’s Event of the Year.  The winning event will announced on Australia Day - so keep your fingers crossed for your fave patchwork event!

Looking forward to a ‘best-ever’ event this year. Hope to hear from you soon.

Here is a sneak preview of the fabric painting:

Lots of kind comments, terrific thanks from our participants and even finished finished a few things ourselves.

Planning is underway for GPW 2010 - mark 26 and 27 June 2010 in your calendars now - we are planning a doozy!

There is still time to register for The FAT Quarter. FAT Quarter stands for Finish And Talk - there is no formal tuition - just the companionship, a warm space and the food. We have lots of people coming along to finish off a project.  Check out the link on the right for more information.